Meet The Team

Lynne is also a rower and has lived in the Mystic River Watershed (in Noank) for 25 years and in Connecticut for 39 years. She walks around Noank and sculls in the Mystic River nearly every day, weather permitting. Lynne followed undergraduate studies in French horn (Manhattan School of Music, NYC; Carnegie- Mellon University, Pittsburgh) with advanced degrees in speech and hearing science (U. of Kansas) and post-doctoral training at Upstate Medical Center (Syracuse) and Boys Town National Research Hospital (Omaha). Her training as a scientist eventually segued into a career focus in the Navy that included critical analysis and synthesis of data to inform practical solutions, with an emphasis on advocacy through improved training, screening, diagnostics, modeling, and programmatic tools to prevent military hearing damage. Her professional commitment to scientific rigor paired with advocacy led to her volunteering as a community advocate, which continued after her retirement from the Navy (civil service). Being on the Noank Zoning Commission for many years taught Lynne how poorly-thought-out plans could quickly result in permanent, detrimental changes to a community. She is a member of Groton Open Space Association (because Groton’s development historically has focused on concrete and strip malls, which is not comfortable, inviting, or restorative for people); Groton Conservation Advocates (because she believes that smart development can only occur if it is not injurious to people and the environment – most recently she advocated for strict noise controls for Data Centers, a good example of how important public input is to highlight areas of potential harm to a community); and is a founding member of the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed (because she deeply cares about the fate of the Mystic River and its watershed). She gratefully serves on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for the MRW as her appreciation of what makes up the Watershed and how to protect it grows, and as she realizes that there is a large community in this area who care about it just as much as she does. Her favorite saying is one recently introduced to her by Maggie Favretti. “Nothing is more powerful than a community that knows what it wants,” (Meg Wheatley). The river and its watershed need a community of strong advocates, and that is what this Alliance, with its partners, is creating.

Zoe is a student at Marine Science Magnet High School who is deeply interested in the environment and equality. Co-founding MSMHS environmental club and co-founding CT’s first ever Youth Climate Summit is only the start of her adventure as an environmental activist. She hopes to further educate herself and her community on issues to create a more sustainable environment bettering our world.

Beth is a Landscape Architect and Project Manager in Fuss & O’Neill’s Community Development arm in Rhode Island and Southeastern Connecticut. Beth lives in North Stonington with her husband and three boys and defines a good day as one spent on the water. A Noank native, Beth holds degrees from Smith College, the Rhode Island School of Design and Harvard Extension School. As a landscape architect, she has worked in many arenas from high-end design to institutional work to municipal planning, and brings expertise in climate resiliency and sustainability to every project. Throughout her career she has managed projects as a designer, client rep, and contractor, and her focus is always on understanding everyone’s perspectives. Her thinking and work is multi-disciplinary, and she regularly works with teams of scientists, engineers, planners, regulators, and local residents. Since ecosystems and climate impacts don't follow jurisdicational lines, Beth sees great community benefit and opportunity in joining together in an Alliance such as this.

The cultural ecology of our watershed is intertwined with its natural ecology. Cultural Learning Advisors help the Alliance to keep learning more about how our past is still present, and how understanding the meaning of our relationships and values here and now shapes our future. We are honored by the generosity of Farrah Garland (Inclusivity, Disability and Gender Rights), Derrick Strong (EPTN), Regina Mosley (EPTN), and the gifts of time from Joshua Carter (Dir., Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Museum) and Michael Thomas (MPTN, Dir. Yootay Singers, Educator)

We are fortunate to have in our community many people who are sharing their expertise. Here are just a few who have guided us already: Carl Kaufmann, Block Island Conservation Pete Tebeau, Marine Water and Policy Pieter Visscher, Water Quality Lydia Pan, Invasive and Native Species Maggie Jones, Ecology Chris Gasiorek, Mystic Seaport, Eco-Tourism Tiffany Smythe, Coastal Resilience And our stance is that everyone is an expert in their own experience and we remain open to your particular wisdom.

Albany is a freelance Digital Marketer with a passion for small businesses and nonprofits, also serving on the Board of Directors for Wings of Freedom Animal Rescue, a local non-profit dog rescue. Her love for animals fuels her commitment to preserving the environment and advocating for those affected by climate change who can't do so for themselves. Her marketing approach is both creative and strategic. She loves learning about the passions and goals of businesses and helping them share their stories authentically. Albany has called Groton, CT, home for ten years and originally pursued a career as a Paralegal. She considers the community that has come from her work with nonprofits and small businesses a cherry on top of her career change.