— from Katie Fleming for Friends of the San Juans —
Friends of the San Juans announces that Executive Director Stephanie Buffum has submitted her letter of resignation and retired as of March 1, 2020. Under Stephanie’s 19 years of leadership, Friends has become central to the protection of what is loved by many about the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea, including the health of marine ecosystems, fragile shorelines, forest and open space habitats, and the tranquility of communities that thrive in San Juan County.
“Our local communities and the Salish Sea ecosystem have benefited from Stephanie’s leadership,” said Friends President Janet Alderton. “The Board is enormously grateful for her nearly two decades of dedicated service.”
Janet will be leading the search for a new Executive Director to take the organization forward. Board Vice President Toby Cooper is presently serving as the Acting Executive Director and will do so until the new director is hired and on-board.
“It has been my great honor to have served this organization and this region,” said Stephanie. “One of my favorite parts of this job has been the opportunity to work shoulder-to-shoulder with countless volunteers who share our vision of island and marine conservation. It has been an amazing journey, and I feel blessed to have had the privilege to work on behalf of people and nature at all levels of decision-making.”
Today, our beautiful islands and the Salish Sea continue to face many challenges. The Friends Board, staff, members, and volunteers remain deeply dedicated to our mission-driven work, as we have been for 40 years.
About Friends of the San Juans
Friends of the San Juans is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to protecting and restoring the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea for people and nature. Founded in 1979, the organization has become a leading proponent of safe shipping, clean water, healthy forests and farmlands, natural beaches and resilient communities. Through innovative programs, Friends harnesses science, education, and legal advocacy to help protect what you love about the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea.
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We will miss you, Steph.
It was an honor to work with Stephanie during our fight to protect the Salish Sea. I hope the fight continues with the new leadership. We need it now more than ever.
Thank you Stephanie. You and your team are huge to the islands… thank you for all that you’ve done, and thank you for creating such a great team, one that, hopefully, will maintain the course. You will indeed be missed.
Yes, thank-you Stephanie, for creating such a great team of Friends of the San Juans Staff, Volunteers, and Partner Organizations. And thank-you to our donors without whom our mission to protect what we love would not be possible. I feel honored and excited to help lead the Friends of the San Juans forward.