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In 2018, CLCC launched its Sandy Breslin Conservation Fellowship for college and post-graduate students looking to make a difference in their community and across Connecticut through land conservation. The fellowship is named in honor and memory of Alexandra “Sandy” Breslin (1954-2017), an environmental activist who made major and enduring contributions to the environment and politics in Connecticut and nationwide. 

Thank you, Colin!

A huge thank you to Colin Piteo, who completed a highly successful term as our sixth Fellow. Colin joined us last fall after attending the UN Climate Change Conference in Azerbaijan as an observer for UConn, where he is earning a Master of Public Policy in Environmental Policy. At CLCC, he worked to advance our 2025 State Policy Priorities, becoming a “regular” at the Legislative Office Building while advocating for climate action and resilience bills and increased funding for land conservation through the Community Investment Act. His efforts helped a coalition of partners successfully advocate for several notable policy wins during the 2025 CT legislative session. Colin also served on CLCC’s delegation to the Land Trust Alliance’s Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C., as he helped land trusts stay informed on federal conservation policy. Thank you for all you do, Colin, and for sharing our mission and vision for land conservation in Connecticut! Now, Colin is serving as an intern for the Town Manager of Windsor while he works to complete his Master’s degree in 2026. Before departing CLCC, Colin reflected on his Fellowship in a poignant blog post.

Introducing Rebecca

This week, Rebecca Dorsey joined CLCC as our seventh Sandy Breslin Conservation Fellow. Rebecca grew up in Plymouth, Connecticut. She recently completed her undergraduate degree at UConn, where she is currently pursuing her Master of Public Administration degree. In addition to valuing land conservation, Rebecca is a staunch advocate for civic engagement and has worked to promote safe, secure, and accessible elections. Welcome to the team, Rebecca!

Where Are They Now?

We are grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented and driven group of young people, who have contributed so much to CLCC’s work and to land conservation in Connecticut. Here’s a quick rundown of what each former Sandy Breslin Conservation Fellow is up to these days.

		Katharine Lange earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Environmental Policy at UConn while serving as CLCC’s first Sandy Breslin Fellow. She went on to serve as Policy Director for the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance before joining the Conservation Law Foundation as a Government Relations Manager.
		Yaw Darko earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at UConn while serving as CLCC’s second Sandy Breslin Fellow. After completing his fellowship, he joined CLCC’s team as a Project Specialist and was recently promoted to Director of Grants & Programs. In his current role, Yaw leads CLCC’s grant programs and community-centered conservation programming.
		Sylvie Boucher, CLCC’s third Fellow, also a UConn graduate student, went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Environment and Natural Resources, Environmental Management, Science and Policy at the University of Iceland. She is currently working as a Communication and Fund Development Associate at Animal Partisan, a nonprofit working to end animal exploitation through legal advocacy.
		Emely Ricci completed her Master’s Degree in Public Administration at UConn while serving as CLCC’s fourth Sandy Breslin Fellow. Now, she is working as a Community Planner at the Naugatuck Valley Regional Council of Governments.
		Victoria Jaskaran, CLCC’s fifth Fellow, completed her Master of Public Policy at UConn and is working as a Seasonal Research Assistant with CT DEEP’s Office of Telecommunications and Broadband.

Thank you to each of our Sandy Breslin Conservation Fellows for your outstanding contributions to CLCC and to land conservation in Connecticut and beyond!