As chief financial officer, EllenGardner is responsible for the financial operations and reporting of Chesapeake Conservancy. She is a certified public accountant with over three decades of not-for-profit leadership experience in organizational strategy, financial forecasting, budgeting and grant accounting. Ellen earned her bachelor’s degree in economics and management from Goucher College and earned her Master ofBusiness Administration from Loyola College.

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Previously, she served as CFO at Entrepreneurs’ Organization, a global membership association, as COO and CFO for Community Connections Inc., a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive mental health care and residential services and as CFO and COO of the Roberts Group, an association management firm. She has worked as a consultant in many industries, transforming financial and operational databases to improve efficiency and streamline reporting to develop better operating policies and to increase returns on investment.

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Ellen met her husband Wes on a sailboat in Annapolis. They raised their children and now their grandchildren to be responsible stewards of the Chesapeake while enjoying camping, sailing, kayaking and wakeboarding. Ellen and Wes spend their free time sailing on the Bay and exploring the far reaches of the globe. Ellen and Wes have been active volunteers in the community, including the USNA Midshipmen Family Sponsor program and the Montessori International Children’s House. Ellen currently serves as a board member for SECU and on the board of trustees of Goucher College.