Company Profile:
American West Conservation (AWC) assists private landowners, farmers, ranchers, and businesses, as well as environmental and agricultural organizations, in their efforts to conserve land, water, and wildlife. AWC provides advice and strategic assistance as these entities navigate regulatory challenges on local, state, and federal levels.
Personal Bio:
Maya Kepner, Managing Member
PROFILE
Maya Kepner is an accomplished Environmental Consultant and the Founder of American West Conservation, L.L.C., where she has established a unique niche specializing in tailoring strategic advice centered at the intersection of environmental science, regulatory strategy, and real-world conservation. With over 15 years of experience leading complex projects across the western U.S., she specializes in guiding private landowners, agricultural stakeholders, and industry partners through local, state, and federal permitting processes to achieve lasting land, water, and wildlife conservation outcomes.
Her work focuses on formulating tailored permitting and mitigation strategies, negotiating terms to secure conservation easements on private lands, and establishing successful coordination and partnerships between the public and private sectors. Maya’s ability to distill dense regulatory and ecological concepts into clear, actionable insights has made her a trusted advisor to clients and a respected voice in policy circles.
She has also conducted Congressional briefings for the Natural Resources Committee; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Council on Environmental Quality, a division of the Executive Office of the President; Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Water and Science; and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, as well as agency directors and members of Congress and the Senate. Ms. Kepner demonstrates not only deep subject-matter expertise, but also a proven ability to clearly communicate complex issues and negotiate effectively with stakeholders across government, industry, and the conservation community.
QUALIFICATIONS
Ms. Kepner, President & Founder of American West Conservation, L.L.C. (AWC), brings over a decade of leadership in natural resource conservation and regulatory strategy. Her work centers on developing tailored solutions for complex conservation challenges, including the execution of conservation easements, acquisition of local, state, and federal permits, and the design of effective mitigation strategies clients. She has successfully facilitated collaborative efforts between private industry, agricultural stakeholders, and government entities to advance sustainable land and water management across the western U.S.
Maya’s ability to navigate and synthesize a wide range of regulatory frameworks, including NEPA, CEQA, ESA, and Clean Water Act compliance, is matched by her skill in communicating these concepts clearly to diverse audiences. As the Founder of AWC, she supports landowners, ranchers, industry professionals, and environmental organizations through strategic guidance that balances ecological conservation efforts and economic viability.
Her experience delivering Congressional briefings to the Natural Resources Committee, NOAA, the Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and senior officials across multiple federal agencies has refined her ability to distill complex scientific and policy issues into accessible, engaging narratives. This skill translates directly to executing tailored advice where Maya excels at making abstract regulatory processes relevant, understandable, and implementable to clients and agency professionals. Maya’s professional insight, coupled with her approachable communication style uniquely positions her to facilitate valuable partnerships that ultimately provide solutions to complex challenges.
Affiliations: Board of Directors, California Waterfowl Association
Steve Thompson, Former Member
In loving memory of my father and business partner, Steve Thompson (1953-2018)
“All Good Things Are Wild and Free”
-Henry David Thoreau