Brendan Wiltse, Executive Director of the Adirondack Watershed Institute in Saranac Lake, has been hired to lead the Lake George Association, the organization announced on November 12.
Wiltsie will join the LGA as its Executive Director on January 2, 2025, succeeding Eric Siy, who resigned in 2023, and Leigh Youngblood, who was hired earlier this year to serve as interim executive director.
According to a press release from the LGA, the organization conducted an extensive year-long nationwide search.
“We are so fortunate that Brendan will bring his leadership, deep knowledge of water, and his love of the Adirondacks to Lake George,” said Dr. John E. Kelly III, LGA Board Chair. “In addition to his academic credentials, he is extremely collaborative and well connected, a true outdoorsman, and a great communicator. He has all the skills to lead the LGA and protect our Lake for many years to come.”
The press release continued, “As the incoming Executive Director for the LGA, he will set and implement a cohesive and ambitious vision to safeguard Lake George by accelerating the organization’s Science-to- Solutions approach to Lake protection.”
“Science to solutions strongly aligns with my entire career. I’m happy to join an organization built on that ethos. It’s a disservice if we don’t follow what science tells us needs to be done to conserve our vital freshwater ecosystems and use that information to inform policy,” said Wiltse. “The opportunity to be involved in this at Lake George is exciting — it’s the Queen of American Lakes!”
The LGA stated, “Dedicated to protecting freshwater through science, advocacy, and community education, Dr. Wiltse earned a Ph.D. in biology with a focus on aquatic ecology from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, in 2014.
“For his post-studies career, Dr. Wiltse chose a path of nonprofit advocacy rather than academia, bridging science and action to increase the impact of freshwater protection. He served as Science and Stewardship Director for Ausable River Association in Wilmington, NY, for six years before joining Paul Smith’s College’s Adirondack Watershed Institute as Senior Research Scientist. Three years later, he was named Executive Director of the institute.
“Water has always been a central part of Dr. Wiltse’s life. He grew up in Watertown, NY, and spent most of his free time with family at one of three lakes: nearby Lake Ontario, Lake Champlain, or Lake George in the northern town of Ticonderoga. By age 12 he was scuba diving and boating whenever he could.” Dr. Dan Kelting, President of Paul Smith’s College, where the Adirondack Watershed Institute is based, said, “On behalf of everyone at Paul Smith’s College, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Brendan Wiltse for his dedicated years of leadership and scientific impact with the Adirondack Watershed Institute. As we move forward, this transition brings exciting opportunities to deepen our work with the Lake George Association. Together, we’re poised to tackle critical regional issues like invasive species management, freshwater preservation, road salt contamination, and preparing for the growing impacts of climate change.”
