The Board of Directors consists of 15 voting members, and is responsible for the general management of and authority over the property, business, and affairs of the NorthWoods Stewardship Center. 

Board members are nominated from surrounding communities and are eligible to serve two consecutive three-year terms.  Once a Board member has served two consecutive three-year terms, s/he must leave the Board for a minimum of one year before being eligible for re-nomination to return to serve another two consecutive three-year terms.

Members of the Board receive no compensation for their participation on the Board of Directors, and we thank them for their dedication to serving and advancing the NorthWoods mission.

Nancy Engels has been involved in communications—graphic arts production & design, writing, editing, photography, publishing and publications since grade school. Most of her undergraduate work was at Antioch College, with post grad work in Boston in bookmaking, public relations and accounting.

Before retirement Nancy had served as Director of Curriculum Production and Promotion at the Unitarian Universalist Association in Boston; Publications Coordinator for Public Information and Government Education in the Office of the Massachusetts Secretary of State, where she also helped write the grant and became Materials Developer for its National-Endowment-for-the-Humanities-funded Architectural Heritage Education program. Most recently she retired from managing the day-to-day operations of the Church of the Larger Fellowship, Unitarian Universalist, in Boston—a church-by-mail and -internet for non-churched UUs all around the world.

Nancy & her husband Peter live in an 1860s era farm house on Echo Lake in East Charleston where they garden, chop wood, volunteer in the community and entertain family and many visitors.

........................................................................................................................

In retirement, he actively manages his Tree Farm.  Besides cutting twelve cords of firewood a year to heat his home, he thins his pine plantation, sawing the logs into lumber with his home-made band sawmill. 

Allen is on the advisory committee of the American Precision Museum, in Windsor, Vermont, and president of the Derby (Vermont) Historical Society.  For twenty-two years he has been an active member of Vermont Coverts: Woodlands for Wildlife.  He is also active with a small carving club that specializes in wildlife carving.

Mr. Berryman is a Professor of Meteorology at Lyndon State College in Lyndonville, VT.  He obtained B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. Degrees in Atmospheric Sciences, at the University of Wisconsin.  He has numerous grants, publications, and presentations in the general area of applied climatology, particularly in diagnostic work on local climates, including micro-climates.

He and Charles McGill at the National Weather Service station in Burlington VT are currently working on a study of the growth of the urban heat island in that city. Prof. Berryman also has a strong interest in meteorological education. He has written lab manuals, produced educational videos, and been a part of the American Meteorological Society's DataStreme and PAGE projects.

Lisa-Erwin Davidson (Newport, VT)

Lisa-Erwin Davidson grew up in Derby, VT, where she attended North Country Union High School.  She graduated from Syracuse University in 1985 with a B.S. Degree in Communication Disorders and from Penn State University in 1987 with an M.S. Degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

Lisa grew up in a family with a deep sense of responsibility toward community, and helping those who were less fortunate in life.  After leaving the state to pursue an education, and work within her field of study, she came back with her own family to become the first speech-language pathologist hired at North Country Hospital. Her goal was to create a top-notch program within the hospital as well as develop a department capable of providing specialized services to match community needs. After nine years of hard work and forming relationships with area agencies, she now has four other speech language pathologists who cover Home Health, area Nursing Homes, and local schools. This is in addition to providing medically-based outpatient and inpatient services within the hospital.

Lisa has not only been a leader in her field for over twenty years, but volunteered on both national and local boards and committees active in environmental issues, business leadership and entrepreneurial opportunities. “Creativity and building vision has always been my strength. I enjoy working with people who can share in that vision, but understand that it takes people of many abilities working together to get things done. It takes leadership and energy to pursue your dreams and meet the goals you’ve set.”

She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of New Hampshire. Both degrees are in wildlife management and conservation.

Dr. Kilpatrick earned a B.S. and M.S. in Biology from Midwestern State University and a Ph.D. in Biology from North Texas State University. He joined the faculty of St. Lawrence University for a year before taking a position at the University of Vermont in 1974. Currently Dr. Kilpatrick holds the Howard Professorship of Zoology and Natural History in the Department of Biology at UVM and has over the past 35 years authored over 60 scientific papers or book chapters. He currently teaches mammalogy, courses in molecular ecology and molecular systematics and coordinates the forensic concentration at UVM.

Dr. Kilpatrick is a member of a number of professional organizations and chairs the Grants-in-Aid Committee for the American Society of Mammalogy. He also is the chair of the Mammal Scientific Advisory Group for the Vermont Endangered Species Committee and sits on the Reptile and Amphibian Scientific Advisory Group. He has served on the Board of Directors for the North American Symposium on Bat Research, is a member of the Fragile Areas Advisory Committee and the mammal team for development of a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy for Vermont and the U.S. Forest Service Panel on Endangered and Threatened Mammal Species Viability for the Northeastern Region.

Dr. Kilpatrick is the sole proprietor of Northeastern Wildlife Genetics, Inc. and has testified as an expert witness in both DNA forensics and Wildlife Biology before the Public Service Board and in State Criminal Courts. Dr. Kilpatrick and his wife, Margaret, reside in Fairfax, Vermont.

Anthony says, “I believe as stewards of this fair Earth and providers for the coming generations, we need to be knowledgeable in the natural sciences and versed in the practical means of living as closely and simply as possible to the Earth.

"Though I enjoy working my land, woodcrafts in the off-season, and maintaining temperature and precipitation records since 1968, my true passion is the lay of the land, the cycles of the seasons and unraveling a few of nature’s secrets, if possible. Above all, I am a teacher, and always will be, and I hold a belief that all knowledge should be freely taught and exchanged.

"I still talk to groups and organizations on my specialties of climate change and as of late, personality typing, which I have found to be a powerful tool in understanding human motivation and mitigating these behaviors and beliefs toward a common goal of mutual respect and purpose.”

Eleanor Leger has over twenty years of experience as a management consultant and senior executive in the financial services and software industries. In 2007, she left her role as head of customer experience for the Quickbooks division of Intuit to found Eden Ice Cider Company with her husband Albert, who is a Chemistry teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH. 

The Legers purchased an abandoned dairy farm in Charleston, Vermont, and have planted a new orchard of heirloom, cider and traditional dessert apples.  Their first and second vintages of Eden Vermont Ice Cider have won gold medals at The Big E Wine Competition, and the Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition, respectively.

Eleanor was at the forefront of internet developments in the insurance industry as Corporate VP of Strategy for Alexander & Alexander Services, as VP/GM of CNA's Legal Professional Liability programs where she built the world's first website for commercial insurance, and later as Chief Product Officer of EmployeeMatters (acquired by Intuit in 2000). Prior to her industry experience Eleanor was a consultant with Bain & Company and a Principal with Mercer Management Consulting.

She holds a BA cum laude in Economics from Harvard and an MBA with distinction from the Wharton School.

Eleanor & Albert enjoy hiking, cross-country skiing, opera, and VPR.  They have 2 children: Caroline, 21, who is in her second year at Trinity College Dublin where she studies nothing but English Literature and is a leading actress; and Tom, 19, who is a freshman at Cornell where he is pre-med, a distance runner, and a member of the Emergency Medical Service.

Dr. Benjamin P. Luce is a physicist and assistant professor of physics at Lyndon State College, where he teaches physics and sustainability. Dr. Luce received his B.S. in physics from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 1989, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in physics from Clarkson University in 1991 and 1993, respectively.

In 1993 Dr. Luce began a three-year postdoctoral appointment at the Center for Nonlinear Studies at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he pursued further research in nonlinear waves, with applications to fiber optics, ocean circulation, bioremediation, and microwave heating. He became a technical staff member of LANL in 1994, and remained with LANL until 2006. In 1997 Dr. Luce became interested in climate change and energy technology research, and gradually became involved with energy R&D at LANL. He served as Renewable Energy Program Manager for LANL from 2002-2004, where he assisted program development efforts around advanced photovoltaic materials and LANL’s overall energy research plan.

Outside of LANL, Dr. Luce served as president of the New Mexico Solar Energy Association from 1999-2004, receiving an Outstanding Contributions Award in 2001. He continued to serve as vice-president for NMSEA from 2004-2006. During this time Dr. Luce acquired extensive experience in the design, installation, and operation of photovoltaic and solar thermal systems. He participated directly in installations, and experimented with charging electric vehicles with solar power. He created extensive educational materials and curricula for the NMSEA, made presentations at over 60 schools, and gave hundreds of public presentations throughout New Mexico. 

Since arriving at Lyndon State College, Dr. Luce has begun pursuing research into the integration of energy storage with solar energy systems, other design aspects of renewable energy systems, and alternative fuel synthesis. He is also engaged in the development of web-interactive database software, with the goal of creating web-interactive energy system simulations for use by decision makers and the public.

A documentary photographer and writer, Mr. Miller has taught documentary photography at the University of Vermont and is an Associate Professor of Photography as well as Acting Chair in the Department of Fine Arts at Johnson State College.

He has been the recipient of commissions and grants for his personal photo-essays and oral history research from the Museum of Our National Heritage in Lexington, MA, the Vermont Folklife Center, the Vermont Community Foundation, the Vermont Council on the Arts and the Vermont Historical Society. He is also the author of two books.

Mr. Miller received his B.A. from the University of Vermont and M.F.A. from the State University of New York in Buffalo, NY. He lives in Coventry, Vermont.

Ms Spitzer is a supporter of the Altai Conservancy (a Vermont/Siberia environmental organization), as well as a sometime quilter, singer, artist, interior designer, writer, and student of tracker John Brown, Jr.

She feels that anything she may accomplish is irrelevant compared to what simply being out under sky, among hills, trees, rocks and waters has taught her. She believes that (in her own words), “Like the ancient mythical figure Antaeus, we disconnect from Earth at our peril.”

An ardent conservationist, Ms. Spitzer in 2007 donated the development rights of her 1,350 acre property in northeastern Vermont to the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) – the largest private donation of this type in the VLT’s history.  The following year Spitzer donated most of this acreage outright to the NorthWoods Stewardship Center. 

Beth Torpey (Morgan, VT)

Ms. Torpey received her B.S. in Biology at St. Bonaventure University (NY) in 1982 and completed additional graduate studies in Environmental Science at Rutgers State University of New Jersey (1986-88). 

Since that time she has served a number of professional roles in energy and environmental fields, including as an Environmental Educator, Environmental Scientist, Community Relations Coordinator, Environmental Compliance Coordinator, in Senior Management at Citizens Utilities/ Vermont Electric Cooperative, and as an Environmental Studies Instructor at the Community College of Vermont.

Her volunteer work has included acting as President of the Lake Seymour Association, and on the Montgomery NJ Township Environmental Commission. 

...........................................................................................................................

Dan has worked for VOSHA for more than 12 years, serving nearly 10 years as a compliance officer, accident/fatality investigator, discrimination investigator and presently as Compliance Assistance Specialist (CAS)/Green Mountain Voluntary Protection Programs (GMVPP) Coordinator.

Prior to his employment at the State of Vermont, Dan graduated with an Associate of Applied Science from New Hampshire VOCTEC College in Berlin. He than spent ten years in the machine tool industry holding a number of different machining and supervisory positions. Dan is a 15 year member of the Charleston Volunteer Fire Department, where he holds the rank of Second Assistant Chief.

Dan has two grown sons who went through the Kingdom Corps program at the Northwoods Stewardship Center and are now holding environmentally-related jobs.

As a professor he taught courses in Mammalogy, Comparative Biology of Birds and Mammals, Ecology, Conservation Biology, Evolution and Comparative Anatomy. 

His field work in the West Indies culminated in designing and establishing 2 National Parks in Haiti, as well as publishing 3 books on the Antilles (Biogeography of the West Indies: Past, Present and Future (1989), The Biogeography of the West Indies: Patterns and Perspectives (2001), and Mammals of the West Indies (2010).  He has also worked in Pakistan and India over a period of 10 years and eighteen expeditions, partnering with the Pakistan Museum of Natural History in Islamabad, and the Zoological Survey Department in Karachi.  He is a co-author of the book Biodiversity of Pakistan (1997). 

In addition to caring for the cows, donkeys, chickens, mountain dogs, and assorted chickens on the farm, and haying in the summer months, Charles has been closely associated with the NorthWoods Stewardship Center.  He has been on the Board since 2002, serving as Chair in 2008.  Over the years he has filled in as Acting Executive Director on two different occasions.  Both Charles and Missy are committed to NorthWoods. 

In addition to his commitment to NorthWoods and to Bear Mountain Farm, Charles continues his academic ties via an Adjunct Professor appointment in Biology at UVM, as well as being a Professor Emeritus of Biology at the University of Florida and Curator Emeritus of Mammalogy at the Florida Museum of Natural History