The Branford Land Trust Board of Directors is pleased to announce the election of three officers and five directors to the Board at the Spring Annual Meeting. Newly elected or re-elected officers serve two-year terms with a maximum of three consecutive terms. Directors serve three-year terms with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
The membership elected Julie Wagner as President, Clare Hambly as Vice-President, and Betsy Herlihy as Corresponding Secretary.
Four Directors elected for three-year terms are Wendy Duby, Chris Edmonds, Gordon Hutchinson, and David McKay. David Debell will fill an open two-year slot.
We sincerely thank retiring directors Bill Chapin and Jake Dittes for their service on the Board of Directors. We look forward to Bill continuing his outstanding leadership as he directs the restoration of the Land Trust House in Stony Creek. And through his position at Save the Sound, Jake will continue to collaborate with BLT on restoration efforts in the Farm River Marsh.
OFFICERS
Julie Wagner, President
Julie grew up on the Connecticut shoreline and has deep family roots in Connecticut. She is encouraged by the conservation movement’s increasing focus on equitable access to the benefits of nature. She is an active member of her religious community. Professionally, Julie is Professor at the UConn schools of medicine and dental medicine where she conducts behavioral diabetes research in severely under-resourced settings using community-based methods that democratize science. This will be Julie’s third term as president.
Clare Hambly, Vice President
Clare works in educational publishing and has a background in conservation and environmental education going back to her upbringing and early teaching career in South Africa. A keen walker and amateur naturalist, she moved to Branford with her husband Peter from NYC in 2021 and is thrilled to contribute to the valuable work of the Land Trust. Key areas of focus include community engagement and access to the outdoors.
Elizabeth (Betsy) Herlihy, Corresponding Secretary
Betsy most recently served as Director of New Haven Engagement & Business Development for the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, where she partnered with nonprofits, restaurants, and small businesses to support growth and collaboration. Earlier in her career, she worked in the cable television industry and with SNET Americast, developing a strong foundation in communications and business development that she continues to apply to her volunteer work.
A Stony Creek resident, Betsy enjoys life on the water—whether boating, paddle boarding, or simply appreciating the community of Stony Creek and the beauty of Long Island Sound. She believes in giving back to the community that inspires her, and is proud to help steward the region’s natural resources for generations to come. She especially values the way the Land Trust connects people to nature through its trails, programs, and conservation efforts.
DIRECTORS
David DeBell
Dave spent his summers growing up in Branford and has had a home here with his family for 40 years enjoying the trails, sand and sun in Hotchkiss Grove. He graduated from Hope College as a biology major going on to earn his MD from St Georges University. He was in solo, group and large group clinical practice with a focus on population health with Summit Medical Group. After retiring three years ago from his Internal Medicine practice in New Jersey, he and Diane moved here to enjoy their family and friends in Branford. Working on the trails crew for the BLT energizes his lifelong love of hiking and being outdoors. After having finished the Master Woodlands Manager program this year, he looks forward to working with the BLT for the conservation of its uniquely beautiful properties. He believes that the Branford Land Trust gives him and the community of Branford the privilege of access to open space and the health benefits that it offers.
Wendy Duby
Wendy joins the board after retiring from a multi-decade career in accounting and manufacturing. Wendy and her husband moved to Branford five years ago after living in North Haven for almost 24 years. She loves life on the water and, now that she has time available, loves to bird watch, hike, snowshoe, paddleboard, sail, garden and through the Land Trust is learning about managing invasive plants. Part of her interest in serving on the Land Trust Board comes from her love of the outdoors that started as a child at her family cabin in the Adirondacks. She loves that the Land Trust wants to make the outdoors accessible for all people. Wendy is a graduate of Merrimack College and has an MBA from Quinnipiac University.
Chris Edmonds
Chris moved to Short Beach, Branford in 1985. He is an attorney/CPA with his office in Branford. Chris has long enjoyed the outdoors. He has hiked throughout Connecticut and the Long Trail in Vermont. In 1981 he took a Hurricane Island Outward Bound Course in Maine then spent the next several years becoming an EMT and a Coast Guard licensed captain. He realized that he really wanted to become an Outward Bound Instructor. He was invited to Outward Bound staff training in 1984. He has taught Outward Bound courses in Maine and Florida since then. Chris enjoys the BLT trails and Long Island Sound.
Gordon Hutchinson
Gordon is a retired rheumatologist and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine. Prior to that he was in the private practice of rheumatology in New Haven for over 30 years and Chief of the Rheumatology Section at the Hospital of St. Raphael. He has lived with his wife, Margrit, and their two children in Branford for over 40 years. They are life-long walkers (have dog), hikers, joggers and bikers and have enjoyed the trails of Branford, Connecticut, and New England as active AMC members for many years. He recently completed the Master Woodland Manager course given by CF&P/UCONN. No longer the Vice President of the BLT, he continues to enjoy the work on the Property Management Committee and the camaraderie of the Trail & Fields Crew.
David McKay
David worked as an OB/GYN for many years in Massachusetts and retired in 2020. Along with his wife Nancy he moved to Branford in 2023 to be closer to family. He currently manages the Branford Land Trust Maintenance Crew. He is also a member of the Property Management and Hikes committees. He became a member of the Board in the summer of 2025. He currently is Steward for Saltonstall SSA-9. His hobbies include hiking, gardening, landscaping, motorcycling and being Poppy to his grandchildren.