Maia Bellon facts for kids

Maia D. Bellon is an American lawyer and former government leader from the State of Washington. She led the Washington Department of Ecology from 2013 to 2020. Maia is a member of the Mescalero Apache tribe. She was the first Native American person to be part of Washington's top government team.

Early Life and Education

Maia Bellon's father, Richard Bellon, was a leader for the Chehalis Tribe. Her mother, Rio Lara-Bellon, was a writer and teacher. Maia's family did not have much money when she was growing up. Because of this, playing outside was their main way to have fun. She says playing in the woods and fishing as a child helped her care deeply about the environment.

Bellon went to Evergreen State College and finished in 1991. Her first step into politics was working as an intern for Congresswoman Jolene Unsoeld. In 1994, Bellon earned her law degree from Arizona State University Law School.

Career in Government

Protecting Washington's Environment

Maia Bellon worked in the ecology office for the Washington Attorney General from 1994 to 2000. She first joined the Department of Ecology in 2011. There, she led the water resources program. In February 2013, Governor Jay Inslee chose her to be the Director of the Department of Ecology. This made her the first Native American to hold a state cabinet job in Washington.

When Bellon became Director, a big problem was leaking nuclear waste at the Hanford Site. In 2019, she wrote to the federal Department of Energy. She shared her worries about how they were storing very dangerous nuclear waste. As Director, Bellon worked hard for cleaner water rules.

Standing Up for Clean Water

As Director, Bellon spoke to Congress. She argued against changes the Trump Administration wanted to make to the Clean Water Act. Under Bellon's leadership, the Department of Ecology stopped a plan to build a huge coal export terminal. This would have been the largest in North America. Bellon said the project would have "too many unavoidable and negative environmental impacts."

In her role, Bellon also helped create plans for marsh buffers. These are natural areas that protect land from water. She also helped convince Governor Inslee to start the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan. This plan helps save water.

After Government Service

Bellon announced she would leave her job in December 2019. Laura Watson, another lawyer, took her place. After leaving her government role, Bellon went back to being an environmental lawyer. She joined a group called Cascadia Law Group. In this job, Bellon has worked to make sure the federal government keeps its promises from the 1854 Treaty of Medicine Creek.

On Earth Day 2021, Bellon wrote an article for The Seattle Times. In it, she asked for "intersectional" climate solutions. This means finding ways to help the environment that also help people most affected by climate change. She believes these solutions can also make communities stronger.

Personal Life

Maia Bellon is married to Bill S. Kallappa II. He is a member of the Washington State Board of Education. He is also a member of the Makah Tribe. They live in Tumwater, Washington.