Directors and Founders
The 2025-26 Officers, Board of Directors, and Staff
All of our officers and directors are volunteers, elected annually for three-year terms according to our bylaws. The current Officers and Directors are listed below. Use the Contact Us link at the top of the main page to direct an email to any of the current officers or directors listed here.
In 2023, EHLT hired our first staff person as a part-time Executive Director to work on the development of programs and fundraising. The Executive Director works closely with the Board Officers and Directors but does not have a seat on the Board.
Pete Govert, Executive Director
Pete moved to East Haddam in 1999 after 14 years of working as the Training Manager for the Peace Corps in Kenya and Uganda. He served as a Selectman in East Haddam for eight years. He has a BSc in Business Administration from the University of Illinois and an MSc in Organizational Behavior from the University of London. Pete retired as a Residential Dean at Franklin Academy, in East Haddam. When he is not riding his bicycle or paddling a kayak, he is either playing his guitar, participating in a civic meeting or hiking our many and varied trails. Pete and his wife June Plecan raised three daughters in town.
Joene Hendry, President, Chair of Communication Committee
Joene is a lifelong gardener and lover of nature. She has called East Haddam her hometown since 1978. She has volunteered with East Haddam Ambulance as an Emergency Medical Technician, on numerous school administrator search committees, on the East Haddam Board of Education, and with other local organizations. She is retired from her garden design and maintenance business. She and her husband currently enjoy retirement, their children and grandchildren, volunteering time to East Haddam Land Trust, and traveling.
Kyn Tolson, Vice-president
Kyn has lived in East Haddam for more than 40 years. She retired recently after working with nonprofits in Connecticut and Haiti and in journalism in Connecticut, New York City, and elsewhere. She has degrees from the University of North Carolina and New York University. She has been an avid rower and member of Blood Street Sculls in Old Lyme for almost 25 years. Hiking in East Haddam and other areas of the Lower Connecticut River Valley has become another passion. As an Army “brat,” Kyn moved and traveled throughout her childhood and college years. She and her husband, who raised their adult son in East Haddam, are delighted and fortunate to call it their home.
Catherine Denmeade – Treasurer, Chair of Finance Committee
Catherine grew up in East Haddam exploring the backyard woods, camping, hiking and biking, and rolling down the now-gone dune hill at Town Beach. She headed off to explore the world, spending her University years in NYC before spending 11 years in Australia. Coming back to the US in 2015 brought her right back to East Haddam. Catherine has a BBA from Hofstra University and a Master of Strategic Marketing from the University of Wollongong, Australia. That East Haddam is continuing to value and preserve open and natural spaces was a big reason to return. She currently works from home, getting to enjoy the conserved land beyond her yard while watching the wildlife outside her window every day.
Barbara Pokorny, Secretary
Barbara holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marquette University and a Master of Science in Nursing from The Catholic University of America. She has practiced in CT as a family nurse practitioner for more than 35 years and is now semi-retired. Barbara has been active with East Haddam Land Trust since moving to East Haddam in 2007 and falling in love with the woods and waterways, the peace and sense of community here. She has served on several EHLT committees including fund-raising and membership and has served terms as both secretary and vice-president. Other volunteer activities include East Haddam Food Bank, Friends of Gillette Castle State Park, and the Medical Reserve Corps filling various pandemic response roles primarily assigned to Chatham Health District. She is an avid birder, often on local hiking trails peering through binoculars with her cocker spaniel at her side.
Cameron Beard, Director, Chair of Stewardship Committee
Cameron, a certified Master Woodland Manager, is a graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Connecticut School of Law. He worked in international and maritime law for thirty-two years, and for a time also maintained a small commercial vineyard in East Haddam, growing wine grapes for sale to Connecticut wineries. He is currently retired but still grows various grape varieties, although no longer on a commercial basis. Cameron is a native of northwestern Connecticut but has made his home in East Haddam since 1994.
Ralph Chappell, Director, Oversees the Trail Monitors and Major Trail Maintenance Subcommittees
Ralph is a lifelong Connecticut resident and has called East Haddam home since 1982. He has volunteered much of his adult life. He was an EMT with East Haddam Volunteer Ambulance, a soccer coach with East Haddam Park and Rec programs, East Haddam Soccer Club, and a trail stewardship with East Haddam Land Trust. He has a BA degree from the University of New Haven and is retired from a law enforcement career. Ralph is an avid photographer with publications in magazines and newspapers in sports, travel, portraits, and fine art photography. Ralph currently enjoys the stewardship work with EHLT and finds being out in nature to be rewarding and fulfilling.
Doreen Jezek, Director
Doreen grew up in East Haddam and returned home after retiring from a career in Laboratory Science. She attended the University of Connecticut for her BS in Natural Resources and received a MS from Auburn University. Doreen’s love and appreciation of the outdoors got her involved with EHLT and she has previously served as a Director and as the Treasurer of the organization. She enjoys hiking, birding, traveling and gardening.
Monika Kahlenbach, Director
Monika is a psychotherapist in private practice in Glastonbury, CT. She is a long-time resident of East Haddam and member of EHLT, an avid hiker, and life-long learner interested in our natural world. Monika hopes to share her organizational skills and friendly outlook with the land trust board.
Gaynell Meij, Director
Gaynell is a life-long learner in the realms of natural history, creative expression, and human compassion. Sharing this learning has included work in groundwater public policy education, participating in a food and development project led by Bread for the World, and encouraging ecologic awareness through creative expression retreats and workshops. Since moving to East Haddam in 1998, Gaynell continued to immerse in natural sciences field courses and studio arts at Wesleyan University. She feels very fortunate to live in this bio-region, with its diverse niches and a community that expresses care in creating land trusts, conservation easements, and preserves as she enjoys and cares deeply for the wetlands, woods, estuarine, and riverine ecosystems that combine to make this place lively.
Alan N. Ponanski, Director
Alan has been a resident of East Haddam since 1985. A Connecticut Assistant Attorney General approaching retirement after 30 years of public service, Alan has served for 20 years as moderator of First Church of Christ Congregational of East Haddam. His memberships include Friends of Gillette Castle, the Sierra Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, and Tanglewood. Alan holds a BA degree in history from Boston College; an MA in government from The College of William & Mary; an MBA from Western New England College and a JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law. He was admitted to the Connecticut Bar in 1990. He is also admitted to the U.S. District Court, the U.S. 2nd Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. Alan was attracted to East Haddam by its wealth of beautiful forests, open spaces, and hiking trails to share with his golden retrievers and its proximity to his home state of Rhode Island and the ocean. Passionate about travel, seafood, hiking wild places, and historic preservation, his outdoor interests include birding and fly fishing. He and his wife, Susan Kinsman, have two adult sons.
David Walls, Director
David and his spouse, Alice, moved to East Haddam in 2019, drawn by the town’s natural beauty and strong conservation ethic. They enjoy biking, trail hiking, and kayaking throughout the area. David currently serves on the Town’s Conservation Commission and Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission. He is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator focused on the care of small mammals and assists with wildlife education programs throughout Connecticut. He is also a certified Master Woodland Manager and holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from UC Santa Barbara. A dedicated woodworker and outdoors enthusiast, David values East Haddam’s preserved open spaces and the wildlife they support, and is committed to protecting them for future generations.
Patrick Yackovetsky, Director
Patrick has lived in East Haddam with his wife, Bonnie, and 2 daughters since 1996. He worked for SNET / AT&T for 38 years and currently works for Unlimited Technology as a Fiber Design Engineer, overseeing the construction and testing of a fiber backbone for the security upgrades for Avangrid. He is a past president and treasurer of East Haddam Soccer Club, as well as a coach. Patrick enjoys being outdoors in nature and has been part of EHLT’s stewardship volunteers for many years.
Many thanks to Founding Members, past Presidents, and past Directors.
Founding Members
Anita Ballek
Alan Birmingham
Martha Tonucci
Stephen Gephard
Richard H. Goodwin
Art Merrow
Judith L. Nicholas
Peggy Wilson
Frank Wolcott
Past Presidents 1979 - 2022
Frank Wolcott
Richard H. Goodwin
Stephen Gephard
Marilyn Gleeson
Arthur Merrow
Lesley Olsen
Pat Anderson
Greg McHone
Jonathan Modica
Maureen VanDerStad
Joel Ide
Barb Bloomberg
Rob Smith
Shannon Hawkins
Jane Zirlis
Pete Govert
Past Directors 1979 - 2020
Dean Anderson
Jane Anderson
Pat Anderson
Noelle Avakian
Allison Ballek
Anita Ballek
Alan Birmingham
Gordon Bishop
Matt Budzik
Peggy Carlson
Noel Cherubino
Joe Clark
Logan Clarke
Mary Colpoys
Andrew Compagno
Hugh Crowley
Steve Dedman
Cynthia Deming
Vickie DeNicola
Donnie Donner
Susan Dowling
Mary Beth Durland
Bruce Elfstrom
Matt Elgart
Heidi Fellner
Judy Fiala
Roberta Fusari
Stephen Gephard
Kathy Golec
Don Goss
Nicole Govert
Sarah Gworek
Shannon Hawkins
Wickes Helmboldt
Joene Hendry
Nel Herbst
Joan Holbrook
Joel Ide
Doreen Jezek
Tim Johnson
Gary Kania
John Kashanski
Anne Kilpatrick
Gary Laskowski
Hans Lohse
John Matthew
Lee May
Greg McHone
Jean Meredith
Art Merrow
Dot Millen
Jonathan Modica
Matt Montano
Hank Montrose
Jonathan Morris
Jamie Murphy
Roger Nemergut
Leslie Olsen
Roy Parker
Joe Parkos, Jr.
Deb Piez
Barbara Pokorny
Kathy Reynolds
Jennifer Rieber
John Rozum
Pietrina Saxton
Gail Sharkey
Sarah Thurmond
Martha Tonucci
Maureen VanDerStad
Brian Warman
Lynn Wilkinson
Charles Wolf
Jane Zirlis