Director Bios

Sam Gaines is a Managing Director of AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp. and serves as President of Mt. Mansfield Company, which owns various real estate and hospitality assets throughout Stowe, including Spruce Peak. Throughout his real estate investment career, Sam has managed, developed, acquired, and sold over $3B of properties across all real estate asset classes. Originally from Connecticut, Sam reconnected with his Vermont skiing roots when he moved to Stowe in 2011 with his wife Molly. Now with three children: Theodore, Lois, and Beatrice; Sam is active in the local community where he serves on the board of the Stowe Land Trust, the Mt. Mansfield Academy and the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center. Sam is the president of the non-profit Spruce Peak Resort Association and he also is Vice Chair of the Urban Land Institute Recreational Development Council. Sam holds a BA from Pomona College and a MS from the New York University.

Amy moved to Stowe in 2010, happily leaving behind the stresses of eight years of urban life in Los Angeles and Paris to seek refuge in Stowe’s mountains, forests, dirt roads, incredible trails, and clean air. You’ll often see Amy on the run, whether on Perry Hill or Adam’s Camp’s trails, competing around New England for the Green Mountain Athletic Association or chasing her young son around the Mill Trail or Wiessner Woods. In addition to having volunteered for SLT as an advocate for conservation funding at the Vermont State House and planting trees along the Little River, Amy also serves on the parent board at Apple Tree Learning Center. Amy works for Keurig Dr Pepper. She enjoys serving as a steward and strategist for Stowe’s conservation efforts as an SLT Director. Amy has served on the Executive, Fundraising, Finance, and Strategic Planning Committees.

Anna grew up in Stowe and moved away for ten years to attend college and law school in Florida. She is licensed to practice law in Florida and Vermont. She moved back to Stowe in April 2017 and currently works as an attorney at Stackpole & French, PLC, focusing primarily in real estate law. Anna and her husband, Joseph, currently live in South Burlington with their pets, Louis and Marge. Anna also serves on the board of Stowe Rotary and loves engaging with the community, giving back, and getting outdoors as much as possible. Anna has served on the Executive, Stewardship, and Governance Committees.

Cliff has been enjoying Stowe since coming here to ski in the 1980s. He is a Wealth Advisor at ScotiaMcLeod in Montreal and has served in a variety of community organizations over the years. Cliff has long believed that the Stowe Land Trust is vital in maintaining and conserving all the wonderful natural areas and recreational opportunities Stowe has to offer for the generations to come. Cliff has served on the Stowe Land Trust board since 2015 and chairs the board of the Canadian Friends of Stowe Land Trust which he led the founding of in 2017.

Beth grew up in Stowe and has always appreciated the physical and aesthetic beauty of this town. She and her husband, Bart, raised three children here and over the years, they have taken advantage of the endless outdoor opportunities Stowe has to offer. Beth is a teacher at Stowe Elementary School where she has worked for more than 20 years. She enjoys instilling a love for the outdoors with her students and working with Stowe Land Trust to protect the places she loves, so that they can be enjoyed in the future. Beth has served on the Fun & Friends Committee.

Catherine Drake and her husband Rich Levine visited Vermont for decades and moved to Stowe permanently in 2012. Catherine spent 28 years with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection where she developed a strong passion for land preservation and public access. As Executive Director of Liberty State Park, she directed development of the 1,155-acre urban park across from the Statue of Liberty. She later worked in land acquisition, partnering with local governments and land trusts to acquire land for permanent protection. Catherine served on the Stowe Conservation Commission for seven years. Catherine and Rich have two grown married daughters, one living in Stowe and the other in Montpelier. Catherine has served on the Fundraising and Lands Committees.

Amy lives in Stowe with her husband Phil and son Jackson, who is in first grade at Stowe Elementary School. She first became involved with the Land Trust as the landowner of a piece of the Little  River Corridor Easement, and then more deeply as a volunteer during various aspects of the Kaiser Farm--now Long Winter Farm--conservation project. Amy's favorite place to be is outdoors, and her passion for the organization continues to deepen through her daily use of various SLT-conserved properties for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. Professionally, Amy is a Senior Director at Community Wealth Partners where she leads strategic planning and capacity building projects for nonprofits and foundations.

Frank, a twenty-year resident of Stowe, recently retired from his equally long tenure as the Director of Pharmacy at Central Vermont Medical Center in Montpelier. Frank is a past board member of Stowe Trails Partnership and was at the forefront of the FAT-biking phenomenon in Vermont. His core beliefs of duty, gratitude, and creating legacy provide him with an indomitable drive toward preserving Stowe's sanctity for generations to come. In addition to spending time with his beloved family, Frank's passion for mountain biking, trail running, and overlanding keep him happily occupied in his golden years.

Walt and his family have been seasonal visitors to Stowe for more than 35 years. After he retired from his law firm in 2010, he and his wife, Diane, bought a farm on Shaw Hill in the Moscow section of Stowe. Walt’s now-grown sons learned to ski at Spruce Peak, and the next generation of five grandchildren can often be found on Stowe’s trails and slopes. Walt was a partner for 32 years with the New York law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, where he managed their Hong Kong and London offices, among other roles. He has been involved with a variety of conservation organizations, served as a director and treasurer of Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, a Massachusetts land trust, and currently is a director and treasurer of BiodiversityWorks Inc., a conservation organization engaged in wildlife research and protection.

Jason relocated to Stowe from Boston in 2008 after 6 years of investment banking and finance with John Hancock in pursuit of a more balanced lifestyle often found in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Jason has worked with non-profits over the last 5 years and currently is the Director of Finance for Mt. Mansfield Academy. As an active community member, Jason serves AEMT on the Stowe Ambulance service and volunteers his time to Stowe's Mountain Rescue team.  When not in the office, Jason enjoys his time with his wife and two daughters exploring and recreating outdoors.  Jason has served on the finance Committee.

Ryan was born and raised on his family’s 500-cow dairy farm in Stowe which he manages with his father today. Ryan is the third generation of Percy farmers who have been farming in town since Ryan’s grandparents moved here in the late 1930s. Ryan and his wife Courtney, along with their two daughters Louisa and Lydia, call Stowe home. Ryan has served on the Governance and Fun & Friends Committees.

Kerry grew up in Stowe appreciating conservation and agriculture from a young age. She and her husband Kevin, along with their son Austin and dog still call Stowe home. In 2012, Kerry took the reins of her family’s maple syrup supply business, The Sugarman of Vermont, as CEO. She sold the company in 2019 and now sits on the board of directors for The Sugarman and the Vermont Maple Sugarmakers Association. She also served on the advisory board for the Community National Bank in Vermont and was the volunteer coordinator for the Stowe Schools’ Friday Ski Program for ten years. In 2020, Kerry purchased and opened the North Hollow Berry Farm, a pick-your-own blueberry farm located in Stowe Hollow. Kerry is also an avid outdoor enthusiast, enjoying Stowe’s local trail networks on foot and by bike, golfing, hiking, skiing, and whitewater kayaking. Kerry has served on the Lands and Fun & Friends Committees.

Jason has been a part-time resident of Stowe for the past 10 years. He is an active and enthusiastic user of SLT's properties in all seasons, and enjoys exploring the woods, mountains, and streams of Stowe with his wife, Callie, and their three young children. As a long-time SLT member and supporter, Jason appreciates the preservation and stewardship work that SLT has done over the years to create the trail network in town and looks forward to continuing to advance SLT’s mission as a board member. His passion for land conservation and outdoor recreation extends to his hometown in Massachusetts, where he serves on the Corporate Board and Charles River Valley management committee for the Trustees of Reservations. When not in the woods, Jason is a Partner at Bain & Co. in Boston. Jason has served on the Fundraising and Strategic Planning Committees.

Tom grew up in Waterbury Center and returned with his family in 1979 from a US Forest Service position in Minnesota and Michigan to assume the responsibility of the General Manager of Ward Lumber Company, a private industrial forest landowner. Tom and his son Dan established Hunger Mountain Forestry, Inc. a private forestry consulting firm in 1995. Many of his forest landowner clients are in the Stowe and Waterbury area. Tom and his wife Grace, a retired teacher, actively manage the family farm on Loomis Hill in Waterbury Center by producing hay for many horse lovers. Tom has served on the Stewardship and Lands Committees.

David Wilkens and his wife Molly Pindell moved to Stowe in 2007 where they have been raising their two children, Juliette and Soren. In 2009, David, Molly and Katie Pindell started Sage Farm Goat Dairy; a small-scale artisanal cheese producer. He has been a part of the Mount Mansfield Ski Patrol for 7 years. When he is not at the farm, you can find him on the trails and in the hills throughout the year. Dave has served on the Executive, Finance, Fundraising, and Stewardship Committees.