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| Courtesy of SEJ |
Beth Parke to step down as Society of Environmental Journalists executive director, leaving a 25-year legacy
Contact: Jeff Burnside, 2016 Board President
JeffBurnside@outlook.com
Jenkintown, Penn., May 24, 2016 — The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) Board of Directors today announced Beth Parke’s intent to step down from her role as executive director by early 2017, marking more than two decades of remarkable service. The organization is now launching a search for a new executive director to lead SEJ in its mission of informing and engaging the public on energy and environmental issues. Parke will continue in her role as executive director through the search and transition process.
As SEJ’s founding executive director, Parke has guided the organization through decades of programs designed to connect, support and educate colleagues and encourage newcomers to the beat. SEJ’s work gained international recognition as thousands of journalists sharpened their skills, advanced their careers and raised public awareness of some of the world’s most challenging and fascinating environmental issues. Throughout her tenure, Parke has worked side by side with gifted longtime staffers Jay Letto, conference director, and Christine Bruggers, associate director.
“I have been proud to represent the Society of Environmental Journalists, and will always be so glad to be a part of it,” Parke said. “I am forever grateful to SEJ for giving me the opportunity to help build something profoundly meaningful and learn something new every day. Now it’s someone else’s turn.”
“We’d prefer that Beth remain in her role forever,” said SEJ Board President Jeff Burnside. "But she has graciously agreed to help guide the transition to our future executive director so that SEJ can build on Beth’s astonishing legacy.”
Under Parke’s leadership, SEJ has become the world’s leading group of professional journalists, reporters, authors, and academics whose focus is on issues of energy and the environment. On any given day, the journalism delivered by SEJ's 1,300 members can engage tens of millions around North America and the globe.
Parke has been a creative, entrepreneurial leader and steadfast steward of SEJ's mission, particularly during a period of significant change for both environmental issues and the media landscape. She drew together and retained a dedicated and talented staff and hundreds of volunteers supporting thousands of journalists, students and educators as environmental news coverage went from niche to essential mainstream.
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Parke accepts the 2010 Gulbenkian Prize on SEJ's behalf. © Edward Schultz |
Jim Detjen, SEJ’s founding board president, said Parke proved to be just the right talent to lead SEJ through its growing pains when it was just a fledgling organization. “I don't think any of us ever expected the extraordinary job Beth would do over the next 25 years,” Detjen said. “Beth has provided SEJ with an incredible level of dedication, service, vision and hard work. She has been without a doubt the best executive director of any journalism organization in America. Her leadership has led SEJ to become widely admired and its members to become better journalists. I am thankful for all that Beth has done for the SEJ family. And I'm grateful she accepted our job offer almost a quarter century ago.”
Notable accomplishments for SEJ during Parke's tenure include two dozen conference partnerships with leading universities, $500,000 in project grants disbursed by the Fund for Environmental Journalism and international recognition for SEJ and environment journalists worldwide. Parke represented SEJ in Lisbon as co-winner of the Gulbenkian Foundation's 2010 International Prize for contributions to public understanding of "humanity's relationship with nature and respect for biodiversity."
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About SEJ:
The Society of Environmental Journalists is an international membership association dedicated to more and better coverage of issues related to energy and the environment. SEJ's membership includes more than 1,300 journalists and academics working in every type of news media in 48 countries.
SEJ is constantly developing new initiatives to:
- educate members on emerging issues and beat basics
- protect freedom of information
- build bridges between scientists and journalists
- foster peer communication and networks of credible sources
- recognize and support excellence in media
- provide vision and leadership through creative projects and strategic partnerships.
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