Shanelle (she/her) is a second year PhD student at the University of Connecticut within the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. She received a B.A.S. in Zoology and Family/Child Studies from the University of Guelph, and a…

Christian Swanson, is originally from New Hampshire and attended the University of Connecticut, Storrs studying Animal Science with a focus on livestock production and management. Her love for agriculture began…

Joe Ruggiero is the current President of the Southbury Land Trust and has been since 2019. He was the 2025 Winner of the Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition’s Marc Taylor Award…

Domenic Romanello is the Associate Director of Conservation and Policy at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk where he leads applied research and conservation initiatives focused on the habitats and species…

Gail Kalison Reynolds, worked for UConn Extension as Master Gardener and Master Composter Coordinator and field researcher of biological controls. In addition, she retired from a long career in Information…

Kate grew up exploring the woods of New England and is excited to return to steward the forests that first inspired her love of the natural world. She earned a…

Marianne Iarossi, AICP is a Land Conservation Specialist with The Trustees of Reservations. Marianne has worked at the Trustees since 2022, conserving priority lands across the state of Massachusetts. Marianne…

Billy Gridley: President, Aton Forest Inc., a dual-purpose natural area land trust and ecological field station in Norfolk, CT, founded by vegetation management and forest succession ecologist Dr. Frank Egler.…

Rosa Goldman is a Forest Program Senior Associate with Audubon Connecticut and New York, a regional office of the National Audubon Society. She works with private landowners, land trusts, state…

James Fischer is the Research Director at White Memorial Conservation Center, where he oversees ecological monitoring and volunteer research initiatives across the organization’s 4,000 acres. He earned both his bachelor’s…

Dr. Danica Doroski joined DEEP as the Urban Forestry Coordinator in 2021. A forest ecologist by training, Danica also brings experience in horticulture, community engagement, and education from her time…

Cameron Clegg is an Environmental Analyst II at CT DEEP, working in the Land Acquisition and Management Unit (LAM) since 2022.  In addition to safeguarding CT DEEP’s land holdings, LAM…