After a national search, the Quahog Bay Conservancy has hired Harpswell resident Laura Campbell to lead the organization as its new executive director.
Quahog Bay Conservancy, a conservation nonprofit based in Harpswell, is dedicated to revitalizing the ecosystem of Quahog Bay so it remains healthy and resilient for the communities that depend on it.
Founded by Mary and Pat Scanlan, conservationists determined to address pollution in the bay, the conservancy raises awareness through sustainable oyster aquaculture, ecosystem monitoring and education.
“With a solid strategic vision for the Quahog Bay Conservancy, Laura will lead the QBC team through the next several years of growth and transition, as we build our new science center on Waddles Wharf,” Pat Scanlan said. “We’re thrilled to have Laura in this role. She brings a world of experience to us, right here in Harpswell.”
Campbell has more than two decades of global experience in strategic planning, organizational growth and community engagement to help protect Maine’s working waterfront. Before returning to Maine, she was a U.S. Foreign Service officer managing complex development programs that bridged science-informed policy with on-the-ground impact in Bolivia, Egypt, South Sudan, Senegal, and Washington, D.C. Earlier in her career she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua.
Campbell graduated from Bates College and received a master’s degree in public health from Boston University. She also has a Master of Science degree from the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School.
“As someone deeply invested in our community and its working waterfront, I am honored to join the Quahog Bay Conservancy as the executive director,” Campbell said. “I am excited to work with the hardworking, knowledgeable and dedicated QBC team and am eager to combine my professional expertise with my passion to protect the place I call home.”
Campbell will lead the organization during a period of growth in the next several years. In addition to moving into its new headquarters and marine science center at Waddles Wharf in 2028, the conservancy is expanding its role as a hub for science, conservation and community.
The facility will provide space for research collaboration, student learning and public engagement while strengthening the conservancy’s core programs in aquaculture, ecosystem restoration and education. This reflects the organization’s vision to create lasting impact on the bay’s health and resilience while building strong partnerships with the local community, researchers and conservation leaders throughout Casco Bay.
The conservancy’s programs take an ecosystem-wide approach to restoring and protecting Quahog Bay. Founded in 2015, the conservancy monitors water quality, tracking bacteria, nutrients and phytoplankton trends; conducts year-round marine debris removal; works to reduce invasive green crab populations; and provides a free boat pump-out service. Its sustainable oyster aquaculture program, Snow Island Oysters, produced more than 235,000 oysters this year, with all proceeds reinvested into conservation work.
The conservancy also invests in the next generation of marine scientists through a paid summer internship program and undergraduate research partnerships, providing hands-on experience in fieldwork, lab analysis and conservation projects.
