Our Board of Directors provides oversight of all programs and transactions and provides guidance and expertise to staff. They play a vital role in decision making, strategic planning, fundraising, and financial oversight and approve the organization’s annual operating budget. Each member of the AWS Board of Directors is required to serve on a programmatic subcommittee and make an annual contribution. Board members serve a maximum of two consecutive, three-year terms.

Officers and Members

• Geoff Rankin, Chair
  Congressional Aviation
• Kathleen Linehan, Vice Chair
  Alpha Corporation
• Ken Williams, Treasurer
  Environmental Quality Resources, LLC
• Melissa Ho, Ph.D., Secretary
  Beeyuan Strategies
• Danielle Baussan
  Aspen Institute
• Peter Byrne
  Retired, Georgetown University Law Center
• Jim Connolly
  Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc
• Dolly Davis
  First Tee DC
• Elissa Feldman
  Retired Deputy Dir., Indoor Environment Div., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Bill Irwin
  Retired Chevron: Engineering, Operations, Government Affairs
• Jayant Kairam
  Diageo
• Edwina J. McKechnie
  LEAF Coalition
• Tracey Patillo Johnson, MPP
  Urban Institute
• Lee Poston
  Saola Strategies Consulting
• Christopher E. Williams, President & CEO
  Anacostia Watershed Society
• Robert Boone
  Founder & Honorary Member

Transparency and Accountability

Because we rely on public support and the generosity of our donors and volunteers, the Anacostia Watershed Society values accountability and transparency. We routinely evaluate and track the progress achieved by our programs and restoration efforts. These facts and figures are compiled annually and can be found in our audited financial statements and annual reports below.

AWS is committed to our community. If you wish to report any concerns around our programming, including but not limited to, compliance with laws and regulations, our commitment to anti-discrimination, safety, or our core values, please reach out to [email protected] or use our contact us page. AWS commits to a dedicated, respectful and responsive process to respond to any community concerns in line with our incident reporting procedures.

Audited Financial Statements

The Anacostia Watershed Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization. Its mission is to protect and restore the Anacostia River and its watershed for the benefit of all who live here and for future generations. We pursue this mission through policy advocacy, field conservation initiatives, adult and youth education and outreach, and volunteer and recreation programs. 

Help protect our local environment. Work for the Anacostia Watershed Society. Current employment and internship opportunities are listed below. The Anacostia Watershed Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Job Openings:

There are currently no open positions at AWS. Please check again in the future.

The Anacostia Watershed Society was founded in 1989 by a small group of concerned individuals determined to free the Anacostia River of pollution and restore it to health. Over the past 35 years, our staff and programming efforts have expanded significantly to encompass efforts in environmental education, habitat restoration, and recreation, as well as working for change through public policy advocacy. We are making a difference and we hope you’ll help!

Mission and Vision Statements

AWS is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect and restore the Anacostia River and its watershed for the benefit of all who live here and for future generations.

We envision the Anacostia river and its watershed renewed, its water quality restored, its wildlife and natural habitats revitalized, its ecology made resilient to a changing climate. We envision a healthy freshwater ecosystem in the heart of the DC metro region, nurtured by current and future generations of watershed stewards, where the economic, social, and spiritual benefits it provides are equitably enjoyed by all who live here. We envision the Anacostia watershed as an inspiring model of urban river conservation and management.

What’s In A Name?

Why are we called the Anacostia Watershed Society? The name represents a fundamental truth about rivers and about the way we approach our work.

The Anacostia River flows almost nine miles from Bladensburg, Maryland through the District of Columbia until it meets the Potomac River in the heart of Washington, which in turn flows into the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

But the Anacostia is much more than its main channel. It is springs, wetlands, and streams across a 176 square mile area in DC and Maryland, all of which flow to the river. This is the Anacostia watershed, the freshwater ecosystem that AWS is committed to protect and restore.

Why? Because we believe that every stream and wetland in the watershed has its own intrinsic value, and because a river can only be as healthy as the waters that flow into it.