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Home / Staff and Leadership / Kate Fritz
Chief Executive Officer
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(443) 949 0575
Kate has lived in 5 of the 7 Chesapeake Bay watershed jurisdictions, and now calls Annapolis, MD her home. Her first introduction to the tidal portion of the Chesapeake Bay was through her undergraduate work at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where she majored in Biology with a concentration in Environmental Studies. She spent her summers on and in the St. Mary’s River studying SAV and helping collect water quality data with the St. Mary’s River Project.
As a life-long learner, Kate earned an Executive Master of Natural Resources focused on Leadership in Sustainability from Virginia Tech, as well as a masters degree in Environmental Management from the University of Maryland University College. She is also a Maryland Qualified Professional Forester (QPF) and a LEED Green Associate certified professional. Kate has held positions in both the private and public sectors, starting her career as a Field Biologist with the Annapolis firm, Environmental Systems Analysis. After spending two years collecting water quality data related to land development, Kate wanted to help improve water quality through better land use policy, and moved her career to the Planning Department in Prince George’s County. There she spent seven years researching and writing water-related land use policies to help guide where, and how the county should grow over the next few decades.
Most recently, Kate served as the Chief Executive Officer of the South River Federation (SRF) located in Edgewater, MD. For the three plus years she led SRF, she grew the organization into a well-respected advocate for local restoration efforts, and helped build a multimillion dollar stream restoration and stormwater reduction program that is informed by data collected from a highly-regarded monitoring program that tracks the health of the South River.
Kate’s interest in the Chesapeake Bay extends beyond her love of kayaking and fishing, and has led her to many volunteer opportunities locally. She is a certified Master Watershed Steward, and was a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy (WAS). As a believer in the linked nature of the environment and social issues, Kate has been an active leader with Anne Arundel Women’s Giving Together, a women’s giving circle, focused on women and female issues locally.
Kate and her husband Stefan live in Annapolis, where they enjoy playing volleyball year-round, hosting backyard BBQ’s with friends, and traveling near and far. If you stop by the office, you might get to meet Kate’s dog, Natty Beau!
