Washington, D.C. — The Center for American Progress announced today that Mark Haggerty is joining the organization’s Energy and Environmental Policy team as a senior fellow.
Haggerty comes to CAP after working for more than a decade at Headwaters Economics, where he oversaw a robust research portfolio focused on rural economic development, natural resource management, and fiscal policy. At CAP, he will lead the effort to develop a comprehensive national policy to help rural communities achieve climate, energy, and public lands conservation goals. He also will work closely with the Economic Policy team to advance rural communities’ economic success.
“Mark’s reputation as a leading expert at the nexus of natural resources, rural economies, and fiscal policy makes him the perfect person to help anchor a rural policy portfolio at CAP.” said Christy Goldfuss, CAP’s senior vice president for Energy and Environment Policy. “We have an unprecedented opportunity to move toward a clean, secure, and equitable future for all.”
Haggerty also brings his extensive policy knowledge and his reputation as a nonpartisan expert committed to practical solutions at a time when rural policy reform can win bipartisan support in Washington, D.C. Haggerty has served on local boards and planning commissions, provided expert advice to state legislatures, and testified in Congress at the invitation of both Democrats and Republicans.
“America’s rural development policy and funding has failed to keep pace with the changing economy and opportunity in rural places.” Haggerty said. “To put it plainly, America’s existing rural policy portfolio is often extractive, drives geographic inequality and resentment, and sustains structural racism and persistent poverty. A new rural policy agenda must address structural dimensions of economic inequality and offer solutions that work for people. Communities need capacity to retain and reinvest wealth, participate meaningfully in climate planning and investments, and link public lands and public revenue to new economic opportunity.”
Haggerty has previously worked with rural ranching and gateway communities to address private land conservation, water, and planning issues in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. He also spent several years in New Zealand, where he led a field team assessing farm practices and water quality and assisted researchers and leaders in Maori communities develop traditional food gathering management and monitoring plans.
Haggerty holds a B.A. in economics and M.A. in geography from the University of Colorado. He will join CAP on April 19.