Gerald W. Winegrad

Adjunct Professor

Expertise: Gerald W. Winegrad has over 37 years of experience in environmental policy, both as an environmental attorney/advocate and as an elected official. His work has involved analyzing the science for complex environmental issues and developing public policy responses at the state, national, and international levels. He also has broad experience in wildlife management and policies and in electoral politics.

Background: Gerald W. Winegrad holds a B.A. Degree in Economics from Western Maryland College and a J.D. Degree from the University of Maryland School of Law and has been an attorney since 1969. His formal environmental career began in 1969 when he served as Counsel to the National Wildlife Federation. He recently was Vice President for Policy of the American Bird Conservancy in Washington, DC where he directed the work of the 90 member organization Bird Conservation Alliance and was a leader in national efforts to conserve avian species.

Gerald was a naval officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps during the Vietnam War and was promoted to and served as a full time Military Judge. He achieved the rank of Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was awarded a Certificate of Commendation for his naval service.

Gerald W. Winegrad has been a practicing attorney, and has taught courses on Chesapeake Bay restoration, land use, and wildlife management at the graduate school level at the University of Maryland, College Park and at Johns Hopkins University, as well as at the University of Maryland Law School. He has authored numerous articles on the environment and has spoken at national an international conferences throughout the U.S. and around the world. More recently, his presentations have included the Conservation of Seabirds in Fisheries at the International Albatross Conference in Montevideo, Uruguay and on Wind Energy and Birds in Houston, Texas for Houston Audubon.

He served with distinction in the Maryland Legislature for over 16 years first as a member of the House of Delegates and then as a State Senator from 1983 to 1995. He served as Chairman of the Senate Environment Subcommittee for eight years and wrote, sponsored, or managed nearly all environmental legislation passing the Senate, including the Chesapeake Bay legislation.

He received numerous awards for his legislative work, including Legislator or Conservationist of the year from such groups as the Sierra Club, Audubon Society of the Central Atlantic States, Clean Water Action, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Maryland Public Health Association. Gerald Winegrad was called the “environmental conscience” of the Senate by the Washington Post and Tom Horton wrote that “he is the person who more than any other set Maryland’s environmental agenda over the past 16 years”. In January 2002, Gerald was presented the prestigious Life Time Achievement Award by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, only the third person to be so honored.

Gerald lives on Oyster Creek just off of the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis and is an active birder and crabber. He is Vice President of the Anne Arundel Bird Club.