CRWC WELCOMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Clinton River Watershed Council (CRWC) is excited to announce the start of our new executive director, Jennifer Hill.

Jennifer, who begins her new role on Dec. 6, will lead education, stewardship and watershed management programming, all of which has continued to expand over the CRWC’s 50 years. “After a nationwide search, we selected Jennifer due to her robust experience directing conservation policy and field campaigns and working collaboratively with local, state, and federal partners,” said Shawn Keenan, president of the CRWC’s Board of Directors. “Her experience is critical as we advance our mission of improving and protecting the water quality of our state’s most populated watershed that spans 760-square miles.”

Before joining CRWC, Jennifer spent 17 years at the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), where she most recently served as the associate director of NWF’s Great Lakes Regional Center. She managed and oversaw the water, chemicals of emerging concern and wildlife programs as well as strategic planning implementation and new program development. She also led NWF’s expansion of PFAS mitigation efforts in the Great Lakes region, including as a co-founding member of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. Previously, Jennifer served as the assistant campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.

“I have spent more than a decade helping shape environmental and Great Lakes water policy at the state and federal levels, but the rubber really meets the road in how policies are implemented at the local community and watershed level,” Jennifer said. “I look forward to working collaboratively with communities and partners to improve water quality for the millions of residents who call the Clinton River watershed home.”

Jennifer has served on the boards of several organizations. She was an active member of the Great Lakes Advisory Board from 2013-2018, advising the Environmental Protection Agency on best practices for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. She also co-founded NWF’s Women in Conservation Leadership Program, which empowered female leaders across the conservation and environmental communities, and she currently serves as a Board member of Huron Pines. She received her B.A. in Environmental Science from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and the Environment in 2005.

In her new role, Jennifer replaces Susan Kelsey, who paused her retirement to serve as the interim executive director of CRWC for the past several months.

“The CRWC Board of Directors cannot express enough gratitude to Sue for changing course and stepping in to assume the role of interim executive director,” added Shawn Keenan. “Her long history with the watershed council and nearly 40 years of experience in environmental engineering was invaluable.”

The staff would also like to say a special thank you to Sue for all of the work she has done with us for the past year. Her continuous support and dedication to the watershed council all these years is something extraordinary, and we are extremely lucky to have had someone like her to help guide us over the course of her interim. 

We are all looking forward to working with Jennifer to continue advancing our work in protecting, improving, and celebrating the health of the Clinton River, its watershed, and Lake St. Clair.

Jennifer can be reached at Jennifer@crwc.org.