Mary Beth brings a deep background in public health and environmental management spanning government, academic, and nonprofit settings. Prior to joining ECGA's staff, she served as a former deputy director and senior project officer at Active Living By Design, a national nonprofit based in Chapel Hill, NC, that promotes healthy communities. She was the first director of North Carolina’s statewide recycling program for the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. In her former role as the Associate Director at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Center for Urban and Regional Studies, she worked to promote sound land use and transportation policies and spearheaded multiple smart growth projects.
Mary Beth received her undergraduate degree from West Virginia University and graduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Mary Beth currently serves as president of the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters Foundation. She lives in Chapel Hill, NC, with her husband, Bill Rote, and their two dogs and a cat. An avid Tar Heel fan, she is passionate about all things Carolina blue, especially during basketball season.