Josh Balisteri is a multidisciplinary ecologist and natural resources manager with over seven years of experience as the Stewardship Director. In this role, he oversees the management and protection of conservation lands, specializing in nature preserve stewardship, conservation easement enforcement, public access planning, trail design and construction, wildlife management, and ecological restoration. Josh has led numerous large-scale conservation projects, designed and built sustainable trails, and developed innovative stewardship practices that have strengthened land protection efforts across the region. His work ensures that protected lands remain ecologically resilient while providing high-quality outdoor experiences for the public. He holds a degree in Natural Resources Management from the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, with dual minors in Recreation Resources & Protected Area Management and Forest Resources Management. When he’s not stewarding landscapes or designing hiking trails, Josh spends his time exploring remote wilderness areas by backpack or canoe with his dog, River—as far away from light pollution, noise pollution, and cell coverage as possible.

Rachel’s fascination with the natural world began in childhood, fueled by endless adventures playing in the forest, splashing in creeks, and exploring trails and meadows. This early love for nature only deepened over time, leading her to pursue a degree in Geography and Environmental Studies at SUNY Geneseo. She went on to spend nearly a decade as a planner in Erie and Livingston Counties, shaping land use policy and championing smart growth and conservation. Since joining the Western New York Land Conservancy in 2015, Rachel has become a dedicated guardian of the region's landscapes. As Land Protection Director, she brings her passion for preserving forests, wetlands, farmland, and natural areas to life, working tirelessly to ensure these treasures endure for future generations to explore and enjoy.

Gabi spent her childhood exploring the woods of eastern New York, so much so that she jokes that she lived outside and ate dirt. She originally came to Buffalo to attend the University at Buffalo, where she obtained a bachelor's degree in Linguistics with a minor in Anthropology. After graduating, she realized she had fallen in love with the area and decided to stay in Western New York. She has since worked at the International Institute of Buffalo, where she managed their global education and international exchange programs, and fostered relationships with community members. Gabi is excited to get back to her roots and bring her skills to the Land Conservancy. In her free time, she enjoys various sports, hiking, traveling, videogames, and DnD.

Andrew Gaerte brings a passion for the environment and conservation along with over a decade of professional philanthropic experience to his role as Director of Development and Communications. Prior to the joining the Land Conservancy team, Andrew spent over six years at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, most recently as the Associate Vice President, Gift Planning. There, he led a team responsible for business development and client service, acting as a philanthropic advisor to the many individuals, families, and nonprofits who have funds at the Community Foundation. He has his M.A. in Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program, SUNY Oneonta.

Andrew serves on the board of the Western New York Planned Giving Consortium and previously served on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals – WNY Chapter. He is an active member of the Buffalo Ornithological Society.  In his free time, Andrew enjoys birding, fly-fishing, and hiking in Western New York with his wife and young daughter.

Marisa was born in Rochester and grew up in Williamsville, New York. Marisa obtained a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Geneseo and attended graduate school at the University of Vermont where she obtained a M.S. in Natural Resources. After graduating, Marisa began working at the Northeast Wilderness Trust, where she worked for over 5 years to protect land in the Northern Forest region. Marisa moved home to Western New York in 2018 with her family to work at the Land Conservancy on making Western New York a more connected, and healthier place. In 2024, she was named on the Buffalo Business First list of 40 notable WNY professionals under 40. Marisa is passionate about land conservation and wildlife, and enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, and gardening in her spare time.

As a Buffalo native, Marcus’ love for nature was instilled at an early age thanks to weekly walks with his grandmother at Stiglmeier Park and summers spent camping at Allegany State Park. Those green cabins inspired him to pursue a career outdoors and earn a degree in Environmental Education and Interpretation at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Since graduating he’s served as an interpretive park ranger in our national parks and forests, led environmental education programs and stewardship projects with local non-profit organizations, and worked as a fish and wildlife technician conducting wildlife surveys and managing habitats for state and federal agencies. Marcus is a 30 Under 30 Awardee (2020) from the North American Association for Environmental Education and has been featured nationally in Scholastic News, the Nike Journal, NPR's BirdNote, and on PBS Nature. In his free time Marcus can be found birding and kayaking throughout the region, or performing with the GRAMMY Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus. 

Kyle grew up in Livingston County on 30 acres of land, where he learned to appreciate the beauty of nature by wandering the forest alone or with his siblings. Throughout his career, he has served in a variety of capacities in nonprofits, including as the Executive Director of a literary center. In addition to his work at the Land Conservancy, he’s a writer and literary translator (as K.E. Semmel) whose fiction, nonfiction, translations, and literary criticism have appeared in the Washington Post, Huffpost, Lithub, The Writer’s Chronicle, Electric Literature, and World Literature Today, among other outlets. He has translated more than a dozen books from Danish or Norwegian, and he was a 2016 NEA Translation Fellow. He published his debut novel, The Book of Losman, in October 2024. Listing it as one of 10 noteworthy debuts in the month of October, Debutiful called the book "a clever and witty exploration of a man with copious anxiety. It’s hilarious and packs a punch with a small page count. While you can easily finish this in a day, you’ll be thinking about it for weeks.”
                       

Teresa's passion for conservation began with hiking and exploring the natural areas of Western New York at a young age. She holds a BS in Environmental Studies from the University at Buffalo and a BA in Public Communications from SUNY Buffalo State College. She has a background in education and naturalist work through many local organizations including Cornell Cooperative Extension, Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, and Earth Spirit. In 2022 Teresa served as a project manager for an ecological company based out of Western Massachusetts where her work focused on ecological restoration, invasive plant management, and easement monitoring. During this time she became a Certified Ecological Practitioner in Training through the Society of Ecological Restoration. Teresa considers community engagement and environmental education to be the basis of conservation work so that all can understand the importance of conserving our natural and agricultural areas. She is excited to return to Western New York to work with the Land Conservancy on the continued conservation of the local area. 

Kyra grew up in Ithaca, NY in the Finger Lakes region exploring the woods in her neighborhood and learning about contemporary environmental issues.  At Cornell University she studied History and French, and minored in Climate Change. One summer, she worked on a farm that will soon be protected by the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Through this experience, she learned about the importance of land conservation and the role of land trusts. After a year of serving with AmeriCorps in Gloucester, Massachusetts working with English learners, she was thrilled to find this opportunity with the Western New York Land Conservancy. In her free time, Kyra enjoys hiking, horseback riding, and hummingbird sightings. ​

Lucian was born and raised in the Buffalo area. He graduated from Canisius University with a degree in Accounting and has worked in not-for-profit accounting, human resources, and management for almost 30 years. He has experience with various sized not-for-profits, both in revenues and staff size and various programs from human services, legal services, and food services. Most recently, Lucian was the CFO for Feedmore WNY, Inc. and then Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two cats, playing volleyball, cycling, traveling, and cooking.

Angeline was born in Santa Fe and spent part of her childhood in Houston, TX, but at a young age she moved with family back to the Western New York region. Some of her favorite memories are in Elma, NY where she grew up exploring in the woods, playing in creeks, apple picking, and helping her family with their flower and vegetable gardens. She has a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Graphic Design and a minor in Psychology from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has worked for over a decade at community and mental health nonprofits. As a mom to three children and a practicing artist, children’s well-being, self-expression through the arts, and preserving and protecting our environment are all very important passions for her.