Trash Free Maryland Welcomes New Executive Director

Trash Free Maryland is pleased to announce its recent hire of AshleyVan Stone as Executive Director. Within this role, Ms. Van Stone will have overallstrategic and operational responsibility for the organization. Her work will includelobbying lawmakers, managing educational campaigns, building meaningfulpartnerships in the community, working with donors and funders, andcollaborating with staff on critical programs.“Ashley is just the kind of entrepreneurial leader Trash Free Maryland needs—aninspiring professional with a varied background focused on sparking integrated andsustainable social change,” said Board Chair Karla Raettig. “Ashley is poised to buildon the successes of this effective environmental organization while nurturing ourpotential for growth.”Ms. Van Stone, a Baltimore City resident, comes to Trash Free Maryland afterserving for five years as Sustainability Manager for Johns Hopkins University, whereshe worked across all academic divisions. She spent three years working at theUniversity of Florida Office of Sustainability. Prior to that, she worked as publicrelations and marketing specialist at two boutique firms.She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Baltimore Community ToolBank, which engages in a number of environmental initiatives to strengthen and celebrate the Baltimore community. She was a member of the Environmental Challenges Working Group of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative out of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and she has served in numerous leadership capacities with a diverse range of committees and consortiums.”“This is an incredible opportunity to focus on the area of sustainability that resonates most deeply with me: waste,” said Van Stone. “It is energizing to identify and develop solutions that address the collective and complex challenges around what we consume and discard. I look forward to partnering with a diverse range of supporters, experts and constituents to transform what it means to live and connect socially and sustainably, and promote lasting change for the prevention of trash pollution.”Ms. Van Stone officially began her tenure on Feb. 12th. She can be reached viaemail: ashley@trashfreemaryland.org.