Drawing on his diverse experience in sustainable agriculture, grassroots marketing, business ownership and professional video/media production, Max helped co-found Groundswell in 2009. Previously, Max was a member of the Obama Presidential Transition Team and worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A skilled videographer, Max served as a campaign video producer/editor with the Obama 2008 New Media Team and launched a social media consulting company, IB5k.

Serving in several distinct capacities for the organization, Max was frequently at the dynamic and complex interface of multiple organizational departments and programs. Max authored and negotiated the organization’s original Community Workforce Agreement - the first of its kind in the nation. As Innovation Director, Max initiated and helped design enterprise software development. In the early phase of the organization’s development, Max contributed planning, concept, systems thinking as well as fund development support.

Later, in his role as Program Director, he oversaw three-fold expansion in the program’s key performance metrics, contributed to the conceptualization and launch of the organization’s National Training Program, and helped launch a new project in bulk clean energy procurement by local faith-based institutions. 

Max helped forge and manage several strategic and operational partnerships for the organization, including Veterans Green Jobs and the D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility. Max’s public speaking engagements on behalf of the organization included presentations to the U.S. Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference.