Eric Caldwell, Special Projects Manager

I first came to Virginia on a bike trip that started on the shores of the Mississippi River and ended at the Atlantic near Yorktown, Virginia. That ride is quite long ago now, but I am still frequently awestruck by Virginia’s profound beauty. My daughter and I are regular river-walkers and hikers, and have a deep appreciation for Virginia’s waterways and coastal regions. As Ishmael famously puts it in Moby Dick, “stand that man on his legs, set his feet a-going, and he will infallibly lead you to water.” I joined Wetlands Watch because it defends these rich aquatic ecosystems from harm, and is an effective advocate for those who have made lives for themselves by the water.

I earned my Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in English Language & Literature in 2008. Since that time, I served as an Assistant Professor of English at Sweet Briar College for eight years, and as the co-founding Executive Director for a small international nonprofit based in the Galápagos Islands for four. I’ve also served as the Director of the Blue Ridge Summer Institute for Young Artists, and in several Vice-Presidential roles at the McGuffey Art Center in Charlottesville. I presently serve as an Assistant Professor (Adj.) in the University of Lynchburg’s Master of Nonprofit Leadership program.