Mike Quigley

Mike Quigley is Arizona State Director of the Wilderness Society. Mike's primary focus is on gaining additional designations and administrative protections for Arizona's important wildlands. He also works with colleagues at The Wilderness Society to craft and implement work in the state. This often has him working with local partners, highlighting the many values wilderness provides, connecting people with special places and exploring common ground with a variety of interest groups.

Mike had previously worked with Sky Island Alliance, a regional conservation organization in Tucson. In addition to his strong conservation background, Mike has a diverse professional background including Top Secret security clearance with the State Department working in American embassies overseas, working as a development chemist, working in software development and working for the Governor of Delaware. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences and English literature (dual major) and a Master's degree in English literature from the University of Delaware.

Feb. 20, 2024

S3E5: Protecting the Great Bend of the Gila

Arizona's Great Bend of the Gila holds an extraordinary concentration of Indigenous cultural sites, wildlife habitat, and largely intact Sonoran Desert landscape. Chris Clarke talks with advocates Skylar Begay and Mike Quigley about efforts to secure permanent protection for the region. They discuss its cultural and natural history, threats from development and destructive recreation, habitat for species including Sonoran pronghorn, and why protecting the Great Bend means recognizing a landscape shaped by thousands of years of human history.

Guests: Skylar Begay , Mike Quigley

Listen to the Episode