Max Feliciano 

CHCI Public Policy Fellow

Presented by API 

Hometown: Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 

School: Yale University 

Degree: B.A in Political Science 

Placement: House Natural Resource Committee  

Max D. Feliciano (he/him) was raised in the vibrant coastal city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, where Scouting, family, and the natural world sparked a lifelong devotion to public service. As a proud Latino and Eagle Scout, he has led reforestation, cleanup, and habitat restoration projects pre- and post-Hurricane Maria, which included a volunteer initiative that planted 250 native trees in Susúa National Forest. These hands-on experiences, paired with his work at renewable energy businesses such as West Power Solar, grounded his understanding of Puerto Rico’s energy challenges and have fueled his determination to strengthen the island’s resilience and energy independence. 

A QuestBridge National College Match scholar, Max headed to Yale University, earning a B.A. in Political Science and a Certificate of Advanced Language Study in Italian which included an immersive coursework at the University of Siena in Italy. He also completed 2.5 years of physics courses to blend his fascination with STEM and public policy. On campus, he co‑authored a Space Law Primer alongside the U.S. Air Force Academy and the Yale Foreign Policy Institute (YFPI), and, through the Yale Policy Institute (YPI), designed practical strategies for integrating electric vehicles across Connecticut. During a public‑policy internship at IGNIS, he crafted recommendations on R&D, Biosciences, and Product Development that Puerto Rico’s Department of Economic Development and Commerce later adopted. 

As a CHCI Public Policy Fellow, Max hopes to sharpen his legislative toolkit in climate and energy policy. Drawing on his unique background in political science and STEM, he aims to shape evidence-based laws that safeguard fragile ecosystems while preserving the well-being of the communities that depend on them.