ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø Welcomes Interim CEO, Ellen Meyer Shorb
Introducing our Interim CEO, Ellen Meyer Shorb
After three years as CEO and 18 years of dedication to ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø, I have decided to pursue a new chapter beyond the organization. Saying farewell is a bittersweet moment as I am deeply passionate about the mission and cherish working with talented ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø staff, collaborators, partners, and volunteers to accomplish great strides in citizen science and conservation.
Since joining ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø in 2008, I have held various roles over nearly two decades. I'm proud of my work strengthening our participatory science programs to tackle pressing environmental issues. During my time as CEO, we prevailed after a challenging period following the 2020 pandemic, a time that impacted many nonprofit organizations and the world as a whole.
Transitions come with some uncertainty, and we recognize this is a critical moment in history. Science is under attack. Federal support for science is declining. In the United States, thousands of federal jobs responsible for safeguarding our natural resources are at risk. As a funder of research and conservation projects worldwide, ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø is as necessary as ever to ensure we protect our irreplaceable planet through science-based solutions.
Although I am sad to leave ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø, I am confident that the organization is poised to meet this critical moment head-on. ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø has a 54-year legacy of bridging the gap between science and action. ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø remains steadfast in its commitment to conservation at a time when science and environmental protections are more critical than ever.
I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has appointed Ellen Meyer Shorb as ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø's Interim CEO. Ellen excels at leading organizations through change. She holds a BA from Dartmouth, an MPP from Harvard, and an MBA from Stanford. Ellen comes to ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø with 10 years of senior nonprofit management experience and 20 years as a strategy and leadership consultant. With an impressive track record, Ellen will work closely with our staff, board, donors, and community to ensure continuity and continued progress toward the ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø mission. She will also help lay the groundwork for an exciting new chapter at ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø, one that strengthens our mission and expands our impact.
My last day with ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø will be on March 21, 2025. I will stay connected in an advisory capacity to support Ellen during this transition, ensuring we continue delivering our crucial mission.
I am grateful to our Board, donors, staff, scientists, and volunteers for helping make ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø an organization that addresses global change through public collaboration. We are a testament to the power of collective action.
While this marks the end of my time as CEO, I will remain an advocate for ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø's mission. I look forward to staying involved as a supporter and celebrating all of ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø's future successes together!
Warmly,
Gitte Venicx
President & CEO
ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø
ELLEN MEYER SHORB
For the last 20 years, Ellen has served as the principal of Blue Sage Partners, a strategy consulting company that focuses on building high-functioning teams. As a facilitator and Interim CEO, she builds the trust and buy-in necessary to negotiate agreement on a shared direction. She works at the big picture level to delineate key strategic priorities and on the ground, to develop a tactical plan. A specialty in her practice is to develop leadership capacity and stronger teams while accomplishing a concrete business task, such as developing a strategic plan or drafting a funding proposal.
YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS
ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø depends on donations—above and beyond what we raise from volunteers who participate in our expeditions—to deliver our global conservation mission. In fact, volunteer contributions provide only half of the total resources ÃÀ¼§ÉçÇø needs to sustain over 20 global field research expeditions, a wide variety of educational programs, corporate sustainability trainings, and more each year.
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