Bec Detrich has been chosen as the next executive director of the North Cascades Institute.

North Cascades Institute is getting a new executive director, with Bec Detrich chosen to succeed Saul Weisberg, who is retiring from the position.

Detrich was picked from an international group of candidates that responded to a search by Potrero Group (Potrero Group is a supporter of National Parks Traveler.) Among the qualities that the institute's board of directors admired in Detrich were her leadership experience and deep knowledge of Residential Environmental Learning Centers, experience working successfully with federal and state partners, and her career-long emphasis on community engagement and inclusion. 

“I am genuinely excited about Bec Detrich’s selection as the institute's new executive director. Her experience, knowledge and enthusiasm for our field, combined with her strong leadership skills and business acumen, make her a fantastic pick by our board of directors. Bec brings a vision for growth and change at the Institute, based on all we’ve accomplished in the past 35 years, but not limited by that history," said Weisberg, the institute's founding executive director.

Detrich most recently served as the executive director for Trips for Kids Marin in San Rafeal, California, where she led a culturally-diverse 26-person staff spread across multiple sites. She has also worked as director of education/school programs at Westminster Woods in Occidental, California, adjunct graduate instructor for the Global Field Program at Miami University, and field science education manager for NatureBridge at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California.

She received a BA in environmental science from Willamette University, a master's in biology from Miami University, and an MBA from Sonoma State University.

The institute's mission is to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature. Since 1986, the nonprofit organization has helped connect people, nature, and community through the hands-on study of the natural and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest. The institute is based in the North Cascades National Park Complex.