Daniel Miller
Senior Environmental Scientist, Tighe & Bond: Age 34
When the federal workforce was decimated by personnel cuts early in 2025, Daniel Miller was one of the human faces represented by those job loss statistics. But he has found a new place to put his passion for the environment to work, here in Western Mass.
“A lot of federal employees are mission-driven; they’re not in it for the profit,” he said of his years with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, a role from which he had to quickly rebound last year. But in his current position with regional engineering firm Tighe & Bond, he has stepped into leadership roles in dam removals, tidal marsh restorations, cleanup of former industrial sites, and other projects that blend environmental and community benefits.
“It turns out everyone here is mission-driven, too,” Miller explained. “They care about the projects we work on.”
His drive to improve the world around him began early in life, he added. “One of the things I live my life by is leaving something better than you found it. Growing up, I made sure my room was clean and helped with chores, and now, I want to leave our local communities, and our environment, in a better place than we found it.
“That means helping wetlands and marshes and rivers get cleaner and more environmentally sound,” he went on. “The uncertainty from climate change and sea levels rising and extreme temperature warnings is a big issue, too. So my overarching goal is to help these natural systems adapt in the future after I’m gone, so my kids and my grandkids can enjoy the land the same way I have.”
Outside of work, Miller can often be found volunteering in local wetlands and among rivers and ponds, picking up trash, pulling invasive species, and helping keep public trails open. But he also has a passion for fitness, and as a personal trainer and coach, he works with members of the community who might not otherwise visit a gym, from senior citizens to new parents finding time for short workouts, to people managing weight and anxiety without resorting to extreme diets.
“It’s a huge thing to work on mobility and core strength needs as we age,” he said. “But I’ve also seen people get their first pull-up in their 60s and 70s. And it’s great to help people with their relationship with food, teaching them how to eat all-natural whole foods and not so much processed food. It’s been a passion of mine for the better part of 10 years now.”
—Joseph Bednar
