April 8, 2026 (Augusta, ME) – The Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) Board of Directors has selected Justin Strasburger as the next Executive Director of the state’s leading nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to protecting Maine’s environment.
Strasburger will join NRCM on April 13 after nearly two decades in impact-driven nonprofit leadership, including, most recently, as the first Executive Director of Full Plates Full Potential where he oversaw strategic growth in the organization’s mission and passage of a landmark food security law. He serves as Board President of the Maine Association of Nonprofits and previously was the Development Committee Chair at Teens to Trails.
“Like NRCM’s members and supporters, I have a profound love for the state’s pristine resources—its forests, mountains, and waterways—and also a fierce determination to protect them,” said Strasburger. “I look forward to utilizing my strategic leadership, proven fundraising acumen, and complex advocacy experience to advance our shared mission of protecting the nature of Maine.”
Justin Strasburger
Justin’s commitment to NRCM’s mission is driven by deep personal roots in Maine’s outdoors. His years spent wilderness tripping at Camp Kieve in Nobleboro, time passed at his family’s remote camp near Jackman, and time as an Outing Club leader at Bowdoin College helped shape the values he holds today. This connection to the land is why he and his wife chose to raise their family in Maine and why, as a father of two young Mainers, he’s so excited to lead NRCM at this time.
“There is so much hope in the work that NRCM does to bring everyday people together because of their love of Maine’s outdoors to build a healthier, more sustainable future,” said Strasburger.
Justin’s arrival coincides with the organization’s focus on the future, building off a 67-year history that began in 1959 with a group of Mainers rallying to create the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
A fearless watchdog for Maine’s environment, NRCM has led statewide coalitions that passed a first-ever Maine Trails Bond, a first-in-the-nation Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging law, and a landmark offshore wind law. The group collaborated with local partners to establish the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument and restore the health of the Penobscot and lower Kennebec Rivers for sea-run fish. Moving forward, NRCM is drawing on its strength as a statewide membership organization to actively listen to and amplify the voices of people in all parts of Maine.
“Justin comes to NRCM with significant experience in nonprofit leadership, coalition building, and organizational management, as well as deep ties to Maine and a strong commitment to mission-driven work,” said NRCM Board Chair Lucy Abbott. “Throughout the search, the Board was looking for a leader who can guide NRCM forward at this pivotal time, bringing a clear sense of moral purpose and strong understanding of the essential role nonprofits play in civic life. Justin brings the skills and approach needed to do that.”
