Essex County Greenbelt Association President Kate Bowditch is retiring Sept. 1 and will be succeeded by Chris LaPointe, who has served as Greenbelt’s vice president of conservation operations.
Betsy Shields, chair of Greenbelt’s board, said Bowditch served as president since 2018 and completed 160 conservation projects, protecting more than 4,000 acres of land across Essex County; raised $30 million for land conservation; and hosted more than 185 events.
“She has played a critical role in expanding Greenbelt’s mission across the county, raising the organization’s profile and deepening community connections at the same time,” Shields said.
LaPointe joined Greenbelt in 2015 to lead land conservation efforts and, he and his team have protected 6,200 acres of land, representing 86% of all the land conserved in Essex County during this period.