James River Advocate, “Champion” for the Bay to Lead Chesapeake Bay Commission

By Karl Blankenship with Timothy B. Wheeler, Bay Journal News Service

The Chesapeake Bay Commission, a panel that represents state legislators from across the Bay region, has named Anna Killius as its new executive director.

Killius, who has experience working with lawmakers at both the state and federal levels, succeeds Ann Pesiri Swanson, who retired last November after holding the post since 1988. The commission, which includes legislators from Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, plays a critical role in passing Bay-related legislation in state general assemblies and works with Congress to advance Chesapeake initiatives.

Killius, the advocacy director for the James River Association, works with Virginia lawmakers to advance conservation policy and legislation. She previously worked in Washington, D.C., on the staff of U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), handling environmental and resource issues, including those related to the Bay.

“Anna’s breadth of…