Melanie Thornton joins the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership as Senior Director of Western Water

Thornton is a water policy leader with more than a decade of experience advancing bipartisan western water and natural resources policy.

(Washington D.C.)- The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) is pleased to announce the hiring of Dr. Melanie Thornton as Senior Director of Western Water, bringing more than a decade of bipartisan water policy experience – including a lead role in shaping more than $15 billion in western water funding – to the organization’s conservation team. As the nation’s largest conservation coalition, TRCP will draw on her experience to strengthen its ability to advance bipartisan conservation policy on behalf of hunters and anglers nationwide. 

Prior to joining TRCP, Thornton served for seven years as Senior Professional Staff for the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, serving under both Ranking Member Heinrich and Chairman Manchin. Most recently, she led Senator Heinrich’s western water, science, outdoor recreation, and territories portfolio, directing legislative strategy and oversight on issues including Colorado River and Rio Grande management, Bureau of Reclamation programs, drought resilience, and watershed restoration. She played a leading role in negotiating and drafting major western water provisions included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, helping secure more than $15 billion for drought resilience, ecosystem restoration, and water infrastructure across the West. 

Before joining the Senate, Thornton worked in federal conservation and natural resources policy and began her career as an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow, bringing a scientific perspective to federal policymaking. 

“Melanie brings a rare combination of scientific expertise and hands-on legislative experience to some of the most complex water challenges facing the West,” said Madeleine West, TRCP’s vice president of western conservation. “Her work on the Colorado River, the Rio Grande, and major federal investments in drought resilience will be a tremendous asset as we work with partners across the region to find durable, bipartisan solutions for hunters, anglers, and the communities who depend on these water resources.” 

Thornton holds a Ph.D. in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, with a focus on hydrology and water resources management, from Washington State University, and a B.S. in Environmental Geoscience from Texas A&M University. Throughout her career, she has worked to bridge science and policy, building coalitions among federal agencies, states, Tribes, water users, conservation organizations, and local communities to develop durable, practical solutions to complex water challenges. 

With this addition, TRCP’s conservation team is well positioned to secure lasting, bipartisan policy outcomes that aim to guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish.

Learn more about TRCP’s leadership HERE.

Founded in 2002, the TRCP is the largest coalition of conservation organizations in the country, uniting and amplifying the voices of sportsmen and women by convening hunting and fishing groups, conservation organizations, and outdoor businesses to a common purpose.