Sippican Lands Trust President Kate Ross has announced the departure of Executive Director Robin Shields.

“She told us she was ready for a change,” said Ross.

In a letter emailed on Friday, Ross wrote that the announcement came with a “mix of gratitude and sadness.”

Said Ross, “Since 2013, Robin has played a critical role in helping the organization become more positively recognized throughout Marion and beyond as not only a land acquisition nonprofit, but one with a true commitment to the recreational and health benefits of the entire community by making its lands open and accessible to the public.”

Among Sheild's accomplishments was establishing a junior board for kids, overseeing numerous land acquisitions and increasing the organizations exposure through increased membership, signs on properties and reaching out to the community.

During Sheild's tenure, she helped the SLT shift from acquiring land to using what was already acquired, said Ross. In light of that, the Board of Directors will reevaluate the position Shield is leaving empty.

“We're going to put some thought into what exactly do we need,” Ross said. “We're going to take a real honest assessment of what we're looking for and go from there.”

She said Sheilds is helping with the transition and that there will continue to be people in the office, located next to Uncle Jon's in Marion.