The Land’s Sake Board of Directors was founded in 1980 by Brian Donahue, Doug Henderson, Pat Siek, and Martha Gogel.
We are so grateful for the time and dedication our Board and Advisory community members commit to Land's Sake Farm. If you are interested in joining us, please contact us at info@landssake.org.
Land’s Sake Board Biographies as of April 2023
Beth Marshdoyle / PRESIDENT
Beth has been a Weston Resident for 24 years and has raised three sons in the town of Weston. Beth fell in love with Weston due to the rural farming area and in a large part due to her first interaction at Land’s Sake. The first time she walked onto the farm she picked strawberries and a bouquet of sunflowers with her three sons. From that day on she was hooked on Land’s Sake! Beth has a MS in Natural Resources and a B.S. in Environmental Science. Like other members of the board she shares in the mission of Lands Sake in stewardship, sustainability and a love of the outdoors. With 35 years of professional sales, marketing and development experience at Apple she plans to work with engaging other families and businesses in the community to become involved with Land’s Sake either as a member or through sponsorships.
Chris Sanzone / VICE PRESIDENT
Chris, his wife, Annika, and their two children have been huge fans of Land’s Sake Farm since they moved to Weston in 2010. Chris grew up in the Berkshires and always has enjoyed the outdoors, dating back to his early childhood when he spent countless hours with his mom in their backyard vegetable garden. Chris and his family have enjoyed a little bit of everything at Land’s Sake — flower and vegetable picking, tending chickens, gathering with friends, attending Summer Discovery programs, volunteering for end-of-season cleanup – as it has become an integral part of their lives over the past decade. He continues to be inspired by the Farm and those who also care so deeply about it, and looks forward to continuing to help Land’s Sake further its important mission, particularly in the area of hunger relief. Chris received his undergraduate degree from Harvard and his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School. He has practiced as an employment lawyer since 1996, co-founding Sanzone McCarthy LLP in 2005 after nine years at a downtown firm. Chris serves on several other local non-profit boards, including the Weston Soccer Club, and when not at home or work, is likely to be found on a sports field in town.
Barrett Yates-Mack / TREASURER
Barrett moved to Weston from the South End in 2010 with her husband, son and dog (her second child was born on the Weston Town Green shortly after they moved to town!). Barrett and Tim now have three children and live in a historic neighborhood on the north side of town. She is currently the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of CrossLead, Inc., a management consulting firm focused on increasing adaptability and enhancing organizational performance within dispersed teams in complex environments, as discussed in their New York Times best-selling leadership and management book, Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement in a Complex World. Previously, Barrett held several executive positions in finance, operations and real estate development and investing. Barrett serves as a Director on multiple non-profit and for-profit boards and in 2002, Barrett was one of the founding members of Adelante Now, an educational non-profit focused on combating low educational achievement levels in New Mexico. She has an MS from MIT and a BA from Cornell University. Barrett fell in love with the Land’s Sake’s open space, “getting dirty” with her kids on the farm and the food insecurity mission at Land’s Sake and is thrilled to serve on the Land’s Sake board.
Miriam Levy / SECRETARY
Miriam moved to Weston in 2021 with her husband and three children after 15 years in New York and one year in Copenhagen. Her family was drawn to Weston because of the outdoor spaces and natural setting, including Land’s Sake Farm. The farm was an immediate hit with her children, who enjoy the animals, the education programs and going to the farm stand. As relatively new residents, Miriam and her husband loved that the farm provides a space for the community to gather and to support local hunger relief efforts. Miriam has worked in strategy and analytics for over 15 years, most recently at S&P Global. She has a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University.
Meghan Balbale moved to Weston with her husband, Ben, and three children in 2008 and from the beginning, Land’s Sake played a key role in creating many happy memories for the Balbale family. Meghan co-chaired the Land’s Sake Harvest Dinner in 2017 and 2018 and will co-chair the 2019 dinner as well. She has served on the WCCA Board, has volunteered in the Weston Public Schools and was a Member of the Board of Overseers at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum from 2011-2018. Meghan began her career as a management consultant and then worked in Product Management at several Software and Internet companies. Additionally, Meghan sang principal roles for regional opera and operetta companies as a lyric coloratura soprano. She recently started singing again with a focus on jazz. Meghan holds a BA from Harvard College.
Teddy Bascom moved to Weston with his wife and two children (Reagan, 5 and Hayley, 3) and dog Chance in late 2017. Growing up next to a field that was farmed by a neighbor and adjacent to hundreds of acres of Sudbury’s conservation land, made him realize that being outside was always better than being inside. Teddy joined the Land’s Sake board in 2023 to offer his expertise in construction project management. Teddy has been a member of Weston’s Permanent Building Committee since 2019 where he helps oversee work on Weston town owned buildings, most recently the Josiah Smith Tavern & Memorial Pool. He and his family have fostered over 60 dogs and are actively involved in dog rescue. Teddy's wife, Erin, has been the Director of the Board for Last Hope K9 Rescue since 2017 and is currently the Vice President of the Weston Community Children's Association (WCCA). Teddy began his career at J. Calnan and Associates, focusing on commercial construction project management. He then transitioned to KVC Builders managing custom home projects. Most recently he has invested in his own residential construction company, Bascom Building. Teddy holds a B.S. in Economics from Trinity College where he was a member of the Men’s lacrosse team and continues to coach the sport.
Chris Cavanagh and his wife are native New Yorkers, but have called Boston home for the last 11 years. They moved to Weston four years ago and have three children. An active family that loves the outdoors, they quickly discovered all of the great activities Land’s Sake has to offer. The Cavanagh family has enjoyed weekly CSA pick-ups, feeding the chickens and rabbits, cutting down their Christmas tree, and picnic lunches on the farm. Chris has over 11 years of private equity experience, and has spent the last four years with Guidepost Growth Equity, a technology-focused investment firm. His responsibilities include originating, evaluating and executing investments, as well as assuming board or director responsibilities at portfolio companies. In addition to his private company board responsibilities, Chris serves on the PE/VC Leadership Council of the United Way. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BA in Economics.
Brian Clymer his wife, Beth, and his two daughters, Erin and Emily, have been involved with and supporters of Land Sake since moving to Weston in 2016. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Harvard Business School and currently works as an independent consultant. Previously, Brian has worked in a variety of finance and operating roles including: Chief Financial Officer at The Mission Continues; Chief Operating Officer at Educators for Excellence; and Vice President, Strategic Finance at Iron Mountain. In addition, Brian was a Project Leader at The Boston Consulting Group and served as Company Commander for the U.S. Army. Brian also serves on the Board of Riverside Children’s Center in Newton, has been a mentor at Year Up and a volunteer at the Greater Boston Food Bank.
Steffany Doolittle: Having grown up in Wellesley, but living out west for over 10 years, Steffany and her family came back to the area 10 years ago, finally settling in Weston. She and her husband, Peter, have 3 children. Steffany has a BA from University of Colorado at Denver and an MBA from Arizona State University. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, Steffany worked at Cisco Systems for 10 years, traveling the world as program manager focusing on supply chain management/process improvement for worldwide manufacturing operations. While in Phoenix, Steffany received her yoga teacher certification and has taught in the local area as well as on the farm. She has been on the Land’s Sake’s Board since 2018 and continues to volunteer in her children’s schools. Her family enjoys all the farm has to offer!
Margo Flint: After living in Charlestown for over a decade, Margo moved to Weston in 2017 with her husband and two boys, now ages 6 and 9. Margo had been on the hunt for the suburb that would best suit her family for quite some time, and it was love at first sight upon her first visit to Weston. The town and community have exceeded expectations, with one particularly delightful aspect being the discovery of Land’s Sake. The first time she saw the flower fields in bloom it absolutely took her breath away and restored a sense of calm and connection to nature that she had been craving for years. That coupled with the beautiful locally grown fresh produce and hunger relief initiatives and she quickly became a super fan! Margo has worked in media sales and events for almost 20 years, and currently oversees Partnership Development for the Boston Calling Music Festival. She hopes to apply her knowledge in this space to help spread the good word about this local treasure she so adores.
Bob Glowacky, is a resident of Wellesley and has been a supporter of Land’s Sake for over 20 years. Bob is happily retired after a long career in public relations and marketing at major medical centers in the greater Boston area. Most recently Bob served as a certified personal / master trainer at Boston Sports Club in Wellesley. In addition to Land’s Sake, Bob has been actively involved in other community organizations, including as Co-founder, University of Rochester Boston Alumni Association; Chairman, University of Rochester National Alumni Board; Board member, The Fund for Wellesley; a Wellesley Little League Coach; a Wellesley United Soccer Club Coach; and a Wellesley Village Church Art Teacher.
Emily Griset, lives in Weston with her husband and two children. They all fell in love with Land’s Sake when they moved to town. A proud New Englander, Emily and her family enjoy spending time in the Berkshires, the White Mountains, and Maine’s Cranberry Isles. Emily is a Vice President & Investment Officer at Fiduciary Trust where she provides wealth management and trustee services for families and charitable organizations. Prior to that, Emily practiced as a trusts and estates attorney with Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP in New York and served as a Director at Citi Private Bank. In addition to Land’s Sake, Emily is actively involved in other community organizations, including: UNICEF’s Next Generation, the Phillips Academy Andover Development Board, Friends of Acadia, The Vincent Club, and The National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Meredith Jylkka moved to Weston with her husband Chris in 2004 after having enjoyed Weston’s trails and rural character for many years before that. She discovered the richness of Land’s Sake through its festivals, berry picking, and school trips with her children, Lila (14) and Alex (12). Meredith is excited to give back to Land’s Sake drawing on her experience in nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and fundraising. Meredith works in corporate and foundation relations in higher education and has experience guiding family foundations in charitable giving in arts, education, basic needs, medical research, and more. She has conducted grant reviews, consulted, and advised organization, such as West End House Boys and Girls Club (Brighton), Boston Public Schools, Mass. Cultural Council, and National Endowment for the Arts. Meredith grew up in Princeton, NJ, and graduated from Colorado College (BA), Tufts University (MAT), and Harvard Graduate School of Education (EdM).
Ned Rossiter (Emeritus) has lived in Weston for 40 years and has been with Land's Sake since its founding in 1980. A career secondary history teacher and administrator, Ned retired from the Newton North High School in 2001 and is currently teaching in the Education Program at Brandeis University. It has been a great joy for him to watch Land's Sake grow over the years. Ned is the first Land’s Sake Emeritus Board Member and looks forward to many more years with Land’s Sake.
Michael Stephens lives in Wellesley with his wife and two young boys. They all fell in love with Land’s Sake when they moved to the area 10 years ago, as it gives them the opportunity to connect simultaneously with nature, food, and their community. Mike has also been involved with several other local community organizations, most recently serving as the Chairperson of the Community Fund for Wellesley. Mike is a vice-president and investment officer at Fiduciary Trust Company, where he collaborates with families and non-profits on a broad range of issues including investments, financial planning, trust and estate concerns. In his free time, Mike can usually be found with this family including summer weekends on the Cape and ski trips in the winter, but he occasionally still finds time to embarrass himself on the golf course.
Barbara Burgess’ deep admiration for the natural world began early while racing small boats on lakes in the Midwest. She pursued her passion for the environment, attending the Williams College Mystic Seaport Maritime Studies Program and graduating from The University of Vermont with a BS in Education and Environmental Studies. Barbara worked as a deckhand on board a schooner and designed and taught educational programs for both Mystic Seaport Maritime Museum and Mystic Aquarium.
Barbara serves on the Board of Overseers at The New England Aquarium and the Board of Directors of City Year, Boston, and is co-founder of Women Working for Oceans, an organization with a mission to promote healthy sustainable oceans through education that inspires advocacy and action. She and her husband, Bill, have raised five children in Weston.
Bill Burgess has worked closely with emerging growth technology companies as an investor and adviser throughout his career. Since 2004 he has been a Managing General Partner at ABS Ventures. Previously, he was at Alex Brown & Sons and Deutsche Bank, where he held a number of management positions, including Vice Chairman of Global Corporate Finance and head of DB Venture Partners. He currently is on the Board of HighRoads, Certona, Ohana and ClickSquared. He holds an AB from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Bill also has deep experience on boards of educational, cultural, and environmental organizations. In 2011, he was elected to the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College and serves on the Finance, Audit and Master Planning Committees. Since 1996 he has served successively as Trustee, Chair of Development, and Chair of the Board of the New England Aquarium, where he led a major revival for this global leader in conservation, education, and research of the world’s oceans. He is Board President of St. Mark’s School where he previously served as Treasurer and Co-chair of strategic planning. Bill also serves as Trustee of Fund for the Republic, an organization dedicated to removing the excessive influence of money from politics, and as a member of the Board of Advisors of the Appalachian Mountain Club. Bill and his wife, Barbara, have raised five children in Weston.
Brian Donahue is Associate Professor of American Environmental Studies (Chair, Environmental Studies) on the Jack Meyerhoff Fund at Brandeis University, and Environmental Historian at Harvard Forest. Brian holds a BA, MA, and PhD from the Brandeis program in the History of American Civilization. He co-founded and, for 12 years directed Land’s Sake, and serves today on the Weston Conservation Commission and the Community Preservation Committee. For three years he was Director of Education at The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas. He sits on several other boards including the Thoreau Farm Trust and The Land Institute. Brian lives in Weston with his wife and his two children.
Brian is author of Reclaiming the Commons: Community Farms and Forests in a New England Town (Yale University Press, 1999), which was awarded the book prize from the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. He also wrote The Great Meadow: Farmers and the Land in Colonial Concord (Yale Press, 2004), which won book prizes from the New England Historical Association, the Agricultural History Society, and the American Society for Environmental History. His latest publication is American Georgics: Writings on Farming, Culture and the Land (Yale Press, 2011), an anthology co-edited with Edwin Hagenstein and Sara Gregg.
Pamela Fox has been active in history, historical preservation, and land use issues in Weston since she moved here 22 years ago. Over the years she has served on Boards and Committees including the Planning Board, Open Space Committee, Community Preservation Committee, and Weston Land Trust. She has served as a consultant to the Weston Historical Commission and prepared a comprehensive survey for the commission in 1993-94. Pam is currently president of the Weston Historical Society, a post she has held since 2005.
Pam authored the 2002 book Farm Town to Suburb: The History and Architecture of Weston Massachusetts 1830–1980 and the photo essay Preserving Weston’s Rural Character. She was a principal author of the Open Space and Recreation Plan: Town of Weston, MA (Fall 2006). Pam was editor of the Weston Land Trust Bulletin for many years and has been editing the Weston Historical Society Bulletin since 2005. Pam is a graduate of Radcliffe College/Harvard University and has an MA in Preservation Studies from Boston University.
Beth Keane is a 21-year resident of Weston and a perpetual volunteer in her community. Her career background in technology has been valuable in many roles on boards and councils through the years, much of the time with the Weston schools. With an ardent interest in health and wellness, Beth is also a nutrition and fitness hobbyist, volunteering in a variety of roles at area hospitals. She and her husband Brian and their three children enjoy being active in the outdoors, relishing every sport in its season and rewarding themselves with locally-farmed fare when possible.
Brian T. Keane, a 21-year resident of Weston, is the Founder and CEO of Ameritas Technologies. Ameritas is a domestic high-tech outsourcing firm focused on high-performance software development and the regeneration of American jobs in US-based software development centers. Brian’s 30-year career in business is complimented by his lifelong passion for sailboat racing, which finds him competing in locations throughout the world. Brian is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School and shares a love of sports and the outdoors with his wife, Beth, and their three children. Brian is an Overseer at the Boston Museum of Science, the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, and the Massachusetts Technology Council.
Meg Kelly is a graduate of Williams College (BA), the National Outdoor Leadership School (sea kayaking), and Yale University’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (MES). While an undergrad, Meg served as a Cadet on the Norwegian full-rigged ship, Sorlandet. After school, Meg worked as an environmental and economic consultant before turning to non-profit management, focusing on the preservation of local open space and sustainability issues. Meg worked for the Trust for Public Land, and formerly served as a Board member for Land’s Sake and Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station. She currently serves as Board President for Weston Forest and Trail Association, is a member of the Board of Overseers for the New England Aquarium, and is on the Board of Women Working for Oceans. Meg and her husband live in Weston, are parents to three daughters, and have a chocolate lab, Dovey, who enjoys the woods at least as much as they do.
Alyson Muzila moved to Weston in 2000 with her husband, Peter. Originally from the West and Midwest, Alyson quickly found Land’s Sake and its community to be her home in New England. She served as a former board member of Land’s Sake for twelve years, helping the organization to focus on board governance, event development, and fundraising. Along with other Land’s Sakers, Alyson worked on the Case Estates Coalition (2005) and created a community Green Team (2011) to continue to make Weston a greener community. After the birth of her fourth child, Alyson stepped back from Land’s Sake and served on other boards including the Asperger Autism Network (AANE), the Weston PTO, and the Weston Friendly Society. Alyson is currently involved in efforts to increase recycling in Weston schools, to support student green groups, and to advance green issues within the Town. In addition, Alyson loves walks with her dog (and kids!) in the woods of Weston and Lincoln, acting in films and stage productions, and keeping her busy house afloat.
Jessica Myers has lived in Weston since 2010 when she moved from Boston with her husband and 3 sons. She has been an active member of the local community, as well as a volunteer in many organizations in the greater Boston area, including the Weston Public Schools, Temple Beth Elohim, CJP, One Family, and many others. Jessica is committed to philanthropy both locally and abroad. Jessica works part-time as a Librarian at the MFA Boston, and holds a MA in Library Science, as well as a MA in Art Business and a BA in Art History. Her hobbies are reading, travel, playing tennis and practicing yoga. She is the mom of Sam (entering 6th grade at The Rashi School), Ben (entering 5th grade in Weston Public Schools), and Josh (entering 3rd grade in Weston Public Schools). Her family also has an adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Ziggy. Jessica and her family have been members of Land’s Sake Farm since they moved to Weston, and love that the farm is such an integral part of their community. Her kids have participated in after-school Farm programs, they have had the benefit of enjoying Land’s Sake produce at their schools, as well as many classroom visits to the Farm over the years to learn about nature, science and ecology. Jessica and her kids enjoying maintaining a kitchen garden at their home, but are grateful for Land’s Sake produce every week!
Faith Rand was raised in Weston and lives there now with her husband, Brian Donahue, and their two children who are 5th generation Westonians. She has been involved with Land's Sake in one way or another since its beginning, and was a Green Power kid with Bill McElwain before that. She has a background in early childhood special education, with a particular interest in nature and farm-based learning. She currently teaches at the Roxbury-Weston Preschool.
Debbie Slotpole is a graduate of Boston College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. After receiving her MBA in finance, she worked for nine years as an equity analyst in New York following environmental and engineering companies. In 1995 she and her husband Bob moved to Weston where they raised their two children. During the past 22 years Debbie has volunteered in her children’s schools and other local groups, as well as served on the 401k committee of a Rhode Island engineering company. She is currently a volunteer with the Friends of the Weston Public Library, Community Consulting Teams of Boston, and the Hestia Fund.
Susan Tamoney is the Outreach Assistant at the Conservation Law Foundation’s Legal Services Food Hub where she works to connect farmers and food entrepreneurs with pro bono legal services. She has a degree in Economics (BS) and a professional background in brand marketing at Ogilvy and Mather Advertising in New York City. Susan and her family moved to Weston 25 years ago, in part because of the “beautiful little farm in the very center of town.” Once here, she became active in many Weston school and town activities. Susan pursued Post Baccalaureate studies in Italian Language, History and Culture at Wellesley College and in Rome. She has been an active member of Oxfam America Action Corps, where she was appointed to its Special Advisory Committee. Susan has a strong personal interest in sustainability and ethics in food and fashion. She loves going to the movies, especially at the Sundance Film Festival.
John Thompson is a painter and printmaker. John teaches at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the Printmaking Department and co-leads an annual student trip to China. His gallery representation includes Webster and Company, Boston; Coleman Fine Arts, Charleston, SC; Benke-Doughty, Washington, CT; and others. John also develops real estate including the Lincoln Studios in Waltham. John has served on multiple boards including The Foundation for Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Danforth Art, The Cambridge School of Weston, The Foundation for MetroWest, The Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, Porter Gaud School, SC, and the Urban League of Charleston, SC. John and his wife, Nathalie, live in Weston and have two children.nFormerly John spent 16 years with the software company, Blackbaud, a provider of management tools to not-for-profit organizations. During his career there, at various times, he was Vice President in charge of Human Resources, Client Relations, New Business Development, and New Technologies. His educational credits include a BFA, Syracuse University; MA, University of Wisconsin-Madison; MBA, Babson College; and MFA, Massachusetts College of Art and Design.