Board of Directors
Carrie Fleming, Interim Chairperson
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What started as a childhood fascination with nature led Chaumont native Carrie Fleming to study and teach Biology and has also made her a perfect fit for her hometown land trust. Carrie joined OBI’s Board of Directors in August 2020 and was elected to a full two-year term at our annual meeting in April 2021. She was elected vice-chairperson in April 2022 and then was named Interim Chairperson in fall 2022.
Carrie’s expertise and enthusiasm has helped with OBI’s conservation work that includes marking trails, property inspections and investigating potential conservation opportunities in our service area. She is always quick to volunteer for field work |
“Preserving and protecting ecologically significant lands and also open spaces for wildlife is something that land trusts like OBI can do for communities and I’m hoping to help more conservation happen,” she said.
She attended Lyme Central School and is a 1997 graduate of the SUNY-ESF Ranger School in Wanakena, NY where she majored in forest technology. She received her Master’s in Education from SUNY Potsdam and was a biology instructor at Watertown High School for several years.
Carrie lives on Point Salubrious in Chaumont and enjoys many outdoor activities, including distance running, kayaking and snowshoeing.
She attended Lyme Central School and is a 1997 graduate of the SUNY-ESF Ranger School in Wanakena, NY where she majored in forest technology. She received her Master’s in Education from SUNY Potsdam and was a biology instructor at Watertown High School for several years.
Carrie lives on Point Salubrious in Chaumont and enjoys many outdoor activities, including distance running, kayaking and snowshoeing.
Rosanne Weir, Interim Vice-Chairperson
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Rosanne joined the OBI Land Trust Board of Directors in 2018. She retired from Jefferson Community College having worked for 40 years in Admissions and Enrollment Management. She brings a passion for marketing, event development and management to our all-volunteer board and established the OBI marketing committee.
Rosanne has spent summers on the shores of Lake Ontario in Hardscrabble Bay, an important raptor migration route and Grassland bird habitat. A longtime resident of Watertown, she spends the warmer months at Cape Vincent’s scenic Fuller Bay. Situated at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, it is an important migration route for waterfowl. She was elected to a leadership role as interim role as vice-chairperson in November 2022 following the sudden loss of her husband, Jim LaPlante. He was the longest-serving leader of our non-profit organization and Rosanne often worked alongside him while doing the work of the land trust. Her continued work on behalf of our organization is a testament to their lasting legacy of commitment to land conservation. |
Rosanne enjoys the outdoors, and loves bike riding, hiking, and birding and outdoor adventures with friends and beloved grandchildren.
Lee Ellsworth, Land Steward
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Even if you have never met OBI Land Steward Lee Ellsworth, chances are you have seen his photographs. Lee’s stunning images – including landscapes, birds and plants – have been featured by OBI both on our website and in brochures. Lee’s photographs have also been among those featured in the silent auction at OBI’s annual fundraiser.
Nature photography became his passion in the 1970s. He has spent hundreds of hours in overgrown fields, pastures and rocky shorelines patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity to capture local wildlife in its natural habitat. “I’m always looking for a good photograph” when out in the field, he said. “It’s just something I’ve always loved doing.” |
Lee joined the OBI Board of Directors in February 2015 and then became vice-chairperson of OBI in 2016. His knowledge of our region’s different habitats - including the alvar - has helped with various aspects of our land trust. Lee has also been a volunteer for the Nature Conservancy for more than 20 years and is retired from a 30-year career as a lab director at the Watertown Water Treatment Plant. Lee and his wife, Cathie, are longtime Watertown residents. “Throughout my life, a goal of mine was to preserve open space. OBI allows me that opportunity,” he said.
Joan Woods, Treasurer
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When she moved back to her hometown roots in 2001, Joan Treadwell Woods wanted to make a difference in the North Country.
“I really knew that I wanted to give back and make a contribution,’’ recalled Joan, a Watertown native who had a 35-year career with IBM Corp. She has served as the Treasurer of OBI Land Trust for more than a decade. At every monthly meeting of the OBI Board of Directors, Joan gives her financial report – and everyone listens. She has the challenging task of tracking and managing income and expenses, and also provides detailed analysis that is used by board members to make key decisions to keep our non-profit organization on a path to continued success. |
A resident of Henderson Harbor for several years, and a lifelong seasonal resident, she enjoys boating and the beauty of the area with family and friends. She worked closely with her cousins, Charles and Gale Stone, to help conserve Stoney Cove, one of the last stretches of undeveloped shoreline in Henderson Bay. The land is now protected by a conservation easement with OBI Land Trust.
“I’ve always been interested in Land Ontario and its environment, and it just seemed natural to get involved with OBI,’’ she said.
Joan is a Master Gardener, who is particularly focused on native and pollinating plants of the Northeast. She also serves on several governing boards at Samaritan Medical Center, including serving as chairperson of the Samaritan Summit Village Board of Directors for its initial five years.
“I’ve always been interested in Land Ontario and its environment, and it just seemed natural to get involved with OBI,’’ she said.
Joan is a Master Gardener, who is particularly focused on native and pollinating plants of the Northeast. She also serves on several governing boards at Samaritan Medical Center, including serving as chairperson of the Samaritan Summit Village Board of Directors for its initial five years.
Vicki Hanley, Secretary
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Her education and life-long love of nature made Vicki Hanley a perfect fit for OBI. The Watertown resident was unanimously elected to the OBI Board of Directors in January 2018. Vicki also recently joined the OBI marketing committee.
“My parents and their friends had a love of the outdoors and we spent many days hiking and fishing,” she recalls of her summers spent in Inlet, located in the western Adirondacks. Vicki has a degree in Wildlife Biology Management from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. |
She also worked nearly 30 years in finance, including the Bank of New York Mellon and NYNEX/Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages. Recent retirement is allowing her to spend more time fishing, hiking and helping OBI with its local conservation mission.
Tracy Valentine, Editor & Historian
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For the last 13 years, Tracy Valentine is a Chaumont native who has served on the OBI Land Trust Board of Directors. She attended a monthly board meeting back in 2006 to find out more about what land trusts do, but never expecting that it would turn into such a long commitment to OBI.
“I have been involved for so many years because I saw that OBI has something special to offer,” she said. “I quickly saw the special and important role our land trust serves in providing a path for people to preserve the places they love that have special meaning and in many cases have been in their families for decades.” She worked as a journalist for more than 20 years – including several years as a reporter for the Watertown Daily Times – and her service with OBI has included lots of writing. |
Tracy is editor of the OBI newsletter, and creates contents for brochures and advertisements. Tracy served 8 years as OBI Secretary and currently serves on the marketing committee.
Tracy’s family has deep roots in the town of Lyme, particularly on scenic Point Salubrious in Chaumont. She and her husband, Edward - also a Chaumont native - live in Watertown and have four children. Other than writing, Tracy enjoys outdoor exercise, kickboxing class and cooking. She is a member of the Lyme Book Club and serves on the Board of Directors for the Samaritan Summit Village, Watertown.
Tracy’s family has deep roots in the town of Lyme, particularly on scenic Point Salubrious in Chaumont. She and her husband, Edward - also a Chaumont native - live in Watertown and have four children. Other than writing, Tracy enjoys outdoor exercise, kickboxing class and cooking. She is a member of the Lyme Book Club and serves on the Board of Directors for the Samaritan Summit Village, Watertown.
Joel Block
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OBI Board Member Joel Block never turns down a volunteer job that takes him outdoors and into nature. He often pulls on a pair of work boots and tags along with our land steward for a day’s work – clearing nature trails, seeking out invasive plants or trudging through forest and grassland during annual property inspections.
You would never suspect he might be from the city -- until he starts talking. His Bronx, NY accent is a dead giveaway. Joel comes to us as a retired administrator at LaGuardia Community College, one of City University of New York’s 23 campuses. Growing up across the street from the Bronx Botanical Gardens and a stone’s throw from the Bronx Zoo, he was exposed to the wonders of the natural world, something one doesn’t usually expect from a “city boy.” |
“Too many people from outside the city fail to realize the vast variety of flora and fauna that thrive in city woodlands. I’ve had raccoons, rabbits and an opossum in my garden in Flushing, Queens, and have seen deer, foxes and coyotes too in the city parks,” said Joel.
Joel and his partner, Judith McGaughey, have lived on scenic Point Salubrious in Chaumont since 2007. They love hiking, biking, sailing and skiing.
Joel has been a member of the OBI’s all-volunteer board for nearly 10 years. He joined because he wanted to be involved in a homegrown land trust that works to protect land for future generations. “I feel very honored to be a part of OBI and to see all the wonderful work we’ve done,” said Joel. “What especially appeals to me is the opportunity for expanding land conservation here in the North Country.”
Joel and his partner, Judith McGaughey, have lived on scenic Point Salubrious in Chaumont since 2007. They love hiking, biking, sailing and skiing.
Joel has been a member of the OBI’s all-volunteer board for nearly 10 years. He joined because he wanted to be involved in a homegrown land trust that works to protect land for future generations. “I feel very honored to be a part of OBI and to see all the wonderful work we’ve done,” said Joel. “What especially appeals to me is the opportunity for expanding land conservation here in the North Country.”
Colin Burns
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Colin Burns joined the board of the Ontario Bays Initiative in January of 2019. Colin joins the board with an enthusiasm to help cultivate another generation of land stewards. Colin is an employee of WPBS-Public Television, helping business and organizations with their marketing strategies and raising money for WPBS’ local and national programming.
Colin wants to help OBI spread the message of land conservation through social media and media outreach. |
“I wanted to join OBI to help get the message out to people that not only can you enjoy the lands that OBI conserves, but also help us preserve more land along Lake Ontario through future easements. We live in one of the most beautiful places in New York and future generations deserve to enjoy nature, as I have and previous generations.”
During Colin’s free time he enjoys exploring different nature and hiking trails, always with his camera at his side. A quote from President Theodore Roosevelt sums up Colin’s interest in our land perfectly. “It is an incalculable added pleasure to any one’s sum of happiness if he or she grows to know, even slightly and imperfectly, how to read and enjoy the wonder- book of nature.”
During Colin’s free time he enjoys exploring different nature and hiking trails, always with his camera at his side. A quote from President Theodore Roosevelt sums up Colin’s interest in our land perfectly. “It is an incalculable added pleasure to any one’s sum of happiness if he or she grows to know, even slightly and imperfectly, how to read and enjoy the wonder- book of nature.”
Amanda L. McIlroy
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Amanda joined OBI Land Trust in May 2019 and has brought her enthusiasm for writing, art and design and the love of the outdoors to OBI! Amanda holds a B.A. degree in Communication and Social Interaction from SUNY Oswego and received her M.S. degree in Recreation and Leisure Services Management from SUNY Brockport.
Amanda has years of experience in the field of recreation from being a Parks and Recreation Playground Director for four summers, followed by two summers as a Camp Counselor in the Adirondacks, a year as a SACC counselor for the YMCA, as well as an internship for the Ontario Community Center in Ontario, NY while receiving her M.S. degree. |
Amanda currently works as a Marketing Associate for Renzi Foodservice, Watertown, specializing in communications and executing various marketing campaigns.
“I’m excited to be a part of OBI Land Trust and the chance to apply my education, interests and love of experiencing the outdoors while learning more about the logistics of land conservation. I’m eager to learn as much as I can from this hard-working, knowledgable group and their passion for making an impact in our community.”
Amanda’s hobbies include hiking, kayaking, reading, live music and exploring Upstate New York trails with friends and family.
“I’m excited to be a part of OBI Land Trust and the chance to apply my education, interests and love of experiencing the outdoors while learning more about the logistics of land conservation. I’m eager to learn as much as I can from this hard-working, knowledgable group and their passion for making an impact in our community.”
Amanda’s hobbies include hiking, kayaking, reading, live music and exploring Upstate New York trails with friends and family.
Marie Smith
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Her interest in birds and the outdoors first led retired registered nurse Marie Smith to join OBI Land Trust as a volunteer at Downybrook Nature Reserve, Brownville.
She and husband, John, have been monitoring the bluebird boxes at OBI’s 180-acre nature reserve for the past three years. Marie joined the Board of Directors of OBI Land Trust in November 2022. A longtime resident of Brownville, she spent a 41-year career in nursing. Both she and her husband are retired from Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown. Marie brings to OBI an enthusiasm for our land conservation mission as well as interest in spending time in the field. She and her husband are longtime members of the North Country Bird Club and their dedication to the nest boxes at Downybrook has helped to encourage more Bluebird activity there. It also led her to appreciate the important role of OBI in protecting special property for future generations. “As I found out more about this great organization and what they do to help landowners to preserve the beautiful Lake Ontario habitat, I became more intrigued,” said Marie. “I have always had an appreciation for nature and spending time outdoors is a powerful way to recharge ourselves and clear our minds.” The Smiths spend summers at their cottage on Pillar Point. They love boating, birding, reading, cooking and enjoying family and friends. |
Emeritus
Jim LaPlante (1947-2022)
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As the longest serving leader of OBI Land Trust, Jim LaPlante has left a legacy of commitment that is a lasting inspiration for our all-volunteer organization.
Jim died suddenly and unexpectedly on November 7, 2022. He joined OBI Land Trust in 2006 and quickly became one of those special people whose passion for OBI and the mission of land conservation was truly an inspiration. Both at events and behind the scenes, he worked tirelessly as a volunteer for OBI as if he was earning a nice paycheck. |
Jim was elected chairman of OBI’s Board of Directors in 2010 and was re-elected annually, making him the longest-serving chairman of our non-profit organization. Under his leadership, OBI had great success with securing key grant funds and protecting ecologically significant land and open space.
He was a successful businessman, a family man and talented nature photographer.
Jim was the creator of the “Friends of OBI” program, an annual membership program. Donations from “friends” have been vital to our land trust’s success and a key source of operating funds for our all-volunteer land trust.
Jim will be remembered as perhaps the finest friend that OBI Land Trust ever has known.
He was a successful businessman, a family man and talented nature photographer.
Jim was the creator of the “Friends of OBI” program, an annual membership program. Donations from “friends” have been vital to our land trust’s success and a key source of operating funds for our all-volunteer land trust.
Jim will be remembered as perhaps the finest friend that OBI Land Trust ever has known.
Emeritus
Urban Hirschey (1938-2022)
Sally Hirschey (1939-2020)
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Sally and Urban Hirschey were dedicated to the mission of OBI Land Trust for nearly two decades. Sally devoted 19 years of service to OBI’s Board of Directors and helped guide our all-volunteer land trust with enthusiasm and a common-sense approach. She and Urban were community leaders and generously hosted many events for OBI at their beautiful waterfront home in Cape Vincent. Urban joined OBI’s Board of Directors in 2016.
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They left the area in 2018 and their parting gift to OBI was $10,000 in matching funds that helped OBI win a grant from the Land Trust Alliance in spring 2018 to fund education, marketing and outreach that helped propel us forward toward new goals.
Sally and Urban became OBI’s first Emeritus members of our Board of Directors in 2018. That same year, the couple was honored with a Citation from the New York State Assembly at OBI’s annual fundraiser, which celebrated their remarkable devotion to OBI and other local causes.
Sally and Urban became OBI’s first Emeritus members of our Board of Directors in 2018. That same year, the couple was honored with a Citation from the New York State Assembly at OBI’s annual fundraiser, which celebrated their remarkable devotion to OBI and other local causes.
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Board of Directors 25th Anniversary Celebration 2018 photo by Lee Ellsworth |
