Hello! My name is Amber Redmond. I’m the new Director of Development and Engagement for the Ipswich River Watershed Association. I’m delighted to be the latest member of the Ipswich River team! For the last 16 years, I have worked in the nonprofit sector, raising critical resources for education and youth-serving organizations, large and small. As an enthusiastic paddler and occasional Ipswich River volunteer, I have long-admired the Association’s enduring commitment to ensuring the long-term health and viability of the Ipswich River and its watershed.
I live in Beverly with my husband, Ryan, and our elementary-aged son, Egan. Six years ago, we moved to the North Shore, drawn to the area’s recreational opportunities, coastline, historical and artistic heritage and culture, and yes – the Ipswich River. My affinity for the natural world is rooted in my love of the outdoors. Whether traversing the dunes at Crane Beach, exploring the Great Marsh, growing flowers in my rain garden, or paddling the Ipswich River and walking the trails around and along its banks, I am forever in awe of and inspired by the eternal beauties of the natural world in all its many forms.
My love of nature and the outdoors, first sparked by an attraction to its beauty, has evolved beyond recreation. Now, driven by a deeper understanding that a connection to nature is essential to the health, economic success, quality of life, and social wellbeing of all of us, my appreciation has grown to include commitment to conservation and environmental education, the protection and restoration of habitats, and the provision of healthy landscapes and access to them, especially among Black, Indigenous, and people of color and low-income people. In short, I want to ensure that children like my son and communities like the one I grew up in that have been disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation, global warming, and environmental injustice have enough clean water and can enjoy the same natural areas that I’ve come to know and love.
If I’ve learned anything about myself over the years, it’s that my work must allow me to live out my values, and the organization I work for must define their purpose by the contributions they make in their community. Fortunately for me, my priorities, passions, and values align with the Ipswich River Watershed Association. As the newest team member, I look forward to helping my friends and neighbors make good choices and be part of the solution by learning about, advocating for, and supporting the Ipswich River.