Leadership

President: John Hankins

John is a life-long Mansfield resident and grew up romping with his neighborhood tribe at JT’s Wolf Rock Preserve, a role that would be formalized decades later when he became the Wolf Rock steward for JT. He follows in his father Dave’s footsteps, who was JT President for three terms in the 1980s and instilled in his children a deep passion for the outdoors and outdoor recreation. John’s background is in geology and until his retirement in 2018 he specialized in environmental assessments and remediation of environmentally-distressed properties, serving as President of the 300-member Environmental Professional Organization of Connecticut from 2014-2016. At Joshua’s Trust he has chaired the Stewardship Committee, and led a one-year effort to develop a Comprehensive Stewardship Plan that provides guidance to staff and stewards on how best to manage our properties.

Vice President: Karen Zimmer

Karen has lived and worked on small farms in Rhode Island and Ohio and has hiked the Trust’s trails since she moved to Connecticut in 1988. She is a retired registered nurse who specialized in mental health and addiction settings. She loves learning how to enhance her own “micro preserve” with native plants and tracking the critters that come to visit. Karen has volunteered for JT in several capacities, including easement monitor, secretary and president.

Treasurer: Gail Bruhn

Gail is a retired investment professional who sits on the Advisory Council of the Hartford CFA Society. She has used her financial skills to help a number of non-profits, including the EO Smith Foundation and the CT Horticultural Society. A Delawarean by origin, Gail lives in Storrs with her husband Tom, who is retired from the University of Connecticut. They were the original tenants of the Wilbur Cross house, following Joshua’s Trust’s purchase of the Gurleyville Gristmill. Trails along the Fenton River remain favorites of their three sons when they visit with their families.

Secretary: Marie Cantino

Marie is retired from UConn after 27 years as a faculty member in the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology and Director of the Biosciences Electron Microscopy Facility at UConn. During her childhood in Michigan and her graduate studies in Wisconsin and Washington state, she spent many hours hiking, bicycling, skiing and gardening. These activities, along with her career in science, have given her an appreciation of the incredible beauty and complexity of biological organisms, and how much we have to lose if we don't protect the land and waters that they inhabit.

Our Staff

Executive Director
Michael Hveem

Michael joined the Trust as Executive Director in 2015, after three years with The Avon Theatre Film Center, a nonprofit historic film theater in Stamford and his prior career with the investment firm Royce and Associates. Before becoming executive director, Mike was no stranger to Joshua’s Trust, having started walking the properties in the 1980's. Michael can be reached at michael.hveem@joshuastrust.org

Land Protection Manager
Bryan Avery

Bryan was born and raised just across the border in Sturbridge Massachusetts where he began his conservation career with his local scout troop, building trails, tying knots, and serving his community. He holds a BA in Geology from Hartwick College and a MS in Parks and Natural Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. He has designed and led education programs for multiple non-profits and CT DEEP, and served as an AmeriCorps member with Public Allies Connecticut. Bryan is passionate about social and environmental justice and the role of land trusts in this work. He has a warm creative spirit and looks forward to expanding and connecting Joshua’s Trust properties while preserving and illuminating the human and natural histories we protect.

Stewardship Coordinator
Alex DiMauro-D'Amico

Alex grew up in the Lower Connecticut River Valley. After attending the University of Connecticut, he lived in New Mexico and Colorado respectively, doing mostly trail building and fuels work with nonprofits followed by several years of wildland fire fighting with the USFS. He’s been able to see much of the country while fighting fires during the summer and traveling during the winter, but began missing the forests of New England. Before finding Joshua’s Trust, he worked for The Nature Conservancy in Maine, which further piqued his interest in land management. He’s now excited about being back in his home state and having the opportunity to learn more about local ecology and conservation.

Finance Administrator
Joyce Fountain

Joyce was born and raised in Connecticut’s Quiet Corner; Joyce’s passion for land conservation developed as she spent her childhood exploring the woodland trails of New England. Her love of all things botanical fueled her to achieve multiple degrees in Environmental Archaeology, completing her MS in Environmental Archaeology and Paleoeconomy from The University of Sheffield in 2016. She completed her MS in Accounting in Spring 2020. In 2017, she joined the Joshua’s Trust team serving as our part-time bookkeeper.

Development and Communications Manager
Michelle Poudrette

Michelle hails from Northeastern Connecticut and is a lifelong explorer of the forests and river valleys that make this area unique. Her background is in education, language and literacy development, and social justice. For 15 years, Michelle lived in Austin, TX where she was introduced to land conservation through the TX Master Naturalist Program. It was at this same time that she became involved with non-profit development. Since her return to the area she has volunteered with numerous organizations focused on protecting the area’s native plants and the habitats in which they grow. She has long been inspired by the critical work at Joshua’s Trust and looks forward to meeting everyone who works to preserve and protect this land she calls home.

Paddy

Paddy is a retired Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation breed dog that spends her time with Mike. She enjoys taking note of everything that is going on in and around the office and is often looking for her frisbee when not greeting visitors.