Wow, what a week! I am thrilled to be part of the Neponset River Watershed Association—I mean, my unofficial introduction was attending Riverfest, and how can you beat that?

Let me briefly introduce myself—I’m a Boston native, lawyer, wife, and mom of 2 inquisitive, funny, and energetic kids. I’m also a great believer in the power of policy change to make our communities healthy places to live, work and raise our families.

I knew that advocacy was what I wanted to do when I looked up at the Golden Dome on my first day as a legislative aide to a Massachusetts state senator. While that seems a lifetime ago, it was the beginning of a career path which would lead me here, today, applying my public policy and legal experience to ensuring a healthy watershed.

Most recently I served as Assistant Director of the Public Health and Tobacco Policy Center in Boston, providing technical assistance to communities interested in promoting public health, primarily through reducing the impact of tobacco use. This assistance included educating local officials on the law affecting public health, developing model ordinances and generally guiding communities to evidence-based policy interventions that would achieve their public health goals.

When I saw that the Watershed Association needed an Advocacy Director, I couldn’t resist throwing my hat in the ring. While I very much enjoyed my work, the opportunity to work to promote environmental health in my own community was something I had to pursue. I truly believe that well-crafted and enforceable policy is necessary to protect the environment.

I am excited to begin putting my experience to use promoting the health of the Neponset River watershed. Everyone here at the Watershed Association has been incredibly welcoming—which I’m sure comes as no surprise to our readers—and I’m looking forward to getting to know our members and the watershed communities.

Kerry Snyder, July 27, 2017