BOARD & STAFF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Carl Costanzi, President - Norway

Carl got a B.S. in Microbiology from Penn State and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia (now Drexel) and worked as a research molecular biologist for twenty years, most recently for ten years at University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine where he studied chromosome packaging and gene regulation.  In 2004 he and his family moved to Norway. Carl learned carpentry working in construction for a couple of years before co-founding and teaching at Ganderia Middle School.  There he developed an integrated, project-based curriculum grounded on a sense of place and community engagement.  Carl currently works in population health for Western Maine Health.  He loves growing and cooking real food, spending time with his three grown sons, Ben, Nick and Dan, and exploring the natural world with a camera.

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Joseph Zilinsky, Vice President - Otisfield

BA, Bowdoin College, MA, PhD. University of Indiana in Microbial Physiology. Retired with his wife Callie to Maine after 30 years teaching microbiology and biology at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. Joe enjoys languages and works his forest and farm lands with a pair of draft horses. Joe and Callie placed a conservation easement on their farm in 2011.

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Beth Calhoun, Treasurer - Oxford

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Robert Van Nest, Director - Norway

With a MA from Columbia University, Bob and his wife settled on a historic farm in Norway and started our area’s farmers’ market in the 1980s. Bob spent his career teaching French and coaching Nordic skiing. An avid birder, cyclist, and gardener, Bob is completely committed to land conservation.

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Jeff Chase, Director - Bryant Pond

Retired USPS employee and life long resident of Norway, avid wildlife enthusiast, Jeff knows every inch of our region and is invaluable on the Board.

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Sarah Dailey, Clerk - Otisfield

Sarah is a mother of two young boys and is training to work with developmentally-challenged youth.

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Lorie Olson, Director  - Norway

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Richard Sousa, Director - Norway

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Sarah Timm, Director - Norway

Sarah is a fourth-grade teacher at the Agnes Gray School in West Paris. She and her husband, Aaron, have two children, Silas, 12, and Alden, 14. When not teaching, Sarah helps Aaron at their shop, Green Gardens in South Paris.

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Sienna Tinsley, Director - Portland

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David Watson, Director - Otisfield

Ann and David Watson donated an easement on working forestland that was historically part of the Stone/Pottle/Scribner family holdings in Otisfield.

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Jeff Wilson, Director - Casco

Jeff is a graduate of UMass Amherst and Boston College Law School, and is a partner at Braun & Wilson PLLC in South Paris. Jeff and his wife, Sarah live in Norway with their son, Oscar, and Obi, a chocolate lab. An avid hiker, Jeff is drawn to the work of the Trust in providing public access to recreational assets in the Oxford Hills.

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STAFF

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Lee Dassler, Executive Director - Otisfield

Lee has been with WFLT since 1994. She holds an MS from Columbia University in Historic Preservation, and has a background in theater, carpentry, and architecture. She is also the founder and Executive Director of the McLaughlin Garden in South Paris, Maine. When not writing grants, Lee enjoys riding, triathlons, yoga and working on her historic home.

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Sarah Carter, Program Coordinator - Norway

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Kelli Shedd, Community Engagement Coordinator - Stoneham

Kelli joined WFLT in October of 2019 to support membership and development.  Her previous experience as Membership Manager at Loon Echo Land Trust brings a great familiarity of the Trust and it's needs.  In her space time she likes to hike, ski, create fine art as well as mother her two energetic young children.

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Hadley Couraud, Sebago Clean Waters Conservation Coordinator - Norway

Hadley was hired in October 2019 to assist WFLT and Loon Echo Land Trust to complete conservation easement baseline documents, organize easement monitoring and planning, conduct landowner outreach, and develop a strategic conservation plan for the Sebago Clean Waters partnership.

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Tom Lane, Development Director - Portland

Tom joined WFLT in January 2021 as its first Development Director. He brings more than 20 years of nonprofit management and fundraising exprtise to the organization, having worked with a variety of environmental, human rights and health organizations. He holds a BA from Boston College, a MS from The New School and has completed graduate coursework in historic preservation and planning.