PNCWA2025 Opening Session

Maia D. Bellon is a Partner at Cascadia Law Group and its consulting affiliate Cascadia Policy Solutions where she advises Tribal government, municipal, and private clients on a wide array of complex environmental matters, including water quality, climate and energy policy, air quality, toxics cleanup, water resources, and Tribal law. Prior to joining Cascadia, Maia was appointed by Governor Jay Inslee, and unanimously confirmed by the Washington Senate, to serve as the director of the Department of Ecology (2013-2019). She was the longest-serving Ecology director in state history and led the agency to great achievements in environmental protection, including intentional integration of environmental justice and climate change policy into the management and regulation of land, air, and water. Before serving as director, Maia was on Ecology’s Executive Leadership Team and held positions as the Deputy and Program Manager of the Water Resources Program (2010-2012). Prior to working at Ecology, she represented the agency for 15 years as an Assistant Attorney General at the Washington Attorney General’s Office providing client advice and litigation support on a broad range of environmental and natural resources matters. Maia received her J.D. from Arizona State University, College of Law in 1994, and was presented a Dean’s Award upon graduation. She was also awarded the Joseph Albert Dear Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015 from her undergraduate institution, The Evergreen State College (‘91 graduate).