Matthew Koller

About Matthew Koller

After leaving my job as a financial analyst for an NYC law firm, I spent a year backpacking around Australia and Southeast Asia. I learned to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef, witnessed the destruction of the Bornean rainforest, and with it, the habitat of the endangered orangutan, and saw plastic trash washed up on remote beaches. I had set out to learn about people—to explore how different cultures around the world live, work, and play—but my experiences left me with a burning desire to learn more about the effect humans were having on the planet. I returned home from Australia with a fierce resolve: to explore and form a deep connection with places of natural beauty in the United States, writing about everything I did. I spent the next several years exploring: I worked as a photographer in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, as a naturalist photography guide in Southeast Alaska, and as a naturalist on sailing boats in Maui, learning to love each one of these places for their profound natural beauty. I nurtured a freelance writing and photography career because I wanted people to experience these places the way I had, and learn to appreciate—and respect them—in the same way. These experiences gave me a deep respect for the scientific process, and I seek to better understand—and improve upon—the institutional framework through which our society treats the planet. Broadly speaking, my degree is in ocean & climate policy and communications, which means I could do a lot of things. Upon graduating, I wasn\'t totally sure what my future would look like.While pondering my next move, I attended a Protect Our Winters conference right after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, where I learned all about federal government incentives for renewable energy that organizations (including states!) need to take advantage of if we\'re to have any hope of meeting our climate targets.That included federal funding for offshore wind projects, which will play an essential role in our renewable energy portfolio. The challenge? Making sure these projects move forward with minimal impacts to the marine ecosystem. The opportunity to be involved in both ocean and climate solutions was too good to pass up, and I\'m excited to spend the next year learning about how policy is implemented and contributing to a future with clean air, clean water, and healthy oceans for all!

Experience

1. Founder & Principal

   Mako Strategies Llc

   May 2025 — Present · Monterey, CA, US

   Provide strategic communications and environmental policy research, support, and strategy guidance for multiple clients: Florida Office of Ocean Economy North Pacific Marine Science Organization Basin-Scale Events & Coastal Impacts

Education

• Villanova University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Political Science & Business

  2006 — 2010

• Bren School of Environmental Science & Management - University of California, Santa Barbara

  Master's Degree, Environmental Science and Management

• The University of Freiburg

  Study Abroad, Political Science and Government

  2008 — 2008

• Staten Island Tech High School

  Engineering

  2002 — 2006