Board of Trustees
- Sandy Batty, President
- Michele Byers, 1st Vice President
- Bill Kibler, 2nd Vice President
- John Thonet, Treasurer
- Michael Keady, Secretary
- Robin Dougherty
- Cynthia Ehrenclou
- David Epstein
- James Gilbert
- Christine Hepburn
- Mike Herson
- Sylvia Kovacs
- Tom Koven
- Dennis Miranda
- Hon. Maureen Ogden
- Laura Oltman
- Jean Rich
- Jeff Tittel
Rockaway River, Montville
Photo Courtesy The Land Conservancy of New Jersey
Sandy Batty is the Executive Director of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). Previously, Sandy was ANJEC’s Assistant Director, editor of the quarterly ANJEC Report and supervisor of ANJEC publications. She is a current member and former Chair of the Mountain Lakes Planning Board, was a member of the Environmental Commission, and was elected to two terms on the Borough Council. She serves on the Board of the regional Highlands Coalition. Sandy lives in Mountain Lakes.
Michele Byers is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. She currently serves as Advisor to the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance, and on the Boards of the regional Highlands Coalition and the Center for Non-Profit Corporations. She has also served as Vice Chair of the State Planning Commission and on Governor McGreevey’s Highlands Task Force, was a former President of the Whitesbog Preservation Trust, former Chair of New Jersey’s Freshwater Wetlands Mitigation Council, and previously served on the Burlington County Agriculture Development Board. Michele lives in Pennington.
John Thonet is the President of Thonet Associates, Inc., an environmental planning and design consulting firm. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and Professional Planner and has had over 25 years of experience working in the NJ Highlands. He serves on the Board of the New Jersey Environmental Lobby, as well as Herley Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of defense components. John lives in Pittstown.
Michael Keady is President of Friends of Holland Highlands, a citizens group that he founded in Holland Township in order to oppose growing suburban sprawl in the community. Recently retired after nearly 30 years in AT&T’s Public Relations Department, he has applied his writing, media relations and community organizing skills to stopping developments that threatened C-1 streams in Holland. Originally from the Boston area, he received his undergraduate degree from Boston College and a Masters in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mike lives in Holland Township.
Robin Dougherty is the Executive Director of the Greater Newark Conservancy. She has led the team to create the environmental and ecological center in downtown Newark to educate inner city children on the importance of the natural environment. Previously, she was an educator of special needs students, and a school administrator. A Leadership New Jersey Class of 2004 graduate, and a 2007 Gustav Heningburg Fellow, Ms. Dougherty was a founding member and completed two terms as president of EarthShare of New Jersey. She serves on the School Leadership Team for the John F. Kennedy School for special needs and has been active in social justice issues for over 20 years.
Cynthia Ehrenclou became the Executive Director of Upper Raritan Watershed Association in February 2006, after over twelve years as the Association’s Development Director. She oversees all operations and program areas including a growing land preservation program. She established URWA’s Education and Outreach Program for children throughout the region and founded Wake Up Call, an environmental informational breakfast series for municipal leaders. She serves on the NJ Land Trust Council, Raritan Basin Watershed Alliance Steering Committee and is a member of Leadership New Jersey’s Class of 2007. Cindy lives in Bernardsville.
David Epstein is the President of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey. He currently serves as Treasurer of the Keep It Green Campaign, and is a former Trustee of Morris Tomorrow. He also served on Governor McGreevey’s Highlands Task Force and the Garden State Preservation Trust, was President of the Environmental Fund for New Jersey, and was a founding Trustee of the Garden State Environet. David lives in Ramsey.
James Gilbert is a Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch. He was the first Chairman of the NJ State Planning Commission and helped author the State Development and Redevelopment Plan. He also was instrumental in drafting the NJ Fair Housing Act. He serves on the Boards of New Jersey Conservation Foundation, New Jersey Planning Officials, Community Theatre (Morristown), New Jersey Future, and New Jersey Common Cause. Jim lives in Morristown.
Christine Hepburn is a former social psychology professor, published author, and scientific researcher. She has served on the Boards of Great Swamp Watershed Association, Morris Land Conservancy (now The Land Conservancy of New Jersey), Morris Tomorrow, and Unity Charter School. She founded Madison Matters, is the Chair of Madison's Open Space, Recreation and Historical Preservation Advisory Committee, and served on Madison’s Planning Board and the Environmental Commission.
Mike Herson, is a business consultant, serves on the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club, is the SC Highlands Issues Coordinator, and is Co-Chair of the SC North Jersey Group. He was a founding Trustee of Hackensack Riverkeeper, Inc. He lives in Oradell, where he served three years as Chair of the Environmental Committee, and was formerly Cross Acceptance Plan Representative, Municipal Stormwater Management Coordinator and a Planning Board member.
Bill Kibler is the executive director of the South Branch Watershed Association. Bill served as a Corps of Engineers officer in the Persian Gulf War. As an attorney, Bill practiced law in New York and in Boston, focusing on environmental, land use, and international law. He serves on the Raritan Basin Watershed Alliance steering committee and is a member of the board of advisors of the Center for Community Mapping. Bill lives on the South Branch of the Raritan River in Califon.
Sylvia Kovacs is a linguist (six languages), published author and organic farmer. A resident of Independence Township, Warren County, she has served on the Municipal Land Use Board, the Warren County Environmental Commission, the Warren County Municipal and Charitable Conservancy Trust Fund Committee and currently serves on the Warren County Solid Waste Advisory Committee. Sylvia's insights on sustainable agriculture and forestry, alternative energy opportunities and farmland and open space preservation in the Highlands draw from her experience at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development where she identified resources and development opportunities that invigorate communities with long-term growth strategies and foster accountable governance.
Tom Koven is a member of the Musconetcong Mountain Conservancy, an organization formed to promote the preservation of New Jersey Highlands and surrounding environs. He is also a Sea Captain, international traveler and grassroots activist, and has been very active in land preservation activities. He previously served on the Bethlehem Township Environmental Commission, was Chair of the Bethlehem Township Open Space Committee, and was the liaison for the Spruce Run Initiative for Bethlehem Township. Tom lives in Hampton.
Dennis Miranda is Executive Director of the Rahway River Association, and the owner of Go Native, a nature tour company. He sits on the Hanson Park Conservancy Board of Trustees. He was the recipient of the 2004 New Jersey Audubon Society’s Richard Kane Conservation Award. He previously served as the Chair of the Northwest Jersey Group of the Sierra Club. He is also founder and former Vice Chair of the Highlands Coalition, a former Board member of the Palisades Nature Association, former Board member and Vice President of the Fyke Nature Association, former Board member and President of the Vernon Civic Association, founder and former chair of the Camden Greenways Working Group, and founder and former chair of the Arthur Kill Coalition. Currently, Dennis lives in Vernon where he is Cub Scout Den Leader.
Hon. Maureen Ogden has more than 30 years of public service experience and environmental leadership. She currently serves on the Boards of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and the regional Highlands Coalition, and as Vice Chair, Energy, National Legislative Affairs Committee, Garden Club of America. She is a former member and past Chair of the Garden State Preservation Trust, and is a former member of the N.J. Committee of the Regional Plan Association. She is also a former member of the New Jersey General Assembly and Chair of the Environment Committee, and former Mayor of Millburn and Chair of its Environmental Commission. Maureen lives in Short Hills.
Laura Oltman is a member of the Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo and teaches at the Princeton University Department of Music. She is a member of the Phillipsburg Riverview Organization’s (PRO) Pohatcong Projects Committee and has served on the Township of Pohatcong Open Space Committee. She is also the Management Coordinator of PRO’s Pohatcong Grasslands Eastern Tallgrass Prairie Bird Sanctuary, Founding Director of the Raritan River Music and Artists-in-the-Community Cultural Outreach Program, and Founding Director of the New York Guitar Seminar at Mannes International Festival. Laura lives in Pohatcong.
Jean Rich is a former trustee of the Great Swamp Watershed Association and former president of the Washington Valley Community Association. She holds a doctorate in History. Jean lives in Morris Township.
Jeff Tittel is Director of the New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club and is a prominent environmental leader in New Jersey. He co-founded Skylands CLEAN, and was instrumental in forming the Highlands Coalition. He currently serves on the Board of the Work Environmental Council, and is a member of the Environmental Summit. Jeff lives in Lambertville.