Leaders in Stormwater: MICHAEL BURKE

This LEADER IN STORMWATER was contracted by CIS to design, implement, and manage The Clean Water Partnership's (CWP) Mentor-Protégé Program, which has created and nurtured significant capacity for local small and minority owned businesses (SBE/MBE); he is a founding partner and certified leadership coach of the John Maxwell Leadership Group, an internationally known career development leadership program; and he owns a consulting business helping companies and their leaders reach their highest levels of professional growth - Michael Burke, President, Quest2 Consulting, LLC / Director of Business Inclusion & Capacity Development, CWP.

Michael has an impressive career in sales and general management, with 20 years focused on advocating for and developing SBE/MBE capacity. The stormwater world discovered Michael in December 2015, when CIS approached him to spearhead the development of a mentor-protégé program to grow Prince George's County's SBE/MBE capacity in green infrastructure. Michael joined the CWP and, more than eight years later, is proud of the program's success. Michael and the CWP team have improved the SBE/MBE contractor capacity through the education, coaching, support, and training of businesses capable of competing in the green infrastructure industry. He says, "Sixty protégé companies have participated in the mentor program, most have competitively bid CWP projects, and 25 have constructed ~$50MM in green infrastructure BMPs".

Michael's work day is tailored to the specific needs and goals of the 6-10 companies enrolled in any given cohort for an 8 to 12 month period. His team assesses each firm and creates a development plan with established objectives, providing ongoing coaching for its leaders to ensure goal attainment. The program also has monthly workshops for the entire cohort on suggested topics selected based on the protégé assessment. Michael is deeply inspired by the success of the protégés whose achievements have kept dollars within the community and created job opportunities for residents. The program provides a platform for firms to engage in stormwater projects locally and in neighboring communities, offering opportunities for larger-scale project partnerships. 

Michael grew up in Boston, MA, before moving to Milford, NH, as a teenager. He attended the University of Connecticut; and in the 1980s, moved down to Washington, DC, searching for a more diverse experience and milder winters. Today, Michael resides in Mitchellville, MD, with his wife. They have two daughters and a grandson. Michael has been a panelist at environmental conferences to include StormCon, One Water Summit, and the Water Environment Federation. He also holds environmental board positions at the Low Impact Development Center, Inc. and ecoLatinos; and is the Board Chair of Prince George's County's workforce development organization, Employ Prince George's.