Veronica Frehm, recipient of the 2023 ANCA Outstanding New Leader Award.The Association of Nature Center Administrators (ANCA) is pleased to announce Veronica Frehm as recipient of the 2023 ANCA Outstanding New Leader Award. This award acknowledges Frehm’s achievements within the nature and environmental learning center field in organizational leadership, professionalism, professional development, and creativity.
Frehm has been CEO of the Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park in North Palm Beach, Fla., since 2020, after serving as their Director of Education for six years. She has led major changes at the organization, spearheading new ways of operating and engaging the community.
Frehm’s accomplishments as CEO include cultivating new community partnerships, personally building donor relationships, diversifying revenue streams, and implementing a new database and digital presence. Any of these successes alone would be significant, but combined they result in major organizational advancements — under Frehm’s leadership, the Friends budget has gone from a significant deficit to a robust surplus.
In addition to these quantitative successes, Frehm has built a healthy workplace culture that empowers staff to effectively implement their work. With increased staff engagement and retention, the organization has been able to grow its programs, services, and partnerships.
Beyond her work at MacArthur Beach State Park, Frehm is involved in numerous professional and community organizations. She participates in the ANCA Mentor Program and regularly attends virtual ANCA CONNECTS programs. In her community, she is active with the North Palm Beach Business Advisory board, Youth Making Ripples Inc., and Community Greening. Frehm has received awards and recognition from the Florida Marine Science Education Association, National Marine Educators Association, Florida Project Learning Tree, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Project WILD, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
ANCA will recognize Frehm with this award as part of the Leadership Award Ceremony on August 23rd at the 2023 ANCA Annual Summit.
"The ANCA Outstanding New Leader Award 'recognizes an individual with the potential for future impact within the field of nature center administrators.' Veronica Frehm is already making an impact. She has a clear understanding of the importance of maintaining a strong organizational foundation, she demonstrates a passion for MacArthur Beach State Park and environmental education, and she is a strong leader who empowers her team. I am glad to see her recognized with the award and grateful she is a member of the ANCA community."
— Jen Levy, ANCA Executive Director
ABOUT THE AWARD
The ANCA Outstanding New Leader Award recognizes an individual with the potential for future impact within the field of nature center administrators. Award recipients demonstrate leadership, professionalism, professional development, and creativity within the field of nature and environmental learning center, while holding less than five years of full-time work experience as the director, executive director, or leader at the highest administrative level at an organization. A committee of ANCA members selects the award recipient from a pool of leaders who were nominated by their peers. This award began in 2014.
ABOUT ANCA
The Association of Nature Center Administrators (ANCA) promotes and supports best leadership and management practices for the nature and environmental learning center profession. It is the only such organization in North America and supports over 700 dues-paying members that include nature center directors, managers, senior administrators, and board members.