Our Team
Emma Balazs, Lands & Stewardship Director (she/hers)
emma@hhltmaine.org | 207-721-1121 (o) | 207-200-4621 (c)
Emma Balazs has worked in nonprofit leadership and environmental education since 2010 and has traveled throughout the state of Maine to connect with diverse audiences about the importance of caring for the natural world. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Colby College and feels most fulfilled when collaborating with colleagues and the community to further an environmental mission. Emma joined HHLT in 2024 and is thrilled to engage in conservation work with a lasting impact.
Originally from Western Massachusetts, Emma lives in Brunswick with her partner and their dog. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, canoeing and gardening.
Amelia Graham, Development & Communications Director (she/hers)
amelia@hhltmaine.org | 207-721-1121 (o) | 207-200-4724 (c)
Amelia grew up in coastal Connecticut and quickly developed a love of the shoreline and its creatures. After getting her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Gettysburg College, she moved back to Connecticut before visiting and falling in love with Maine. She worked as a teacher naturalist and a development assistant before moving to Maine and joining the team at HHLT in 2021.
Amelia is passionate about protecting shoreline habitat and educating our youngest generations about their role in caring for our planet. When she’s not in the office, Amelia can be found birdwatching or hiking and visiting craft breweries with her husband.
Lindy Magness, Outreach & Education Director (she/hers)
lindy@hhltmaine.org | 207-721-1121 (o) | 207-607-2905 (c)
Lindy Magness cares about helping people connect—to themselves, to each other, and to the natural world around them. This passion led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree focused in education from Wheaton College in Illinois and then an interdisciplinary master’s degree focused in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University in 2021. She has led backpacking trips in British Columbia, grown food and community in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and led groups on the waters of Casco Bay. She has worked in outdoor and community education since 2014.
Lindy moved to Maine in 2022 and is consistently inspired by the beauty and resilience of the landscape and the people who frequent it. She joined HHLT in 2024 and is excited to be at an organization that works to preserve this exceptional place. When she’s not working, Lindy enjoys running, swimming, and spending time with her dog.
Katie Neal, Operations Director (she/hers)
info@hhltmaine.org | 207-721-1121 (o) | 207-200-4172 (c)
Originally from Arlington, Katie and her family spent 10 years in Colorado before moving to Harpswell, where generations of her family lived on Clark Cove. Katie has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Clemson University and a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Regis University, and has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2003. She served as the Director of Programs & Evaluation for an education-focused organization before joining our team in 2019.
Katie is passionate about working at an organization that preserves and protects the natural resources of her community. Katie lives in Harpswell with her husband and their three children, and she enjoys spending time outside hiking, gardening, skiing, and getting out on the waters of Casco Bay.
Our Board of Trustees
Tim McCreight, President
Tim McCreight is a designer, metalsmith, teacher and author. He received a B.A. from The College of Wooster and an MFA from Bowling Green State University. He taught full-time for 25 years, first in Massachusetts and then at the Maine College of Art, which brought him to Maine in 1988. Tim has written two dozen books and taught hundreds of workshops throughout the US and in Canada, Japan, Mexico and the UK. He has served on several boards including the Society of North American Goldsmiths and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. He runs a publishing company called Brynmorgen Press. He is co-founder of a nonprofit organization called the Tool box Initiative that collects donated tools that are given to jewelers in West Africa. The program has evolved to also help the families of jewelers by providing a free education to their children. Tim and his wife, Jay have two children and four adult grandchildren.
Rachel Beane, Vice President
Rachel Beane is a geologist who interprets processes that have shaped our Earth. For over 25 years, she has taught and mentored Bowdoin College undergraduate students. She also has conducted mineral, volcanic, and tectonic research in New Zealand, Russia, Kazakhstan, Greece, the western U.S., and Maine. She has been honored as a fellow of the Geological Society of America and received both the Bowdoin College and the National Association of Geoscience Teachers teaching awards. Currently, as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Bowdoin, Prof. Beane helps recruit faculty and directs the academic advising program. Previously, she led national professional development workshops through the National Association of Geoscience Teachers and On the Cutting Edge. She received her B.A. from Williams College and her Ph.D. from Stanford University. She and her husband, Eric, live on Great Island in Harpswell. They and their children enjoy paddling, hiking, and meeting people in the area.
Judy Wallingford, Secretary
Judy Wallingford was born and raised in Maine, and graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine with majors in mathematics and geology. She spent the majority of her career at Maine Water Company, a public water utility, ultimately serving as president for 24 years until her retirement in 2017. While at Maine Water Company, working with land trusts and other groups to preserve important watersheds of drinking water resources, she appreciated the importance of these organizations for the conservation of both ecological and community values. Passionate about her home state, its natural beauty, and the importance of public access, Judy also serves on the boards of Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Coastal Mountains Land Trust, in addition to HHLT. Judy and her significant other, Peter Brann, live on Great Island with four adult children between them. She enjoys tennis, gardening, kayaking, going up to camp, and spending time with her granddaughter and grand dogs.
Ed Robinson, Treasurer
Ed Robinson grew up in a small farming community near the beautiful Finger Lakes of New York State. With degrees in management and marketing, Ed spent his career working in the fields of photography, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and aquaculture. His assignments included stints in Mexico, Australia, Singapore and 14 years in England. In 2004, Ed realized a dream by acquiring an old farm in central New York where he could pursue his interests in wildlife habitat management. He now spends many weeks each year in the woods and fields, planting trees, shrubs and food plots, while creating forest openings and water features to increase the carrying capacity of the land for wildlife. Ed and his wife, Mary, live on Orr’s Island in Harpswell enjoying the friendly people and beautiful places in the state, and activities such as lobstering, hiking, fly fishing and hunting. In his spare time, Ed is a board member of Maine Operation Game Thief, writes for the Harpswell Anchor and is working on a third book in the popular Nature Notes series.
Cristine Bachor
Wendy Batson
Wendy Batson currently serves on Harpswell’s Conservation Commission and chairs the HHLT Program Committee. Until 2011, she served as Director of Handicap International’s US office, supporting people in disabling situations in 60 post-conflict and low-income countries. She and her family spent eleven years overseas: she worked as a consultant based in Islamabad, Pakistan for United Nations Development Programme and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on development issues affecting the return of Afghan refugees. With husband Bob Eaton, she served as co-director of Quaker Service Laos and Vietnam from 1981-84. Earlier in her career, she spent four years working for the United Farm Workers in California and for Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington, DC. The only thing she likes more than being on the water is being in her garden.
John Boomer
John Boomer grew up in the Big Apple, which might not be the ideal launch pad for a life-long conservationist but he had a lucky break in his youth. His parents packed him off to summer camps in the Adirondack Mountains, 5.5 million acres of free-flowing rivers, diverse wildlife, and big skies over tall mountains. When it was time for college, John chose the Green Mountain state, attending Goddard College in northern Vermont to earn his teaching certification. The die was cast, and John soon found himself in Maine working in alternative education. His passion for conservation led to John to help organize the Maine chapter of the Sierra Club. With that foundation, John moved on to the board of directors for the Natural Resources Council of Maine and later was a founding member of the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust. By 1999 John settled in Harpswell and for has been a stalwart supporter of HHLT, now serving in his fourth term as trustee where he is a long-time member of the Development and Building & Grounds committees. His commitment to community engagement brought John to a leadership role in the transformational HHLT Community Viewpoints survey and more recently John championed a community survey that formed the basis for relaunching the Harpswell Anchor newspaper.
Steve Caulfield
Steve Caulfield and his wife and Joanne moved to Harpswell (Orr’s Island) from Boston in 2008. They are both retired, Joanne from a career in teaching math from middle school to high school, and Steve from a career in health care, from administration to consulting. Since moving to Harpswell, Steve has been involved with the Maine Maritime Museum, for sixteen years spending each Wednesday from September to June as a volunteer in the Discovery Boatbuilding Program for seventh and eighth graders from Woolwich Middle School. Steve is now an Emeritus member of their Board, having served for nine years in several roles including Chair of the Board for two years. Now in his second term at HHLT, Steve serves on the Finance & Investment Committee and the Lands Committee.
Ron Davis
Ron Davis was born, brought up, and educated in New Hampshire. Here also, he received his draft notice, enlisted in the Army, and then received an engineering degree from the University of New Hampshire. Ron and his wife, Jan, moved to Maine where Ron worked as a civilian marine engineer with the Navy office in Bath. After moving to Harpswell in 1977 Ron volunteered with the Harpswell Neck Volunteer Ambulance Service for several years as an EMT. He was a youth soccer coach with Topsham Youth Soccer while his two boys were involved. Ron took a turn as the Harpswell Boy Scout Scoutmaster. Ron was invited to join HHLT and chose to work on the Stewardship Committee where he was Chairman for a couple of stints.
Lew Hinman
Lew Hinman moved to Harpswell from Connecticut, having grown up in a farming community and fruit orchards in particular. He has a BS in Environmental Studies and an MBA in International Business, and spent 35 years in business development and strategic planning with aerospace, pollution control technology and precision manufacturing companies, including two assignments in England. He was also on the Environmental Technology Board of the Maine Technology Institute. He is currently supporting two start-up companies in strategic planning, as well as contributing the occasional crossword puzzle to The Anchor. Lew spends as much time outdoors as possible fly-fishing, bike riding and traveling. He and his wife Krista live in South Harpswell year-round and have two children, one on each coast.
Sharon Oehmig
Sharon Oehmig and her husband Ken moved to Harpswell in 2005 and immediately became fans of HHLT’s work through enjoying its trails. Starting as a volunteer community steward, her appreciation for HHLT’s mission deepened after becoming a Trustee and seeing the many ways the Trust contributes to Harpswell and surrounding communities. She currently serves on the Stewardship, Finance, and Lands committees, and has also served as Secretary and Treasurer. Sharon is involved in several Town of Harpswell committees and eagerly looks forward to the HHLT & Town’s Harspwell Hiking Challenge each year. Sharon has spent her career in nonprofit administration at large and small nonprofits in the Boston and Portland areas. She is also a board member of Habitat for Humanity 7 Rivers Maine in Bath and currently works in the finance department at Biodiversity Research Institute in Portland. In addition to hiking, Sharon and Ken enjoy kayaking, paddle boarding, and cross-country skiing.
Pat Richardson
Pat Richardson grew up in Maine and started her career in the newspaper business while in high school, working at The Kennebec Journal in Augusta. Over her career Pat served as the publisher for several newspapers, including The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA), The Capital Gazette (Annapolis, MD), The Carroll County Times (Westminster, MD) and The Day (New London, CT). Pat also held the position of Vice President of Strategy/Associate Publisher with the Times-Union (Albany, NY). Pat holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Maine and a MBA from the University of Louisville. Upon retiring in 2021, Pat returned to Maine to settle into her home in Cundy’s Harbor. She enjoys spending time with her Dad and sisters who live in Central Maine. She also keeps busy as an occasional digital news transformation coach for the American Press Institute; she serves as Treasurer/Board Member for The Maine Monitor, Secretary/Board Member for the First Amendment Museum and Board Member for The Harpswell Anchor, where she recently led the Anchor’s Board in their strategic planning efforts. Pat enjoys the many walking trails and natural beauty of Harpswell and has an avid interest in preserving and protecting our area’s beautiful land, abundant marine & wildlife and cultural heritage. She joined HHLT as a trustee so she can serve the mission of the organization with her skills and talents to help ensure a strong future for this area we all love and desire to pass along to the next generation of local stewards.
Deirdre Strachan
Melissa Traynham
Melissa Traynham is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable nonprofit professional who loves bringing people together with causes they’re passionate about while building lasting relationships. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of a small global health NGO, Amazon Medical Project. In this role, she has learned what it takes to run a nonprofit and the importance of stewardship, discretion, and transparency. Melissa started her career in the nonprofit sector at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and has also worked with larger organizations like the American Red Cross. Wanting to make a more direct impact, she moved on to lead smaller nonprofits. She loves giving back to her community through volunteering. In addition to serving on the Development Committee at Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, she is on the Events Committee for the Brunswick Downtown Association and volunteers with Teens to Trails in Brunswick as needed. A few years ago, Melissa moved to Harpswell from Colorado, and she has a deep passion for the outdoors. She enjoys hiking with her pups, paddleboarding, rafting, spending time in the mountains and on the beach, and traveling whenever possible. Her extensive experience, combined with her dedication to nonprofit work and love for the outdoors, fuels her commitment to driving impactful initiatives and fostering strong community connections.
Doug Warren
Doug Warren grew up in Brunswick, attended Brunswick High School and graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in English. He spent 32 years in the newspaper business as a writer and editor at The Portland Press Herald, The Miami Herald and The Boston Globe, where he worked for 21 years. He also taught journalism and advised the student newspaper, The Daily Texan, at the University of Texas at Austin. Doug and his wife, Pam Berry, a small business owner and professional photographer, have two children, Emma and Jackson. He spends much of the year at their home on Orr’s Island and also resides in Austin.
Don Westfall
Don Westfall was introduced to HHLT through his volunteer work with the Harpswell Invasive Plant Partnership (HIPP). That, and through walking his dog on the land trust’s trails. Don and his wife Tuckie moved to Harpswell from Alexandria, Virginia after he retired from a career mostly in agricultural and manufacturing policy, including a stint as Director of Marketing for the Maine Department of Agriculture. Don and Tuckie both got involved soon after moving in, Don with HIPP, as a docent at the Skolfield-Whittier House in Brunswick (and now HHLT) and Tuckie with Harpswell Aging at Home and the Harpswell Garden Club. Don is interested in history and has researched the history of Bowdoin College’s land acquisitions. He serves on the Programs and Stewardship Committees.
Updated November 25, 2024