Lake Stewards of Maine’s former executive director Scott Williams of Turner, left, and Adam Zemans of Penobscot, the new executive director. Contributed photo

AUBURN — After leading Lake Stewards of Maine for more than a quarter of a century, Scott Williams of Turner stepped down in October as executive director. More than 5,000 volunteers have participated in one or more of LSM’s water quality monitoring, invasive aquatic species plant patrol and watershed assessment workshops during Williams tenure.

Lake Stewards of Maine’s mission is to protect Maine lakes and to promote lake stewardship through widespread citizen participation in the gathering and dissemination of credible scientific information pertaining to lake health. LSM trains, certifies and provides technical support to hundreds of volunteers who monitor a wide range of indicators of water quality, assess watershed health and function, and screen lakes for invasive aquatic plants and animals.

Williams has been the executive director and water quality director for LSM, a Maine lake-focused, citizen science organization, since the program transitioned from the Lakes Division of the Maine DEP to a nonprofit in 1996. Williams will continue in the capacity of senior program advisor and staff limnologist.

Adam Zemans of Penobscot has been selected by the LSM Board of Directors and staff as its new executive director. Zemans is deeply committed to helping cultivate cooperation, dialogue and leadership toward protecting Maine lakes and promoting lake stewardship in the face of unprecedented environmental impacts. Zemans, a transdisciplinary applied social scientist focused on organizational leadership and collaboration in the face of climate change, is an environmental and not-for-profit lawyer who recently moved back to the United States after living primarily in Bolivia for most of two decades. Zemans was the founder and executive director of an environmental health organization in Bolivia that, in 2006, transformed its programming to focus on climate change science and diplomacy, adding later, lake monitoring. He also served as the executive director for a multi-track diplomacy organization based in Virginia, where, among other program initiatives, he developed a peacebuilding clinic staffed primarily by graduate students.

Williams is confident in the Board of Directors selection of Zemans as his successor. “Adam is well known to the LSM Board of Directors and staff, having worked with the organization a few years ago, at which time he made a strong, positive impression as an individual who thoroughly understands and embraces LSM’s mission with enthusiasm and integrity. He is eminently qualified for the position; his credentials are impeccable, and his work ethic is impressive!. I am grateful that I can work alongside Adam and my life has been enriched through the wonderful relationships that I’ve formed with hundreds of remarkable volunteer lake stewards, supportive members of the LSM board of directors, our hardworking staff, respected and distinguished colleagues, program funders, and more, many of whom have been, and are still ‘like family to me,” Williams said, according to a news release from the nonprofit.