The Martha Dinerstein Fund for Conservation Leadership supports the continued education and professional development of Westchester Land Trust’s staff. Contact our president, Kara Whelan, to donate to the Martha Dinerstein Fund for Conservation Leadership or to learn about planned giving opportunities.
Michelle Dellorusso
Community Relations Coordinator
Email Michelle | 914-234-6992 ext. 17
Michelle assists in donor relations, fundraising and events at Westchester Land Trust. Previously, Michelle volunteered for several years as president in the Somers School District PTA where she was committed to enhancing students’ experiences at school through programs and events. Earlier in her career, Michelle worked as a program coordinator with the White Plains Business Improvement District. This laid the foundation for Michelle’s passion to create, beautify and sustain open spaces for communities to enjoy. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Scranton and a master’s degree in public administration from Pace University.
Gentian Falstrom
Land Project Manager (she/her)
Email Gentian | 914-234-6992 ext. 14
Gentian handles the identification and management of new land acquisition and conservation easement projects. She previously managed various high-profile programs and change initiatives for New York City public schools. Gentian is a New York Master Naturalist and leads DEC’s Amphibian Migrations and Road Crossings project in Bedford. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and a master’s degree in public and nonprofit management and policy from New York University.
Jaelen Ferrebee
Conservation Technician (he/him)
Email Jaelen | 914-234-6992 ext. 15
Jaelen monitors and protects Westchester Land Trust’s open space. Before joining the WLT team in 2022 Jaelen helped as a volunteer to implement a beaver baffle, remove an 800-pound roadside tree stump, and assist with easement monitoring. Jaelen received a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, with minors in sustainability, environmental policy, and geology from Central Michigan University. Born and raised in Westchester, Jaelen gained his love of the outdoors in many of WLT’s preserves and other parks in Westchester. In his free time, Jaelen likes to watch and go to sporting events.
Betty Sue Hanson
Operations (she/her)
Email Betty Sue | 914-234-6992 ext. 21
Betty Sue joined Westchester Land Trust in 2006. She manages the office and organizational operations, and was responsible for overseeing the renovations at WLT’s headquarters, Sugar Hill Farm. A former resident of the Adirondack Mountains, she has an AAS degree in environmental science from North County Community College in Saranac Lake and studied environmental science for an additional year at the state college in Plattsburgh. More recently, Betty Sue spent 13 years in sales and marketing for a pharmaceutical company. She also worked as the office manager for Stonewater Sanctuary Holistic Center and for the Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center.
Jody Hughes
Easement Steward and Educator (he/him)
Email Jody | 914-234-6992 ext. 11
Jody oversees Westchester Land Trust’s portfolio of 200+ conservation easements, manages the Pollinator Pop-Up program, and assists in preserve stewardship projects, programs, and events. Jody previously volunteered with WLT’s stewardship team and served as a consultant for the Pollinator Pop-Up. Prior to joining WLT, Jody worked in education in NYC, most recently as a director at a learning center. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Manchester.
Susan Leighton
Donor Relations and Event Manager (she/her)
Email Susan | 914-234-6992 ext. 23
Susan oversees all fundraising and events at Westchester Land Trust while also managing the grant writing process for the organization. Prior to joining WLT, Susan worked in development for the Historic House Trust of New York City and the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, Virginia. She currently sits on the Advisory Board of the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust in Maine where she and her husband raised their family. Susan holds a bachelor’s in finance from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA.
Ruby Olisemeka
Director of Urban Engagement (she/her)
Email Ruby | 914-234-6992 ext. 10
Ruby develops strategies, programs, and projects that create or enhance community access to parks, trails, gardens, or other green spaces and green initiatives, as guided by residents and local partners in urban neighborhoods. Prior to joining Westchester Land Trust, Ruby had the good fortune to work for exceptional nonprofit organizations, including Harlem Grown and Edible Schoolyard NYC, that have been very successful in connecting community, children, and institutions to urban greenspaces. She has held workshops at NOFA-NY, NOFA-CT, City Year Educational Conference, Black Urban Growers Conference, Just Food Conference, Alice Water’s Edible Schoolyard Project Academy in Berkeley, and WESPAC on the intersection of BIPOC lives and urban farming, community engagement, and food justice. She is a community activist, farmer, teacher, storyteller, and an envisioner of new possibilities. Ruby has a deep love of working with, and building community through, urban greenspaces. Her work for over 10 years has centered on utilizing (and sometimes having to protect) greenspaces in urban, peri-urban, and suburban communities. Ruby believes that a connection to nature is a fundamental human need and hopes, in community, we can do the work of enhancing urban spaces to be beneficial and not detrimental to the health of present and future generations.
Jes Parker
Communications Manager (she/her)
Email Jes | 914-234-6992 ext. 22
Jes runs communications and marketing for Westchester Land Trust, managing the organization’s communications strategy, brand identity, media outreach, social media, website, newsletters, and email marketing efforts. She works closely with other staffers to create materials that advance development, stewardship, conservation, and environmental justice initiatives. Prior to joining WLT, Jes was a freelance communications strategist and held full-time roles at marketing agencies and regional conservation nonprofits. She serves on the board of the Norwalk River Watershed Association in Connecticut and volunteers with the Pollinator Pathway Northeast. Jes has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a master’s degree in strategic communications.
Janelle Robbins
Vice President of Conservation (she/her)
Email Janelle | 914-234-6992 ext. 16
Janelle oversees Westchester Land Trust’s land protection and stewardship teams, ensuring land is actively protected and managed for biodiversity, water quality, and public access. Prior to joining staff, Janelle served on WLT’s Board of Directors and Advisory Board. Janelle is a longtime environmental professional, working with Hudson Riverkeeper, Waterkeeper Alliance, Bedford Audubon Society, and most recently as a consultant with Carpenter Environmental Associates and Woodard & Curran. Her experience ranges from developing environmental education programs to site design review and construction oversight to litigation support for environmental advocacy organizations. Janelle holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and biological engineering from Cornell University, a master’s degree in biological systems engineering from Virginia Tech, and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP).
Kara Hartigan Whelan
President (she/her)
Email Kara | 914-234-6992 ext. 12
Kara became president in 2022 after joining the staff in 2012 as the director of conservation programs before becoming vice president in 2015. She has experience negotiating land acquisitions and directing WLT’s fundraising, communications, and community engagement programs. Kara works locally and regionally to advance conservation projects that strengthen community health, wellness, and resilience. In 2016, she helped launch and coordinate the Hudson to Housatonic Regional Conservation Partnership (H2HRCP). Prior to joining WLT, Kara held research and leadership positions at the Greenwich Land Trust, US EPA, Trustees of Reservations, and City Parks Foundation. A native of Westchester, Kara is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School and Voyageur Outward Bound School. She holds environmental degrees from the University of Michigan and Boston College.