Kathy Abbott

Kathy Abbott is the first President and CEO of Boston Harbor Now and is excited to be back on Boston Harbor. Upon assuming this role, Kathy has come full circle since beginning her career on the Harbor Islands as a park ranger in college to leading Boston Harbor Now today. She is responsible for working with the board and staff to create a welcoming and resilient harbor that benefits everyone in the Greater Boston region. Kathy has a history of leading change through public and non-profit organizations including advancing statewide park planning, management, and land conservation, educating students and impacting resource-based economies in primarily developing countries through applied environmental studies, building a new nonprofit partner and helping to create the first of its kind national park in Boston Harbor, starting up the Department of Conservation and Recreation and leading and managing the state park system, increasing funding for public parks in Massachusetts, managing the largest private park system in Massachusetts, and growing the impact of the only year-round botanic garden in New England. She has never done this work alone and credits great teams and collaborations for her success.

  She has worked locally and globally and volunteered nationally to advance the interests of urban parks as the Co-Chair of the City Parks Alliance. Her experience as an executive and entrepreneur in government and non-profits uniquely qualifies her to build upon the successes of the current waterfront renaissance. Her proudest accomplishments have come as a volunteer working with kids throughout her career and as a former foster mother and now proud mom of a 30-year-old daughter. She received her degrees from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, UMASS Amherst, and Harvard.