Barnstable Land Trust elects Three New Board Members
and Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Town Proclamation
West Barnstable, MA – Celebrating its 40th Anniversary at Barnstable Land Trust’s (BLT) Annual Meeting, three new board members were recently elected to BLT’s Board of Directors including Michael Cohen (Cotuit), Lisa Drake (Mashpee), and Jill McCleary (Hyannis). The Annual Meeting was held on July 11th at the new Maureen Wilkens Science and Engineering Center at Cape Cod Community College, featuring a tour of the state-of-the-art STEM building and a special Town of Barnstable proclamation which was read by Town Councilor Kris Clark that declared July 11 as “Barnstable Land Trust Day.” Bridge Creek Capital Management LCC, Cape Cod 5, and Cape Cod Package Store sponsored the milestone event.
Jill McCleary, Michael Cohen and Lisa Drake
“Celebrating our 40th Anniversary in Cape Cod Community College’s state-of-the-art building, which was sustainably constructed to preserve energy and is LEED certified, was the ideal location for BLT’s annual meeting - especially as we embrace a future where protecting the environment has never been more important” said Janet Milkman, BLT’s Executive Director. “We are excited to be adding passionate, highly skilled, and dedicated volunteer leaders like Michael, Lisa, and Jill to our Board of Directors who also serve as champions dedicated to protecting and preserving our community’s most special and important natural resources.”
Michael Cohen
Lisa Drake
Jill McCleary
Michael Cohen (Cotuit/Boston) served as the General Manager of a group of New England radio stations and also built the largest independent media buying agency in New England. In addition to serving on several nonprofit boards, his expertise in situational analysis, strategic planning and revenue generation will be valuable as BLT moves forward.
Lisa Drake (Mashpee) brings over 25 years of professional fundraising experience in higher education, most recently with Boston University and Carnegie Mellon University. Her roles have spanned all aspects of fundraising from Annual Giving to Assistant Dean, Development and Alumni Relations. As the new Development Committee Chair, Lisa is guiding BLT on its fundraising strategies and campaigns.
Jill McCleary (Hyannis) has been a member of Cape Cod 5’s team since 2014 and currently holds the position of Senior Financial Analyst. In her current role, she focuses on expense analysis, budgeting, reporting, visual presentations, and assisting internal associates. Serving on BLT’s Finance Committee for several years, Jill also serves as Board Treasurer.
In addition to electing new board members at BLT’s Annual Meeting, Brendan Annett (Cotuit) received the Founders Award and John Miller (Mashpee) and Beth Odence (Cotuit) received the President’s Award.
President’s Award Recipients John Miller and Beth Odence, and Founders Award Recipient Brendan Annett
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Barnstable Land Trust (BLT) is a community-supported, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving open space and natural resources in the Town of Barnstable and nearby areas. BLT has protected 1,100 acres in the Town of Barnstable and supported the Town in conserving over 11,000 more. Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2023, BLT is a regional leader in collaborative land preservation and stewardship, community engagement, training, and advocacy. BLT also leverages its conservation expertise to inform local public decisions as they impact our ecosystems, community health, well-being, and quality of life. To learn more about BLT’s special 40th Anniversary events including the Hike Barnstable Challenge and the first-of-its-kind 2-day live Readathon of Thoreau’s Cape Cod (October 7 & 8), BLT’s trailside poetry initiative Words in the Wild, or access one of its three popular trail map guides (Barnstable Trail Guide - English and Portuguese, Cape Cod Pathways, and Eagle Pond & Little River Sanctuary Trail Guide), visit http://www.BLT.org or call 508-771-2585.