Nancy W. Anderson Papers

Nancy W. Anderson (August 7, 1922-November 11, 1997) received a BA in Public Administration from George Washington University in 1944.

Before coming to Tufts, Anderson served as an officer in WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) (1944-46), in part as a Medical Librarian at Bethesda. From 1947 to 1949 she was an Informational Control Officer for the CIA. Her environmental work began in the early 1970s when she volunteered for the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) and started editing their newsletter. At that time she also became the Chairman of the Reading Conservation Commission, which looked at water supply and flood plain conservation issues. Because of this work, Anderson Meadow in Reading was named in her honor. She also served as a consultant for the Massachusetts Institute of Governmental Services at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, helping them to organize environmental evening classes. Beginning in 1975, she acted as coordinator for the Environmental Citizen Advocacy Program, a joint venture of the Lincoln Filene Center and the Tufts program in Environmental Policy.

From 1978 to 1994, Anderson was the Director of Environmental Affairs at the Lincoln Filene Center (LFC). In 1979 she founded the New England Environmental Network (NEEN), an educational network for those concerned about the environment. While at Tufts (1978-1994), she was active in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and served as the Regional Chairman for their Commission on Education and Communication. In 1989 (or 1990), she co-founded the Eastern Africa Environmental Network to organize environmental educational programs for Africa. Anderson received numerous environmental and citizenship awards and was a sought-after speaker on topics related to the environment and environmental activism. Her publications ranged from newsletters and short articles to handbooks and conference summaries. She also served as an advisor or director for countless environmental organizations, including Grand Circle Travel, Environmental Lobby of Massachusetts, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, the Coolidge Center for Environmental Leadership, the Water Supply Citizens Advisory Committee, and the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economics.

In 1993, Anderson became a Senior Fellow at the LFC, a part-time position. She continued to represent the LFC at the IUCN and served as an honorary Chairman of the EAEN. Her ongoing activism included serving on President Clinton's Council on Sustainable Development.

Anderson retired from the LFC on June 30, 1994. She moved to Maine with her husband but continued her environmental work as a Research Associate for the Global/International Environment and Project Institute at the Tufts Fletcher School of Diplomacy. She also served as a board member for the Senior College at the University of Southern Maine, where she taught courses on Environmental Awareness.

Nancy W. Anderson died on November 11, 1997 at the age of 75. She was survived by Col. John A. Anderson (U.S.M.C. ret.), her husband of 49 years, and two children, Nancy C. Anderson and John A. Anderson, Jr.