Advancing Bay Policy
2025 Chesapeake Bay Commission Commonwealth Fellow Announced
Virginia Sea Grant and the Chesapeake Bay Commission have partnered to create a joint fellowship program designed to connect graduate students with policy opportunities that support the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
“At the Chesapeake Bay Commission our mission is to advance science-based policy for the Chesapeake Bay,” said Anna Killius, CBC Executive Director and 2014 Knauss Fellow. “That includes investing in the next generation of conservation leaders ready to engage at the intersection of science and policy.”
Greg O’Connell, from Bethesda, Maryland has been awarded the 2025 Chesapeake Bay Commission (CBC) Commonwealth Fellowship. During the fellowship he hopes to continue his lifelong work on the Bay.
“I’m excited to visit parts of the watershed I’ve never been to before, learn more about the ecosystems of the Mid-Atlantic region, and find policy solutions that work for all parties, from environmental advocates to community members or business owners,” said O’Connell.
O’Connell served as a Congressional Intern with the Legislative Office on Capitol Hill, working for Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin.
O’Connell earned his B.S. in Government and Politics and an M.S. in Applied Political Analysis from the University of Maryland. While in school, he served as a Congressional Intern with the Legislative Office on Capitol Hill, working for Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin. Additionally, O’Connell contributed to a Rebel Environmental Governance project as a University of Maryland Doctoral Research Fellow, focusing on climate and environmental policy.
Growing up in Maryland, O’Connell enjoys hiking near the Potomac River and exploring the Chesapeake Bay. Conversations with his sister, an environmental scientist, deepened O’Connell’s connection with the Bay while sparking his interest in the intersection between policy and ecosystem health.
As a CBC fellow, O’Connell will survey emerging scientific research impacting Bay restoration, help plan Commission meetings, and conduct policy research at the state and federal levels. He will also work closely with Commission’s state directors in developing and examining state policy proposals for General Assembly sessions.
During the CBC fellowship, O’Connell looks forward to strengthening his technical knowledge of environmental science to more effectively communicate with stakeholders across public and private sectors.
“We are thrilled to launch this new fellowship with Virginia Sea Grant and to welcome Greg aboard,” Killius said.
Photos courtesy Greg O’Connell
Seagrass photo by Aileen Devlin | Virginia Sea Grant
Story by Bayleigh Albert | Virginia Sea Grant
Published June 25, 2025.
“At the Chesapeake Bay Commission our mission is to advance science-based policy for the Chesapeake Bay,” said Anna Killius, CBC Executive Director and 2014 Knauss Fellow. “That includes investing in the next generation of conservation leaders ready to engage at the intersection of science and policy.”
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