Port Townsend Marine Science Center welcomes new executive director

Bee Redfield officially takes the reins on April 1

Bee Redfield, PTMSC Executive Director, effective April 1, 2022

The Port Townsend Marine Science Center is pleased to announce that Bee Redfield will join the organization on April 1 as its new executive director. Redfield replaces Janine Boire, who announced her departure last fall following an 8-year tenure.

“Last year, the board embarked on an intensive search for a new leader who would build upon and advance the extraordinary work done by Janine Boire,” said PTMSC Board of Directors President Ellen Hargis. “We identified four key areas where our next leader must excel: leading people, leading change, exercising business acumen and building coalitions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Bee Redfield. She has the nonprofit leadership experience, science expertise and commitment to conservation that meets those requirements,” Hargis said. “The Board has great confidence that Ms. Redfield will strategically guide the organization forward and develop rich and meaningful relationships with all our constituents.”

“I am so excited, grateful, and so incredibly blessed to be joining the Port Townsend community as the new executive director of the Marine Science Center,” Redfield said. “To have been chosen to help lead this organization into the future is such an honor. I will put my heart and soul into providing support and leadership towards the conservation efforts for the Salish Sea that we're working so hard to achieve.”

Redfield possesses over a decade of experience leading non-profit operations at the director-level, including at a wildlife center in Illinois. She holds a master’s degree in conservation biology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a focus on bringing conservation programming and awareness to communities. In addition, she holds a second master's degree in human resources management and is currently finishing her Ph.D. in quantitative ecology.

“For the past 10 years, I've held leadership roles with nonprofits in the areas of community engagement and organizational operations,” Redfield said. “I've been really lucky to work with some amazing conservation organizations all around the world. I've gotten to conduct research in the Hawaiian Islands and off the coast of California in the Channel Islands. I've taught undergraduate ecology and ornithology classes at Purdue University in Indiana, and I have done hands-on work with many different animal species at zoos and aquariums.”

Hargis and Boire will host an introductory session with Redfield via Zoom on Friday, March 25 at 2 p.m. The session is open to the public; a sign-up link can be found on the PTMSC website.

In addition, Redfield will meet many of the PTMSC’s ardent supporters at the organization’s annual fundraiser on April 16 at the Fort Worden Commons. “You, Me & The Salish Sea” will feature both a live and silent auction and a 40th anniversary celebration. Online registration is available at https://ptmsc.schoolauction.net/ptmscauction2022/register/ticket_sales.

Port Townsend Marine Science Center debuts new exhibit space at Flagship Landing

Downtown location opens to the public on March 4

Left-to-right: Judy D'Amore, PTMSC co-founder; former PTMSC Executive Director Ann Murphy; PTMSC Executive Director Janine Boire; Libby Palmer, PTMSC co-founder

The Port Townsend Marine Science Center gave its supporters and the media a sneak peak at Phase 1 of a new exhibit space and store in downtown Port Townsend on March 2. The exhibit and store will open to the public on March 4.

In August 2021, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center made a big announcement: The non-profit purchased the Flagship Landing Building at 1001 Water Street. The acquisition was the result of the organization’s in-depth search for a new facility that will eventually house its aquarium, exhibits, store, labs and offices.

Interior display at Flagship Landing

Phase 1 serves as an introduction to the Port Townsend Marine Science Center’s programs including community citizen science, life-long education programs and exhibits, and a store for unique marine-friendly products. The organization is also celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2022.

“What better way to celebrate 40 rides around the sun for this collaborative community committed to inspiring conservation of the Salish Sea,” said Janine Boire, PTMSC executive director. “One of our primary goals with the Phase 1 space is to share our vision and invite people to visit our aquarium and museum spaces at Fort Worden.”

Fort Worden State Park has been the home of the marine science center since 1982, when founders Libby Palmer and Judy D’Amore marshaled support to build an aquarium exhibit in the wooden building on the pier on Battery Way.

Ellen Hargis, the PTMSC board president, spoke to the future vision for the organization. She emphasized that the non-profit organization is not leaving Fort Worden.

Interior of gift shop at Flagship Landing

“The aquarium will continue to operate until the pier is removed by Washington State Parks in the coming years,” Hargis said. “And the museum building will eventually become an environmental field station and lifelong learning center.”

Another space in the back of the Flagship building has already hosted a traveling photographic exhibit that opened in mid-December: “We Are Puget Sound."

Hargis said that Phase 2 of the building’s renovation will begin in the coming years following an extensive planning and permitting process that includes working with current tenants, as well as conducting a capital campaign. Retrofitting for seismic preparedness and measures to mitigate the effects of sea level rise and weather extremes are also being planned. The entire project is expected to span 5 years.

Port Townsend City Manager John Mauro and Jefferson County Commissioner Kate Dean reflected on the PTMSC’s history, expressed enthusiasm about the organization’s growing influence and stature in the environmental community and praised its positive contributions to the city and county.

Beginning March 4, the new facility will be open to the public Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Plans are underway to open six days a week beginning in May. For the latest information, visit https://ptmsc.org/left-menu/visit-us.

Ellen Hargis, PTMSC Board President

Hargis said that Phase 2 of the building’s renovation will begin in the coming years following an extensive planning and permitting process that includes working with current tenants, as well as conducting a capital campaign. Retrofitting for seismic preparedness and measures to mitigate the effects of sea level rise and weather extremes are also being planned. The entire project is expected to span 5 years.

Port Townsend City Manager John Mauro and Jefferson County Commissioner Kate Dean reflected on the PTMSC’s history, expressed enthusiasm about the organization’s growing influence and stature in the environmental community and praised its positive contributions to the city and county.

Beginning March 4, the new facility will be open to the public Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Plans are underway to open six days a week beginning in May. For the latest information, visit https://ptmsc.org/left-menu/visit-us.

Read the Peninsula Daily News article here.