Longtime Rubenstein School Board member Ann Swanson (WFB '79) visited the School on November 10 and 1, 2014. She presented guest lectures on watershed pollution control and provided career mentoring sessions to current RSENR students.

Ann is the Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative authority serving the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.  The commission sponsors legislation at the state level and works with federal and state regulatory agencies to facilitate restoration programs targeting the Chesapeake Bay.

Ann’s lectures focused on Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). She explained how the Chesapeake Bay's water quality is impaired, and the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposed a TMDL that calls for significant reductions in both nutrients and sediments by 2025. Under the law, the watershed states must provide the EPA with “reasonable assurance” that pollution control practices are installed and working. Ann focused on how to know if the pollution controls claimed are real, a timely challenge for discussion as the EPA wraps up its hearings on establishing a TMDL for Vermont's Lake Champlain.

Ann also took time during her visit to offer mentoring programs for undergraduate and graduate students.  She spoke about her own career path, her current work, and tips for job searching.  Ann is an excellent resource and role model. She uses her background in science to catalyze action through policy. Her work has earned her various awards, including Conservationist of the Year for the Chesapeake Bay region in 2008, an honorary doctorate from the University of Vermont in 2012, and Admiral of the Chesapeake in January 2015.

"We are incredibly fortunate to have Ann on our Board of Advisers and appreciate not only her contributions to our board, but also her generosity to work with and mentor students," acknowledges Rubenstein School Dean Nancy Mathews. "As the former chair of the Board, Ann has provided strategic leadership and perspectives to the school for many years."