Donna Merrill founded the Pollinator Pathway, driven by her desire to make a positive impact on the environment. From the initial Pollinator Pathway group she established in her hometown of Wilton, Connecticut in 2017, Donna led its transformation to a 501c3 corporation in 2021 which today has Pollinator Pathway groups and individuals protecting critical pollinator habitat in 46 of the 50 states.

Donna’s conservation training includes studies in Sustainability Practices at Columbia University, Land Protection Strategies at Bard College, Forest & Wildlife Conservation in the Yale Forestry Coverts Project. She has certification in Landscape Design from the NY Botanical Gardens and training in Landowner Outreach in conjunction with Yale’s School of Environmental Science.

Donna has served on the Wilton (CT) Conservation Commission, coordinated the Fairfield County CT Regional Conservation Partnership. and was a long-time Trustee of Wilton Land Conservation Trust including 3-years as Executive Director. She currently sits on the Board of Directors of both Aspetuck Land Trust and the Norwalk River Watershed Association.

Karalyn Lamb serves as the co-editor of the Pollinator Pathway newsletter.  She also serves on the steering committee of the Native Plant Center, Valhalla; representing the NPC in the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management. Her local conservation efforts include working with Saw Mill River Audubon to protect grassland bird and pollinator habitat on a 100 acre capped landfill in Westchester County NY.  Recently she helped create the Westchester Land Trust Pollinator Pop-Up; a bi-lingual, beginner-friendly online toolkit of pollinator resources. She has completed Botany, Ecological Gardening and Urban Naturalist certificates from the New York Botanical Garden.

Louise Washer helped found the Pollinator Pathway in 2017 and serves as board treasurer. She also serves as a spokesperson, an outreach coordinator for new members, an editor of the newsletter The Buzz, and a facilitator of the Advocacy and Pesticide Policy Committee. She is also president of the Norwalk River Watershed Association, a member of the Norwalk Mayor’s Water Quality Committee, and a member of the steering committee of the Hudson-to-Housatonic Regional Conservation Partnership (H2H).

Chet Kerr and his wife Heather Thomas have lived in Irvington, New York, for 27 years.   After practicing law as a litigator in New York City for over 30 years, he left his firm in 2016 to do new and different things.  He currently teaches, serves on several Not-for-Profit Boards, including NEPP, Inc. d/b/a Pollinator Pathway, the Irvington Historical Society, the Greater Irvington Land Trust, and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, leads the Irvington Pollinator Pathway Project and works on a wide array of civil rights, criminal justice and arts management issues.

Jackie Algon backed into conservation concerns through her lifelong love of Nature.  Following a 40+ year career in industry in NJ, she became a resident of Wilton in 2005 and realized early-on that she needed educating on how to steward the wetlands on the property she shared with her partner, Carl Andersen.  She became an Advanced Master Gardener (MG) and coordinated the MG program in Bethel, CT for two years, after which she joined the Norwalk River Watershed Association Board, the Conservation Commission in Wilton and the Wilton Garden Club.  In collaboration with the relationships she'd made in those organizations, she helped found the Pollinator Pathway in Wilton in 2017.  Jackie now serves as co-chair of the Education Committee and the Natives, Invasives and Lawns Committee, and she is a member of the Regional Outreach Committee as a member of the Pollinator Pathway Board.

Jean is a dedicated member of the Pollinator Pathway board of directors. With a deep appreciation for the natural world and a commitment to sustainability, she brings passion and dedication to her service to the Pollinator Pathway initiative. Through her work, she facilitates interactive learning about the importance of establishing pollinator-friendly habitats and food sources for bees, butterflies, and birds.  Jean is a UConn certified Master Gardener and Master Composter, and NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professional volunteering with community efforts to increase biodiversity in landscapes across the country. In her professional life, Jean is managing principal of Individual Differences at Work, an executive coach and organizational development consultant. She brings her professional background to the board and growing Pollinator Pathway community, helping to build and support the community of individuals, organizations, and Pollinator Pathway leaders who create our network of nationwide Pollinator Pathways.

Jes Parker works at the intersection of communications and conservation, inspiring people to care for each other and the natural world. She serves as Director of Communications for Westchester Land Trust, leading marketing and messaging that engage communities, strengthen donor connections, and advance the organization’s mission. Jes is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in conservation, weaving these values into both internal culture and public outreach.

She serves on the boards of the Pollinator Pathway and Norwalk River Watershed Association, and on the steering committee of the Regional Conservation Partnership (RCP) Network. Based in Norwalk, Connecticut, she also helps run MANIFEST, a mobile coffee + community spot, and the Norwalk Silent Book Club. Her background includes roles with conservation nonprofits, marketing agencies, and as a freelance strategist. Jes holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a master’s in strategic communications.

In addition to sitting on the Pollinator Pathway NE and the NRWA Boards, Kitsey serves on the Ridgefield Conservation Commission where she helps to maintain and preserve the Town’s 2500 acres of open space.   A resident of Ridgefield for over 30 years, she raised three sons there, and was an active member of the PTA, serving in several positions.  She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Ridgefield Garden Club and enjoys hiking and kayaking.  She graduated from Wheaton College with a BA in psychology and worked in operations for Bankers Trust Co. in New York for seven years before moving to Connecticut.

Mary Hogue is one of our speakers for the Pollinator Pathway and is happy to present to your group in person or virtually.  She is the Chair of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Co-Chair of the CT League of Conservation Voters, Chair of the Fairfield Forestry Committee, which includes the Fairfield Pollinator Pathway, Secretary on Sustainable Fairfield, Co-President of Fairfielders Protecting Land and Neighborhoods (FairPLAN), a Board Member of the Mill River Wetland Committee and founding member of Friends of Larsen, a volunteer group for the CT Audubon’s Larsen Sanctuary in Fairfield. She is a graduate of the Maine Composting School as well as UConn’s Master Composter and Master Gardener Programs.

Roberta Barbieri has 30 years of experience in corporate environmental sustainability and is currently Vice President of Global Sustainability for PepsiCo. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Conservation from the University of New Hampshire and two Master’s degrees, both from the University of New Haven, in Environmental Engineering and in Environmental Science.

Roberta is an avid hiker and gardener and currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Woodcock Nature Center. She is also active in the Norwalk River Watershed Association and The Ridgefield Action Committee for the Environment (RACE). Roberta is a life-long resident of Connecticut and has lived in Ridgefield for 6 years. She joined the Commission in July 2021.