WILMINGTON — On Thursday, PDE’s Board of Directors announced that Kathy Klein is the permanent head of the non-profit organization that hosts the Delaware Estuary Program. Klein has served as PDE’s interim executive director since mid-March, following the departure of Jennifer Adkins.

Although some of the faces are new, the lead role at PDE is a familiar one for Klein, who was PDE’s executive director from 1997 to 2007. She rejoined the organization’s staff in September 2018 as the director of donor relations.

“This place feels like home to me,” Klein said of her return to the Partnership. “Coming back here last year brought me out of semi-retirement. Every day, I come to work with an incredible group of smart and accomplished individuals who work to improve the environment and make the world a better place. I am looking forward to the years ahead of collaborating with our staff, PDE’s Board, and our fantastic partners to make our waterways cleaner, habitats healthier, and communities stronger.”

Klein has worked for 30 years to improve environmental quality in the Delaware River Watershed. She has been a leader in the development, strategic planning, and programmatic design and implementation efforts of several regional organizations. Before returning to PDE, she was executive director of the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin. PDE leads science-based and collaborative efforts to improve the tidal Delaware River and Bay, which spans Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“Throughout her impressive career, Kathy has been a tireless advocate for clean water initiatives in our valuable watershed,” said PDE Board President Joseph Tarsavage.  “To say we’re fortunate to have her would be an understatement, and I speak for our entire board in telling you that we look forward to the next phase of PDE’s development under her leadership.”

Klein has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She resides in Wilmington with her family and dog, Kai.

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