The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) announces the hiring of Stuart Clarke as its new Vice President for Strategic Initiatives.
“I am delighted that Stuart Clarke will join us as our new Vice President for Strategic Initiatives,” said Peter Goodwin, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. “Stuart is a highly respected environmental leader with 25 years of philanthropic experience. I am confident that his passion and professional commitment to the environment combined with his extensive experience will translate into profound benefits for our research, impact in Maryland and beyond, and the entire UMCES community.”
In addition to playing a pivotal role in identifying partners and funding opportunities and diversifying funding sources, the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives will be responsible for coordinating traditional institutional advancement activities with a primary focus on UMCES’ Strategic Initiatives that address pressing environmental issues, including research challenges surrounding coastal resilience, sustainable landscapes and seascapes, changing oceans and climate, and healthy urban waterfronts
"I am pleased to welcome Stuart Clarke,” said Charlie Monk, partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr and chair of the UMCES Board of Visitors. “I am confident that Stuart’s longstanding experience in the environmental community will assist our Board in advancing the interests of our world-class environmental institution. ”
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, a globally eminent research institution advancing scientific knowledge of the environment, is one of the 12 institutions that make up the University System of Maryland. Its scientists work from a network of research laboratories across the state to understand and discover solutions to environmental challenges in the Chesapeake Bay and around the world and to provide the scientific basis for policymakers and civic leaders to address pressing issues, from sustaining healthy crab and oyster fisheries to protecting coastal communities from sea-level rise.
Clark begins his position December 2. He is responsible for coordinating traditional institutional advancement activities with a primary focus on team science initiatives with foundations, NGOs, inter-governmental bodies, and the private sector.
“I am very excited to join UMCES’ leadership team at this critical time,” said Stuart Clarke. “Given the profound environmental challenges that we face as a state, a nation, and a globe, strong, sound science may be more valuable than it has ever been. I am eager to get to work helping to expand and strengthen UMCES’ partnerships and to support UMCES’ scientists in their critical work."
Before joining UMCES, Clarke served as the Executive Director of the Town Creek Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation dedicated to a sustainable environment. His previous philanthropic experience includes assignments as a Program Officer with the Turner Foundation managing a grant-making portfolio including national water quality and environmental protection and as Development Director of the Southern Partners Fund supporting social justice organizing in the South. He has also served as co-chair of the Maryland Climate Commission that provides governance for State initiatives to address climate change and as a trustee for Greenpeace USA.
Clarke is currently a Trustee of the Maryland Institute College of Art; the Blue Mountain Center, an artist and activist retreat center in the Adirondack Mountains; and the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers. He formerly served as director of the Environmental Grantmakers Association.
He served as Assistant Professor of Political Science at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts; as the Director of the Atlanta Outward Bound Center; and as the Chief Operating Officer of Hands On Network, a national network of community-based centers for volunteerism and civic action.
He received an undergraduate degree in Government and Law from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and a graduate degree in political science from Yale University.
