Debbie Welles

Debbie Welles is a Colorado-based Meridian Affiliate who specializes in bringing together business and government leaders, NGOs, and academics to address human-induced natural resource challenges. Over the past four years, her focus with Meridian has been on growing coalitions to create solutions to the problem of plastic waste. Global perceptions of this issue are changing rapidly. In this dynamic context, Debbie assists individuals and groups to understand and articulate which aspects of the plastic waste problem they are best equipped to address. She enjoys helping groups develop clear-cut goals and next steps designed to drive change.

As a consultant, Debbie has worked with high performing teams developing strategies to change and invigorate policies at the federal, state and local levels. Research, careful communication, and foresight are important elements of her work. Previous work includes working with the Western Governors’ Association to build a 20-state coalition to reform aspects of the 1872 Mining Law. This project required all parties to wrestle with modernization and compromise in their recommendations. On a different project, Debbie worked with local civic leaders on an experimental EPA risk assessment. The project’s goal was to attain maximum environmental quality for the greatest number of people. Participants had to agree on whose data to use to prioritize specific environmental remediation projects facing limited funding. Strengthening relationships between civic leaders and state and local governmental department heads was key to the success of this project.

Debbie and her husband enjoy spending as much time as possible above timberline and under water with their millennials.