Matt Merrifield

Matt Merrifield has a diverse work experience in the fields of technology, mapping, and environmental conservation. Matt worked for The Nature Conservancy for a significant portion of their career, starting as a GIS Specialist in 2000 and progressing to become the Director of Mapping and Design in 2006. In 2015, they were promoted to the position of Chief Technology Officer. Matt was also involved in the development and implementation of the MarineMap Consortium's web-based spatial decision support system, which received recognition and an award for its contribution to marine protected area design. Matt has recently taken on advisory roles at Techstars, where they support sustainable innovation, and at Scoot Science, where they help improve oceanic understanding. Prior to these endeavors, Matt was the Geographic Information Systems Manager at Space Imaging, where they managed GIS and Remote Sensing projects for natural resource agency clients.

Matt Merrifield earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University of California, Berkeley, from 1990 to 1994. Matt later pursued a Master of Arts degree in Geography with a specialization in Resource Management and Environmental Planning from San Francisco State University, from 2005 to 2008. In addition, they obtained a FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate for sUAS from the Federal Aviation Administration in July 2017.