Dylan McDowell

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT DYLAN MCDOWELL

I am the CEO of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) with more than a decade of experience connecting state lawmakers across the U.S. with actionable policy solutions for a healthier planet. I lead a dynamic team of policy specialists covering a range of topics including clean energy deployment, outdoor engagement, ocean conservation, wildlife and habitat conservation, zero-waste solutions, and more. I believe that state action provides the best opportunity to address climate change and related environmental challenges. Yet, state legislators often lack staff and capacity to act alone. I’m committed to supporting a diverse network of legislative champions to ensure they have the tools and knowledge needed to be successful in their fight for a better world. I work with the NCEL team to ensure our organization is the go-to hub for environmentally-minded legislators to collaborate with their peers, learn from experts across the country, and engage community groups on the frontlines of environmental impacts. My background is in science communication and education, where I’ve done everything from science writing, developing educational content, leading outdoor engagement opportunities for youth, and obtaining my high-school teaching license before shifting to the policy world. I rely heavily on these skills to make complex policy topics easy to understand for a wide variety of audiences. Growing up in a small, rural town on the Oregon Coast taught me to appreciate the importance of local action. Now in Salem, I\'ve been active on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, served on the City’s Climate Action Plan Committee, and co-founded an effort focused on safe bike infrastructure called Salem Bike Vision.