After more than 10 years at the helm of the Princeton-Blairstown Center (PBC), President & CEO Pam Gregory has announced her intention to retire, effective December 31, 2024.

Pam joined PBC during a time of significant change for the 100+-year-old organization. It had just transitioned from being a support organization of Princeton University to a stand-alone, independent nonprofit. This required Pam to develop new policies and procedures, recruit new board members, and find new office space.

In addition to rebuilding this “100-year-old startup” organization, Pam rethought the programs PBC was offering to young people from historically marginalized communities. As a result, the award-winning Summer Bridge Program was born. Summer Bridge returned PBC to its historical roots by providing equity and access to high-quality outdoor education at no cost for young people from historically marginalized communities. Summer Bridge has received the New York Life Excellence in Summer Learning Founder’s Award and was a featured program of the Wallace Foundation during their coverage of post-pandemic out-of-school-time programs supporting underserved students. To date, more than 2,600 students from Trenton, Newark, and Camden, New Jersey, and New York City have participated in Summer Bridge.

Another of Pam’s program innovations is the Venture Out Program. Venture Out is a 30-hour overnight environmental education program for middle school students in Trenton public schools.  Recognizing that students from surrounding local districts often have a capstone trip during middle school, Pam knew that students in Trenton did not have the same opportunity. Venture Out is offered completely free of charge to schools with an environmental education curriculum that is aligned with NJ State science standards for 6th and 7th grade students.

While Pam’s attention was focused on program innovation, she also kept the 268-acre Blairstown Campus as a priority. Pam worked closely with the Center’s longtime Facilities Director to oversee the renovation and updating of several buildings on Campus, including sustainability features such as geothermal and solar energy.

Board Chair Shawn Maxam said, “PBC has seen growth and stability during Pam’s tenure. She has developed award-winning programs, created important structure for the Board, and established a talented team that is passionate about the mission. We are grateful for all she has given to the young people PBC serves and wish her all the best in her next adventure.”

For more about the Princeton-Blairstown Center and its mission, please visit www.princetonblairstown.org.