Michael Macon

Michael Macon is a state science policy fellow working with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). He recently wrapped up his master's degree in environmental policy and management from the University of California, Davis, where he specialized in water resource management. During school, Macon worked with the California State Water Resource Control Board and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to better incorporate environmental justice principles into their policy making decisions, to remove barriers for green infrastructure, and to improve water quality standards in the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River watersheds.

Previously, Macon worked extensively with fish communities and water resource management. He monitored invasive silver carp with the Illinois Natural History Survey, studied striped bass with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and studied king salmon with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hoopa Valley Tribe in California. Most recently, Macon worked for the California State Water Board where he updated water quality standards in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and coordinated with state and federal agencies on the operations of major reservoirs. With his experience working in diverse communities across the country, Macon brings a unique perspective and understanding for how people may view and rely upon the environment in very different ways.

Macon greatly enjoyed living in California and white water rafting in the Trinity Alps but is excited to return to his home state, where he enjoys sailing on the Chesapeake Bay and hiking in the Appalachian Mountains. With MDE, he hopes to streamline the way the state reviews and permits wetland habitat restoration projects and to open the door for more public engagement in how Maryland's water resources are managed. He hopes to leverage his experience in public communications and interagency coordination to build bridges between the state and local communities to break down barriers for more resilient environmental policies.

Macon aspires to preserve and restore aquatic resources by working at the boundary of science and management decisions. By connecting scientists with policy makers, he aims to foster relationships that develop an engaged scientific community and more knowledgeable managers and elected officials. In the process, he wants to expand how the public is engaged on projects happening in their communities and give them a voice in decision making, especially as we collectively manage the impacts of climate change.