Meet our Newest Board Members, Ben and Robert

Ben Canavan

Robert Callahan

Barnstable Land Trust is excited to welcome Ben Canavan and Robert Callahan as new board members. A lifelong resident of the Cape, Ben is an owner of Solar Rising, as well a photovoltaic solar panel installer. He has worked for 15 years in renewable energy and installed thousands of residential and commercial solar installations on Cape Cod, the islands and South Eastern Massachusetts. A licensed Master Electrician by trade, Ben also holds numerous certifications in the solar industry. Ben takes an interest in all things sustainable, and studies as much as he can to stay current on innovations and products in the field. He lives in Cotuit on his property, Fish Hawk Farm, with his wife, son, two dogs, and many chickens. They grow large vegetable gardens and specialize in berries. A retired Foreign Service officer, Robert Callahan ended his 32-year career as ambassador to Nicaragua. In addition to other assignments in Latin America and Europe, he served in Baghdad as the press attaché and embassy spokesman from 2004-2005. Along with his work as a Foreign Service Officer, Robert was also an educator. He taught national security policy for two years at the National War College, and spent three years as a diplomatic fellow at George Washington University, where he taught courses and lectured on foreign policy, public diplomacy, and international relations. Since his retirement from the Foreign Service Bob has written articles on topics as varied as foreign affairs and education reform for the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Miami Herald, and Cape Cod Times, among others. “We are excited to welcome Ben and Robert to the board,” shared Joe Hawley, BLT Board President. “They bring experience in key areas, including sustainability, renewable energy and farming, which are vital to our goals as an organization.”

BLT is actively seeking volunteers at all levels of our organization. Visit https://www.blt.org/volunteer to learn more, and fill out our volunteer interest form to get involved.