Having grown up in a family dedicated to helping the environment, it makes sense that Jenn Troy has always felt drawn to organizations dedicated to the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Troy’s father, Colby Rucker, owned and operated Rucker Tree Experts, was a co-founder of the nonprofit organization Scenic Rivers Land Trust (SRLT), and co-wrote the Severn River resource book Gems of the Severn. In 2005, SRLT approached Troy about joining its board. Troy was grateful for the opportunity to honor her late father, and served on the board for nine years, both as treasurer and vice president. Then, in 2013, Troy began volunteering with Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, serving as the board’s development committee chair. While she enjoyed her time volunteering with SRLT, in 2014, she stepped away from her board position with them and devoted herself to Alliance.
“Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay attracted me with its emphasis on partnerships between communities, businesses, government, and individuals to achieve clean water for everyone,” Troy explains. “The Alliance has achieved much in its first 48 years and continues to have a big vision about [how] we are capable of working together throughout the Chesapeake Bay region.”
In her position as development committee chair for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Board of Directors, Troy focuses on raising funds and awareness for the organization. She’s particularly passionate about several Alliance projects, including the restoration and preservation of a stream and historic cemetery at Asbury Broadneck United Methodist Church, as well at the restoration of wetlands and woodlands on the property of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Eastport.
“Jenn brings energy and enthusiasm to every board meeting, tabling event, or trash pickup event she sets her mind to,” Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Executive Director Kate Fritz says. “Her passion for the work and people at the Alliance is contagious.”
In addition to her board duties, Troy plays an important role in the Alliance’s annual event, Taste of the Chesapeake, taking the time to develop partnerships and connect and communicate with other individuals and environmental organizations. The event showcases the Alliance’s programs and restoration progress, and recognizes and celebrates environmental leadership award winners.
“One of the reasons I joined the board was when I went to my first-ever Taste and I met the staff,” Troy shares. “I was just incredibly moved by their passion and their knowledge. I couldn’t resist joining after I’d met the staff. And I think a lot of people have that experience when they meet the staff and hear the depth of their knowledge about the projects they’re working on.”
Troy says the one thing that inspires her most about Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is their dedication to the belief that the community deserves clean water and a healthy environment in which to live, and that everyone can contribute to this.
“Jenn has been a true champion for the Alliance over the last few years, always leading with positive energy and a rallying cry for others to follow her lead,” Fritz says. “I greatly appreciate the passion and experience she brings, not just to her work on our board, but to the Chesapeake Bay movement as a whole. She is truly a leader within the organization, always ready to assist in whatever way is needed. Jenn is more than deserving of this recognition of her decades of volunteer work!”
This year’s 2019 Taste of the Chesapeake will be held on Thursday, September 26th, 6–9 p.m., at the Crowne Plaza Annapolis. For tickets, visit whatsuptix.com. For more information on Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, visit allianceforthebay.org.
