Pohlmann spent past decade strengthening Maine’s largest environmental advocacy group to meet today’s challenges
NRCM news release
March 9, 2022 (Augusta, ME) – Lisa Pohlmann announced today that she will be retiring and stepping down as CEO of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) by the end of 2022. Pohlmann was NRCM’s first female CEO and is a widely respected nonprofit leader in Maine who has dedicated her career to a wide range of issues from environmental conservation and economic justice to women’s rights.
Pohlmann has guided NRCM for more than a decade, strengthening its position as Maine’s leading environmental advocacy group with new efforts to amplify the voices of young environmental leaders and deepen engagement with people in all of Maine’s 16 counties.
In an email message to members, Pohlmann wrote, “Leading Maine’s most effective environmental advocacy group for the past 11 years has been the most gratifying work of my professional life.”
“I know that thanks to our collective work, this organization has never been better prepared to address the significant environmental challenges we face and to make sure that everyone in Maine, regardless of where they live or where they come from, can experience the wonder of the woods, waters, and wildlife that define our very identity,” said Pohlmann.
During her tenure, NRCM has brought together diverse groups of Maine people and organizations to achieve some of the most significant environmental victories of this generation. Notable moments include completion of the Penobscot River Restoration Project, passage of the nation’s strictest metal mining law, and the establishment of the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument. NRCM helped mobilize the voices of tens of thousands of people who love Maine’s environment to block the export of tar sands oil, make the state a national leader in tackling plastic pollution, and act on climate.
Pohlmann dedicated 22 years of her life to NRCM, first serving as a member of the Board of Directors for seven years, including two as Board President. In 2008, she became the organization’s Deputy Director, and, following a national search, was hired in 2011 to lead NRCM.
In 2015, Pohlmann received the first “Women in Conservation” award from the National Wildlife Federation. She holds a Doctorate from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine and previously held leadership positions at the Maine Center for Economic Policy and New Hope for Women. Lisa’s favorite ways to enjoy Maine include canoeing or kayaking on a river or her family’s annual tradition of camping at Cobscook Bay State Park.
Maria Gallace, Chair of the NRCM Board of Directors, said in a message to members, “With NRCM’s powerful accomplishments going back more than six decades, Lisa can retire knowing that her leadership role at NRCM will make a difference for generations to come.”
The board has already begun the process of forming a search committee and will share details of the search process in the coming weeks and months. A webpage was created to include information about the search firm, position description, and Pohlmann’s long legacy as a leader for social and environmental good in Maine.
Pohlmann “brought with her a strong history of nonprofit experience that has helped NRCM achieve tremendous success over the past decade,” added Gallace.
