Staff | Chesapeake Conservation Partnership

John Griffin – Program Manager

As Partnership Coordinator, John works to advance large landscape conservation initiatives in the Chesapeake Bay watershed by convening diverse, multi-disciplinary stakeholders. The Partnership seeks to extend the conservation of large landscapes throughout the region to benefit multiple values, including sustainability; scenic, historic and cultural heritage; working lands; important bio- diversity and wildlife habitat; water quality and supply; and overall quality of life.

John is the former Secretary of Maryland Department of Natural Resources under two Governors, the Deputy Secretary of the department, the General Manager of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, and served as Chief of Staff for Governor Martin O’Malley. He brings decades of experience with resource conservation and environmental protection as well as relationships across the Chesapeake watershed.

John holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Niagara University and Master of Arts in social work from the Catholic University of America. He has five children and three granddaughters and lives in Annapolis with his wife Michele and their twin boys.

Jake Leizear – Senior Geospatial Analyst

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Jake works with both the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office and the Chesapeake Conservancy to achieve shared geospatial project goals. A recent graduate from University of Maryland Baltimore County with a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and a Certificate in GIS, Jake has a background in human GIS application, event planning, graphic design, and project management. Before coming on as the GIS Fellow, Jake assisted the Conservancy in developing the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail Middle Branch Paddle Guide and worked closely with the Greater Baltimore Wilderness Coalition to connect Baltimore residents with Baltimore’s parks and green spaces. In his free time, Jake enjoys going to the movies, cooking, and camping.

Sara Ramotnik – Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member

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Sara Ramotnik serves as the current Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member at the Chesapeake Conservancy. She recently graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy with a concentration in Economics. Sara previously gave kayak tours of Mallows Bay and interned for the agriculture workgroup at the Chesapeake Bay Program Office, both of which were places that helped her love for the Chesapeake Bay to grow. This year she will work with the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership and the Chesapeake Conservancy on policy development and project implementation within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. In her free time she likes to sail, kayak, travel and go hiking with her dog Hobie.