Overview
Established by the Wetlands and Waterways Division, Circuit Riders promote fair, consistent and environmentally sound wetland permitting by the 351 local conservation commissions in the state. Circuit Riders accomplish these goals by offering technical, administrative, and regulatory assistance on numerous wetland topics to hundreds of commissions, municipal boards, and consultants each year.
Does your community need specific training on topics like stormwater management, new commissioner training, forestry/agriculture, administrative details, etc? Please email Mia.McDonald@mass.gov and we can try to coordinate trainings with our Circuit Riders or help you find the training you need from other wetlands groups in Massachusetts.
Get to Know your Regional Circuit Rider
Mia McDonald coordinates the statewide Wetland Circuit Rider Program from the Boston office. Mia came to MassDEP from her position as the Conservation Agent for the Towns of Northborough and Paxton. She also served on the Worcester Conservation Commission for approximately nine years. Mia graduated from WPI with a degree in environmental science which focused on environmental engineering and planning. She spent over a decade of her career in the private sector working on design, permitting and construction of drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. She can be contacted at mia.mcdonald@mass.gov, or 857-303-2114.
Alicia Geilen is the Wetlands Circuit Rider for the Northeast Regional Office. Alicia has over 20 years’ experience in the wetlands field. Before joining MassDEP in March 2020, she served as the Conservation Agent for Ipswich and Topsfield, as an environmental consultant representing both public and private clients, and as an environmental planner at the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments. She has extensive experience with both inland and coastal resource areas, has coordinated multi-agency permitting for coastal resilience projects, and provided guidance on agriculture activities in/near wetlands. Alicia earned a Master’s Degree in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts University, where she published her thesis on permitting issues related to shellfish aquaculture. She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Kansas, with a focus on water resources. She can be contacted at alicia.geilen@mass.gov (preferred) or by cell at 617-519-7389. You can also leave a message on the NERO Wetlands Help Line at 978-694-3405, and a staff person will return your call.
Mark Stinson is the Circuit Rider for the Western Regional Office. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and has also taken Masters-level courses in Forestry Management at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He has over 13 years of experience at the conservation commission level as a commissioner, chair and agent for a Western Massachusetts community. Mark can be reached at mark.stinson@mass.gov or by cell at 413-961-9583.
Central Regional Office The Wetlands Circuit Rider position is currently vacant. Wetlands technical questions for the Central Region can be directed to Kimberly Roth at Kimberly.Roth@mass.gov or 857-291-0506.
Southeast Regional Office The Wetlands Circuit Rider position is currently vacant. Wetlands technical questions for the Southeast Region can be directed to their Help Line: 508-946-2800.