Mackenzie has a passionate vision and a personal mission to protect the environment through everyday activism and strategic leadership. She is dedicated to activating people to care about the natural world through the creation of innovative partnerships so that children and teens will have access to nature, through hands-on, experiential science education. As a mom of three, Mackenzie cares deeply about education and that ALL children are given an EQUAL opportunity to quality hands-on experiences, helping children form lasting connections with nature. She is committed to helping youth know their place in protecting the environment, while ensuring the development of the next generation of nature lovers. Mackenzie will know she has been successful leading Splash when the region has ensured that every student in the Sacramento region has more than one outdoor environmental educational experience during elementary school.
Prior to joining Splash in October 2019, Mackenzie served as an appointee to Governor Jerry Brown, focused on climate policy. She was a Commissioner on the Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change in Sacramento, where she shared the regional perspective of how systemic impacts on the environment affect not only one locale, but an entire region. Mackenzie also served as a City Planning Commissioner for the City of Elk Grove for four years, where she worked diligently on updating the City’s General Plan, Climate Action Plan, and countless development projects around the city. She understands how planning and development can work together for the common benefit of humanity and our natural world.
In 2022, Mackenzie was awarded the Environmentalist of the Year award by the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS). She also won the NAWBO Outstanding Women Leaders, Visionary award in 2024, received the Elk Grove Service award in 2025, led Sacramento Splash to receive the Nonprofit of the Year Award in both 2024 and 2026, and was awarded the “Women Who Mean Business” award from the Sacramento Business Journal in 2026. Mackenzie loves working with people at other nonprofits from around the Sacramento Region in anyway she can to help them achieve their own personal and professional goals.