Board of Directors Announces New Leadership Model
Dear Midcoast Conservancy Friends and Family,
Tim Trumbauer and Kristin Pennock - members of the “new” leadership team at Midcoast Conservancy!
Midcoast Conservancy’s New Leadership Model
I am writing to share some exciting news about the future of Midcoast Conservancy.
In January, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt a shared leadership model to guide Midcoast Conservancy into the future. Shared leadership models vary but ours has three co-leaders, equal in status, who have different job descriptions yet overlap with key responsibilities essential to organizational stability. They support each other, share ideas, and approach every challenge as a team. Collaboration and good communication are “baked” into the system.
The other piece of exciting news is that two of these positions have been filled by people familiar to us.
Tim Trumbauer will serve as the Co-Executive Director of Engagement and Strategy. Since October, Tim has been serving as our Interim Executive Director. Tim had worked here as the Director of Water and Communications until last spring when he left to serve as an executive director for a neighboring conservation organization; we are thrilled to have him back!
Kristin Pennock, our current Director of Administration and Finance, will serve as our new Co-Executive Director of Operations. Kristin has an intimate knowledge of our organizational administration and is a highly regarded community member. She has been with Midcoast Conservancy since the original merger that created the organization in 2016, and prior to that, she worked for the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association since 2002. Kristin has a 20 year track record of supporting conservation work in the Midcoast and we are thankful she has stepped up to take on this leadership role!
A search is underway to hire the third co-leader, the Co-Executive Director of Conservation with the plan to bring that person on board this spring. If you know a passionate conservation leader interested in working with the great team here, please feel free to share the job posting!
Last fall, after learning that neighboring Georges River Land Trust has used a shared leadership model for nearly two years, small groups of our Board and staff members met separately with their leadership team and were immediately drawn to what we heard. It was clear that the model can work for a land trust and has great transformational potential for an organization. Additional research and phone conversations with other folks and groups using shared leadership models convinced us that this could be a defining step forward to create a more resilient and equitable organization, with a responsive structure that more fully engages and empowers staff members.
We are already realizing the benefit, as the shift to using this new model and the hiring of Kristin and Tim has energized both staff and Board. We are fortunate to have such a talented and committed group of staff and Board members (welcoming six new Board members since September!) who understand the value and effectiveness of good collaboration.
I look forward to seeing many of you at events this year but in the meantime please reach out to Kristin, Tim, or myself with any thoughts or questions as we embark on this new chapter.
Thanks for all you do to support Midcoast Conservancy’s critical conservation work in our region. Time is of the essence.
Best,
Buck O’Herin
Board President
