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Panelists & Presenters

2024 Connecticut Land Conservation Conference

Bronson Griscom

Keynote Speaker

Bronson Griscom

Vice-President, Natural Climate Solutions
Conservation International

Bronson leads Conservation International’s Natural Climate Solutions science team, playing a key role in the strategic development of natural climate solutions science across the organization, leading a research agenda that helps deliver on Conservation International’s climate goals.

He works closely with a network of scientists and experts across divisions and in collaboration with some of the world’s leading climate-focused institutions and global thought leaders. Bronson and his team conduct transformative research on natural climate solutions, including monitoring and evaluation, global climate mitigation potential, and the re-design of conservation, restoration, and improved land management strategies to maximize their climate and co-benefit impacts.

Keynote Presentation

Awakening the Sleeping Giant: Natural Climate Solutions

Natural climate solutions include protection and restoration of wild lands, and better management of working lands. They are one of the largest, yet most under-financed, climate mitigation sectors. This is the case even in countries like the US, and in states like Connecticut, where fossil fuel emissions reductions are paramount. In his talk, Dr. Griscom will review the range of natural climate solutions globally, nationally, and locally, and discuss the challenges and opportunities of awakening the sleeping giant climate ally at our doorstep.

Plenary Roundtable Discussion Panel

Moderator

Aaron Lefland

Aaron Lefland

Deputy Director
CLCC

Panelists

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Dr. Mayra Rodríguez González

Assistant Extension Educator in Urban and Community Forestry
UConn Extension
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Clan Mother Shoran Waupatukuay Piper

Tribal Head Leader
Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe
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Julia Rogers

Senior Land Protection Manager
Housatonic Valley Association
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Andrea Urbano

Private & Municipal Lands Program Supervisor
CT DEEP Forestry

2024 Conference Panelists & 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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Chet Arnold

Extension Educator Emeritus
UConn
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Jim Arrigoni

Environmental Director
Lyme Land Conservation Trust
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Mike Baczewski

Founder
New England Pollinator Gardens
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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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Frida Berrigan

Convener, New London Chapter
Southeastern Connecticut Community Land Trust
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Anagha Bhumireddy

Climate Action Club Co-Founder & Co-President
Avon High School
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Todd Bobowick

State Forester and State Biologist
USDA-NRCS
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Amanda Branson

Director of Operations and Finance
Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy
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John Brooks

Senior Consultant
Danosky & Associates, LLC
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Dan Brubaker

Director of Conservation and Outreach
Greenwich Land Trust
Jovan Bryan

Jovan Bryan

Community Conservation Coordinator
CLCC
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Jessica Cañizares

Coastal Restoration Project Manager
The Nature Conservancy-CT
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Dan Carmody

Preserve Steward
Aspetuck Land Trust
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Frank Cervo

Service Forester
CT DEEP Forestry
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Alicea Charamut

Executive Director
Rivers Alliance of CT
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Karen Clancy

Landscape Architect
Refugia
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Timothy Clark

Resilient Southeastern CT Program Director
The Nature Conservancy-CT
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Sydney Collins

Youth Climate Advocate
Sunrise New Haven
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Kathy Czepiel

Land Protection Manager
Save the Sound
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Rebecca Dahl

Planning Analyst
CT Office of Policy and Management
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Sharon Danosky

President
Danosky & Associates, LLC
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Yaw Darko

Senior Project Specialist
Connecticut Land Conservation Council
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Carissa Decelles

Lead Art Director and Brand Developer
Miranda Creative
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Victor DeMasi

Entomologist
Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
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David Dickson

Director
UConn CLEAR
Laurie Doss

Laurie Doss

Science Department Chairperson
Marvelwood School
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Irine Dumitrascu

Student/Intern
Marvelwood School/Kent Land Trust
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Rahiem V. Eleazer

Environmental Liaison
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
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Henry Foushee

Volunteer
Sierra Club
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Linda Francois

Partner
Cooper, Whitney & Francois
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Justin Giffee

Junior Policy Analyst/LISFF Field Liaison
Throwe Environmental
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Tobias Glaza

Director of Stewardship
Avalonia Land Conservancy
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Zbig Grabowski

Water Quality Educator
UConn CLEAR
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Carol Jaworowski Grasis

Assistant State Conservationist – Programs
USDA-NRCS
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Kyle Gray

Manager, Programs and Engagement (NFWF Field Liaison)
Throwe Environmental
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Bram Gunther

VP of Science and Strategy
Plan it Wild
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Emily Hadzopulos

Freshwater Restoration Project Manager
The Nature Conservancy-CT
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Kevin Harkins

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Shelley Harms

Executive Director; Conservation Director
CCT; SALT
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Akiebia Hicks

Durational Project Manager
CT DEEP
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David Hindin

Sustainability Advocate
Independent
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Daniel Hohl

Program Forester
New England Forestry Foundation
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Peter Jones

Senior Advisor
Philanthropy Squared
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Will Kenny

Public Funding Manager
The Nature Conservancy-CT
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Tom Kester

ARMS Operations Manager and Secretary
Land Trust Alliance, Alliance Risk Management Services LLC
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Adelheid Koepfer

Trail Finder and Trail Census Support
UConn Trails Program
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Kip Kolesinskas

Consulting Conservation Scientist
CT Farmland Trust
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Robert LaFrance

Policy Director
Audubon Connecticut
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Honor Lawler

Project Manager II
Trust for Public Land
Aaron Lefland

Aaron Lefland

Deputy Director
CLCC
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Qian “Rachel” Lei-Parent

Research Associate
UConn CLEAR
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Mary Ellen Lemay

Landowner Engagement Director
Aspetuck Land Trust
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Cherry Liley

Board Member
The Wellspring Commons Stewards, Inc.
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Cameron Lloyd

Intern & Board Member
Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy
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Dr. Anne Kearney Logan

Viticulturist and Wine Educator; Adjunct Professor
Gallaudet University
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Jeff Lorenz

Founder
Refugia
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Kate Losey

Remote Monitoring Project Manager
Land Trust Alliance
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Adam Maikshilo

District Conservationist
USDA-NRCS
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Connie Manes

Circuit Rider
Land Trust Alliance
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Robert Marra

Forest Pathologist
CT Agricultural Experiment Station
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Mirna Martinez

Executive Director
Southeast Connecticut Community Land Trust
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Susan Masino

Masino, Professor of Applied Science
Trinity College
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Betsy McGean

Senior Advisor
Philanthropy Squared
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Elisabeth Moore

Executive Director
Connecticut Farmland Trust
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Regina Mosley

Community Organizer
Southeastern CT Community Land Trust
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Jameelah Muhammad

Deputy Director of the Outdoors for All Campaign
CT Sierra Club
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Faith Novella

Wildlife Biologist
CT Butterfly Association
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Will O’Meara

CT Field Agent
Land For Good
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Amy Blaymore Paterson

Executive Director
Connecticut Land Conservation Council
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Sarah Pellegrino

Land Protection and Strategies Manager
The Nature Conservancy
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Alan Ponanski

Chair, Rules Committee
CT River Gateway Commission
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Catherine Rawson

Executive Director
Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy
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Craig Repasz

Co-Chair
Lights Out CT
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Emely Ricci

Community Planner
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
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Kate Richard

Program Manager
Sustainable CT
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Special Guest Presenter

Julia Rogers

Senior Land Protection Manager
Housatonic Valley Association
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Dr. Ivette Ruiz

Founder
Healing by Growing Farms
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Ashwini Sahasrabudhe

Environmental Studies and Biology Major
Bowdoin College
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Beth Sanford

Board Member
New Canaan Land Trust
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Jonathon 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
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Elanah Sherman

Board Member
Avalonia Land Conservancy
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Keila Silva

Climate Activist
Suffield High School
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Willow Sirch

Development Chair
Hamden Land Conservation Trust
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Leo Smith

Chair
DarkSky International-CT Chapter
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Regan Stacey

Co-founder
The Forest Therapy School

Ashley Stewart

Principal
Stewart Environmental and Equity Consulting
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Lindsay Suhr

Office Director
CT DEEP
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Janine Sullivan-Wiley

Board Member
Middlebury Land Trust
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Special Guest Presenter

Andrea Urbano

Private & Municipal Lands Program Supervisor
CT DEEP Forestry
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Kae Vargas

Farmlink Coordinator
CT Farmland Trust
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Cat Wang

Conservation Associate
CT Farmland Trust
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Seva Water

Regenerative Agriculture Planner
Regenerative Design Group
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Cam Weimar

Farmland Preservation Director
CT DoAg
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Kristina White

Executive Director
Lyme Land Trust
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Ashley Wilkins

Student/
Marvelwood School/Kent Land Trust
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Emily Wilson

Geospatial Educator
UConn CLEAR
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Keetu Winter

Executive Director
The Wellspring Commons Stewards, Inc.
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Anne Yurasek

Principal
Fio Partners, LLC