Robert Tufts
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Robert Lawrence Tufts (born August 29, 1973 in St. Charles, Missouri.), is an American politician who resides in Churchton, Maryland. He is a member of the Anne Arundel Green Party, and served on the national Green Party's Coordinated Campaign Committee from October 2004 through July 2006.
Tufts was born and raised in St. Charles, Missouri. At that time, St. Charles County was one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. While growing up there, Robb witnessed farms and woodlands being sold on a regular basis and turned into either strip malls or subdivisions. The schools were so overcrowded that they had to resort to year-around-schools in order to maximize the capacity of the schools. It was in the midst of all this overdevelopment and sprawl that Robb first got involved with politics. When he was old enough, his dad would let him tag along to meetings of various community groups who were working on ballot issues to increase school funding in order to build new schools, or build additions to existing schools, in order to alleviate the overcrowding.
Eventually Robb’s parents tired of the congestion and sprawl and moved their family to central Illinois. Robb attended high school in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. After high school, Robb attended college at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, where he graduated with degrees in both Music (percussionist) and political science.
It was during college that Robb first fell in love with Maryland. One of Robb’s friends was from Maryland and he came out to visit her one summer. It was Robb’s first trip to the East Coast and he immediately fell in love with Maryland, and more specifically Anne Arundel County. Anne Arundel reminded him a lot of where he grew up (without the sprawl). He made a commitment to himself that after college he would move to Maryland.
Robb kept his promise to himself and moved to Maryland in 1999 and made Anne Arundel County his home in 2000. After moving to Maryland, Robb got involved in local activities and local politics. In addition to his full time job, he also spent his weeknights and weekends teaching marching percussion in the area. He was a marching percussion instructor at Towson University, with Tectonics indoor marching percussion ensemble, and also with Walkersville High School marching band.
Robb first got involved in the Green Party in February of 2001. He worked as a campaign manager for Citizens for George Law, a Green Party candidate in Anne Arundel County in County Council District Two. More recently, Robb has served as a co-chair on the Green Party of the U.S.’ national Coordinated Campaign Committee. As part of that committee, Robb has worked as a consultant on different campaigns throughout the country, and has worked to improve the quality of Green Party campaigns.
Besides politics, Robb has also been involved in the community. He has been a regular volunteer for the Chesapeake Ecology Center in Annapolis since 2004. Robb has also done volunteer work with the Spa Creek Conservancy, as well as the South River Federation. He is a member of South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development (SACReD) and volunteers at WRYR-LP 97.5FM, SACReD’s low-power FM radio station.
Robb is currently employed as a Program Analyst by Financial Management Systems, a government consulting firm based out of Arlington, Virginia. He resides in the community of Franklin Manor in Churchton. His two parents, Mike and E’Lane still live in central Illinois. They are both active in their churches and other community organizations. His father has done missionary work overseas with the Presbyterian Church, while his mom serves as a Deacon in her church. His father has also volunteered as a tutor at local schools, and his mother has been very involved with her local P.E.O. chapter. Robb also has a younger sister, Janelle, who is an advocate for people with developmental disabilities. She resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband, Drew, a Presbyterian minister.
