Meet Holly T. Bird

Meet Holly T. Bird

Clean Energy Specialist

holly.bird@groundworkcenter.org | (231) 941-6584, ex 703

Holly T. Bird, Groundwork’s Clean Energy Specialist, is a career long attorney, Tribal judge, and advocate for children, Indigenous People, and the environment. She sums up her work at Groundwork as “promoting all things clean energy in Michigan, especially moving those larger clean energy projects into being through advocacy.”

More specifically, that mission can include fostering clean energy adoption within municipal-owned utilities and rural electric coops, supporting municipal zoning and planning for siting renewables, and working statewide with grassroots partners, public officials, Tribal nations, and others.

Guiding Holly’s work are deep personal and cultural convictions that require her to sustain a good relationship with the Earth for seven generations. “This work allows me to take action in protecting our Mother Earth and to promote healing for all living beings,” Holly says. She is also a water protector, “and you can’t have clean water without clean energy.”

When considering what lies ahead in her work, Holly says, “I just look forward to going out and changing minds and making clean energy happen. I’m excited for that day when I can look at a bunch of clean energy projects in Michigan and say, ‘I helped do that.’”

Holly, who is Thunder Clan and descended from Apache/Yaqui (Comunidades Durango), and Perepucha (San Felipe Pueblo) Tribes, carries a traditional Indigenous name that means "Blue Lightning Woman." Given her connection to that energy, Holly offers, “I suppose you could say I was meant for this job!”

Good to know

Education

High School: Interlochen Arts Academy; B.A. Social Science/Anthropology and Art/Art History: Michigan State University; J.D. DePaul University College of Law; General Jurisdiction (Judge School): National Judicial College.

In her spare time ...

Holly likes playing and listening to music, enjoying art and creating and participating in art, being with her family and enjoying the outdoors and her Indigenous culture.

Favorite spots in northern Michigan

I love this whole area of northern Michigan. If I had to pinpoint, I’d say standing on any coast of our Great Lakes.

 

What's always in your fridge?

Kimchi. In my family, we are all kimchi lovers.

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