Genesee Land Trust staff, board, partners, and neighbors at the Harvest Festival

Who We Are

Staff

At Genesee Land Trust, we know it is our passionate staff, volunteers, and board that move our mission, and we value each person’s experience, perspectives, and unique identity. We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff that reflects the region we serve. We strive to create and maintain a work environment that is inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

Lorna Wright in front of green meadow and horses at Alasa Farms in Sodus.

Lorna oversees operations, strategic planning, and Genesee Land Trust’s conservation programs including new acquisition projects, farmland protection, and programs in the city. Contact Lorna if you are interested in learning about getting involved with Genesee Land Trust and/or protecting your land.

Favorite outdoor activity: Hiking

Fun fact: Plays ultimate Frisbee year round, even in the snow!

Want to know more? Read her Q and A here.

Lorna Wright (she/her)
Executive Director

Contact Lorna

Kevin Farrell Land Stewardship DirectorContact KevinKevin oversees Genesee Land Trust’s conservation lands and stewardship program. He is responsible for our nature preserves, conservation easements, and habitat restoration projects.Favorite outdoor…

Kevin is responsible for Genesee Land Trust’s habitat acquisition projects, supporting our conservation partners, and overseeing the Land Trust’s portfolio of nature preserves and conservation easements.

Favorite outdoor activity: Disc golf!

Fun fact: Kevin is working tirelessly to try every cup of coffee in Rochester.

Want to know more? Read his Q&A here.

Kevin Farrell (he/him)
Senior Director of Conservation

Contact Kevin

Helen Dumas Genesee River Alliance CoordinatorContact HelenHelen focuses on engaging and developing relationships with neighborhoods, organizations, and City staff on behalf of the Genesee River Alliance. She is responsible for establishing regular …

Helen focuses on engaging and developing relationships with neighborhoods, organizations, and City staff on behalf of the Genesee River Alliance. She is responsible for establishing regular communications with the Alliance and stakeholders and coordinates and facilitates Alliance meetings. Contact Helen with any questions about the Genesee River Alliance.

Favorite outdoor activity: Sledding in the winter, swimming in the summer, and attending outdoor festivals all year long with her children and grandchildren.

Fun fact: She loves cooking gourmet meals for family and friends and can usually duplicate a dish closely after eating it once.

Helen Dumas (she/her)
Senior Director of Programs and Community Engagement

Contact Helen

Elliotte Bowerman (they/them)
Director of Communications

Contact Elliotte

Elliotte manages Genesee Land Trust’s strategic communications, including events, email, print and social media channels. Please contact Elliotte if you have story ideas or want to share great pictures taken at our properties.

Favorite outdoor activity: Swimming and painting local landscapes.

Fun fact: Elliotte grew up on a local dairy farm in Farmington.

Elliotte Bowerman (they/them)
Director of Communications

Contact Elliotte

Will Macaluso Preserve ManagerContact WillWill maintains Genesee Land Trust's nature preserves and assists with stewardship volunteer programs. He is responsible for helping maintain and enhance public access and experiences along with plant and wildlife habitats at our preserves.Favorite outdoor activity: Mountain bikingFun fact: He enjoys gardening and his wish list of native plants for his garden is constantly growing.

Will maintains Genesee Land Trust's nature preserves and assists with stewardship volunteer programs. He is responsible for helping maintain and enhance public access and experiences along with plant and wildlife habitats at our preserves.

Favorite outdoor activity: Mountain biking

Fun fact: He enjoys gardening and his wish list of native plants for his garden is constantly growing.

Will Macaluso (he/him)
Preserve Manager

Contact Will

Cassidy focuses on supporting the conservation of private lands for wildlife and public nature preserves.

Favorite outdoor activity: Exploring new hiking trails and peering over the side of a kayak to find cool creatures in the water.

Fun fact: Cassidy is known among friends to point out every tree, flower, animal, and rock she finds remotely interesting or beautiful.

Cassidy May (she/her)
Land Protection Specialist

Contact Cassidy

Kevin Eckert (he/him)

Conservation Easement Steward

Contact Kevin

Kevin works to build relationships with conservation easement landowners. He also completes annual monitoring visits and creates baseline documentation reports

Favorite outdoor activity: birdwatching

Fun fact: He rescues stray and abandoned cats with his partner, Cat.

Kevin Eckert (he/him)

Conservation Easement Steward

Contact Kevin

Liz Sheehan Farmland Protection AssistantContact LizLiz manages the administrative aspects of several grant-funded farmland protection projects. She coordinates with landowners, title companies, attorneys, and consultants throughout the process. Liz…

Liz Sheehan (she/her)
Farmland Protection Assistant

Contact Liz

Liz manages the administrative aspects of several grant-funded farmland protection projects. She coordinates with landowners, title companies, attorneys, and consultants throughout the process. Liz focuses on building and maintaining positive relationships with landowners and all project participants with an overall goal of keeping land available for farming.

Favorite outdoor activity: Flower and vegetable gardening with plants grown in her greenhouse

Fun fact: She is fascinated with weather and climate phenomenon and is beginning coursework toward a degree in meteorology.

Liz Sheehan (she/her)
Farmland Protection Assistant

Contact Liz

Jonathan oversees Genesee Land Trust’s fundraising and development efforts to advance our mission. Please contact him if you wish to learn more about how you can support the work of Genesee Land Trust.

Favorite outdoor activity: Running along the Genesee River

Fun fact: He has a large collection of houseplants

Jonathan Hoose (he/him)

Director of Development

Contact Jonathan

Amanda leads our farmland protection team and works with individuals interested in protecting their farmland or looking for land to farm. Contact Amanda if you are interested in protecting your farm or looking for farmland.

Favorite outdoor activity: Exploring the Finger Lakes on cross-country skis.

Fun fact: Her favorite snack is French breakfast radishes straight from the field.

Amanda Grisa (she/her)
Director of Farmland Protection

Contact Amanda

Mckenna focuses on supporting the Land Trust’s engagement programs and events. She also works to maintain and improve the processes of volunteer recruitment, training,and management.

Favorite Outdoor Activity: Hiking and canoeing

Fun Fact: She loves to take care of her plants and enjoys shopping at farmers markets and plant nurseries to add new plants to her collection.

Mckenna Erwell (she/her)

Community Engagement Coordinator

Contact Mckenna

Larissa Lalka Database and Administrative AssistantContact LarissaLarissa manages Genesee Land Trust’s database, keeping track of donations and updating membership information. Please get in touch with Larissa if you need to update your contact info…

Larissa manages Genesee Land Trust’s database, keeping track of donations and updating membership information. Please get in touch with Larissa if you need to update your contact information or have a question about your giving.

Favorite outdoor activity: Gardening and exploring parks and trails with her family

Fun fact: She always keeps spare change in her car for farm stands

Larissa Lalka (she/her)
Development Assistant

Contact Larissa

Asueiza oversees finances and accounting, works closely with the leadership team on the development of the Land Trust’s annual operating budget, and oversees facilities and organizational systems like IT.

Favorite Outdoor Activities: taking long walks and bonding with friends and family.

Fun fact: Asueiza is a trained chef and once ran a bakery.

Asueiza Warmann (she/her)

Finance and Operations Manager

Contact Asueiza

Liz manages the Executive Director’s calendar, coordinates various meetings logistics, and performs other tasks as needed.

Favorite outdoor activities: hiking, camping, biking

Fun fact: Liz recently completed cycling the full extent of the Erie Canalway Trail.

Liz DeLorenze (she/her)

Executive Assistant

Contact Liz

Isabel focuses on connecting with riverside communities and partners about urban conservation issues. Isabel is participating in the Rochester Youth Year Program as an AmeriCorps VISTA.

Favorite outdoor activity: Taking long walks along the water while drinking coffee and chatting with family and friends

Fun fact: She has a passion for gemstones and jewelry and can often be found at antique shops and secondhand stores searching for vintage treasures

Isabel Stowell (she/her)
Urban Outreach Coordinator

Contact Isabel

Marissa focuses on helping to maintain our trails and also supports the overall health of our nature preserves.

Favorite Outdoor Activity: Mountain Biking and Hiking with her dog, Phoebe.

Fun Fact: Marissa spent a semester studying climate change and biodiversity in Kenya.

Marissa Parker (she/her)
Seasonal Land Steward

Contact Marissa

Emma assists the Genesee Land Trust’s Communications Director with social media marketing and miscellaneous communications needs. Please contact Emma to share photos taken at Land Trust properties.

Favorite Outdoor Activity: Hiking and exploring new places.

Fun Fact: She loves crafting, baking, and exploring. Her newest exploration goal is to climb all 27 fire towers in the Adirondacks.

Emma Fantuzzo (she/her)

Communications Assistant

Contact Emma

For summer 2025, Liz is focused on the Thomas R. Frey Trail at El Camino and Conkey Corner Park. She’s meeting the community and improving the natural beauty and overall trail conditions. Liz also supports other groups on projects like a community garden at the Ave. D Rec Center.

Favorite outdoor activity: slow hikes to look at cool birds, plants, and mushrooms

Fun fact: Liz has worked at a small local farm for 5 years.

Liz Daugherty (she/her)

Seasonal Community Trail & Park Steward

Contact Liz

 

2023-2024 Board of Directors

Favorite outdoor activity: Gardening, hiking with her dog, scuba diving

Favorite nature preserve: Gosnell Big Woods

Neha Harshita Sood, President (she/her)
Director for Campus Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology

Favorite outdoor activity:

Favorite nature preserve:

Victor H. Sanchez, Vice President (he/him)
Associate Project Manager, University of Rochester

Favorite outdoor activity: Mountain Biking, Invasive Species Removal, Landscaping

Favorite nature preserve: Lehigh Crossing Park

Carl Simon, Treasurer (he/him)
Senior Director of Infrastructure and Sustainability, Foodlink

Favorite outdoor activity:

Favorite nature preserve:

David Ryder, Secretary (he/they)
Owner, Redmont Nursery LLC

Trish Corcoran (she/her)
Educator, The Harley School; Indigenous People’s Day Rochester

Favorite outdoor activity: running, cross-country skiing, golf

Favorite nature preserve: Corbett's Glen

Mark Cronin (he/him)
Chief Operating Officer, Accountable Health Partners

Favorite outdoor activity: agriculture

Favorite protected property: Preserved farm land

Favorite outdoor activity: hiking, downhill skiing, tennis

Favorite nature preserve: Cornwall

Linda Hellebush Riordan (she/her)
Retired, Director of Development, Young Audiences of Rochester

Mark Greene (he/him)
Farmer, Hopkins Farm

Favorite outdoor activity: Birding, Hiking, Sailing

Favorite nature preserve: Island Cottage Woods

Greg Lawrence (he/him)
Avian Biologist, Project Manager, Tetra Tech

Favorite outdoor activity: farming, hunting, snowmobiling

Favorite nature preserve: Martin Farm on Burritt Rd.

Chris Martin (he/him)
Principal, Martin Farms

Favorite outdoor activity: Hiking, Biking, Sailing, and Skiing

Favorite nature preserve: Cornwall

Carol May (she/her)
Retired Physical Education Teacher, Retired Youth Minister, Adirondack 46er, and self-proclaimed adventure seeker

Favorite outdoor activity: Walking, hiking, swimming, boating

Favorite protected space: El Camino

Miguel A. Melendez Jr. (he/him)
Chief Community Engagement Officer, Ibero-American Development Corporation; President of Rochester City Council

Favorite outdoor activity: plant identification, hiking, laying in the grass!

Favorite nature preserve: Gosnell Big Woods Preserve

Jacalyn Meyvis (she/her)
Owner, Jacalyn Meyvis Photography

Adam Montoya (he/him)
Video Producer, Hill & Valley Creative

Favorite outdoor activity:

Favorite nature preserve:

Favorite outdoor activity: Watching her grandkids play outside

Fun Fact: She enjoys crocheting

Kimm Proctor (she/her)
Regulatory Compliance Manager, ESL Federal Credit Union

Jeremy Paris (he/him)

Civil Engineer, USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service

 

Madison Quinn (she/her)
Sustainability Coordinator, Monroe County

Favorite outdoor activity: Walking any trail that includes a waterfall, reading next to a stream, and trying to stay warm at youth sporting events

Favorite nature preserve: Cornwall Preserve

Amy Reichhart (she/her)
Partner, Lippes Mathias’ Environment & Energy Practice

Favorite outdoor activity: Hiking, biking, and swimming

Favorite nature preserve: Christine Sevilla Wetlands Preserve

Deb Rosen (she/her)

President and CEO, Jewish Family Services of Rochester

Favorite outdoor activity: Photography, swimming, and beach(ing).

Favorite nature preserve: All. But if had to choose, he chooses Gosnell Big Woods.

Joshua Sankowski (he/him)
Director of Corporate Partnerships, PathStone Corporation

 

Favorite outdoor activity: birding, kayaking, and anything around water

Favorite nature preserve: Salmon Creek

Kayleigh Rae Stampfler,(she/they)
Director of Legacy Giving, Rochester Area Community Foundation

Favorite outdoor activity: Hiking, gardening, biking

Favorite nature preserve: Gosnell Big Woods

Keith Weber (he/him)
Lecturer in Management Information Systems, SUNY Brockport

Favorite outdoor activity:

Favorite nature preserve:

Peter Woods (he/him)
Retired Senior Associate General Counsel, ESL Federal Credit Union

Advisory Board

Robert Avery
Judy Bigelow
Betsy Brooks
Lee Caine
Diane Cass
Roger Cass
Kathy Cleary
Richard Dollinger
Rachel Edwards

Connie Ehindero
Tim Fitzgerald
Sandra Frankel
Jeffrey E. Hough
Jim Howe
Rick Marx
Jeff McCann
Merri-Lou McKeever
Jan Miller

Randi Minetor
Tom Riley
Lynn Slowik
James Smith
Kathy Spencer
Bill Steimer
Tom Tette
Andy Wheatcraft
Suzanne Wheatcraft