Staff Roles & Bios

Center staff collaborate with people across the region to achieve a thriving and welcoming Northern Forest sustained by innovation and environmental stewardship.

We bring new ideas, program delivery, collaborative leadership, public and private investment, and public policy expertise to the task of renewing the pride, purpose and vitality of communities across the 30-million-acre Northern Forest.

Collectively our staff have decades of experience in regional strategy development, economic development, forestry, communications, conservation and organizing to their work. Please reach out if you see an opportunity to collaborate on our shared goals.

Maura Adams

Director of Community Investment

Emilie Allen

Director of Communications

Kendra Collins

Director of Forest Programs

Jessica Ellis-Hopkins

Finance Coordinator

Joe Fox

Outdoor Recreation Manager

Kendall Gray

Program Manager

Erin Hanczyk

Adirondack Program Manager

Rebecca Hession

Donor and Investor Relations Officer

Leslie Karasin

Adirondack Program Director

Suzanne Martin

Bookkeeper

Gwen Matson

Communications Coordinator

Mike Morin

Vermont/New Hampshire Program Director

Rachel Plescha

Development Coordinator

Rob Riley

President, Canterbury, NH

Amy Robinson

Business Innovation Advisor

Isabella Ronson-Amrein

Program Manager

Sarah Schmidt

Grants & Development Manager

Amy Scott

Program Director

Kristen Sharpless

Director of Development

Joe Short

Vice President

Tori Valentine

Director of Operations and Human Resources

Laurel Will

Vice President of Finance

Mike Wilson

Senior Program Director