Carrie Meek Gallagher, NYS DEC Regional Director

Carrie Meek Gallagher is the Regional Director for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), overseeing a staff of 188 personnel with responsibility for implementing environmental conservation programs throughout Long Island. The Department’s mission is to conserve, improve and protect New York's natural resources and environment and to prevent, abate and control water, land and air pollution, in order to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state and their overall economic and social well-being.

Previously she served as the Chief Sustainability Officer for the Suffolk County Water Authority, responsible for implementing a sustainability program, including source water protection, water quality improvement, water conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, recycling, green buildings and procurement, waste reduction, and environmental education. Prior to becoming Chief Sustainability Officer, she was the Suffolk County Commissioner of the Department of Environment and Energy, safeguarding the county’s natural resources and providing a single centralized office for consideration of issues and activities from the perspective of their impact on the environment. She has also served as Deputy Director of Planning for Suffolk County; the inaugural director of the Long Island Index, an indicators project that measures the region’s progress toward improving the quality of life for all Long Islander; headed the Nassau County Economic Development Resource Center under County Executive Tom Suozzi; and developed Sustainable Long Island’s Brownfields Redevelopment program. She holds a B.A. in Sustainable Development and Latin American Studies from Amherst College, an M.S. in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development from the University of Maryland at College Park, and an MBA from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University. Long Island Business News selected her as one of its 40 Rising Stars Under 40, Class of 2003, she is a member of Energeia, Class of 2006 and a LEED AP BD+C. Ms. Gallagher grew up in the Three Village area and currently lives in Stony Brook with her husband Tom, daughter Corrine and son Connor.