Brent Bolin Email & Phone Number

Petoskey, Michigan, United States

As Executive Director I'm responsible for developing and sustaining a safe, multi-use, year-round trail system in Northern Michigan and promoting the maintenance and use of these trails for the benefit of all. I'm focused on creating connections and community around our trails, developing our trails as economic and quality of life assets for trail towns, and fundraising to support Top of Michigan Trails and our trail network.

Petoskey, Michigan, United States

Mount Rainier, Md

Washington D.C. Metro Area

As Political Director I led our 501(c)3 civic engagement and democracy reform work, our 501(c)4 elections work, and represented the organization with outside individuals and organizations, including both c3 and c4 coalitions and tables. I served on the national program team, tracking the status of legislative and administrative actions on our issues and developing strategies to engage agencies and Congress. Other key duties include: publicizing the organization’s election work and results to allies, funders, and the media; raising funds to support the organization’s electoral activities at both the national and state levels; meeting with donors and funders; helping coordinate media outreach and activities; working with the National Management Team to develop goals, plans, and strategies for elections and accountability efforts; and helping state managers develop and implement effective election plans.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Led program activities for Chesapeake region (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) including hiring, training, and supervising staff; fundraising from grants, events, and major donors; developing and implementing state and local campaigns; and coordinating implementation of national campaigns in the region. Managed team of seven full-time staff working across the Chesapeake region from offices in Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC, and coordinated electoral and issue campaign work by field canvasses in Baltimore and DC. Served as the face of Clean Water in the region and oversaw strategic media and public relations activities. Represented Clean Water in work with other organizations, coalitions, public officials, and agencies.

Accokeek, Md

A network of organizations, businesses, and activists working to reduce litter in Maryland through policy and behavior change, TFMD is the leading advocate for public policies to reduce trash pollution and litter in Maryland's neighborhoods and waterways. The Alliance was formed to advocate for policies to reduce the use of and increase recycling of commonly littered single-use plastics, focusing on best practices including disposable bag fees, container deposits, and bans on Styrofoam, at the state and local level. The Alliance also helps members build campaign capacity.Founded in 2010 by Brent Bolin, Laura Chamberlin, and Julie Lawson, the Alliance currently has 60 members and is governed by a steering committee.

Mount Rainier, Md

Elected as Ward 2 City Council member, 2011-2015.Vice-Mayor, 2013-14.Served on the Development Committee as well as liaison to Mixed Use Town Center Review Committee, Mount Rainier Business Association, and Green Team / Environmental Protection Board. A primary focus of my work on council was uniting these disparate elements into a coherent vision and plan for community development and sustainability.Smart Growth America, Local Leaders CouncilMaryland Chapter Focus group member, Plan Prince George's 2035-Served on stakeholder team assisting with initial vetting of county General Plan update.Environmental Action Council, Prince George's Dept. of Environment-Served with county-wide group of environmental thought leaders convened to advise Director of PG DoE.Mount Rainier Police Sergeant Promotion, Oral Exam Board Panel. 2015.

Annapolis, Md

As the Clean Water Coalition Director I worked with organizations all over Maryland to develop and advance a common policy agenda to clean up local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. I developed unified messaging, synchronized communications, and planned and executed local and state campaigns in collaboration with partner organizations. My core value was coordinating the work of local campaigns and grassroots organizations with state- and Bay-wide campaigns and advocates so that these activities were mutually reinforcing. As an example, I led Maryland's Clean Water, Healthy Families legislative advocacy coalition that in 2014 defeated over twenty pieces of legislation aimed at rolling back or weakening the state's polluted runoff law. In 2015, after a gubernatorial campaign that targeted repeal of the polluted runoff law, Clean Water, Healthy Families successfully amended a repeal bill so that it became a program enhancement.A key piece of my role as Clean Water Coalition Director was serving as the Maryland Lead for the Choose Clean Water Coalition (CCW). The Coalition, composed of more than 200 organizations in the six state Chesapeake region, envisions vibrant, clean rivers and streams in all communities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. As state lead I supported the communications and campaign activities of over 70 CCW members in Maryland, and coordinated their engagement with the Maryland Congressional delegation.Other duties at MD LCV included advising the Executive Director on politics and policy, fundraising, and leading a portfolio of issues including growth, diversity in the environmental community, and environmental justice, including coordinating the DMV EJ Coalition Legislative Workgroup.

Developed brand new curriculum and taught LEGL 475 - Environmental Law for two dozen upper class undergraduate students in Fall 2014.

Washington, Dc Metro Area

Directed Public Affairs Program including oversight of communication, outreach, and advocacy functions for medium-sized non-profit. Determined overall strategic goals and set annual work plans for external communications, outreach campaigns, and public policy outcomes. Managed department of three staff and two consultants including budget, fundraising, grants, and contracts. Served as the voice of AWS, engaging citizens and public officials at municipal, county, state, and federal levels. Developed and implemented AWS communications plan that significantly increased media hits and boosted AWS’s social media presence to over 1200 Facebook fans and more than 1700 twitter followers. Led engagement of Congressional delegation by watershed partners. Co-founded the Trash Free Maryland Alliance and developed the Prince George's County Healthy Communities Campaign.

Graduate of Emerging Leaders Program, a prestigious two-year career development and training initiative within HHS for the “best and brightest” future leaders of the federal workforce. This program consisted of work rotations with various HHS agencies together with extensive training, including regulatory and Congressional Affairs. Project Officer certification and accompanying budget and management training. Developed and served as project manager for a partnership among federal, state, and private entities; duties included supervising staff, budget development and oversight, and project evaluation.

Education record

Member of 2023 class of community leadership program. Mentor for 2024 class.

Chesapeake Regional Fellowship

Doctor Of Jurisprudence (Jd), Environmental

Activities and Societies: Indiana Journal for Global Legal Studies, Joint Law-SPEA Student Association, Public Interest Law Foundation.

Master Of Public Affairs, Environmental Management

Activities and Societies: Graduate Student Association - Joint JD/SPEA Representative

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Political Science, Minors In Biology & Environmental Studies, Summa Cum Laude

Activities and Societies: Phi Beta Kappa, Student Senate - Vice President, WUSO 89.1 FM - General Manager, Omicron Delta Kappa, Pi Sigma.