Alicia Marrs is the associate vice president of Western water for the National Wildlife Federation and is responsible for advancing NWF's efforts to ensure clean, reliable water resources and advance watershed conservation and restoration across the West in this critical moment for water, wildlife, and the communities that depend on them.
Marrs joined NWF in 2023 as director of Western water and has led the expansion of the program by harnessing the strength of on-the-ground watershed restoration and the collaborative power of partner-driven coalitions to inform durable policy engagement. She has grounded this expansion through collaborative partnerships with NWF's western affiliates while seeking ways to build their capacity to engage on western water issues and amplify their local connections and influence.
She joined NWF after spending 15 years working within various federal agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her leadership had been defined by creative and collaborative partnerships in support of water conservation, climate and drought resilience, and fish habitat conservation. She has a MA in Global Environmental Policy from American University in Washington, D.C., and a BA in Environmental Policy & Planning from Western Washington University.
