Gay Mills, Executive Director

Gay Mills has been involved in the Trust since its founding in 1989, first as a volunteer, then in 1998, as executive director. In addition to her duties as director, Gay is a member of the New York State Land Trust Alliance Advisory Committee and chair of the Corbett’s Glen Advisory Council in Brighton and the Gosnell Big Woods Preserve Planning Committee in Webster. Also, she has served on the NYSDEC Region 8 Open Space Committee and the Open Space Committee for the Town of Greece.  Previously, she worked as a teacher/naturalist at Cumming Nature Center and prior to that at the Connecticut Audubon Society.  Active in her community, she has served on the Environmental Conservation Board and the Planning Board in the Town of Mendon, and more recently on the Village of Honeoye Falls Master Plan review committee.  Currently she is a member of the Princeton Club of Rochester Board and serves as co-chair of the Club’s Summer Internship Program.  Gay welcomes any questions you might have about the work of Genesee Land Trust, protecting your land or becoming a member. Email Gay at gmills@geneseelandtrust.org.

Margaret Potter, Director, Development and Communications

Margaret Potter came to the Trust in 2004 with experience as Assistant Director at Stone Quarry Hill Art Park in Cazenovia, N. Y., a 117-acre conserved nature center/environmental sculpture park. There she planned events, worked with artists, wrote guided tours and directed the Adventures of Art and Nature Summer Camps, which included teaching photography and performing arts. Margaret has a bachelor's in English from St. Thomas Aquinas College and is a published author with many years of free-lance writing experience. At Genesee Land Trust, Margaret directs fundraising efforts, handles media and website management, works with membership and writes grants. She serves on the Development, Marketing, Public Relations and Newsletter and Urban Initiative Committees . Additionally she has participated in several Land Trust Alliance Regional Conference workshops on development as well as Rochester area seminar opportunities. Contact Margaret if you have media questions or if you would like to know more about membership and volunteering. Email Margaret at info@geneseelandtrust.org

Lisa Strauss, Land Preservation Coordinator

 Lisa Strauss came to the Trust in December, 2010 with experience, on a volunteer basis, working for a variety of land trusts and conservancies in Vermont and New York, writing land management plans, working with conservation easement landowners, organizing work days, and conducting GIS-based analyses. She also worked with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation as a researcher of land use within the Adirondack Park. Lisa has an Environmental Studies and Sociology degree from Middlebury College and a master’s degree in Forest and Natural Resource Management, with a focus in GIS applications, from SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry. At Genesee Land Trust, Lisa coordinates the Land Stewardship Program, assists the Executive Director in the Land Protection Program, and acts as the GIS/GPS specialist. Through 2012, Lisa is facilitating the application process for Land Trust Accreditation. Contact Lisa if you would like information about volunteering for work days at preserves. Email Lisa at landprotection@geneseelandtrust.org.