OUR TEAM
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is comprised of valued volunteers whose skills and capabilities steer and support the PRWC mission.
Robert Travers, Chair
Ann Merriam Feinberg, Vice-Chair
Charles Bartlett, Treasurer & Secretary
Andrew Greene
John McDonald
John Pittari
Daniel Slywka
Lisa Turoczi
Anne Westerman
Volunteers
Our volunteers, including our Advisory Council and committee members, are very special people whose donation of time and talents has an enormous impact on the health and well-being of our watershed and our communities. We salute and thank them for recognizing the importance of supporting our use of science, education and outreach in our collective roles of stewards of our environment. Join our team and make a difference.
Advisory Council
Justin Bette
Aaron Budris
Robin Ladouceur
Vince LaFontan
Sara Lynn Leavenworth
Judi Lynch
Mark Massoud
Lisa Morrissey
Susan Peterson
Kyle Turoczi
Mike Jastremski
Cynthia Rabinowitz
Steve Solley
Joy VanderLek
Bruce Wittchen
Richard Warren
Chris Wood
Carol Haskins, Executive Director
Carol uses both science and education to protect and improve the high quality water in the nine watershed communities. Carol Haskins joined PRWC as Outreach Director in 2008 after receiving her Master of Science in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England. Her extraordinary contributions to river education and community engagement have been widely recognized. She was awarded the "River Conservation Leadership Award" from the Housatonic Valley Association and honored with the North West Conservation District "Conservation Educator Award". In 2019, Carol was promoted to Executive Director and has taken on more responsibilities that includes serving on the State Water Planning Council Advisory Group where she represents Water Resources.
Carol has been splashing around rivers, ponds, and lakes since her early childhood in Vermont. Now, she professionally gets to share her passion for aquatic environments by teaching other people about the way and wonder of the watershed.
Katie Hennessy, Community Engagement Coordinator
Katie Hennessy, CPRP joined the PRWC as Community Engagement Coordinator. Katie received an Associate of Science in Business Management from Post University and Bachelor of Science in Park and Recreation Management from Northern Arizona University where she was a member of the Tau Sigma Honor Society. Katie's interest in conservation is wide from directing municipal park departments to developing and managing outdoor teen education classes, recreational summer camps and the Bristol Green Team. She enjoys RV-ing cross country, hiking with her two dogs, mineral collecting, and making connections in the community.
Through her varied experiences in both the government and non-profit sectors, she has learned the necessity of education and outreach to the public to bring about change. As part of the PRWC team, Katie will apply her breadth of program management skills and experiences to benefit the local community. She looks forward to helping the PRWC in their mission to bring science and education to the public and encourage involvement in local conservation.
2023 Dr. Marc Taylor Interns
This years Interns will be working on completing stream crossing assessments for the town of Southbury following the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative protocol. The goal of the assessments is to examine the integrity of the structures such as bridges and culverts for aquatic life passage from one side of a stream to the other. This tool can be used by towns and state agencies to prioritize repair or replacements of poor and failing stream crossings under roads.
The interns will also play a role in planning and executing a buffer maintenance project along Lake Stibbs in Southbury. The buffer complements an invasive species control project to continually assist Lake Stibbs protection of rivers downstream.
Throughout the season, the interns will have the opportunity to lead clean ups, assist in education programs, and participate in stream sampling.
Charlotte Zapletal, 2023 Dr. Marc Taylor Intern
Charlotte Zapletal of New Milford, Connecticut is a rising junior studying Earth and Environmental Sciences at Wesleyan University.
She gained valuable experience interning at both Steep Rock Association’s Judea Garden, and the Northwest CT Land Conservancy. In addition, she has gained experience through her volunteer work for community and education-based organizations that prioritize environmental science and conservation, such as the Pratt Nature Center and White Memorial Conservation Center.
Last fall, Charlotte studied climate and precipitation data in relation to river flow and discharge data, and would like to continue that field work on a deeper level with PRWC.
Olivia DiPalermo, 2023 Dr. Marc Taylor Intern
Olivia DiPalermo, of Lagrangeville, New York graduated Summa Cum Laude from Binghamton University with a major in history and a double minor in environmental studies and environmental resource management. Olivia then advanced into a graduate program through the University of Connecticut where she will be graduating with her Masters of Energy and Environmental Management in December of this year.
This past summer, Olivia completed a 450-hour AmeriCorps term through the NY-NJ Trail Conference, in which she gained ecological field experience as well as knowledge of trail building, planning, and stewardship. Through her studies, Olivia has gained extensive knowledge of planning/zoning and resource management, as well as experience in environmental science data collection and analysis.