Upper Valley Land Trust Appoints Five New Trustees

The Upper Valley Land Trust is excited to announce that five new board members were confirmed to the UVLT board of trustees in June. 

Patty Armstrong (Hanover, NH, Fairlee, VT) moved to the Upper Valley 20 years ago and recently retired from working in the music programs at the middle and high schools in Hanover. Growing up in the midwest she spent summers on Lake Morey in Fairlee with her extended family. She has a degree in Natural Resources & Public Policy from Skidmore College and a MBA from RIT. Her career path included grant and contract administration at the University of Vermont, business review of federally-funded research projects, and management guidance for non-pro􀏐its in Rochester, NY. Wherever she has lived Patty has been an active community volunteer. For the past 15 years she has focused her efforts on preserving water quality and environmental resources as a board member of the Lake Morey Protective Association and currently the Lake Morey Foundation. Patty and her husband, Fred Perkins, enjoy family activities, boating, travel and outdoor adventures.

Harvey Hill (Charlestown, NH) is the former publisher and owner of Eagle Publications, which published the Eagle Times Newspaper. He was the founding director of the Upper Valley Community Foundation, was the Fiscal Policy Committee Chair of the NH Charitable Foundation and served on many other boards and committees both in Sullivan County and state wide. He is currently the Director of the New Hampshire Higher Education Loan Corporation and the Ledyard Financial advisers Advisory Board.

Debbie Klene (Reading, VT)  has always enjoyed the outdoors and became even more interested in land conservation and stewardship while serving nine years on the Board of The Farmington Land Trust in Farmington, Connecticut. Debbie served as Conservation Chair of the Farmington Garden Club, on the Board of The Farmington Land Trust, as well as volunteering for many organizations. Debbie and Roger have two daughters, and five grandchildren. Debbie’s life long love of horses allows her to explore many of our beautiful trails on horseback. When not riding, she enjoys gardening, hiking, reading, and travel.

Steve Taylor (Meriden, NH) is an independent scholar, farmer, journalist, and longtime public official. With his sons, Taylor operates a dairy, maple syrup, and cheese making enterprise in Meriden Village. He has been a newspaper reporter and editor, and served for 25 years as New Hampshire’s Commissioner of Agriculture. Taylor was the founding executive director of the New Hampshire Humanities Council and is a lifelong student of the state’s rural culture. Steve served on the UVLT Board previously from 1996-2002.

Renee Vebell (Hanover, NH) is a nurse educator at Colby-Sawyer College specializing in the use of high-tech simulation as a teaching and learning tool to prepare the next generation of nurses. She also teaches students how to use their learning styles to promote academic success in the nursing program. Renee worked at The Good Neighbor Clinic which provides free health care for the community. She served on the ALS Board at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. Renee completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. After living in urban environments for many years, Renee moved to the Upper Valley 20 years ago with her husband Jeff. They enjoy hiking, travel and art. Deeply appreciating the outdoors, Renee values the need to protect land for community use and the environment.

We are also saying goodbye to three board members as their terms end. Thank you to Elena Mihaly, Nick Russell, and Willis Wood for your service and dedication to land conservation in the Upper Valley.