Ozarks Profile: Pamela L. Anderson

Pamela L. Anderson

Executive director, James River Basin Partnership, 707 Center Circle, Nixa. The James River Basin Partnership is a grass-roots, not-for-profit organization working to improve and protect the water quality in the James River watershed and Table Rock Lake. The partnership was formed in 1997 as a project of Southwest Missouri Resource Conservation and Development and funded through a grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. In August 1999, the partnership became an autonomous organization relying on other grant funding and donations from individuals, businesses and governments across the watershed. Anderson is the vice chair of the Mayor's Commission on Human Rights and Community Relations, a board member of Public Relations of the Ozarks, and a member of the Springfield-Greene County Choose Environmental Excellence Steering Committee and the Springfield and Branson chambers of commerce environmental committees.

Age: 39

No. of years in Springfield area: 32

Education: Anderson received her bachelor's degree in marketing from Southwest Missouri State University in 1995 and went on to receive a master's in communication in 1997, also from SMSU.

Early career: Anderson's first job was helping out at the cash register of her parents' grocery store in eastern Greene County. "Meeting, greeting and being around customers there helped me learn how to interact with a wide variety of people at an early age," Anderson said. During high school and her first stint in college, Anderson worked at Service Merchandise. After marrying and having two children, she stayed home for a few years, then sold fine jewelry from 1989 to 1993. "I always wanted to complete my bachelor's degree and in 1993 went back to SMSU full time." In 1996, she returned to SMSU for a master's degree and held graduate assistantships in admissions, alumni relations and the campus volunteer center. She became the public information assistant at Ozarks Technical Community College upon receiving her master's degree in communication in 1997 and was hired in February 1998 as the executive director of the James River Basin Partnership. "It is a great position that has allowed me to be creative, formulate projects and make them happen, all for a very good cause clean water in the Ozarks," Anderson said.

Current projects: Anderson said a top priority with the partnership right now is its membership drive. "I just finished a mailing to 700 people in the area and am working on getting the word out about joining the partnership to citizens at large."

Management philosophy: "Respect the uniqueness of others, give recognition for a job well done, and embrace new opportunities that will enhance the organization and help to achieve its goals."

Spare-time pursuits: Anderson said she enjoys walking the Ozark Greenways trails, exercising at home, spending time with her kids, reading, going to the lake, traveling and exploring new places in the Ozarks.

Family data: Anderson's two children are Nick Brown, a freshman at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Erin Brown, 17, a junior at Glendale High School. She also has a spoiled cat named Sophie.