Ryan first discovered the woods at age 11, attending summer wilderness camp in the northern Adirondack Mountains. Since then, his travels through the conservation landscape have followed a sinuous path, ranging across three continents (Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, and New Hampshire) and multiple disciplines -- including policy, fundraising, and ecological research.
Ryan comes to the Monadnock Conservancy with a master's degree from the Field Naturalist Program at the University of Vermont, where he studied natural resource inventory and interpretation with an eye to applying science to land conservation challenges. Prior to that, he worked in nonprofit development with The Wilderness Society in Boston. He holds an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, where he studied ecology and environmental studies.
When not working, Ryan can be found identifying plants, pondering overgrown cellar holes, and baking sourdough bread. Ryan and his wife, Amy, live in Walpole, surrounded by easement-protected land.
Anne McBride: Conservation Project Manager
Anne grew up in western New York State and spent many of her summers first attending, then later working at, an environmental education camp. These camp experiences helped shape the direction of her life, leading her to pursue a degree in e nvironmental studies at Mount Holyoke College. She first came to New Hampshire for an AmeriCorps program, teaching environmental education and doing trail-work in numerous state parks. After spending time on the coast of Maine and in the Hudson Valley of New York, she eventually decided to return to New Hampshire for a master’s degree in conservation biology at Antioch University New England in Keene.
Anne most recently worked for nearly four years in land protection at the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. She has also spent time as a volunteer land steward, monitoring conservation easements.
When not working, Anne enjoys hiking, cross-country skiing, and following old woods roads to see where they take her. Anne and her husband, Richard, live in a small house they built themselves in Nelson.
Rocci Aguirre: Conservation Project Manager
Born in San Francisco and raised in the Catskill Mountains of New York, Rocci spent much of his younger years exploring the national parks and cultural landscapes of the country on frequent cross-country road trips. While those early experiences would come to shape much of his future career path, it was the time spent wandering the streams and trails of the nearby mountain ranges that left the strongest mark.
After tailoring his college courses at SUNY Cortland toward resource management and outdoor recreation, Rocci spent the next eight years working all over the country as a ranger with the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service. Rocci then worked for Trout Unlimited in the Catskills, where he coordinated efforts on habitat restoration, land conservation, and water rights.
Rocci comes to the Monadnock Conservancy from the Finger Lakes Land Trust where he oversaw land protection efforts. He is currently working on his master's degree in resource management at Antioch University New England.
When not off fly fishing or hunting, he can usually be found hiking in the woods looking for morels, chanterelles, or other delicious ingredients to add to the supper pot. Rocci lives in Harrisville.
Pete Throop: Project Director,
Monadnock Community Conservation Partnership (MCCP)
Pete’s connection to the land formed at an early age, exploring the woods in a nature preserve abutting his childhood home in Connecticut and spending summers on his grandparent’s sheep farm in North Hebron, New York.
While working as a city planner for Keene, New Hampshire, Pete gained extensive experience supporting the efforts of community groups: facilitating planning efforts, critically analyzing proposed development projects, and drafting a variety of natural resource protection ordinances. Pete also served as an associate core faculty member in the Resource Management and Conservation Program at Antioch University New England, where he taught course work in land use planning, land protection and stewardship, and community and organizational sustainability.
Prior to his planning and teaching work, Pete spent eighteen years in the business world as a management consultant, specializing in strategic planning and organizational development. He has an M.B.A. from New York University and a master's degree in environmental conservation from Antioch University New England.
When not pursuing his passion for protecting the integrity of the landscape, Pete can be found puttering around the family’s farm, working in his garden at his home in Keene, or exploring the region's natural areas with his wife, Michele, and daughter, Emily.
Emily Hague: Stewardship Manager
Emily came to love the natural world exploring Moose Brook and the Lake Horace Marsh near her family’s home in Weare, New Hampshire. Emily spent summers in college working for the U.S. Geological Survey assessing water quality all over the New England coastal basin and developed a strong interest in environmental issues.
At both Oberlin College and subsequently Antioch University New England, Emily pursued her interests in geology and environmental science, supplementing school with work in the fields of recycling, organic agriculture, water resource management, and land conservation. Emily holds a master's degree in resource management, telling of her interest in conscientious land use planning and resource conservation. Off the clock, Emily can be found hiking, wading, snowshoeing, taking photographs, or playing music. She currently lives in Keene.
Rick Brackett: MCCP and Stewardship Assistant
Rick splits his time between the Monadnock Community Conservation Partnership (MCCP) and the stewardship program. Rick has been working with MCCP since its inception in early 2008, and he continues to have a supporting role with participating towns over the next year. On the stewardship side, Rick assists with easement monitoring, baseline documentation, and record-keeping.
Rick holds a master's degree from Antioch University New England in resource management and conservation, and a bachelor's degree in geography from Keene State College.
A third-generation Fitzwilliam resident, Rick is excited to get to know the Monadnock Region even better. Rick and his fiancé, Becky, live in Fitzwilliam and enjoy hiking and fishing.
Pat Payne: Development and Membership Manager
