Bill Holman's Bio and Research

Bill Holman is Director of State Policy at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions. He has extensive experience in legislative and administrative policy making at the state level. 

He served as Governor Jim Hunt’s Secretary of the Department of Environment & Natural Resources from 1999 – 2000 and as an Assistant Secretary from 1998 – 1999. He worked as Executive Director of the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund – a $100 million per year clean water financing program – from 2001 – 2006. 

Holman lobbied the NC General Assembly on behalf of the Conservation Council of  NC, NC Chapter of the Sierra Club, NC Chapter of the American Planning Association, NC Public Transportation Association, NC Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and others from 1979 – 1997.

Holman chairs the NC State Water Infrastructure Commission (SWIC). The NC Senate appointed Holman to the SWIC.

His current projects at the Nicholas Institute include state water allocation policy,  innovative strategies to improve protection of drinking water supplies including Falls Lake and other supplies in the Upper Neuse watershed,  and assisting state and local governments in planning for and adapting to climate change and sea level rise.  

Holman and Amy Pickle teach a State Environmental Policy Making class for Nicholas School and Sanford School students during the spring semester. 

Holman lives in Raleigh with his wife Stephanie Bass and dog Sylva. He graduated magna cum laude with a BS in biology from NC State University in 1978. He completed hiking the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia in 1975.