*​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* June 19, 2015 *Citizens for a Healthy Bay Names Melissa Malott as Executive Director* TACOMA – The Board of Directors of Citizens for a Healthy Bay (CHB) today announced they have selected Melissa Malott as the new Executive Director of the organization. Malott will join CHB July 6th and brings over a decade of experience building innovative partnerships, developing clean water policy, advocacy and expanding the funding base of organizations. “We are excited that Melissa will join the CHB team,” said Kathleen Hasselblad, board president, “With her passion for facilitating conversations among diverse stakeholders and understanding of clean water issues, we are confident Melissa will help grow CHB as we begin our next twenty five years of work in and around Commencement Bay.” Malott will join CHB after moving from Madison, Wisconsin, where she has worked on clean water issues for leading organizations and elected officials, including Clean Wisconsin, the state’s largest environmental organization. Malott has helped lead statewide policy campaigns, built innovative partnerships to effect environmental change and raised funds for organizations and programs. She earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2004. Most recently, she has been a water policy advocate with Dane County Government. “Clean water is integral to sustaining healthy, thriving communities, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to take part in CHB’s efforts to restore and protect Commencement Bay and its watersheds. Because the organization has such a rich history, dedicated staff, and deep expertise and vision within its board, it has a bright future with many opportunities ahead,” said Malott. “I am honored and humbled to be selected as Executive Director and am excited to move to Tacoma and make this beautiful community home.” Hasselblad concluded, “I am confident that CHB’s partners, supporters, and members will enjoy getting to know Melissa. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, and experience will add much to the work that we all do to preserve and protect the community we love.” *MEDIA CONTACT* Karen Gogins, Partnerships and Communication Manager, kgogins@healthybay.org, 253.383.2429. Celebrating its twenty-fifth year, Citizens for a Healthy Bay is an environmental organization whose mission is to represent and engage citizens in the cleanup, restoration and protection of Commencement Bay, the surrounding waters and our natural habitat. Citizens for a Healthy Bay was formed in 1990 to represent Tacoma citizens in the Superfund cleanup of Commencement Bay – at the time one of the most polluted bodies of water in the country. Thanks to the efforts of CHB and the community, parts of the bay that were once dead zones due to industrial waste are now recovering. -- Karen Gogins Partnerships and Communication Manager Citizens for a Healthy Bay 535 Dock Street, Suite 213 Tacoma, WA 98402 (253) 383-2429 web: www.healthybay.org facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/chb <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Citizens-for-a-Healthy-Bay/135400296725?fref=ts> twitter: @chb_tacoma <https://twitter.com/chb_tacoma>