Elliott Laffer has been the first executive director of the Boston Groundwater Trust. A longtime community activist, Laffer served for more than 25 years on advisory committees to the Boston Redevelopment Authority for major developments in the Back Bay section of Boston. His first involvement with the groundwater issue occurred more than 20 years ago when an advisory committee put measures in place to maintain groundwater levels at the historic Trinity Church during construction of an adjacent high rise building. A mechanical engineering graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Laffer spent more than 25 years in sales of engineered equipment.