In Memoriam- A Tribute to a True Wavemaker and Beloved Board Member 

Long-time friend of Heal the Bay, and former Board Member, Nancy Akers passed away in December 2022, leaving behind an impressive legacy of social consciousness and environmental stewardship.

Heal the Bay will be forever grateful for the generosity, entrepreneurship and environmental stewardship of former Board Member Nancy Akers. When the Akers Family launched one of the country’s first certified organic cotton clothing lines, O Wear, they partnered with Heal the Bay to create the organization’s first branded organic cotton t-shirt, and an important relationship was born. Nancy served as a member of Heal the Bay’s Board of Directors for more than a decade as both the Vice President of Marketing and co-Chair of the Bring Back the Beach gala where Nancy became friends with Heal the Bay founder, Dorothy Green, who she loved dearly.

“It was wonderful to work so closely with Nancy for over a decade.  Her boundless energy, determination, passion, leadership and marketing expertise were so critical to Heal the Bay’s success. She will be sorely missed. ” – Mark Gold

Nancy’s creativity, perseverance, and passion for the environment earned her awards and accolades from Heal the Bay, the United Nations Environment Program, and President Clinton’s Council On the Environment for her many sustainability efforts.

Throughout her career, Nancy’s wide variety of philanthropical achievements reached across both social and environmental nonprofit worlds touching many lives through her tireless work. She served on the Board of Directors for The Dallas Children’s Theatre; And notably, she has a long and impressive career with American Women in Radio and TV (AWRT), as President of the LA Chapter of American Women in Radio and TV, as well as the Vice President of Programming and Professional Development for the National Chapter in New York. She was also a member of the National Chapter Board of Directors, and At-Large-Trustee of the Foundation of AWRT and directed the first American National TV campaign to address Women’s Rights in the workplace for CBS and AWRT.

Nancy will be missed dearly by her husband George, daughter Deirdre, son Christopher and her loyal canine companion Kristy.

Heal the Bay will continue to honor her legacy and years of success in its commitment to making the coastal waters and watersheds of Greater Los Angeles safe, healthy, and clean.