Donald Kemp Ross (June 29, 1943May 14, 2022)
was an American public interest lawyer. Ross proposed the model of
Public Interest Research Group
Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) are a federation of U.S. and Canadian non-profit organizations that employ grassroots organizing and direct advocacy on issues such as consumer protection, public health and transportation. The PIRGs are cl ...
s (PIRGS) with
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes.
The son of Lebanese immigrants to the Un ...
. Ross became the first director of the
NYPIRG (The New York Public Interest Research Group, Inc.).
He helped to found the Albany law firm of Malkin & Ross, and its associated advocacy organization M+R Strategic Services. He has served on the board of directors of environmental organizations.
Early life and education
Ross was the son of Helen (Kemp), a homemaker, and Hugh Ross, an administrator for the
Conservation Foundation. Ross graduated with a BA in English from
Fordham University
Fordham University () is a Private university, private Jesuit universities, Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the The Bronx, Bronx in which its origina ...
, where he was student body president, in 1965.
[
He served in the ]Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance. It was established in March 1961 by an executive order of President John F. ...
in Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
from 1965 to 1967.[
He graduated ]New York University Law School
New York University School of Law (NYU Law) is the law school of New York University, a private research university in New York City. Established in 1835, it is the oldest law school in New York City and the oldest surviving law school in New ...
in 1970.[
]
Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGS)
While serving with Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes.
The son of Lebanese immigrants to the Un ...
, Donald K. Ross wrote the book ''Action for a change'', which proposed the organizational model for Public Interest Research Group
Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) are a federation of U.S. and Canadian non-profit organizations that employ grassroots organizing and direct advocacy on issues such as consumer protection, public health and transportation. The PIRGs are cl ...
s (PIRGS). He was the first director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, Inc. (NYPIRG). While at NYPIRG, Ross helped it grow to become the largest state-based research and advocacy organization in the nation. Ross was NYPIRG's principal strategist, lobbyist and fundraiser.[
]
Law career
In 1984, he and Arthur Malkin founded the law firm Malkin & Ross, which is based in Albany, New York. Malkin and Ross later formed M+R Strategic Services, which is based in Washington, D.C
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
. He worked as an attorney for Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes.
The son of Lebanese immigrants to the Un ...
.[
]
Citizen Action Group
The Citizen Action Group (CAG) was the organizing arm of Public Citizen
Public Citizen is a non-profit, progressive consumer rights advocacy group and think tank based in Washington, D.C., United States, with a branch in Austin, Texas.
Lobbying efforts
Public Citizen advocates before all three branches of the Unit ...
. Ross worked as CAG's head, and helped create the Parents Action Committee on Toys (PACT), the Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG) as well as Public Interest Research Groups in 15 different states.
Board member of environmental organizations
He has served as an adviser and officer of several non-profit organizations that are dedicated to public-interest causes, especially the environment. He served as the chief administrative officer of the Rockefeller Family fund from 1985 to 1999.[ In 2011, he was on the Boards of Directors for the ]League of Conservation Voters
The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environmen ...
; that same year, he served as the chairperson of Greenpeace US.
Other activities
Ross worked as a consultant for the Long Island Veatch Program, the Center for Research on Institutions and Social Policy, and the New York Community Trust
The New York Community Trust is the community foundation for New York City, with divisions in Westchester and Long Island. It is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the United States and one of the largest funders of New York C ...
.[
He was one of the chief coordinators for the 1979 March on Washington and the No Nukes Rally in Battery Park City.
]
Personal life
Ross was married to writer Helen Klein Ross until his death from lymphoma in Salisbury, Connecticut
Salisbury () is a town situated in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The town is the northwesternmost in the state of Connecticut; the Massachusetts-New York-Connecticut tri-state marker is located at the northwest corner of the town ...
, on May 14, 2022. He was 78.[
]
Books
He is the author and co-author of many books, including ''A Public Citizen's Action Manual, Troubled Waters: Toxic Chemicals in the Hudson River, and ''Action for Change: A Manual of Public Interest Organizing.''
Notes
External links
Ross, Donald K.
(WorldCat Identities
WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the OCL ...
)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Donald Kemp
1943 births
2022 deaths
Public Interest Research Groups
New York Public Interest Research Group
New York (state) lawyers
American democracy activists
American environmentalists
American non-fiction environmental writers
American political writers
American male non-fiction writers
Consumer rights activists
Peace Corps volunteers