Do not forget to congratulate the other winners as well.
Anna Killius – Next Generation
Dennis Chestnut – Lifetime Champion
River Rock Outfitter – Small Business

“Not only is Mariah Davis a champion of the Chesapeake, she is a true champion of all communities that make up the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Mariah has emerged as a well-known advocate and leader of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) in watershed conservation and restoration work. She is a thoughtful and passionate individual who exudes a calm confidence and leads in an inclusive manner that draws people together to create change.

Mariah is the Policy and Campaigns Manager at the Choose Clean Water Coalition (CCWC). In this role, she manages outreach, grassroots advocacy, and civic engagement efforts to support the Coalition’s policy priorities. She leads the CCWC’s Equity Workgroup, which works to promote DEIJ in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and incorporate these issues into the structures, analysis, policy development, decision-making, and advocacy process of the Coalition. Mariah supports an incredible amount of work on environmental justice initiatives in the watershed. She is an advocate for community voices and authentic engagement with communities (see: https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-op-0726-environmental-racism-20200724-3zop5em3p5ckrh2jhocl3wixaq-story.html). It is not surprising that many organizations frequently reach out to her to ask that she give a presentation or serve on a panel for a discussion on equity and/or environmental justice.

Mariah also coordinates a Young Professionals of Color mentoring group, and is a supportive caretaker and leader in this effort. She has helped to organize various professional development opportunities for members of the group, including trainings on self-care, imposter syndrome, and giving/providing feedback. With every new member, she takes the time to meet with them and make a personal connection. She also periodically checks in with mentors and mentees which helps to foster a successful mentorship program.

There is no doubt that Mariah’s dedication to her work has and continues to make the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s restoration efforts more equitable, inclusive, and just. Those who have had the opportunity to work with or get to know Mariah also know that she does this work because she is deeply committed to it. She leads with grace and a genuine approach that is truly inspiring and a passion that is contagious. Indeed, she is a champion of the Chesapeake and she is also a champion of the people who live and work in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. In particular, she is a champion of people who have been traditionally excluded from the Chesapeake Bay environmental community. She is a champion of authentic connections and relationships that are essential to successfully clean up a Chesapeake that can be enjoyed by all”