VERNA HARRISON

is principal of Verna Harrison Associates, LLC, a consulting and philanthropic advising firm, specializing in organizational development and resource protection with an emphasis on ensuring that clean water is available for all people. 

Since starting her own practice, she has taken on several unique roles to connect foundations and NGOs around developing fair and equitable public policy to protect water. Combining her philanthropic and governmental experience, she is known for creating opportunities for lasting organizational and policy change.

Between 2003-2014, as the first Executive Director of The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, she guided the establishment of the Foundation, managing the development and execution of its $65 million grant-making in the Chesapeake region. She was co-founder and co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network.

For the previous 20 years she served as Assistant Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, with responsibility for Maryland’s Forest, Park and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Police, Maryland Environmental Trust, and Tidewater Administration.  During that period, she played a leadership role in striped bass restoration and served as the first female Commissioner on the Potomac River Fisheries Commission. She had lead responsibility for state-wide coordination/implementation of the Chesapeake Bay program for three Maryland Governors and managed the multi-state process at the Cabinet level for many years. Earlier in her career she was Assistant Legislative Officer for the Governor of Maryland, Legislative Officer of the Maryland Department of Transportation, and staff of the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.