Tim Abbott
Executive Director
Tim Abbott has been a conservation leader in our region for over twenty five years, working with The Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land before joining the Housatonic Valley Association in 2008 and assuming the role of Executive Director in 2025. With HVA, he has helped nearly three dozen conservation organizations and agencies secure more than $26,000,000 in public and private funding and protect more than 18,000 acres of family farmland, woodlands and other special places in Western New England and Eastern New York. He is a strong advocate for regional conservation partnerships, effective conservation policies at the local, state and national levels, and the many benefits that land protection provides to our communities. He is currently spearheading our multi-partner initiative - Follow the Forest - which seeks to protect a North/South climate corridor of connected and protected habitat between the lower Hudson Valley and Canada. Tim serves on Connecticut’s Natural Heritage, Open Space & Watershed Land Acquisition Review Board, The Staying Connected Initiative steering committee and Senator Chris Murphy’s Conservation Advisory Council. He administers the Connecticut State Committee of the Highlands Coalition and is on the four-state Highlands Coalition. He received a B.A. in English from Haverford College in 1990, holds an M.A. in International Development from Clark University (1996), and was the recipient in 1996 of a J. William Fulbright Fellowship in Namibia, southern Africa. When not saving land, he is actively involved in researching and interpreting America's Revolutionary period and is president of a Revolutionary War reenacting nonprofit.
(860) 605-5652
Erik Reardon
Berkshire Watershed Director
Erik Reardon joined the Housatonic Valley Association as the Berkshire Watershed Director on February 1st, 2024. Erik grew up in the Merrimack River Valley north of Boston where he first discovered his love for the outdoors, fishing nearby rivers and streams, exploring the local town forest, and hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Erik’s love for the outdoors and appreciation for wilderness spaces later carried over into other aspects of his life, including his academic career. Erik studies environmental history at the University of Maine where, in 2016, he earned a PhD focused on the historic dimensions of dam removal and fisheries restoration in New England. He later served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of history and environmental studies at Colby College and Bates College in Maine. In July of 2021, his book, Managing the River Commons: Fishing and New England's Rural Economy, was published by the University of Massachusetts Press. Recently, Erik also worked with the Adirondack Experience Museum, the Wild Center, the Nature Conservancy, and the Adirondack Diversity Initiative to develop and direct a collaborative, public-facing project series titled “Adirondacks for All” which explored the region’s history and present-day reality through an expansive lens of environmental justice. A documentary of the same name will soon air on Mountain Lake PBS.
Within both academia and the environmental non-profit sector, Erik has experience with project management, program development, and public outreach. His work centers on a professional and personal commitment to land and water conservation, environmental stewardship, and expanding access to outdoor recreation. In his spare time, Erik enjoys getting outside, running trails, and fly-fishing rivers and streams across the northeast. Erik is excited to learn more about the Berkshires' amazing natural features, diverse opportunities for outdoor recreation, and community experiences that contribute to the region’s unique sense of place: the forests, mountains, freshwater ecosystems, craft beer, and local music and arts scene, just to name a few.
Leah Farr
Ecological Restoration Manager
Leah joined HVA in late summer 2024. She has over a decade of experience in Conservation Management. She earned a dual bachelor's degree in Natural Resources and Sustainability from Oregon State University. She has gained over 10 years of hands-on experience in natural resource management. Leah spent 8.5 years as a park ranger, where she focused on conservation, land stewardship, and community engagement. She then transitioned to a field ecologist position, specializing in stream and wetland mitigation and restoration for 1.5 years. She is now continuing her dedication to environmental restoration and climate resiliency with HVA. When she's not working, Leah loves spending time outdoors paddle boarding, hiking, or rock climbing. She enjoys getting creative with different craft projects and cherishes moments spent with her family.
Jillian Gunderson
Ecological Restoration Manager
Jillian joined HVA in June 2024 as part of the Watershed Conservation Team, with a focus on restoration projects within the New York and Connecticut regions of the Housatonic watershed. Prior to joining HVA, Jill worked for the Westchester County Government, serving both the IT department (focusing on GIS) and the Planning Department's Environmental Planning section. Having conducted her senior research on the effects of land-use on soil organic carbon, inorganic nitrogen, and phosphorus, Jill graduated with a degree in Environmental Science from Purchase College in New York. She additionally completed the Wetland Delineation Certification Series through Rutgers University in New Jersey. Despite having grown up in the concrete jungle of NYC, she has maintained a passion for the appreciation and preservation of nature which extends to her educational, professional, and volunteering pursuits. While not at work, Jill enjoys practicing Taekwon-do, spending time outdoors with her husband and two children, and traveling to Disney World.
Madeline Scherff
Grants Compliance/Wild and Scenic Manager
Madeline joined HVA in January of 2024 after most previously working as a State Park manager on the Champlain Islands in Vermont. She also has experience working for the Connecticut Wildlife Division where she coordinated administrative tasks, assisted in geospatial analysis, and helped facilitate invasive species management for Connecticut's Wildlife Management Areas. Madeline graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Connecticut's College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources in 2023. She joined the Housatonic Valley Association alongside the Housatonic River Commission as a coordinator between both organizations. She is involved with grants compliance management at HVA and is the Wild and Scenic Project manager at HRC. In her free time, Madeline enjoys snowboarding, trying locally roasted coffee, and playing her electric guitar.
Amanda Colley
Environmental Education Coordinator
Amanda joined the Housatonic Valley Association as Environmental Education Coordinator in April 2026. She grew up with the Ten Mile River in her backyard and is passionate about connecting people to our lands and waterways. Amanda earned a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Biology from the University at Albany SUNY. Over the past 15 years, her work in the environmental/outdoor education field has taken her across the United States from New York to New Hampshire, Maine, Colorado, California, and Washington State, as well as internationally in Australia. Her work has included designing and leading hands-on environmental programs, coordinating multi-day outdoor experiences, and mentoring educators and students. She has also served as head trainer and supervisor for teams of environmental/outdoor educators, supporting teams in developing field skills, safety practices, social-emotional learning, and effective teaching techniques. Throughout her career, Amanda has focused on creating engaging, place-based educational experiences that connect people of all ages to their local environment. Her work centers on fostering curiosity about the natural world, building meaningful connections to land and water, and inspiring stewardship of forests, rivers, and wildlife habitats. In her free time, Amanda loves spending time outdoors paddling, backpacking, and rock climbing. She also enjoys playing guitar, finding local live music, and playing board games on a rainy day.
(860) 672-6678
Stacy Deming
Mapping and Information Systems Director
Stacy joined HVA in 2017 and brings extensive GIS and GPS skills and knowledge gained during 25 years of GIS work in both the public and private sectors. From 2002-2009 she was a Survey Technician and GIS Specialist with the National Park Service in the Alaska Region. She then worked for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection as a GIS Technician on its Protected Open Space Mapping or POSM project, and as a Naturalist/Interpreter in Connecticut State Parks. More recently, she was a GIS Project Manager with the engineering firm of Martinez Couch and Associates, LLC, working with clients ranging from the Department of Defense to the Metropolitan Water District Commission. Stacy has close family connections to southeastern Litchfield County and lives in Bristol.
(860) 672-6678 ext.111
Julia Rogers
Conservation Director
Julia joined HVA in October 2021. She has a B.A. in biology from Colby College, and an M.S. in natural resources and the environment from the University of Connecticut. Julia has worked with land trusts in south-central Pennsylvania, northeastern Connecticut, and most recently the Hudson Valley of New York, where she managed their conservation portfolio and pursued new conservation opportunities. She also has extensive research experience - working on projects relating to invasive plant species, non-native earthworms, and tropical rainforest restoration. At HVA, Julia works with partners throughout the region to advance conservation projects and the Follow the Forest Initiative. Julia loves being outside and can often be found whitewater canoeing/kayaking, hiking, trail running, or exploring the Housatonic River Valley.
(717) 881-4518
Isabel Bronson
Conservation Projects Manager
Isabel joined HVA in August 2024 after spending two years with The Trustees Ecology Department as a TerraCorps Land Stewardship Coordinator where she worked to expand and develop community science programing relating to grassland obligate birds, cavity nesting birds, and general biodiversity conservation. She received her B.A. in Biology at Vassar College in 2021 and after graduation, before joining TerraCorps, worked on a hand-scale regenerative vegetable farm and completed an internship with the Global Warming Mitigation Project exploring sustainable agriculture practices. At HVA, Isabel is part of the Land Protection Team, working to advance the Follow the Forest initiative. In her free time, you can find her outside as she is an avid skier and hiker.
860-672-6678 ext. 118
Jamie Wilcox
Advancement Data Coordinator
Jamie joined HVA in the summer of 2019. After nearly 20 years working outdoors, she wanted a change of pace and jumped at the opportunity to team up with HVA. Jamie has a Bachelor's degree from Manhattanville College, and spent time working at Boston University before deciding to make the move back to her home town in rural Connecticut to be closer to family and friends. Jamie loves being outside, hiking, bicycling, and walking scenic roads; while on her explorations, she enjoys taking photographs.
At HVA, you will find Jamie managing our donor database and coordinating our large mailings. Look for her at our fundraising events and get in touch if you would like to volunteer at the office!
(860) 672-6678 ext.115
Lara Beckius
Communications and Engagement Manager
Lara joined HVA in the spring of 2024 after graduating from Connecticut College with a degree in Environmental Studies and Economics. She has worked as an environmental communicator and educator for several years, primarily at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. With a passion for telling environmental stories in ways that are accessible and inspiring, Lara is excited to work with the Advancement Team to help increase the visibility of our projects as we work to create a healthy and sustainable Housatonic Watershed for all.
Steven Wolf
Director of Finance & Administration
Steven joined HVA in May of 2023. Steven completed his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Washington and became a certified public accountant in Washington state. Before coming to HVA, Steven worked at a public accounting firm with clients across many industries conducting tax and audit services. He also spent some time in the corporate world as an Assistant Controller for a large construction company. As a part of the HVA team he conducts the daily financial tasks. In his free time Steven enjoys upland hunting, spending time on the water, and learning to sail. He lives in Sharon, CT with his wife and dog Ladybug.
860-672-6678 x103
