In 1989, the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy (GVC) began as a grassroots effort to protect the historical and natural resources between the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls. Each year, approximately 2,000 volunteers participate in GVC’s environmental stewardship activities. As a result, GVC has planted 34,000+ native trees, removed 270+ tons of trash, and preserved 1,800+ acres of land in conservation easements. The Baltimore County-based land trust and environmental non-profit is excited to welcome Kim Pause Tucker, Ph.D. as GVC’s first full-time Executive Director.
Trained as a molecular ecologist, Kim worked as a faculty member at Stevenson University for nearly a decade teaching in their Biology and Environmental Science programs. She was Founding Director of the SU Center for Environmental Stewardship, which allowed her to connect students from a variety of majors to meaningful conservation and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) outreach projects. She is a Senior Fellow in the Environmental Leadership Program and served on non-profit boards including Irvine Nature Center and the Maryland STEM Festival. Most recently, Kim was Director of the Whitaker Center for STEM Education at Florida Gulf Coast University, which hosted a variety of K-12 STEM outreach programming, teacher professional development, and administered STEM college scholarships. Although she was originally from Florida, Maryland captured Kim’s heart:
“Maryland is such a beautiful state with something for everyone – mountains, farms, streams, Chesapeake Bay and the ocean. I’m so grateful to be a part of the GVC family which has engaged the community in preserving and restoring Baltimore County’s natural areas for over 30 years. “ – Kim Pause Tucker, GVC Executive Director
There is no doubt that Kim embodies the future of the organization. “[She] is going to build on GVC’s amazing legacy by bringing a practical vision that will move the organization further, allowing us to adapt to a rapidly changing world,” noted GVC President, Cyrus Green. Similarly, GVC Search Committee Chair, Luke Hancock, shared that what the committee was most impressed with was her “extensive background in environmental education, nonprofit board service, the drive to continuously learn, and the ability to create meaningful relationships with staff and our external shareholders.”
The public is invited to meet Kim Pause Tucker at the organization’s upcoming Evening Among the Trees fundraiser on September 17, 2022. Guests will enjoy dinner from McFaul’s Ironhorse Tavern and beer from UNION Craft Brewing, live music by Free Range Blue, silent auction, Wagon of Cheer and much more. GVC will also be honoring its 2022 Hero of the Green, Corey Johns, during the September 17th celebration.
About the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy (GVC)
GVC’s vision is a Gunpowder Watershed that consists of healthy lands, healthy waterways, and healthy communities. The Gunpowder Watershed drains some 500 square miles from its starting point in lower York County, Pennsylvania, through Carroll, Baltimore and Harford counties, Maryland, before reaching the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore’s drinking water relies on the health of the Gunpowder watershed as Prettyboy and Loch Raven Reservoirs are both located within its boundaries.
