“The juxtaposition of a walkable, bikeable urban Madison with the natural beauty of the Yahara lakes makes this area so unique and special.”
Mike Smale
MIKE SMALE
Watershed Programs Specialist
Mike joined the Clean Lakes Alliance in May 2025 as a Watershed Programs Specialist. His primary work is to assist with watershed program efforts, outreach and communication development, Renew the Blue partner engagement, board and committee facilitation, and manage the organization’s grant outreach efforts.
Before joining the Clean Lakes Alliance, Mike worked as a Philip J. Kellior Great Lakes Fellow with the Wisconsin Sea Grant and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Wisconsin DNR), where he researched Lake Superior coastal wetland climate resiliency. He has also worked as a technician and crew lead for the National Aquatic Resource Surveys with the Wisconsin DNR, where he collected habitat and water quality samples from rivers and wetlands across the state.
Mike grew up in West Bend, Wisconsin, and obtained his undergraduate Geography and Environmental Studies BS degree as well as his M.S. in Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He views freshwater sciences as a highly interdisciplinary field, where no two things are truly independent from one another in watersheds: urban land use, agricultural practices, ecological management, and community engagement are all interrelated concepts that are critical to understanding how to best improve and protect our water resources.
In his free time, Mike enjoys being in and around water either swimming, kayaking, hiking, or camping, all while attempting to photograph the landscape. He loves to visit various local hidden gems, such as State Natural Areas around the Madison and Wisconsin region. When not on the move, he likes to frequent local dog parks with his young dog, Pilsner.
