Olszewski Announces Former Blue Water Baltimore Executive Director as New Chief Sustainability Officer

April 19, 2021

TOWSON, MD —On the first day of Earth Week 2021, County Executive Johnny Olszewski today announced that Jennifer Aiosa will serve as Baltimore County’s new Chief Sustainability Officer, where she will lead the County's efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change and to promote enterprise-wide sustainability initiatives.

"Leaders at all levels have a responsibility to protect our environment for this generation and the next— a responsibility we take seriously in Baltimore County,” Olszewski said. “Jenn brings decades of experience as an environmental advocate and scientist, along with unparalleled passion for spurring innovation across government and into neighborhoods. We’re thrilled to welcome her to our team as we continue building a better, more sustainable Baltimore County for us all.”

Aiosa most recently served as Executive Director for Blue Water Baltimore, where she lead the environmental nonprofit’s efforts focused on clean water, green stormwater infrastructure, climate resilience and community engagement and managed the organization’s annual $3.5M budget. She previously also served as Vice President and Director of Programs at the Chesapeake Conservancy, as Senior Scientist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and in senior roles for both the Maryland Department of Planning and Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Aiosa earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Sciences from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia.
 
Since Olszewski created the County’s first Chief Sustainability Officer position in 2019, Baltimore County has made significant progress, including starting development of a countywide Climate Action Plan, launching a landfill gas-to-energy system to capture methane and generate renewable energy, restarting glass recycling, and convening a Youth Climate Working Group to better engage young people in the County's sustainability efforts.
 
In his recently announced Fiscal Year 2022 budget, Olszewski highlighted additional efforts to promote more sustainable communities, including:

  • Providing $2.4 million for tree planting and maintenance, including $400,000 for a tree equity program, as well as $250,000 for green infrastructure programs;
  • $250,000 for green infrastructure programs;
  • $500,000 for the next phase of Baltimore County’s Climate Action Plan; and
  • Doubling the County’s investment in local “high performance home” and “energy conservation” tax credits to encourage additional green investment across Baltimore County.

 
Aiosa will join Baltimore County effective May 3, 2021.        

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