Team & Board
Jenny Hansell
President
Jenny Hansell became BNRC’s third President in February 2018. Born in Boston and raised in Detroit, Jenny earned her BA from Yale and master’s in public administration from the University of Connecticut. Before moving to Massachusetts to join BNRC, she lived in Sharon, CT, and for 17 years was the Executive Director of the North East Community Center in Dutchess County, NY. She has worked as an environmental policy analyst at the National Audubon Society and as associate director of the Council on the Environment of New York City and held positions at Creative Art Works and Sesame Workshop.
View the full Board Learn about the President’s Advisory Circle
Meet the Staff
Doug Brown
Director of Stewardship
Doug grew up in Andover, MA, where he spent most of his time exploring the protected woodlands in town, and north on the trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He has BS in environmental science from the University of Vermont, and a master’s in environmental studies from Antioch University of New England. Prior to joining BNRC, Doug worked as a land steward at the Upper Valley Land Trust and the Public Lands Manager at Columbia Land Conservancy.
Jenifer Dickinson
Stewardship Coordinator
Jenifer was born and raised in Hartford, Vermont and from a young age, loved wandering in nature. She has a BS in environmental science from Keene State and a master’s in conservation biology from Antioch University of New England. Jenifer worked for the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire and was an outdoor and environmental educator with the Harris Center for Conservation Education and the YMCA. She is also Chair of the Mountaineering Committee for the New Hampshire chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Amy Dryansky
Grants Specialist
Amy has worked as grant writer, administrator, and communications professional at conservation, arts, and human service agencies. She’s a poet and teaches creative writing at area colleges. Amy earned a BFA in painting and art history from Syracuse University and an MFA in poetry from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Amy has lived in western Massachusetts for many years and has strong ties to the Berkshire. She finds inspiration for her creative and professional work outdoors—on land and on the water! Photo Credit: Trish Crapo
Mariah Fogg
Community Conservation Manager
Mariah grew up in the Southern Appalachians and developed a passion for the natural world at at a young age. She received her bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from UNC Asheville and master’s in Wildlife Conservation and Management from Unity College. She is also the President of the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition’s Early Conservation Career Network. At BNRC Mariah manages community programs and volunteer offerings.
Tyler Fogg
Assistant Director of Stewardship
Tyler grew up west of Boston and discovered his love of being outdoors at an early age. He studied and anthropology and geography at UMass and is a member of the Appalachian Trail Thru Hiker class of 2010. His passion for preserving national parks and conserved lands comes from his experiences working on trail crews across the country. He has worked from the backcountry of the Trinity Alps of northern California to historic building preservation in Virginia to the stone steps of Acadia National Park.
Mackenzie Greer
Director of Community Programs
Berkshire-born and raised, Mackenzie fosters BNRC’s growing public programs, including Community Conservation and The High Road. Mackenzie balances her passion for community-focused work with her skills in long-range strategic planning. She was an urban and regional planner, following a dual-master’s program in landscape architecture and regional planning from UMass Amherst. Mackenzie leads BNRC’s effort to expand its agriculture conservation and access program.
Charlotte Hood
Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator
Charlotte grew up in New York City, but quickly found herself at home among the trees while attending Skidmore College in upstate New York. She has a degree in environmental studies and worked as an outdoor educator at a preschool before interning for Mass Audubon and the Hitchcock Center for the Environment. At BNRC, you can find Charlotte on the trail leading hikes, programs, and volunteer workdays, where she continues to share her love for and knowledge of nature with others.
Josh Hopmans
Property Manager
A native of the Berkshires, Josh grew up in Hinsdale with conserved land all around him. This setting fostered his love for natural spaces and wildlife. Josh started with BNRC in 2017, and since then he has taken on all parts of stewarding conserved land including: building new trails, monitoring conservation restrictions, managing wildlife habitat, and supervising seasonal trail crews. Currently he coordinates trail maintenance and manages projects that make BNRC Reserves more accessible and enjoyable for all.
Jonathan Lueken
Trail Crew Leader
Jonathan was born in Concord, NH and has had a passion for the outdoors and wildlife since he was a boy. Homeschooled through high school, he has taken varied courses in survival, disaster relief, agriculture, and emergency medicine. His work with BNRC started as part of the trail crew constructing the Mahanna Cobble trail in 2019 before become the Trail Crew Leader. Bare foot running, birding, and hiking are some of his favorite ways to enjoy nature.
Beth Mills
Director of Land Conservation
Beth has a BA from Wesleyan University and her PhD from the University of California, at Davis. In 2017, she moved back east from New Mexico to serve as Director of Conservation at the Columbia Land Conservancy. While living in New Mexico, Beth worked for the local government in Santa Fe as an open space and trails planner, and with the statewide New Mexico Land Conservancy as their Conservation Director. She is happy to be back doing conservation work in her ”home landscape” in the northeast.
Rich Montone
Director of Development
Originally from the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire, Rich arrived to the Berkshires in 2009. His interest in conservation arises from lifelong connections to woodland wildlife. Rich earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of New Hampshire, and a Master of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. Rich collaborates with BNRC supporters to raise funds that protect land, create access to nature, and make life in the Berkshires uncommonly good.
Nick Pitel
Assistant Director of Conservation
Nick grew up exploring nature in Otego, New York. He received a BS in field biology from Paul Smith’s College and a master’s in forest ecology and management from SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry. Nick worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, developing conservation plans for farm and forest landowners and for the MA Department of Agricultural Resources stewarding protected farmland. He is also a licensed forester and previously worked with Columbia Land Conservancy.
Johnny Robinson
Conservation Associate
As a Cape Codder who grew up exploring sandy beaches, salt marshes, and pine/oak forests, Johnny became transfixed by natural spaces at an early age. He completed conservation internships with Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon, the Town of Dennis (MA) Department of Natural Resources, and Kennebec Land Trust, and graduated from College of the Atlantic with a BA in human ecology and worked as a Land Steward for the Orenda Wildlife Land Trust before joining BNRC.
Deanna Smith
High Road Manager
Deanna landed in the Berkshire region after completing an education in environmental science and outdoor leadership at SUNY Oneonta. In 2016 she founded a trail design and construction company that allowed her to work on a multitude of trail development initiatives both locally and across the country. She also served as the Natural Resource Steward Coordinator for the Student Conservation Association, where she managed conservation projects in the Catskill and Adirondack mountains.
Kathleen Smolinski
Assistant Director, Fundraising and Community Engagement
Kathleen started at BNRC in May 2022. She was born and raised outside of Albany, New York and has always had a passion for exploring and connecting with nature. Kathleen has a Bachelor’s Degree in History from SUNY Oswego and a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies from Syracuse University. She utilizes her professional experience in fundraising and administration to connect the important work of preserving nature to BNRC supporters.
Donovan Snyder
Land Steward
Originally from Pennsylvania, Donovan felt pulled toward the mountains of New England. He studied sociology and education at Clark University and spent several years as an educator in the nonprofit field. Donovan was also a bike mechanic and ski instructor and led an Appalachian Mountain Club youth trail crew on the New England National Scenic Trail. He discovered the beauty of BNRC’s trails while volunteering as a trail steward before joining the team full-time.
Ashley Winseck
Chief of Staff
Ashley previously served as the Senior Managing Editor at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health and Marketing Manager for Theory Wellness. Ashley has a BA in English and 17 years of communications and project management experience. In her work at BNRC, she supports the President, Board of Directors, and senior leadership, and leads special projects for the organization.
Melanie Winters
Donor Relations Manager
A Pennsylvania native, Melanie grew up exploring the woods and rivers around her home. Her passion for inspiring personal growth and connection to nature through adventure led her to complete a degree in adventure recreation at Green Mountain College. Melanie has spent most of her career working as an Outdoor Sports Guide at Canyon Ranch and loves making recreation accessible and rewarding.
Meet the Hike Leaders
BNRC partners with community organizations and individuals to lead hikes and help expand access to the Berkshire outdoors.
América López
Spanish-Language Hike Leader
Despite growing up in an urban area around Mexico City, América always felt a deep attraction to the wilderness, which she attributes to her indigenous heritage. When she moved to the Berkshires in 2003, it felt like she was coming home in nature. As an immigrant, América understands the importance of feeling like you belong in your new community, and believes that getting involved in group activities like swimming, hiking, fishing, or gardening can help newcomers feel part of something bigger here in the Berkshires.
Taylor Staubach
Family Hike Leader
Born and raised in the Berkshires, Taylor is a passionate advocate for family outdoor adventure. As the founder of Berkshire Family Hikes, Taylor works with local organizations to create custom nature-based programs geared towards children and families that are immersive, experiential, and secretly educational. In partnership with BNRC, she has been leading rambles all over the Berkshire Hills since 2021.