Board Of Trustees

Judy Terlizzi

PCLT President

Judy Terlizzi has been a member of the Putnam County Land Trust 21 years and board member 18 years serving in many different capacities including Preserve and Head Steward, Volunteer Co-coordinator, Public Relations and Fund Development. These various tasks provided a sound education in helping this all-volunteer land trust move forward. She has led the organization through a Strategic Plan and two LTA Organizational Assessments which have set the ground work for an LTA Accreditation application. Judy is an enthusiastic day hiker and has hiked most of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut and New York. She is an avid gardener and has Certificates in Landscape Design and Gardening with a focus on Native Plants. Judy has been a Lake Carmel (Kent) resident for 22 years.

Steven Saidenberg

Steven Saidenberg Is a former Technology Executive who turned to teaching Mathematics and Special Education in the NYC school system. Twenty-three years ago, he purchased a house on Barrett Pond. He has been on a quest to become a good steward of his land by removing invasive species including invasive barberry and Asian bittersweet and planting a wide variety of natives and creating a pollinator garden. Along the way he has become fascinated with the health of our lakes, the forest and the watershed. In Putnam, the triple threat of invasive plants & diseases, warmer temperatures and stronger storms is increasingly stressing our environment. He believes that one of the best ways to mitigate these threats is through preserving land and taking active steps to keep the forests
healthy, He is looking to deepen his connection to and take an increasingly active role in local environmental issues. For him, this connects 3 parts of his life: teaching, land-ownership and community activism.

Jenny Hinsman

Recording Secretary

Jenny Hinsman grew up in Pittsburgh PA and moved to Patterson, NY in 2001.  She is an avid organic gardener and is the Chief Operating Officer for My Garden System, Inc.  She and her family live close to the Ice Pond and enjoy all aspects of the outdoors, including hiking, skiing, snow shoeing and kayaking.  Jenny has been involved in many non-profit organizations including the Brewster Girl Scouts, Dress for Success, The Brewster Rotary and The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.  She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University (Ohio) and an MBA in Finance and International Business from NYU, and many years of corporate experience in Finance, Strategy and Operations.  She joined the Putnam County Land Trust in 2013 to help preserve the watershed and natural habitats of Putnam County.

William G (Bill) Roll

William G (Bill) Roll joined the board of the Putnam County Land Trust in 2015 and has been a trail steward since 2014. Originally from North Carolina, he has been a resident of Putnam County for over 14 year and has lived in the greater New York metro area for over 30 years. An avid outdoors person, Bill enjoys hiking, trail jogging, kayaking, camping, backpacking, cross country skiing, and snow shoeing in Putnam County, the Catskills and Adirondacks. He received a BA in economics from Denison University and attended Oxford University receiving a Graduate Diploma in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Professionally, Bill is co-founder and President of 401K Retirement Partners, LLC – providing 401K plans to companies with headquarters in the tri-state area – and is a FINRA and SEC registered financial and investment advisory representative. In addition to volunteering his abilities and time to the PCLT, Bill assists with leadership of the Brewster Boy Scout, Troop 1 and is a volunteer soccer goalie coach for Putnam County high school teams. Bill lives in Patterson, NY with his wife, Jenny Hinsman, also a PCLT board member, and two kids.

Nelson M. Frias

A native of New York City’s Upper West Side, Nelson lived in Carmel’s Kent Cliffs area for over 10 years before moving to the Bronx, where he and his wife met and started their family. Inspired by the open space, clean air, and natural surroundings of Putnam County, they decided to return. After relocating back to Putnam County, he sought to deepen his involvement in land and public space protection. Drawn by the county’s expansive landscapes and abundant resources, he is dedicated to preserving these pristine environments for future generations.

For over 15 years, he and his family have supported conservation efforts through active membership at the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden, and the New York Aquarium.

With over 20 years of experience in financial services and as a graduate of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, he is honored to serve on the Putnam County Land Trust Board. His commitment to preserving the county’s natural beauty is reflected in his and his family’s active involvement in promoting sustainable practices and fostering community engagement for a healthier future.

The Land Trust’s mission to conserve forests, wetlands, wildlife habitats, and water resources aligns closely with his values. He is particularly inspired by the organization’s vision to protect clean air and drinking water and to provide opportunities for residents to connect with nature. His dedication to nature is further demonstrated by his passion for plants and hobbies such as bonsai cultivation.

Nelson remains committed to advancing these goals and contributing to the stewardship of Putnam County’s natural resources.

Jason Hopper

Jason Hopper, MBA, is a distinguished Senior Project Manager celebrated for his unparalleled expertise in financial analytics and management. With a remarkable history of orchestrating complex projects that consistently exceed expectations, Jason is a master at leading cross-functional teams, streamlining processes, and achieving stakeholder satisfaction. His exceptional strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities have driven the success of multi-million-dollar projects, particularly within the utility sector. Jason’s academic achievements are equally impressive, holding an MBA in Managerial Analytics from Mercy College, where he graduated with high honors, reflecting his intellectual rigor and dedication. Known for his visionary approach and commitment to sustainability, Jason brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for environmental stewardship to his role as a trustee of the Putnam County Land Trust. His innovative mindset and unwavering dedication position him as an invaluable asset, poised to make a significant impact on the future of land conservation.

Kathy Kahng

Kathy Kahng has been a part time resident of Kent for the past 15 years. She is a homeowner
in the Hill & Dale Country Club, a private lake community surrounding Palmer Lake. She has
been Lake Chair on the homeowner’s association for the past 7 years. She is serving as Chair
of the Town of Kent Storm water committee since 2016. Kathy is principal at CityRax, Inc. a
public space management consulting firm based in New York City. CityRax works with various
cities, municipalities, transit agencies and local business improvement districts on innovative
street furniture programs in the public space. She holds a BS for Cornell University’s School of
Industrial and Labor Relations

Patricia Kravit

Patty is a retired psychologist with a deep interest in land, water, and wildlife preservation.  She is a former vice president and current trustee of the North Salem Historical Society.  Patty has generously volunteered her time to the Putnam County Land Trust as well as other organizations such as the Westchester County Land Trust, North Salem Open Land Foundation, Riverkeeper, Herb Society of America, and United Plant Savers.  She enjoys hiking, gardening, swimming, and travel.  Patty is fluent in both English and Spanish and is eager to devote her time to the preservation of our natural resources.

Betsey Ryder

Elizabeth Ryder, Betsey, as she is known to most, moved to Brewster in
1978 to join the rebirth of agricultural activities on her family’s 1795
homestead.Growing up, she witnessed the ever-increasing concentration of
suburban sprawl in her Long Island home and was determined to preserve the
piece of Putnam County paradise that had been farmed by her family.
Dedicated to Ryder Farm’s stewardship and ‘working landscape’ since her
arrival, Betsey recently retired from growing Certified Organic
vegetables, herbs and flowers — for sale locally and at the NYC
Greenmarket – gratefully transitioning operations to the next generation .
Over the years, Betsey has participated in many local callings – working
as an ER nurse and nursing union participant at Danbury hospital for more
than 40 years as well as serving on the boards of the Southeast Museum,
Putnam County Agricultural Protection Board, Tilly Foster Farm Advisory
Board, East of Hudson Watershed Agricultural Council, Town of Southeast
Historic Sites Commission and Ryder Farm, Inc.In 2014, Betsey received a
NYS 40th Senate District ‘Woman of Distinction’ Recognition.In 2012, she
received Congressional Recognition with the receipt of the celebrated Blue
Heron Award from the Putnam County Land Trust. A graduate of Northeast
University in Boston, Betsey lives on Ryder Farm with her husband John.
As part of her lifelong interests and in the spirit of friend and mentor
Dorrie O’Brien, whose Chickadee Haven is the home of PCLT, Betsey finds a
special and highly personal joy in serving the Putnam County Land Trust:
Save Open Spaces, Inc.

Paul Waclawski

Paul Waclawski is a native New Yorker who has resided in Putnam county for 22 years. He is a retired pharmaceutical executive with graduate degrees in psychology and applied research. From an early age, Paul enjoyed the outdoors. Earning the Eagle Scout rank reinforced that love and developed a commitment to serve his community by providing opportunities for others to encounter nature. As a Boy Scout leader in Brewster Troop 1, he supported the Scouting mission and as a member of the New York New Jersey Trail Conference, spent significant time building hiking trails in the lower Hudson Valley and in trail maintenance. He also participates in Knights of Columbus. Paul’s hobbies include collecting minerals, wood working, hiking, and gardening. He lives in Brewster with his accomplished wife and three sons.

Jason Klein

Jason E. Klein lives in Kent and is founder and CEO of On Grid Ventures LLC, an early stage investment and advisory firm. He is also Chairman of the non-profit Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of Greater New York. Jason’s past roles include President/CEO of Times Mirror Magazines, the leading publisher of outdoor magazines with 25 titles including Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Golf, Ski Magazine, Salt Water Sportsman, Yachting, and Transworld Snowboarding. This role provided Jason with many opportunities to experience the outdoors and appreciate the importance of public land throughout North America. Jason was also President/CEO of the Newspaper National Network. Jason has served as a board member of several non-profits, including the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. Jason was a Trustee of the New York City Police Foundation for 18 years, a past editorial board Chair of the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, and board member of the Magazine Publishers Association. He began his career with as a consultant with McKinsey & Co. Jason has an MBA from Harvard Business School and an AB from Dartmouth College in Computer Science.

Maxine Reddy

Sandra Bandehas

Growing up in Northern California, my love for the outdoors started when I was very young.  Yosemite, Muir Woods, Sequoia National, Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada’s were places we visited frequently.   When my husband and I moved to Putnam County, New York, I learned new ways to experience nature – kayaking/swimming in White Pond or the Hudson River – Hiking/running in Westchester or Rockland County Parks.  Having grown up in the cities, I know how we all take fresh air for granted and I also know how taking a hike in nature can improve one’s spirits.  It’s important to fight for our open spaces, in order to provide fresh air, clean water and outdoor opportunities for generations to come.  Preserving our open spaces provides our families, friends, and neighbors with outdoor experiences we all need for mental health and improved quality of life.  I look forward to working with PCLT to ensure these natural resources remain for generations to come and hope to encourage friends and neighbors to come take part in preservation activities.

Michael Gold

Kevin Nigey

Kevin is a Geologist by hobby understanding earth’s history through a geologic record that dates back millions to billions of years (rather than a couple of centuries to a couple of thousand years). Global warming has occurred thousands of times in our history and well before we ever existed in true geologic records (through natural processes and is cyclical). An Adventurer in mind, body, and spirit. He is a Bio Mimicry student- learning why and how things work from our natural environment. How extremophiles work and survive the harshest of environments and why and how certain species never get diseases or cancers. Kevin believes in preserving and protecting what we have while doing our best to leave only footprints (without destroying the planet or its inhabitants for future generations

Kevin holds a Masters Degree in Teaching Science and a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Science/ Biology, and has a Captains License. Kevin is an FDNY LT and over 30 years of Volunteer Experience. He is also a Divemaster (1994 to Present Shark Diver, Rescue Diver, Wreck, Advanced, Black Water, Ice Rescue, Swift Water), certified EMT.

Ernie Palmieri

Amy Razukiewicz

Amy lives in Mahopac and is a safety professional with over 17 years of experience in occupational and environmental regulations, as well as risk management in research laboratories.  She has an undergraduate degree in chemistry and a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in environmental health and toxicology. She is certified in public health through the National Board of Public Health Examiners and a Registered Biosafety Professional. Currently, she serves on the board of the New England Biosafety Association.  Beyond her professional background, she has been a lifelong admirer of nature, having spent much of her childhood outdoors while growing up in Rhode Island. She enjoys hiking, camping, and gardening, with her family.  She particularly loves taking her family hiking to encourage exercise and reduce screen time. She is deeply committed to the preservation of nature and the maintenance of open spaces for future generations.

Rachael Sherman, MBA, MA

Phil Tolmach

Phil has been a professional horticulturist, landscaper, and certified Arborist for the past 50 years. He has managed the Native Plant Nursery in Pawling, and Young’s Nursery in New Canaan. Phil spent his summers growing up in Putnam Valley and has lived in the Town of Kent for the past 37 years, during which time he served on the CAC for 20 years, on the Planning Board for 20 years, including 5 years as Chairman, and he served on the Putnam Tourism Board for about a year.