Gina joined Downeast Coastal Conservancy in March 2026 as Operations Manager. She combines her passion for Maine’s natural environment with an extensive background in finance, strategic operations leadership, and administrative leadership. Her prior work has focused on strengthening organizational sustainability, improving systems and controls, and supporting mission-driven operations.

Born and raised in the rugged beauty of Maine, Gina has always had a deep appreciation for the outdoors. Whether exploring the coastline, hiking forest trails, or spending time on the water, Maine’s natural landscape has shaped her love for adventure and community. She continues to embrace the lifestyle and environment she values most, rooted in the natural beauty and close-knit spirit of Downeast Maine.

Gina holds a Master’s degree in Accountancy from St. Joseph’s College and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Maine at Machias. Now settled in Columbia, Maine, Gina enjoys life with her husband, Peter, and daughter, Gia, continuing to find inspiration in the state’s scenic surroundings.

Matt joined DCC in April 2025 as the Outreach Director. He grew up in the Belfast area on his family’s chicken farm. Throughout his childhood he was active in sports, outdoor activities, and helping on the farm. As he grew older he began coaching and assisting youth sports and working in after school programs and summer camps.

Matt attended UMM for 4 years, when he wasn’t busy with school work he spent his time appreciating Downeast Maine’s outdoor opportunities. During his summer breaks he directed a summer camp in Belfast. After graduating with a BS in Outdoor Recreation & Leadership in 2024 Matt worked as a Land Steward for Frenchman Bay Conservancy. Matt is a certified Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Registered Maine Recreation and Fishing Guide, and Level 1 Leave No Trace Instructor.

Steven joined DCC as the stewardship director in June 2025. Previously, he worked as a fisheries biologist on stream habitat restoration and enhancement projects in the northeast and northwest. Originally from Vermont, Steven grew up immersed in nature and curious about ecology. He completed a BSc in natural resources management from Paul Smith’s College, and a MSc degree in biology from Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he studied brown trout and Atlantic salmon hybridization.

Steven and his wife Andrea live on Cobscook Bay and spend their time hiking, hunting, fishing, gardening, and foraging. He is excited to shift gears and work with the DCC, partners, and the community on important conservation lands and projects.

Jackson returns to DCC as our land steward, after working for DCC in the summer of 2023 as the stewardship assistant. Hailing from Pennsylvania, he learned to and continues to enjoy hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, hiking, and anything outdoors. A passion of his has always been conservation. During high school, Jackson completed his Eagle Scout project building 27 bluebird houses as well as an FFA project building 7 turtle basking platforms.

Jackson graduated from the University of Maine at Machias with an associate’s degree in liberal studies. Once he arrived, he quickly fell in love with the woods and waters Maine has to offer. Jackson spent 6 years in the Maine Air National Guard as a security forces member. Jackson is happy for the opportunity to conserve and take part in protecting habitats and properties that will continue on the beautiful and unique Maine countryside.

Robin summered for most of her childhood in Roque Bluffs. The Downeast coastline is an integral part of her genetic and spiritual makeup. Wandering tide pools and beaver ponds, exploring islands and canoeing estuaries were her first lessons in the value of untrammeled landscapes.

She spent much of her career studying landscape change and advising on issues of preservation for the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management.

Robin and astronomer husband Philip returned to Downeast to her family’s 160-year-old farmhouse in Roque Bluffs in 2022. She continues to rediscover old haunts and new ones in the Downeast Coastal Conservancy portfolio.

Dave grew up in Southwestern CT, earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT in 1989, and moved to Western Mass for a 34-year career in the materials industry, fortunate to live in a beautiful area with abundant conserved land to explore. He and his partner, Michael, sold early American antiques on the side for many years and made frequent buying trips to coastal Maine, where they fell in love with the rugged shore and undeveloped land downeast, putting down roots in Addison in 2001.

Now retired and living full-time in Addison, as an outdoor enthusiast enjoying paddling, hiking, camping, and basically anything relating to the beautiful wilderness we enjoy here, Dave is excited to apply his strategy and planning skills to the success of DCC.

Dave has 34 years of experience in industry working for GE and SABIC after it acquired GE’s plastics division. He has worked in many functions, including engineering, sales, marketing, and last led a global team in business development before retiring in 2025. In addition to being outdoor enthusiasts, he and his partner are avid collectors in multiple fields and also enjoy traveling, the arts, and history.

Dr. Anne Baker has been on the DCC Board for nine years, serving three as Board President.  She and her husband live in Jonesboro, Maine, with their two dogs and enjoy hiking, sea kayaking, birding, and gardening.  

Dr. Baker earned a B.A. in Zoology (Indiana University) and an M.S. in Ecology and Ph.D. in Sociobiology (University of Maryland). She spent seven years in Sri Lanka studying social behavior in wild primates. Her career includes roles as a Smithsonian predoctoral fellow at the National Zoo, Curator of Primates at Brookfield Zoo, Director of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, and CEO/Executive Director of the Toledo Zoo (2006–2012).  She has served on multiple boards, including the Toledo Boys and Girls Club and Toledo Children’s Hospital.  In addition to the DCC Board, she currently serves on the Board of Wildlands Network, a North American NGO focused on reconnecting fragmented landscapes.

Parke is a professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he taught and conducted research for 27 years after previous positions at Whitman College, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. He earned a BA (Biology) at Dartmouth College, and MSc and PhD degrees in Zoology from North Carolina State University. His research specialty has been in aquatic microbial ecology.

Parke’s love of nature was born while spending more than a decade at a summer camp in Ontario, Canada, which included many canoe trips. After vacationing in Maine for many years, he and his wife bought a camp in Washington County in 2017 and now spend at least three months a year in their “happy place.” Becoming a board member at DCC seemed an obvious next step—DCC prizes conservation values and provides trails for recreation, things that are near and dear to him.