Since 2002, Don Willard has been the Air Quality Director for Mecklenburg County Land Use and Environmental Services. In this role, he directs and manages a state certified service and regulatory program for air quality, handles budgeting, planning, and personnel selection, and coordinates with federal, state, and local agencies, elected officials, and the media. For the 18 years previous to becoming Air Quality Director, he served as Deputy Director for the Mecklenburg County Department of Environmental Protection.

Don has led or been part of many important initiatives during his career, including the establishment of the first Air Quality fees and civil penalty authority for Mecklenburg County, and Breathe (2000) – a call for local action to improve air quality, resulting in the Mecklenburg County "Clean Air" policy and the Breathe Stakeholder Recommendations.

Don holds a Masters of Public Health in Health Policy and Administration from UNC Chapel Hill, and is a member of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA), the Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials (ALAPCO), and the National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals (NALGEP).