Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) is an environmentalist advocacy organization that attempts to prevent pollution and restore the Anacostia River throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, with an emphasis on engaging the surrounding communities, volunteerism, and educating young people. [1]
AWS focuses its river restoration projects on four main categories: stormwater management, habitat restoration, pollution reduction, and an annual Earth Day cleanup. [2] Its education programs include the Saturday Environmental Academy for middle-school students, as well as various school-based and adult-education programming. [3]
Funding
Anacostia Watershed Society receives financial support from a variety of environmentalist and left-of-center foundations and organizations, including the Morningstar Foundation,[4] Clif Bar Family Foundation,[5] National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,[6] and the Nature Conservancy. [7] In its 2018 tax year, Anacostia Watershed Society reported receiving slightly over $1 million in government grants and contributions. [8]
Leadership
James Foster is President of Anacostia Watershed Society, as well as a board member. He also sits on the steering committee for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. [9]
Erin Castelli is senior vice president, chief operating officer, and director of development. [10]
Board of Directors
Elissa Feldman is the chair of the Board of Directors. Feldman worked for the Environmental Protection Agency for 28 years as an associate director for indoor environments, and as a program manager. [11]
Other board members include: vice chair Neil Lang, treasurer Kathryn Petrillo-Smith, secretary Lars Hanslin, Donna An, Nina Albert, Maria Earley, Michael Lederman, Kathleen Linehan, Cynthia Quarterman, Matthew Ries, Nigel Stevens, Michael Tilchin, and AWS founder and former president Robert Boone. [12]