Max grew up in California's Santa Cruz Mountains where he developed a passion for natural resources and gained skills in property management and building maintenance. In 2017 he moved to Gunnison, Colorado to attend Western Colorado University where he studied environment and sustainability, environmental science, geography, and geospatial analysis. Max graduated from Western Colorado University with a Master of Environmental Management degree - emphasis in Integrative and Public Lands Management in 2022. As a student and after graduation he has put his education to use assisting with land management and habitat restoration projects throughout the Gunnison Basin. Max has an extensive background in and passion for market gardening and is the President of the Gunnison Valley Producers' Guild. In California, Max worked for the county park service monitoring natural resources and developing emergency management plans; he is a firefighter with the Stevens Creek Volunteer Fire Department and has assisted with numerous wildland fire prevention and protection projects. Currently Max works with partners throughout the Gunnison Valley including the City of Gunnison, Straw and Timber Craftsmen, Johnny Apple Tree Care, and Western Colorado University. Max can often be found skiing, rafting, biking, and camping in the Gunnison Valley or tending to his home garden.