voc 2021 episode 05: Kate Fritz

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

Kate has lived in five of the seven Chesapeake Bay watershed jurisdictions, and now calls Annapolis, MD her home. Her first introduction to the tidal portion of the Chesapeake Bay was through her undergraduate work at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where she majored in Biology with a concentration in Environmental Studies. She spent her summers on and in the St. Mary’s River studying SAV and helping collect water quality data with the St. Mary’s River Project.

As a life-long learner, Kate earned an Executive Master of Natural Resources focused on Leadership in Sustainability from Virginia Tech, as well as a masters degree in Environmental Management from the University of Maryland University College. She is also a Maryland Qualified Professional Forester (QPF) and a LEED Green Associate certified professional.

Most recently, Kate served as the Chief Executive Officer of the South River Federation (SRF) located in Edgewater, MD. For the three plus years she led SRF, she grew the organization into a well-respected advocate for local restoration efforts, and helped build a multimillion dollar stream restoration and storm water reduction program that is informed by data collected from a highly-regarded monitoring program that tracks the health of the South River.

She is a certified Master Watershed Steward, and was a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy (WAS). As a believer in the linked nature of the environment and social issues, Kate has been an active leader with Anne Arundel Women’s Giving Together, a women’s giving circle, focused on women and female issues locally.