Annette has always enjoyed being around water. She grew up in southern Connecticut with a stream running through her backyard, where she spent many hours exploring and learning about the beauty and diversity of nature. She was hooked. In Connecticut’s coastal town of New London, she attended Connecticut College to earn a degree in developing economics but also studied with William Niering, a well-known botanist and wetland ecologist. Fortunate to have such an inspirational mentor, Annette recognized she would ultimately be led to work in the environmental field. After spending some time to work with youth at an apple orchard, and in campaigns to end world hunger, she entered the Yale School of Forestry to earn a degree in Environmental Studies. Read More
The next stop along her watery path was the coast of Maine where she took a summer position at the Island Institute preparing natural resource inventories for island owners, which also included herding flocks of sheep, developing trails and managing timber harvests. Annette eventually led their Science and Stewardship Program for the next 12 years, spending much of her time out on the water, working with island communities and landowners to manage their natural resources. In 2001, the Georges River Land Trust created its first program position in land protection. For six years Annette managed the land conservation projects as well as the stewardship efforts of this growing organization. On a part-time basis she also worked as an organic gardener. She now works full time as the Director of Conservation. Annette loves to swim, hike, ski and generally be outdoors. She lives in Rockland and enjoys tending her own vegetable and perennial gardens.
