Monday, April 4, 2022
(Virginia Beach, VA) – The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center hires new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mary Anna Twisdale, effective Thursday, April 7. Twisdale will oversee the Aquarium’s City of Virginia Beach and Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation budgets while leading the finance department, including five accountants and financial specialists. She will be at the forefront of continued profitable growth for the organization while reporting directly to Cynthia Whitbred-Spanoulis, Executive Director of the Aquarium.
Twisdale has more than 30 years of industry experience and has been responsible for developing and managing multi-million-dollar city and county departmental budgets in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Fluvanna County, and Goochland County. She is well-versed and proficient at adopting and managing local government finances, assessing and reporting financial trends, processing payroll for thousands of staff members, presenting department budgets to city officials, and much more.
As Twisdale joins the Virginia Aquarium executive team as CFO, she returns to work for the City of Virginia Beach, where she previously held the role of Management and Budget Analyst for the City’s Budget & Management Services department, Finance Officer Supervisor for Parks & Recreation and Finance Specialist for the City’s Information Technology department. Furthermore, Twisdale spent the early years of her budding career as an Account Clerk I, II, and II within the Parks & Recreation, Public Works, and the Police department.
“Mary Anna’s impressive background makes her the perfect fit for the Virginia Aquarium. We are thrilled she is joining our team and look forward to the ways in which she will drive revenue growth to further our mission of inspiring the conservation of the marine environment,” shares Executive Director, Cynthia Whitbred-Spanoulis.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center's mission is to inspire conservation of the marine environment through education, research, and sustainable practices. The Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. The Aquarium is also a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is located at 717 General Booth Boulevard, just south of Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach.
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, supports the work of the Virginia Aquarium. The Foundation procures and maintains the Aquarium's exhibits, including the animals and habitats. It is also responsible for annual and capital fundraising, administration and funding for the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program, conservation and scientific research efforts, and the Aquarium's mission-related education programs. Be a part of the mission by making a tax-deductible donation to support the programming.
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