Deputy Director/Source Water Specialist
Mike Collier grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada which fostered a fondness for both sports and the outdoors. He attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo graduating in 2004 with double majors in Forestry and Natural Resource Management and in Environmental Management and Protection.
After graduating, Mike went on to become an ISA certified Arborist while working for Davey Resource Group. In 2006 he decided to go back to school to learn more about water resources. He graduated from Oregon State University in 2008 with a Masters in Water Resource Engineering and a Minor in Civil Engineering. Two days after he turned in his thesis he married his wife Rachelle and two weeks later they ran the Chicago Marathon together. For the next year Mike worked as a research assistant for the Oregon State University.
In December of 2009 Mike joined OAWU as a Source Water Specialist. In March of 2011 Mike and Rachelle had their first child, Erin Elizabeth. In May of 2013 they had their second child, Joseph William, and in December 2015 they had their third child, Adam Douglas. Mike has bounced around to different positions in the association over the years (Training Specialist, Water System Operator, etc.) and is now back in the Source Water Specialist position and has recently become the association’s Deputy Director.
In his personal time Mike enjoys time with his family and friends. You can find him playing softball, football, disc golf, ultimate Frisbee, mountain biking, or taking hikes. He also enjoys working at his church.