At their January 25, 2015 meeting, the Museum’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to invite three people to join the Board: Terry McNamara, Megan Bohlen Raymond, and Barbie Riegel.  Their names were presented to the Board by Marnie Ferguson Briggs, Chair of the Nominating Committee.  The prospective board members were contacted after the meeting and all three have graciously accepted.

Terry McNamara

Since 1971, Terry has spent a portion of every summer on Fishers Island. For the last several summers, he has enthusiastically stepped in to lead the Museum’s Nature Walks during the month of August. Terry is an active volunteer at the Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport, NY where he serves as a master gardener. He is also an active member of the Oyster Bay/Huntington Audubon Society.

Pulling from his 33 year long experience as a high school science teacher in Long Island, where he taught such subjects as math, physics, earth science, general science and science research, Terry has provided Pierce with valuable input about ways to expand programming for children, including exhibits and activities. Terry feels strongly about the importance of finding ways to encourage young people to experience science and nature first hand.

Terry is a self-described avid naturalist with interests in birds, herpetology, mushrooms and seaside fauna. Terry and his wife Harriet (Ahlgren) own a house on the Peninsula.

Megan Bohlen Raymond

A life-long seasonal resident of Fishers Island, Megan has a BS in Geological Sciences and Environmental Science from Tufts. She received her MS from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at the College of William & Mary. Her professional life has focused on ecological site assessments and environmental planning, most recently for William Kenny Associates. She has extensive experience identifying vernal pool habitats and conducting surveys of state-listed and endangered species. From 2004 to 2009, Megan served as the Inland Wetland Agency Commissioner for the Town of Branford, Ct. A certified soil specialist, Megan has worked on wetland delineation and coastal restorations projects in MA, CT and NY.

As a board member, Megan’s range of expertise will be of considerable help in the science-based maintenance of our current Land Trust holdings, and the assessment of other island properties that may need protection in the future.

Megan lives in Branford, Ct. with her three children and her husband who is a professor at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Science.

Barbie Riegel

A well-known summer resident, Barbie has been involved with many island organizations over the years.  Through her past board position with the Fishers Island Conservancy, Barbie was instrumental in developing the Nature Days environmental education programs.  The gift of her late husband’s (Jerry Riegel) extensive nautical book collection for a new Reference Library was the catalyst the HLFM needed to move forward with the 2nd floor renovation.

Barbie is a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the Stroud Water Research Center in Avondale, Pa. which conducts groundbreaking research on the ecology of fresh water streams, rivers and their watersheds around the world.  She is currently assisting the HLFM with fundraising for the second floor renovation and will bring great enthusiasm to the board.

Barbie divides her time between Fishers and Hobe Sound, Fl.