Board of Directors
Bruce Anderson
Board Member
Heike Coffee
Board Member
Evan Griswold
Board Member
Dan Hulseberg
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Mal and his wife Gail have been landowners in Lyme since 2008 and called Lyme their home just under a decade later. When Mal volunteered to help clear a tree on the white trail on Walbridge Woodlands in 2018, little did he know that it would lead him on an improbable journey. From volunteer to board member to stewardship chair, Mal’s boots have literally been on the ground everywhere in Lyme.
“The demanding job of stewardship is probably the best training one can get to assume the Board Chair/President’s role. There’s an overwhelming amount of beautiful, natural open space in our town, and I am blessed to be able to live a fulfilling retirement here among nature and an incredible like-minded community that supports the LLT’s mission.”
Scott moved to Lyme in 2002 from the heavily developed suburbs of Washington, DC. As the Executive Director of the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District, Scott was able to apply his environmental background to the protection of the region’s water quality. Now retired, his desire is to contribute to the preservation of open space.
“Having moved from an urban area where developers out-compete efforts to preserve open space, it quickly became apparent to me how important the Lyme Land Conservation Trust is in making Lyme such a desirable place to live.”
Heike and her husband Hugh moved to Lyme in 2022 after raising their three children in New York City and Fairfield County. Hugh grew up in Old Lyme, and they always planned to return to the area to be closer to family and the place they call home. Their connection to the Lyme-Old Lyme community spans many years through family, involvement with Laysville Hardware and Coffee’s Country Market, and weekends spent hiking the trails and enjoying the area’s natural beauty.
Heike has spent her career in marketing, communications, and business development and volunteers with several local nonprofit organizations.
“Living in Lyme has deepened my appreciation for the natural world. Whether it’s watching a fox raise her kits in our backyard or hearing barred owls call to one another at dusk, I’m reminded every day why protecting these landscapes matters. I’m honored to support the Lyme Land Trust’s mission and help inspire others to experience the same connection to nature.”
Dan shares his time between NYC and Lyme since 2014. He is a senior partner and co-chair of the life sciences intellectual property practice group at the law firm of Baker Botts LLP. Before practicing law, he was a land surveyor in Western Massachusetts and a structural engineer for Electric Boat.
“We were drawn to Lyme by its natural beauty and strong sense of community. The Lyme Land Conservation Trust perfectly marries these key attributes for the benefit of all.”
Birgit and her husband purchased their Lyme home while living in Eugene, Oregon in February 2020, just before the COVID pandemic shut the country down. In the summer of 2021, they were finally able to move in and become permanent Lyme residents. Birgit retired after four years of teaching preservice science teachers at the University of Oregon and 18 years teaching high school and community college biology and biotechnology in the Sonoran Desert of Phoenix, Arizona. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Lyme Public Hall and Local History Archives.
“I have lived in many beautiful places, but never anywhere with nature so abundantly close at hand. Around every bend is a Lyme Land Trust preserve, open and welcoming to all, made accessible by lovingly-tended trails, carefully mapped and blazed so all can step confidently along to immerse themselves in a beautiful experience of nature. Each preserve is a gem and collectively they are the treasure of our town. I am honored to assist the Lyme Land Conservation Trust with its mission to conserve Lyme’s natural, scenic and historic land and water resources for the health of our environment and the fortunate people who share it.”
Ryan Quinn grew up in Lyme and graduated from Lyme-Old Lyme High school. After moving away for college and a career in education, he returned to the area in 2015 with his wife Baylee Drown to start a vegetable farm. In 2019 they were able to become Lyme landowners by purchasing what is now known as Long Table Farm. Prior to being a full time farmer Quinn has worked as a sailor, handyman, science teacher and outdoor educator.
“Moving back to Lyme gave me new appreciation for how the blend of community, open space, and ecology that thrive here have influenced my life. Lyme Land Trust’s mission to preserve and promote these features for the public good is near and dear to my heart. The Lyme Land Trust is one of the institutions that makes Lyme a special place to live.”
Rich and his wife, Lisa, moved to Lyme in 2018 and were immediately captivated by its beauty. As a retired Coast Guard officer, scientist, and professor, Rich views his service on the Lyme Land Trust as a natural extension of a career devoted to public service, scientific research, and education centered on the marine and maritime environment.
“I am honored to serve the Lyme Land Trust. Through its preservation of open space, protection of vital ecosystems, creation of recreational opportunities, and collaboration with like-minded organizations, the Trust is a steadfast champion of our natural resources. I am especially proud to support its commitment to conservation stewardship and to the educational and research initiatives that make the Lyme Land Trust such a valuable asset to our community and region.”
I was born in Lyme and have remained here most of my life. As a member of the Tiffany Farms family, I had the advantage of learning the trials and tribulations of farming alongside nature’s contributions and consequences. After multiple family loses I found a career in nursing. I have been the Director of Care Management for Bride Brook Rehabilitation and Nursing Center for the past 29 years. The farm fields are calling my name and retirement is looming in the air! My husband and I raise cut flowers for our business From the Farm and manage the Farmers Market at Tiffany Farms. The market now in its fifth season, further validates that the agricultural theme is thriving.
“I believe in land preservation. Tiffany Farms is an example of such commitment. Lyme has many families who have resided for generations here such as myself. My hope is our neighbors in Lyme will share the same vision, ‘Stewards of the Land’, just as many members of the Tiffany family does. The Lyme Land Trust embodies these shared values and I look forward to working with this dedicated team.”
Tony has lived in Lyme since 1986. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Management and co-founder of Ecological and Environmental Consulting Services (EECOS) specializing in forest ecology and land use management.
“The Land Trust is critical for the protection of our ecologically diverse and unique near-coastal and riverine landscape, unmatched in the northeast.”
John and his wife, Lee, have lived in Lyme since 1979, having built their home in 1980, while still working in New York City. They moved here full time when he retired in 2013. John was a lawyer in corporate litigation with a large international law firm headquartered in New York.
“The greatest contribution the Land Trust has made over its 50 plus year history is to help preserve Lyme as the quiet, rural and natural paradise that it is today. Were the Old Lyme school of impressionist artists to return today, they would recognize the landscape they so lovingly painted a hundred years ago.”
Jim’s primary responsibility is to oversee stewardship of the 3130 acres spread across 112 parcels that are owned or managed by LLT. He comes to us with a variety of experiences spanning ecological research and restoration, natural resource and sanctuary management, and environmental education. Improving the outlook for native biodiversity has always motivated Jim, whether by working with people, land, or preferably both at the same time. Most recently he served as conservation biologist at The Connecticut Audubon Society. He holds a BS degree in wildlife and fisheries biology from the University of Vermont and a MS degree in conservation biology from the State University of New York in Syracuse. Jim lives in Middletown.
“It is a giant honor to have this opportunity to help build on the substantial success of the Trust in a part of the world as special as Lyme.”
Kristina grew up in Old Lyme and has made Lyme her home since 2004. She held numerous jobs in the corporate world and most recently was the Administrative Director of Musical Masterworks, a nonprofit chamber music series in Old Lyme. As the Executive Director, she is responsible for leading the LLCT as it relates to the strategic direction and overall management of the organization. She identifies and implements short-and long-term strategic goals and is accountable to the Board of Directors for achieving those goals.
“The Land Trust protects land for perpetuity, provides outdoor recreation, and educates the surrounding community of the importance of conservation and environmental sustainability. We strive to be an example for other land trusts to follow.”
