EarthShare Welcomes Meri-Margaret Deoudes as New CEO

Bethesda, MD, March 12, 2016 --(PR.com)-- EarthShare, America’s largest coalition of environmental and conservation nonprofits and an employee engagement programmatic partner to the private sector, announced today that Meri-Margaret Deoudes will assume the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. Deoudes served most recently as the Vice President of Strategic Alliances, Cause Marketing and Corporate Relations for the March of Dimes. She will succeed EarthShare’s interim CEO, Deb Furry, who will resume her role on the EarthShare national board of directors.

Deoudes joins EarthShare at a pivotal time for the organization as it addresses new opportunities born of heightened societal awareness about the urgent need to invest in environmental sustainability. As President and CEO of EarthShare, Deoudes will assume responsibility for directing the organization's growth as a leader in environmental employee engagement, while ensuring increasing support for its rich and diverse membership of regional, national and international environmental organizations.

“I am intrigued by the opportunity to impact corporate CSR and sustainability goals by increasing true employee engagement,” says Deoudes. “The nationwide EarthShare network has enormous potential to further these initiatives and help draw employees into the shared goals that will create a more sustainable future for our children. We are uniquely positioned to serve as a catalyst and convener between corporations, employees and the environmental community.”

Deoudes is no stranger to being the driving force behind the innovation culture needed to develop programs that successfully engage and increase support for social good. At the March of Dimes, her innovative approach and leadership drove the effort to review and redefine the organization’s cause platform through holistic, data-driven approaches and the creation of new national sponsor and programmatic funding opportunities.

Prior to that, Deoudes led Corporate Relations and Special Events at National Wildlife Federation (NWF), an EarthShare member organization. There she created strategic alliances with private sector partners through events and activities aimed at making outdoor play a priority and encouraging the next generation of environmental stewards. Prior to joining NWF, Deoudes was part of the national campaign team at Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, developing corporate partnerships and consulting with chapter staff on special events. She started her career working in the D.C. market at March of Dimes and National Kidney Foundation.

A graduate of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Deoudes has served as a round table host at the Good & Green marketing conference and as a panelist and speaker at the Sustainable Brands Conference. She has also appeared on Lifetime’s morning show, The Balancing Act, and was a regular “spokesmom” for NWF’s Be Out There movement.

"Meri-Margaret is going to bring a fantastic perspective and energy to ensuring that we’re able to deliver EarthShare’s mission well into the future,” says Mark Carlson, Chairman of EarthShare’s national board of directors. “Her considerable experience with innovation and corporate development will help focus the collective power of a group of people dedicated to changing the world. There is nothing but opportunity ahead of EarthShare.”