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.

Meet our Executive Director - Lorna Wright
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…

In his role as Senior Director of Conservation, Kevin ensures the Land Trust’s land protection and stewardship teams are supported and able to deliver on the organization’s mission to protect land, water, and create connections in nature.

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)
Sr. Director of Programs & Community Engagement

Contact Helen

In her role as Senior Director of Operations, Ambre oversees Finance, HR, Communications, and Development.  She spends her time working behind the scenes ensuring Genesee Land Trust’s operations are running smoothly.

Fun Fact: Ambre recently adopted a puppy that keeps her busy exploring new trails 

Favorite Outdoor Activity: Boating on the Finger Lakes

Ambre Youngs (she/her) Senior Director of Operations

Contact Ambre

Kira Sandoval (she/her)
Communications Manager

Contact Kira

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

Favorite outdoor activity: Walks at Mt. Hope Cemetery, gardening, and hiking.

Fun fact: Kira wrote the English version of the Spanish artist Pedro Berruguete’s Wikipedia page.

Kira Sandoval (she/her)
Communications Manager

Contact Kira

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

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.

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

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)
Director of Land Stewardship

Contact Will

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

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 DeLorenze (she/her)
Executive Assistant

Contact Liz

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

Madison manages all farmland protection projects & grants, and leads efforts to preserve agricultural lands through project management, stakeholder engagement, and policy advocacy.

Favorite Outdoor Activity: Hiking & Camping
Fun Fact: Madison is trying to collect as many hobbies as possible – rock climbing, scrapbooking, baking, pottery…

Madison Perry (she/her)
Farmland Protections Manager

Contact Madison

Liz Daugherty (she/her)
Seasonal Community Trail & Park Steward

Contact Liz

Rishi leads financial analysis and reporting efforts at Genesee Land Trust, with a focus on improving systems, strengthening controls, and supporting organizational planning. His work helps ensure financial clarity and sustainability as the Land Trust advances its conservation goals.

Favorite Outdoor Activity: Soccer & Hiking

Fun Fact: When not cooking for friends and family, Rishi can be found learning how to DJ.

Rishi Nair Finance Manager

Contact Rishi

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


 

2025-2026 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 of Sustainability, Bryn Mawr College

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: agriculture

Favorite protected property: Preserved farm land

Mark Greene (he/him)
Farmer, Hopkins Farm

Favorite outdoor activity: hiking, downhill skiing, tennis

Favorite nature preserve: Cornwall

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

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: Walking, hiking, swimming, boating

Favorite protected space: El Camino

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

Favorite outdoor activity:

Favorite nature preserve:

Peter Woods (he/him)

Retired Senior Associate General Counsel, ESL Federal Credit Union

Adam Montoya (he/him)

Video Producer, Hill & Valley Creative

Favorite outdoor activity:

Favorite nature preserve:

Jeremy Paris (he/him)

Senior Conservation District Technician, Ontario County Soil & Water Conservation District

Favorite outdoor activity: Watching her grandkids play outside

Fun Fact: She enjoys crocheting

Kimm Proctor (she/her)

Retired

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)

Senior Housing Development Collaborator, PathStone Corporation

Favorite outdoor activity: Hiking, gardening, biking

Favorite nature preserve: Gosnell Big Woods

Keith Weber (he/him)

Lecturer in Management Information Systems, SUNY Brockport

Cassie Rich (she/her)

Real Estate Attorney, Barclay Damon LLP

Ralph Black (he/him)

Writer, Retired Professor

Patricia Marcaida (she/her)

Director, Rochester Procurement Expansion Program at the Rochester Area Community Foundation

Kate McCurdy (she/her)

Attorney and Counselor, Trusts & Estates and Elder Law

 
 

Advisory Board

Robert Avery
Judy Bigelow
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