Educator and nonprofit leader Ted Lawson has been named executive director of ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, effective July 3. Lawson’s strong background in science and STEM education as well as his extensive experience leading nonprofit organizations makes him especially qualified to take the helm at this time, officials said.
“ECHO exists to inspire, educate and connect our community with our most cherished natural resource: Lake Champlain and its surrounding ecosystem,” said Kristin Carlson, chair of the organization's board of directors. “Ted’s skills are aligned with this mission, and we are excited to see ECHO thrive in the years to come.”
For more than a decade, Lawson was a middle and high school science teacher in Maine, Massachusetts and at the American Embassy School in India. His love for sailing and passion for ecology brought him to the Duxbury Bay Maritime School in Duxbury, Massachusetts. As executive director, Lawson led the school through a successful $5 million capital campaign and helped secure a $1 million grant from the Massachusetts Seaport Economic Council.