Board Chair Charlie Pick, Vice Chair Rebeccah Sanders, and Treasurer/Secretary Linda Kurtz are focusing on diverse representation and mission-aligned expertise during an organizational growth period.
TWI continues to expand its organizational reach and leadership in the bi-state Calumet Region.
Photo by Dr. Gary Sullivan.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts
Abby Mattson, Director of Development & Communications
amattson@wetlands-initiative.org | 312-922-0777, ext. 110
Paul Botts, President & Executive Director
pbotts@wetlands-initiative.org | 312-922-0777, ext. 112
CHICAGO (September 25, 2024): The Wetlands Initiative (TWI) Board of Directors voted in a completely new slate of officers early in 2024 to usher the organization through a period of strategic growth. Charlie Pick now leads the board as Chair, bringing with him over a decade of experience with TWI. Pick is a real estate developer with deep civic service experience in conservation and food security issues. Rebeccah Sanders, an environmental consultant with extensive NGO experience in Chicago and nationally, now serves as Vice Chair. Linda Kurtz, a leader in the field of corporate sustainability, is Treasurer/Secretary. Sanders and Kurtz each joined TWI’s board in 2021. This new leadership team’s focus in the near term is on ushering TWI toward the successful execution in 2025 of its 5-year strategic plan and expanding the diversity and expertise of the organization’s directors.
Along with this new slate of leadership at the board level, TWI has also instated a new Board Engagement and Recruitment Committee. Sanders chairs the committee and shaped its statement of purpose, recognizing that an effective Board of Directors is essential to the organization's success. As part of TWI’s commitment to excellent governance, the Board Engagement and Recruitment Committee is working to attract, engage, and retain a diverse and talented group of board members. This committee is charged with the continuous cultivation and engagement of a board whose collective values, expertise, and passion will propel TWI’s mission forward.
Representation and connection to geographic areas and communities in which TWI works is a top recruitment priority. The organization is focusing on candidates located in Central Illinois and the bi-state Calumet Region, particularly Northwest Indiana, who have a deep understanding and knowledge of the conservation needs and assets in these areas. In Central Illinois, TWI partners with farmers through the Smart Wetlands program to construct small wetlands on tile-drained cropland to reduce agricultural nutrient runoff. In Northwest Indiana, TWI’s suite of Calumet restoration projects is expanding and employs novel techniques to bring back healthy hemi-marsh habitat for the benefit of the region’s wildlife, climate, and local communities.
Pick is optimistic about TWI’s continued growth in the Midwest, and he emphasizes that building a board representative of regional demographics is essential: “TWI is on a path of accelerating growth at all levels – programmatically, geographically, and with our staff. Matching this exciting momentum at the board level is crucial to have the most impact as an organization and to effectively manage our growth. Our directors are an experienced and committed group of leaders who have been instrumental in shaping TWI over the past nearly three decades. As we approach our 30th anniversary and the culmination of our 5-year strategic plan, it is critical to both engage with our existing board leadership and also constantly seek out new directors who bring fresh ideas, experience, and energy to the organization.”
Since it began operation in 1995, TWI has evolved from a pioneer in the field of wetland restoration to an integral partner applying our ecological and engineering expertise to collaborative efforts and regional conservation challenges. TWI projects have so far focused on Illinois and Northwest Indiana, and plans to expand the organization’s geographic reach and impact are coming to fruition. The organization has bolstered its staff capacity over the last 12 months, which in combination with this strategic phase of board recruitment will support TWI’s planned growth.
###
About the Wetlands Initiative
The Wetlands Initiative (TWI) designs, restores, and creates wetlands in Illinois and Northwest Indiana. We innovate, collaborate, and employ sound science in pursuit of our vision of a world with plentiful healthy wetlands improving water quality, climate resilience, biodiversity, and human well-being. Visit www.wetlands-initiative.org for more information.