Michael Stanley Regan was born on August 6, 1976, and is a United States environmental regulator. He is currently serving as the 16th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (since March 11, 2021). Regan is the first African American man to head the agency. He is responsible for helping to advance the current administration's commitment to promoting green energy, addressing the effects of environmental racism, and combating climate change. Recently, under his leadership, the EPA and U.S. Army issued a revised rule under the Clean Water Act that defines the federal government's jurisdiction over waters and wetlands.
A native of Goldsboro, NC, Regan was born to Mavis Regan, a nurse for nearly 30 years, and Zeb Stuart Regan Jr., a Vietnam veteran, retired colonel in the N.C. Army National Guard, and former agricultural extension agent.
Regan attended North Carolina A&T State University (Bachelor of Science, Earth and Environmental Science) and George Washington University (Master of Public Administration).
Regan started his career as an environmental regulator for the EPA from 1998 to 2008. Then (from 2009-2017), he worked for the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and became the Associate Vice President for Clean Energy and Southeast Regional Director.
From 2017-2021, Regan served as the Secretary of North Carolina's Department of Environmental Quality. In May 2018, he launched a charter with the state's Environmental Justice and Equity Board to advise the Secretary on the best ways to advance environmental justice and promote community engagement, particularly across historically excluded and marginalized communities. Additionally, he worked to develop North Carolina's Clean Energy Plan to reduce private sector greenhouse gas emissions, move towards carbon neutrality, accelerate innovations in clean energy technologies, clean up coal ash contamination, and address and eliminate toxic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water. His efforts are producing significant results in the upcoming Safe Water Drinking Act regarding eliminating PFAS and revising lead and copper rules in water.
Regan currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife, Melvina, and son, Matthew.