Team & Board
Jenny Hansell
President
Jenny Hansell became BNRC’s third President in February 2018. Born in Boston and raised in Detroit, Jenny earned her BA from Yale and master’s in public administration from the University of Connecticut. Before moving to Massachusetts to join BNRC, she lived in Sharon, CT, and for 17 years was the Executive Director of the North East Community Center in Dutchess County, NY. She has worked as an environmental policy analyst at the National Audubon Society and as associate director of the Council on the Environment of New York City and held positions at Creative Art Works and Sesame Workshop. jhansell@bnrc.org
View the full Board Learn about the President’s Advisory Circle
Meet the Staff
Doug Brown
Director of Stewardship
Doug grew up in Andover, MA. He spent most of his time exploring the protected woodlands in town, and north on the trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He has BS in environmental science from the University of Vermont, and a master’s in environmental studies from Antioch University of New England. Prior to joining BNRC, Doug worked as a land steward at the Upper Valley Land Trust and the Public Lands Manager at Columbia Land Conservancy. dbrown@bnrc.org
Emily Daunis
Director of Advancement
Emily has more than a decade of experience in all aspects of fundraising and development across the nonprofit sector, including museums, the performing arts, education, and healthcare organizations throughout the Northeast. A native of Massachusetts, she graduated from Lesley University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and received a certificate in nonprofit management from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She settled in North Adams in 2016 with her husband and three children. Emily is an elected member of the North Adams Public Schools Committee and also serves on the city’s Community and Economic Development Advisory Board. edaunis@bnrc.org
Jenifer Dickinson
Stewardship Coordinator
Jenifer was born and raised in Hartford, Vermont and from a young age, loved wandering in nature. She has a BS in environmental science from Keene State and a master’s in conservation biology from Antioch University of New England. Jenifer worked for the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire and was an outdoor and environmental educator with the Harris Center for Conservation Education and the YMCA. She is also Chair of the Mountaineering Committee for the New Hampshire chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club. jdickinson@bnrc.org
Amy Dryansky
Grants Specialist
Amy has worked as grant writer, administrator, and communications professional at conservation, arts, and human service agencies. She’s a poet and teaches creative writing at area colleges. Amy earned a BFA in painting and art history from Syracuse University and an MFA in poetry from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Amy has lived in western Massachusetts for many years and has strong ties to the Berkshire. She finds inspiration for her creative and professional work outdoors—on land and on the water! adryansky@bnrc.org
Tyler Fogg
Assistant Director of Stewardship
Tyler grew up west of Boston and discovered his love of being outdoors at an early age. He studied anthropology and geography at UMass and is a member of the Appalachian Trail Thru Hiker class of 2010. His passion for preserving national parks and conserved lands comes from his experiences working on trail crews across the country. He has worked from the backcountry of the Trinity Alps of northern California to historic building preservation in Virginia to the stone steps of Acadia National Park. tfogg@bnrc.org
Hayley Gibbs
Trail Crew
Hayley is from Wallingford, CT and has loved the outdoors since she was a kid: hiking and birding with her dad often while growing up. She graduated from Paul Smith’s College with a degree in Ecological Restoration and hopes to continue working outdoors, with a dream to own her own native plant nursery someday. Hayley has previously worked at other land trusts including Blue Hill Heritage Trust and the Paul Smith’s College VIC. In her free time she raises monarch butterflies, does nature photography, and loves to visit antique stores across New England.
Charlotte Hood
Volunteer and Outreach Manager
Charlotte grew up in New York City, but quickly found herself at home among the trees while attending Skidmore College in upstate New York. Prior to BNRC, she worked as an outdoor educator at Mass Audubon and the Hitchcock Center for the Environment. At BNRC, you can find Charlotte on the trail leading hikes, programs, and volunteer workdays, where she continues to share her love for and knowledge of nature with others. chood@bnrc.org
Josh Hopmans
Property Manager
A native of the Berkshires, Josh grew up in Hinsdale with conserved land all around him. This setting fostered his love for natural spaces and wildlife. Josh started with BNRC in 2017, and since then he has taken on all parts of stewarding conserved land including: building new trails, monitoring conservation restrictions, managing wildlife habitat, and supervising seasonal trail crews. Currently he coordinates trail maintenance and manages projects that make BNRC Reserves more accessible and enjoyable for all. jhopmans@bnrc.org
Jonathan Lueken
Trail Crew Leader
Jonathan was born in Concord, NH and has had a passion for the outdoors and wildlife since he was a boy. Homeschooled through high school, he has taken varied courses in survival, disaster relief, agriculture, and emergency medicine. His work with BNRC started as part of the trail crew constructing the Mahanna Cobble trail in 2019 before become the Trail Crew Leader. Bare foot running, birding, and hiking are some of his favorite ways to enjoy nature. jlueken@bnrc.org
Beth Mills
Director of Land Conservation
Beth has a BA from Wesleyan University and her PhD from the University of California, at Davis. In 2017, she moved back east from New Mexico to serve as Director of Conservation at the Columbia Land Conservancy. While living in New Mexico, Beth worked for the local government in Santa Fe as an open space and trails planner, and with the statewide New Mexico Land Conservancy as their Conservation Director. She is happy to be back doing conservation work in her ”home landscape” in the northeast. bmills@bnrc.org
Nick Pitel
Assistant Director of Conservation
Nick grew up exploring nature in Otego, New York. He received a BS in field biology from Paul Smith’s College and a master’s in forest ecology and management from SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry. Nick worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, developing conservation plans for farm and forest landowners and for the MA Department of Agricultural Resources stewarding protected farmland. He is also a licensed forester and previously worked with Columbia Land Conservancy. npitel@bnrc.org
Johnny Robinson
Conservation Associate
As a Cape Codder who grew up exploring sandy beaches, salt marshes, and pine/oak forests, Johnny became transfixed by natural spaces at an early age. He completed conservation internships with Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon, the Town of Dennis (MA) Department of Natural Resources, and Kennebec Land Trust, and graduated from College of the Atlantic with a BA in human ecology and worked as a Land Steward for the Orenda Wildlife Land Trust before joining BNRC. jrobinson@bnrc.org
Deanna Smith
High Road Manager
Deanna landed in the Berkshire region after completing an education in environmental science and outdoor leadership at SUNY Oneonta. In 2016 she founded a trail design and construction company that allowed her to work on a multitude of trail development initiatives both locally and across the country. She also served as the Natural Resource Steward Coordinator for the Student Conservation Association, where she managed conservation projects in the Catskill and Adirondack mountains. dsmith@bnrc.org
Kathleen Smolinski
Assistant Director of Fundraising
Kathleen started at BNRC in May 2022. She was born and raised outside of Albany, New York and has always had a passion for exploring and connecting with nature. Kathleen has a Bachelor’s Degree in History from SUNY Oswego and a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies from Syracuse University. She utilizes her professional experience in fundraising and administration to connect the important work of preserving nature to BNRC supporters. ksmolinski@bnrc.org
Taylor Staubach
Community Conservation Senior Manager
Born and raised in the Berkshires, Taylor’s path in outdoor education and conservation is driven by a lifelong love of nature and a desire to help others connect with the outdoors. As founder of Berkshire Family Hikes, she created fun and educational experiences for families to explore nature together, giving her a strong foundation in community building and outdoor engagement. An avid writer, Taylor is believes storytelling can connect communities with the landscapes around them. In partnership with BNRC, she has been leading rambles across the Berkshire since 2021. tstaubach@bnrc.org
Donovan Snyder
Trails Coordinator
Originally from Pennsylvania, Donovan felt pulled toward the mountains of New England. He studied sociology and education at Clark University and spent several years as an educator in the nonprofit field. Donovan was also a bike mechanic and ski instructor and led an Appalachian Mountain Club youth trail crew on the New England National Scenic Trail. He discovered the beauty of BNRC’s trails while volunteering as a trail steward before joining the team full-time. dsnyder@bnrc.org
Ashley Winseck
Chief of Staff
Ashley is a Berkshire County native who grew up exploring nature in Sheffield and Great Barrington. She earned a BA in English and Media Studies from Sacred Hearth University, and has extensive experience in marketing and communications, publishing, and project management. She previously served as Senior Managing Editor at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health and Marketing Manager at Theory Wellness. awinseck@bnrc.org
Melanie Winters
Donor Relations Manager
A Pennsylvania native, Melanie grew up exploring the woods and rivers around her home. Her passion for inspiring personal growth and connection to nature through adventure led her to complete a degree in adventure recreation at Green Mountain College. Melanie has spent most of her career working as an Outdoor Sports Guide at Canyon Ranch and loves making recreation accessible and rewarding. mwinters@bnrc.org
Meet the Hike Leaders
BNRC partners with community organizations and individuals to lead hikes and help expand access to the Berkshire outdoors.
América López
Spanish-Language Hike Leader
Despite growing up in an urban area around Mexico City, América always felt a deep attraction to the wilderness, which she attributes to her indigenous heritage. When she moved to the Berkshires in 2003, it felt like she was coming home in nature. As an immigrant, América understands the importance of feeling like you belong in your new community, and believes that getting involved in group activities like swimming, hiking, fishing, or gardening can help newcomers feel part of something bigger here in the Berkshires.