GRP names Dr. Chris Paul as next Board Chair

At its April meeting, Green River Preserve’s Board of Directors elected Dr. Chris Paul as the Chair of the Board for a three-year term. Sandy Schenck, Green River Preserve’s Founder and former Executive Director, will remain a member of the Board’s Executive Committee. This role allows Sandy to focus more on land stewardship through the Schenck Family Conservancy, which owns and manages the land of GRP and the headwaters of the Green River, and to enjoy more time fly fishing. Sandy’s vision and leadership have built a camp and non-profit organization that has transformed the lives of thousands of campers by instilling a deep conservation ethic in the Green River Valley.

Chris first learned of GRP in 1992 from a presentation by Sandy at the Chapel Hill Public Library. After seeing a picture of the trout in the Green River, Chris was hooked! He attended GRP as a camper for four years and then served as a CIT, counselor, and mentor. Chris has been able to return for a few weeks each summer as a mentor. He joined GRP’s Board of Directors in 2016 and is grateful for the chance to continue giving back to and learning from a place that has shaped and inspired him.

When he is not at camp, Chris is a tenured Associate Professor of Public Administration and Chair of the Department of Public Administration at North Carolina Central University. After serving in the United States Peace Corps in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania with his spouse Anna Bauer, Chris completed his Ph.D. at Duke University in the Sanford School of Public Policy and the Nicholas School of the Environment’s joint University Program in Environmental Policy. He was also named an inaugural Global Health Institute Doctoral Scholar. In addition to teaching at NCCU, including in the non-profit management program, Chris has published over 25 articles focusing on civic engagement, social capital, and environmental health.

Chris and Anna’s daughters, Emma and Lucy, are avid GRP campers who look forward to being at camp every chance they get!

Sandy and Chris are joined on GRP’s Board of Directors by Kathy Worm, Esq., Julia Buerger, Missee Fox, and Dr. Chris Weiss. We look forward to seeing you up at camp this summer!

Story by Chris Paul with photos by Brandon S. Marshall & Samantha Keebler