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Presenters

2025 Connecticut Land Conservation Conference

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Keynote Speaker

Dudley Edmondson

Photographer/Author/Filmmaker/Presenter

“In wilderness the ability to embrace freedom and be your true self is the healing medicine the mind needs.” - Dudley Edmondson 

Over the last 33 years, Dudley Edmondson has become an established Photographer, Author, Filmmaker and Presenter. His photography has been featured in galleries and publications around the world. His photographic work and adventure travels have taken him to so many amazing places from the Arctic Circle of Alaska to the Bahamas.

As a young man, Dudley Edmondson discovered the power of nature and its ability to heal both the mind and body. This led Mr. Edmondson on a lifelong path to follow his passion and instill his love and knowledge of the outdoors in others and inspire a personal understanding and respect for everything nature offers. Mr. Edmondson has collaborated with numerous communities across the county to help urban youth and youth of color to experience nature and the beauty of the outdoors.

Keynote Presentation

2025 Conference Workshop Presenters

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Jhoni Ada

Community Organizer
CT Sierra Club
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Keith Ainsworth

Managing Member
Law Offices of Keith R. Ainsworth, Esq., LLC
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David Allen

Principal Consultant
Development for Conservation
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Tyler Archer

Attorney
Shipman & Goodwin LLP
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Jocelyn Ayer

Director
Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity
Kristin Barendregt-Ludwig

Kristin Barendregt-Ludwig

Consultant
Equity, Environment, Leadership and Education
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Cameron Beard

Board Member
East Haddam Land Trust
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David Beers

Western Connecticut Service Forester
CT DEEP Forestry
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Ricky Bentley

Climate Smart Stewardship Coordinator
CLCC
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Beth Bernard

Outreach Forester
CT DEEP
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Katy Bischoff

PhD Student
UConn
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Todd Bobowick

State Forester
USDA-NRCS
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Kim Bradley

CT Trails and Greenways Program Coordinator
CT DEEP
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Margaret Broughton

Urban Forestry Network Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Jovan Bryan

Jovan Bryan

Community Conservation Coordinator
CLCC
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Amanda Bunce

Forest Researcher
UConn
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Tanner Burgdorf

Deputy Director
Groundwork Bridgeport
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Kevin Burgio

Conservation Biologist
Terwilliger Consulting, Inc.
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Jessica Cañizares

Director of Coastal Ecosystem Projects
The Nature Conservancy-CT
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Peter Cawley

Treasurer
Aspetuck Land Trust
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Frank Cervo

Service Forester
CT DEEP Forestry
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Cary Chadwick

Associate Extension Educator
UConn CLEAR
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Alicea Charamut

Executive Director
Rivers Alliance of CT
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Betsy Chittenden

President
Groton Open Space Association
Professional portrait

Richard Crowther Jr.

GIS Program Coordinator
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
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Kathy Czepiel

Land Protection Manager
Save the Sound
Bird Release Hike At Skiff Mountain South Kent Land Trust July 2021

Yaw Darko

Senior Project Specialist
Connecticut Land Conservation Council
Professional headshot

Kelly Davila

Principal Research Associate
DataHaven
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Victor DeMasi

Entomologist
Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
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Austin Dziki

Senior Manager, Environmental Infrastructure
CT Green Bank
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Rahiem V. Eleazer

Environmental Liaison; Co-Director
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation; Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed
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Lori Faeth

Senior Director of Government Relations
Land Trust Alliance
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Maggie Favretti

Co-Director
Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed
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Rafael Feliciano-Roman

CEO
Afro Caribbean Cultural Center
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Linda Francois

Partner
Cooper, Whitney & Francois
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Raymond Frigon

Director
CT DEEP
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Brenda Geer

Vice-Chair; Collaboration Coordinator
Eastern Pequot Tribal Council; Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed
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Tobias Glaza

Director of Stewardship
Avalonia Land Conservancy
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Drew Goldsman

Urban Conservation Director
The Nature Conservancy
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Mindy Gosselin

Land Acquisition and Restoration Coordinator
CT DEEP
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Caitlyn Grad

Marketing and Communications Consultant
Caitlyn Grad Marketing
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Cally Guasti

CT Program Manager
Trust for Public Land
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Emily Hadzopulos

Freshwater Restoration Project Manager
The Nature Conservancy-CT
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Reggie Hall

Chief Program Officer
Conservation Loan Collaborative
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Elizabeth Hayes

Steering Committee Member
Six Lakes Park Coalition
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Brian Hess

Wildlife Biologist
CT DEEP
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Akiebia Hicks

Project Manager; Board Member
CT DEEP; CLCC
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David Irvin

Central District Service Forester
CT DEEP
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Laura Kelly

CT Trails Program Coordinator
UConn CLEAR

Bill Kraekel

President; Board Member
Aspetuck Land Trust; CLCC
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Alex Krofta

Ecological Restoration Project Manager
Save the Sound
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Jason Krumholz

Associate Professor; Stewardship Coordinator
UConn; CT NERR
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Robert LaFrance

Policy Director
Audubon Connecticut
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Rory Larson

Conservation Director
Steep Rock Association
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Lindsay Larson

Project Manager
Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity
Shelby Larubina

Shelby Larubina

Research Technician
CT NERR
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Jenora Ledbetter

CEO/Founder
The Self-Care Network
Aaron Lefland

Aaron Lefland

Deputy Director
CLCC
Professional headshot

Amanda Limacher

Brownfields Coordinator
CT DEEP
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Connie Manes

Circuit Rider
Land Trust Alliance
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Mirna Martinez

Executive Director
Southeast Connecticut Community Land Trust
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David Melycher

Principal
EKI Environment & Water, Inc.
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Elizabeth Merow

Education Director
CFPA
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Elisabeth Moore

Executive Director
Connecticut Farmland Trust
Professional portrait

Tim Myjak

Licensed Environmental Professional
EKI Environment & Water, Inc.
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Faith Novella

Wildlife Biologist
CT Butterfly Association
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Maya Nuñez

Member
Ceiba Arbor Farm Collective
Will O'Meara headshot

Will O’Meara

CT Field Agent
Land For Good
Professional portrait

Christine O’Neill

Environmental Planner II
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
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Mia Park

Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management Specialist
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
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Amy Blaymore Paterson

Executive Director
Connecticut Land Conservation Council
Professional headshot

Ginny Patsun

Soil Conservation Specialist
North Central Conservation District
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Dan Peracchio

Forest Planner and Forest Legacy Coordinator
CT DEEP
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Colin Piteo

Sandy Breslin Conservation Fellow
CLCC
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Catherine Rawson

Executive Director
Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy
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Maggie Redfern

Director of the Arboretum
Connecticut College
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Craig Repasz

Co-Founder and Chair
Lights Out CT
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Emely Ricci

Community Planner
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
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Jonathan Rosenthal

Director
Ecological Research Institute
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Jonathón Savage

Executive Director
Gather New Haven
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Denise Savageau

Chair
CT Council on Soil and Water Conservation
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Jane Seymour

Wildlife Biologist
CT DEEP Wildlife Division
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Joanne Sheehan

President
Southeastern Connecticut Community Land Trust
Professional portrait

Christopher Shepard

Board Member
Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy
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Leo Smith

Chair
DarkSky International-CT Chapter
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Dan Sponn

Volunteer
Groton Open Space Association
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Hayden Stebbins

Southern New England Program Forester
New England Forestry Foundation
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Lindsay Suhr

Office Director
CT DEEP
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Suzanne Thompson

Coalition Coordinator
Save Oswegatchie Hills Coalition
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John Triana

Real Estate Manager
Regional Water Authority
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Andrea Urbano

Forest Stewardship Program Supervisor
CT DEEP Forestry
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Louise Washer

Co-Founder and Board Member
Pollinator Pathway, Inc.
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Joe Welsh

Natural Resources Manager; President
Aquarion Water Company; Shelton Land Conservation Trust
Professional portrait

Leigh Whelpton

Director of Environmental Infrastructure
CT Green Bank
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Laura Wildman

Vice President of Ecological Restoration
Save the Sound
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Dr. Radka Wildova

Senior Scientist
Ecological Research Institute
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Emily Wilson

Geospatial Educator
UConn CLEAR
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Margery Winters

President; Chair; Assistant Director
Simsbury Land Trust; Simsbury Conservation Commission; Roaring Brook Nature Center
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Dr. Chandi Witharana

Assistant Professor
UConn
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Paul Woodworth

Ecological Restoration Senior Project Manager
Save the Sound
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Tom Worthley

Extension Professor of Forestry
UConn
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Evan Zocco

Doctoral Student
UConn