Chris has conducted over thirty years of research and conservation work in national parks and other protected areas worldwide. Chris has served as a Professor at Utah State University, St. Lawrence University (NY) and Sterling College (VT) and as and outdoor educator and researcher for NOLS (WY).  He has worked on conservation projects throughout the US and internationally in five countries. He has roots in Maine including an MS from University of Maine, recent work in Acadia National Park, and family in MidCoast. He is an author over 180 scientific papers and reports and three textbooks and has obtained over $7M in funded grants and contracts. Chris enjoys an active outdoor life of rock climbing, backpacking, kayaking, trail running and Nordic skiing with his wife Wyatt and son Jackson.

Laura brings to 7 Lakes over three decades of in-depth and diverse experience in watershed management and collaborative, innovative conservation. Most recently, as 7 Lakes’ inaugural President and CEO (2018-2023), she strengthened 7 Lakes’ funding, teams and programs, positioning 7 Lakes for long-term conservation success. In 2023, upon assuming a role with the new tribally-led Skutik River Restoration Trust, Laura’s 7 Lakes’s position has shifted to focus exclusively on the continued growth of its land and water conservation programs and special projects to advance collaboration and innovation in science and community-based conservation.

Prior to joining 7 Lakes, Laura was the Executive Director Penobscot River Restoration Trust, the lead non-profit in the historic multi-party effort to restore access to over 2000 miles of sea-run fish habitat while maintaining hydropower. There, she led collaborative, interdisciplinary teams and approaches and a successful public-private campaign that raised over $60 million. Laura also directed the Natural Resources Council of Maine’s Watershed Program where she helped establish and served on the board of the statewide watershed nonprofit Maine Rivers.​

In her extensive public interest career began in the Great Lakes Regional Counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She was then Manager and Attorney for the National Wildlife Federation’s Lake Superior and Biodiversity Project, where she also taught environmental law seminars and co-directed the University of Michigan’s Environmental Law Clinic. Laura has also provided strategic consulting services on conservation issues. Laura currently serves on the boards of Maine Woods Forever and the Vaughan Woods and Historic Homestead, and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation. She also has degrees in wildlife management (B.S., Wildlife Resources from West Virginia University) and law (J.D. with a certificate in Environmental and Energy Law from Chicago-Kent College of Law).  As a long-time Hallowell resident, Laura and her family have enjoyed paddling, boating, hiking, and otherwise playing in the Kennebec River watershed and the Belgrade Lakes region.

Dr. Danielle Wain is the Lake Science Director at the 7 Lakes Alliance and has over two decades of aquatic research experience. She has a BS in Civil Engineering (with an Environmental Engineering focus) from Cornell University and completed her PhD in Civil Engineering (with an emphasis in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering) at Iowa State University. Before moving to Maine, she was a Lecturer in Water Quality Engineering at the University of Bath (UK). Her expertise is in process-based understanding of how lake and reservoir hydrodynamics impact ecology and biogeochemistry and how we leverage this knowledge to develop management strategies. She has also been serving as Secretary of the North American Lake Management Society since January 2021.

Matt works alongside Dr. Danielle Wain, Lake Science Director, to coordinate the year-round monitoring of Belgrade’s lakes and streams. The process involves the collection and analysis of data used to understand the numerous biological processes that occur in our lakes, including nutrient cycling and algae blooms. Matt received a master’s degree in Ecology and Environmental Science from the University of Maine in 2021, where he researched phytoplankton ecology in lakes of Acadia National Park. He graduated from SUNY New Paltz in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geochemical Science where he studied ecology of the Sky Lakes which are located on the Shawangunk Ridge in New Paltz, NY. Matt has a variety of experience spanning aquatic science from working seasonal positions with Maine DEP, University of Notre Dame, and Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, among other organizations. Matt is from North Chatham, NY and is looking forward to exploring the local trails and waters.

Lynn is responsible for advancing 7 Lakes’ erosion control policy and programs, including working with municipalities to advocate for consistent and effective ordinances and enforcement. She is also partnering with the Lake Science team on improved metrics and on evaluating the effectiveness of our erosion-control work. Lynn earned a bachelor’s degree in geoscience from Wellesley College and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from MIT and in civil and environmental engineering from Duke University. Most recently, she worked for Lockheed Martin.

Laurie has spent summers on Great Pond for 30 years with frequent winter stays for the last two decades; her children are her family’s fourth generation in the Belgrade Lakes. Working with the 7 Lakes Alliance for the last two years, she brings extensive local knowledge and networks as well as a contagious passion for our mission. Laurie is a graduate of Wellesley College and had a previous career in finance, at well-known institutions that include Brown Brothers Harriman, Kidder Peabody, and GE Investments, with a focus on marketing and communications. For the past ten years, she has served in leadership roles for several capital campaigns for a number of not-for-profit organizations.

Noah Pollock currently hails from Oakland, Maine. He has degrees in Natural Resources from Cornell University and the University of Vermont. Conservation and stewardship has long been his passion. Previously he worked with the Vermont River Conservancy, helping facilitate riparian conservation, public access protection, and trail development projects. He finds real satisfaction in collaborative conservation projects that benefit communities, the natural world, and the waters that sustain us. Noah also serves as the Stewardship Director for the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, where he oversees a summer stewardship crew, coordinates volunteer workdays, and designs maps and guides. As an avid paddler, sailor, hiker, and skier, Noah appreciates the lands and waters 7 Lakes Alliance protects and looks forward to moving its conservation vision forward!

Dan oversees the creation and implementation of management plans across 7 Lakes properties and easements. With the help of our staff and excellent volunteer network, he also helps address stewardship needs across our properties, ranging from boundary marking to trail construction and maintenance. Before joining 7 Lakes, he worked as a professional trail builder, with a focus on sustainable, multi-use trail construction. Dan has a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in natural resource conservation from Paul Smith’s College, where he helped the college expand their trails program and implement student-led mountain bike trail construction. Dan is an avid skier, cyclist, paddler and hiker, and enjoys being outdoors whenever possible.

Sharon oversees the invasive aquatics program which includes: remediation (survey and plant removal), prevention (courtesy boat inspections), and education (Adopt-a-Shoreline). Since coming aboard, Sharon has developed new research-based ways of surveying for invasive aquatic organisms that save time and effort as well as developing new strategies for invasive plant removal. She has been leading the invasive aquatics program since she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the University of Southern Maine in May 2018. For her master’s work, Sharon studied the genetic diversity of variable leaf milfoil clones in Great Pond. Sharon is currently pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science and Ecology from the University of Maine, furthering 7 Lake’s use of the latest scientific methods. Her work focuses on developing environmental DNA tools to inform best practices for lake managers.​

Josie coordinates the training and scheduling of volunteers and staff for the Courtesy Boat Inspector and Adopt-A-Shoreline programs. She has previously worked on the Invasive Aquatics Field Crew in 2021, surveying for and removing invasive milfoil in Great Meadow Stream. Josie has a strong background in entomology through her work with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry which focused on developing management tools to protect Maine’s natural resources from invasive insects such as the emerald ash borer and hemlock wooly adelgid. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine and plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Applied Entomology.

Stuart grew up in Knox and Waldo County along the shores of Lake Megunticook and Penobscot Bay. Stuart graduated from the University of Maine, Farmington in 2020 with a major in Environmental Policy and Planning and a minor in Geology. His undergraduate thesis applied ArcGIS programs to model nitrate leaking from septic systems in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Stuart is an avid outdoorsman known for camping during winter Nor’easters, being more comfortable outside than in, and knowing every Maine frog call.

Jennifer is from Maine, she cares deeply about serving the state’s natural resources, including lakes, rivers, streams, and land. Jennifer is an avid hiker who is thrilled to discover the diverse, beautiful trails that 7 lakes has conserved. With a robust background of over 25 years in nonprofit development, she has secured millions in funding for numerous human services programs, including those serving seniors, foster children, homeless, and youth services. Jennifer will help 7 Lakes broaden their grant-writing efforts in both the public and private sectors. She will be working with Laurie Raleigh to help 7 Lakes broaden grant-writing efforts. She attended Thomas College, the University of Maine, and Western Governors University for Business/Marketing. Outside work, she finds joy in nurturing her gardens, rock-hounding, reading, gold panning, and exploring Maine’s diverse trails.

Mary assists the CEO in the operations and administration at the 7 Lakes Alliance. She manages human resources, and administrative operational functions, including oversight of accreditation. Additionally, she coordinates across communications, public relations, and fundraising silos. Mary has a Sociology-Anthropology Interdisciplinary degree from the University of Maine at Farmington and enjoys the many landscapes Maine has to offer. Additionally, she completed a program for Nonprofit Business Management in 2016.

Sally grew up swimming and fishing on Long Pond and Great Pond, and currently resides in Rome. During high school, Sally was a member of the 7 Lakes Alliance Youth Conservation Corps for two summers before going to college. Sally graduated in 2023 with a Public Health degree and a Biology minor from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Sally loves to explore the woods, and can often be found stopping to investigate an interesting plant or fungus. Sally enjoys creating new programming at 7 Lakes that inspires people to connect with nature, like the Fall Trail Challenge.

Chris wasn’t born at the lake but got here as fast as she could. After a childhood spent playing in the woods in upstate New York, Chris lived in Ithaca, NY, Boston, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh and Connecticut, earning a B.S. from Cornell University, MBA from Boston University and JD from the University of Connecticut along the way. She has been a banker and an attorney in private practice and now spends her working hours at the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Chris enjoys hiking the Kennebec Highland trails and other trails with her best friend and husband, Andy; growing things in the garden; and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Mel was born in Florida, holds a Master of Science degree in geology from Florida State University. He worked as a geologist in industry for over 27 years before retiring to East Pond with his wife in 2007. Mel and his family lived in Louisiana, California, and Texas during his career, and Mel’s work carried him to the far corners of the earth for over a dozen years. He’s been active in volunteer work to protect our lakes since 2008. He loves outdoor activities, including camping, fishing, skiing, hiking, and just enjoying the beauty of the Belgrade Lakes. Mel has been teaching introductory geology classes at Colby College since shortly after his retirement. He’s been a member of the BRCA and East Pond Association boards since 2008, and was president of the BRCA and 7 Lakes Alliance for over 6 years.

Dwight has been a business owner and private equity investor for 40 years. Active in business and real estate ventures, he, his two sons and several other partners currently own Gremarco, LLC in MA and Gagne & Son, LLC in Belgrade, ME. Over the last 25 years, his business ventures included Maine Fiber Company of Portland, ME, Eagle Point Ventures of Portland, Maine, Headwater Capital Management of Portsmouth, N.H and Institutional Shareholder Services of Bethesda, MD.

Dwight served on the Board of Trustees for the Institute of Shipboard Education (Semester at Sea) a college study abroad program. He and his wife, Jane, sailed around the world with Semester at Sea in 2006.

Jane’s great-uncle bought an island and camp on North Pond in 1935. The property remains in the family today with 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th generation family members all still owning/using property nearby.

Dwight received a BA from Colby College, an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College and currently lives in Dover, NH with his wife.

In 1988, Pat was living in NYC and saw an advertisement in the New York Times about a lakefront camp for sale on an island in Great Pond, and he has been here ever since. A native Mainer, he was drawn back by the area’s natural beauty and friendly people. A graduate of the University of Maine and a Coast Guard Veteran, he enjoys working with people to find their dream, whether a Lakeside cottage or a home in the country. He has been a longtime board member of the Belgrade Lakes Association, and most recently, the Maine Lakes Society. It’s a privilege to work with these groups and 7 Lakes Alliance to help ensure the next generation has this wonderful place.

Ron and his family have enjoyed their Camp on Messalonskee Lake since 2001. Life on a lake was something he dreamed of growing up and every day he is there is filled with gratitude. He and his wife Anne (as well as their children and grandchildren) spend much of their time from May through October at the lake. They love to fish, swim, hike, golf, play pickleball and enjoy most anything outdoors. Ron has coordinated the Maine Audubon Loon Count for Messalonskee for over 20 years. Ron has an MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire. He founded Results Engineering Inc in Saco Maine in 1988 and he led his company for 27 years providing automation and control systems for industrial and municipal applications. Ron is now retired and volunteers at WMPG in Portland doing a weekly radio show. Ron and Anne are both committed to managing the watershed’s environmental challenges of erosion and invasive plants in order that the next generations will also be able to enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

Dick’s Central Maine story starts at Colby College graduating in 1962 and marrying college sweetheart Joan, Colby ’63. They purchased their East Pond property in 1972 and it has been a summer vacation destination ever since. He had an active 40 year career in the investment management industry, culminating with his retirement as a Director and Chief Investment Officer of J&W Seligman in New York City. He has served on several Boards of Directors including The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League. His longest Director tenure was at Colby spanning 30 years. Spending summers on East Pond in Oakland and winters in the Low Country of South Carolina surrounded by salt marshes is all that it takes to spur his commitment to the environment and conservation. All 13 Schmaltz Family members spend part of their summers at the East Pond camp.

Pete retired in May 2012 as the Executive Director of the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance, a position he held for 5 years. Pete is a retired university water resources extension specialist, Professional Wetlands Scientist (PWS), and environmental engineer with more than thirty years of experience in engineering and scientific project management. A retired Navy Commander, his experience in service included air support for the hunt for the real Red October submarine. He is a member of the Maine Land Trust Network (MLTN) Steering Committee and has served as President of the Maine Lakes Society. He is a member of the Maine Community Foundation Fund for Land Conservation (LAND) review committee and an Atlantic Salmon Federation “Fish Friends” mentor. An avid sportsman, Pete fishes, hunts, and lives in Rome, Maine, with his wife, Linda.

Jane is the retired Director of Community Partnerships for the South Portland School Department.  She has been a long time community volunteer and is active on several Boards and organizations.  Jane served as a Maine State Representative from 2004 – 2012, sitting on both Natural Resources and Inland Fisheries and Wildlife committees.  A camp owner on Great Pond for more than 40 years, Jane has always been involved in lake and land initiatives throughout the Belgrade watershed.  Preserving and protecting these incredible resources remains a primary focus for Jane.

Matt grew up in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, in a sailing-boat building family who spent a lot of time on the Great Lakes. In the mid 1960’s, his family traveled to Sanibel Island, Florida and by the late 1970’s they became full time residents. They set up shop building sail and power boats on the Caloosahatchee River.

Matt attended the University of Florida, earning a Building Science and Technology degree. Eventually Matt went to work for Pinkerton & Laws, a large General Contractor out of Atlanta/Orlando, where he has been for 32 years. Matt helped build their Florida operations and currently holds the title of CEO/Partner. He has helped guide the firm into partnerships with Marriott and Hilton, building and developing hotels throughout the Southeast.

Matt and his wife Missy raised their two children in Orlando, Florida, and have been active in their community, working and investing in others. Matt became interested in lake quality when he was asked to be a volunteer for the newly created Orlando Lake Watch Organization in 1989. They tested, monitored and reported on the City of Orlando’s 101 Lakes in conjunction with the University of Florida and Dr. Canfield. This experience, combined with his affinity for lakes and nature, drew he and his family in 2002 to the Belgrade Lakes region, after meeting a gentleman on a flight to Boston who convinced them they should pay Belgrade a visit.

After investing in a property in 2004, the entire family (and many friends) now try and visit this special place whenever possible. Matt enjoys sailing, hiking, and farming …harvesting pecans, longleaf pines, coastal Bermuda hay and re-establishing quail habitat. He is very grateful for the opportunity provided to him to serve with the 7 Lakes Alliance.

Whitney, Miselis Professor of Chemistry, Colby College. Trained as a chemical oceanographer, Prof. King teaches General Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, and Analytical Chemistry courses. Prof. King and his research students develop and build analytical instruments for the analysis of metals and reactive oxygen species in natural waters.  These instruments allow fundamental studies of redox reactions at the ocean/atmosphere, sediment/water, and plankton/water interfaces critical in defining  aquatic environments. These instruments are now used by over one hundred research groups in over fifteen countries. In 2002, Prof. King co-founded Waterville Analytical with Janet King to meet the commercial demand for this specialized instrumentation. Prof. King was the principal investigator on an NSF-EPSCoR funded project investigating the impacts of human development on the Belgrade Lakes watershed. The Belgrades work has benefitted from a dynamic, collaborative team of eight Colby faculty, over fifty students, and six conservation organizations. This work is continuing in partnership with 7 Lakes Alliance to evaluate specific remediation strategies for each of the Belgrade Lakes. Beyond Maine, Prof. King and his students continue to participate on oceanographic research cruises through collaborations  with US and international researchers.

Lynn’s business career took him from a 13-year management position at a Minneapolis, Minnesota advertising agency to a 27-year ownership of a Maryland based equipment distribution company. His personal pursuits found him on many wilderness canoe, whitewater rafting and bare boat sailing trips and climbing some of our country’s 14,000′ peaks. Now retired, Lynn and his wife, Phyllis, relocated to Belgrade Lakes as year round residents in 2010 to enjoy the sensational beauty of the area and become members of a very special community. They have two children and four grandchildren who they are fortunate to frequently welcome to their Maine home.

Rachel has spent every summer on Great Pond since her husband brought her to his family’s camp in 2010. It was love at first sight. Rachel holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Boston University and has over 15 years of experience directing large, complex research and evaluation projects for the Federal government. Her focus has been on measuring the impact of national policies and programs related to at-risk and vulnerable populations. After 11 years in Washington, DC, Rachel and her family now reside in Portland, Maine and spend as much time as possible enjoying the Belgrade Lakes area.

Tom was a founding member of the McCandlish Holton law firm in Richmond, Virginia and served as its Chairman for over three decades.  He has also served on a variety of corporate and non-profit boards, including the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University. Tom’s family connection to the Belgrade Lakes began in 1955, when his father and grandfather stayed at Bear Springs on a fishing trip to Maine.  From the time Tom saw eight years old, the family vacation was at Bear Springs, and then visiting the camp his parents bought on Jamaica Point.  In 2007, Tom and Nancy bought their own camp on Great Pond, which is now a gathering place for their whole family, including five energetic grandsons- the fifth generation of the family to fall in love with our lakes. Tom and Nancy now spend summers and a bit of wintertime enjoying all of the wonderful activities that our land and lakes provide.

Meg and her family have enjoyed time at their camp on Hoyt’s Island since 1989. They consider this their natural habitat – self-defined as the place they feel most comfortable and the place they most want to be. Her late husband Richard began his time on Great Pond as a Boy Scout at Camp Bomazeen. They met at Middlebury College, where Meg was among the first group of graduates with an environmental studies major. After Richard’s medical school training in New York City (definitely not their natural habitat), they moved to North Carolina. Meg is a retired  epidemiologist who worked most recently as an editor of an epidemiology journal. She has also served on various boards over the years and is currently on the board of a birthing center in Haiti. She has recently purchased a home on the “mainland” of Great Pond so she can extend the season on the lake that she loves.

Lenny grew up in suburban Washington, DC, but loved the woods, fields, streams, and lakes of the countryside from a young age. In his early teen years, he learned to sail on salt water and fell in love with the ocean and shore as well. Academically inclined, he earned a BA in Mathematics and a BS in Mechanical Engineering, an MA in Teaching, and a PhD in the History of Science and Technology. He has held fellowships at the Smithsonian, the Harvard Business School, and MIT, and retired in 2014 as Professor Emeritus of Management and of Science, Technology, and Society after teaching 28 years at Colby College. Lenny was the co-founder and first president of the McGrath Pond-Salmon Lake Association in 1989 and also served on the original board that, in 1991, transformed the Watson Pond Land Trust into the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance. Shortly afterward, he was a co-founder of its Youth Conservation Corps. Returning to the board of the McGrath Pond-Salmon Lake Association in 2016, he became its president once again in 2020. Lenny and his wife Barbara have been active salt-water sailors since they came to Maine in 1987 and have been members of the Rockland Yacht Club since 1993, where Lenny was Commodore in 2017-18.

Bill was born and raised in Maine and moved to the Belgrade Lakes region in 1981 directly after graduating from college. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maine. He worked in the computer industry for 21 years and is currently the Director of Licensing at the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife where he has worked for the past 15 years. Bill and his wife, Karen, lived year-round on Long Pond for 28 years where they raised their two children. He was formerly on the board of the Belgrade Lakes Association and was on the BRCA board for many years. Bill and Karen recently moved to Parker Pond which is part of series of neighboring lakes just 6 miles west of Belgrade Lakes. He is currently the chairman of the board of the 30 Mile River Watershed Association whose mission is to preserve, improve, and protect the land and water quality in the 30 Mile River Watershed (which Parker Pond is part of). He loves to fish, hunt, hike, canoe, kayak, and anything else related to the outdoors. He has been a Registered Maine Guide for over 20 years.

Alex has lived in Belgrade since 1979 when he and his wife Kathi bought the Yeaton farm on Manchester Road. Dr. Wall holds a bachelor’s degree from Union College and Doctor of Medicine from the College of Physicians, Columbia University. Certifications in general and vascular surgery followed his completion of residency at Mary Bassett Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. He practiced surgery in Augusta until 2000. Subsequently, he became a builder of center console wooden boats. Beginning in 2004, he became a volunteer teacher of human anatomy and physiology at Kents Hill School where he has been a Board member for over twenty years. More recently, he joined the Boards of the Belgrade Lakes Association, 7 Lakes Alliance, and continues to serve on the Old Sturbridge Village Board of Overseers. Hobbies include photography, woodworking, motorcycling, skeet shooting, hunting, and property conservation.