Release Date: March 5, 2020

Bedford Hills, NY—Westchester Land Trust (WLT) announced the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors, welcoming Clifford Aronson and Offutt Porter to the nonprofit’s leadership team. At WLT’s Annual Benefit on June 6th, retiring Director Stephen Beckwith will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his ten years of service on the Board.

“We are honored that Clifford Aronson and Offutt Porter will volunteer their time and lend their talents to our Board of Directors and we welcome them to our leadership,” said Bruce  Churchill, Chairman of the Board. “WLT relies on its Board of Directors to expand our reach and influence as a leading professionally staffed and nationally accredited land conservation organization. As we celebrate our new members, we are also honored to commemorate the immeasurable dedication of retiring Board Member, Stephen Beckwith, with our Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Clifford Aronson, a native of Rye, NY, is the North American leader of the Antitrust/Competition Group of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Clifford’s practice focuses on advising clients in antitrust matters relating to mergers and acquisitions. He is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center and was previously an instructor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is a regular speaker on mergers and acquisitions at Wharton’s Executive Education Program. He also serves on the board of Purchase College and previously was vice chair of the Mergers and Acquisitions Committee of the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association. Clifford earned a BS from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center. He is an avid hiker, rower, biker, and kayaker. Clifford and his wife, Amy Benenson Aronson, live in Rye, NY and have three children.  He will be supporting WLT’s land protection and audit committees.

“I am very excited to be part of WLT and combine my love of the outdoors with the critical mission of preserving our scarce natural environment,” said Aronson. “I’m thrilled to bring my experience to this organization and work with my fellow Board members and WLT staff to protect land for future generations.”

Offutt Porter, an avid outdoor recreation leader with two decades of experience creating and directing programs for all ages and abilities, will serve on WLT’s program committee which seeks to engage community members in outdoor excursions at WLT’s publicly accessible preserves. Offutt lives in Tuckahoe, NY and serves as the volunteer leader for the Westchester community of Outdoor Afro which is the nation’s leading network that celebrates and inspires African American connections and leadership in nature.

“Our local lands are beautiful and often times taken for granted,” says Porter. “I want people—especially people in lower Westchester—to begin to experience the local earth and become ‘caught up’ in wanting to be out there and protect it.”

Stephen Beckwith, WLT’s 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree is a longtime supporter of Westchester Land Trust and was a member of the Board of Directors from 2010-2019. Throughout his career at Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Stephen held several positions beginning as a research analyst and continuing on to become a chief financial officer, board member, and executive committee member. Stephen received an AB from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. A passionate philanthropist, Stephen supports many charitable organizations including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYU Institute of Fine Arts, Regional Plan Association, Lotos Foundation, AFS-USA, and Waccabuc Landowners Council. He and his wife Patricia have three children and live in Waccabuc.

“Westchester Land Trust is a strong organization with a dedicated and highly capable Board and staff, said Beckwith. “The land it preserves helps provide clean air and water, recreation, wildlife habitat, and scenic views. I’m proud to have been part of the team for the past 10 years.”