Board Members and Staff

Board of Directors

Daniel J Morast - Headshot

Daniel J. Morast, President

Dan joined Orenda’s board in 1993 and is a former President of the International Wildlife Coalition (IWC) then in East Falmouth. He specialized in non-profit management working for The Cousteau Society in New York and the International Fund for Animal Welfare in Yarmouth Port. A hallmark of the IWC was its successful track record in regional and international lobbying and civic outreach on behalf of dolphins, whales, and endangered over-exploited wildlife. After serving as Orenda’s Vice President for a decade, Dan assumed the responsibilities as President of the Orenda Wildlife Land Trust, Inc. in 2019. His stated primary goal is to provide professional administrative guidance so that Orenda specialists will have the means to acquire land, to establish and manage open-space sanctuaries, and to be successful advocates and educators for the protection of wild animals, and the conservation of natural ecosystems that sustain us all.

 

Meghan HillMeghan Douglas Hill, Executive Vice President & Clerk

Meghan Douglas Hill joined the Orenda Board in 2021 and currently serves as Vice President, contributing to all aspects of Orenda’s mission. When she is not working to protect land and wildlife, Meghan works as the Digital Communications Strategist and Community Manager for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. An impact writer and communications designer by trade, Meghan is passionate about the creative potential of solutions journalism and the power of storytelling to bring about social change. She has extensive experience working in media for value-driven organizations in the nonprofit, public and private sectors. Meghan earned her MBA from Babson, where she aimed at addressing humanitarian challenges and leveraging theory and tools that bolster the potential for solutions to be impactful, scalable and sustainable. She also earned a master’s degree in education with distinction from Lesley University and graduated with the New England Scholar designation from the University of Connecticut, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. In her free time, Meghan can be found managing her family’s modern-day homesteading venture on their Cape Cod micro farm.

 

Kenneth Burnes - HeadshotKenneth Burnes, Assistant Treasurer

Ken grew up in the Boston area and summered on the Cape. He resided in the New Seabury section of Mashpee for 30 years and joined Orenda's board in 2002. In addition to overseeing Orenda’s endowment and financials, Ken visits the off-Cape Orenda sanctuaries.

Grant Wiklund - HeadshotGrant Wiklund, Treasurer

Grant joined the Orenda board in 2020 and was soon thereafter elected as Clerk, given his expertise in real estate and finance. A lifelong interest in the outdoors and hiking led Grant to Orenda. Awarded the rank of Eagle Scout as a teenager, Grant believes the woods should always be left cleaner and better after passing through them. Grant intends to apply his skills to future land acquisition and stewardship efforts, including inspection and mapping of Orenda’s many wildlife sanctuaries.

Lisa Nagel

Lisa grew up in the Boston area and recently returned to Massachusetts and Cape Cod after living and working in the Chicago area for many years. She has an undergraduate degree in Nursing from Syracuse University and a law degree from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. Her most recent and perhaps favorite career was as a Youth Services Librarian. She loves connecting books with readers and kids with nature. Lisa has always had a passion for the outdoors and the environment, having grown up camping and hiking around New England.  She also loves the ocean and spending time sailing, paddle boarding and kayaking. Lisa joined the board of Orenda in 2021 after becoming involved with the Diamondback turtle garden and turtle rescue team. She is honored to be part of an organization with a mission of protecting land and wildlife, and is especially interested in connecting and engaging with young people to help protect our valuable resources.

Chris Miller - HeadshotChris Miller

Chris has served as Director of the Natural Resources, Conservation, and Harbormaster departments in Brewster since 2007 and has a background in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Chemical Engineering. Chris lives in Brewster with his wife and two kids, and grew up in the northeast. He is an avid scuba diver, sailer and outdoorsman and is eager to apply his experience to work protecting our wild lands through Orenda.

Amy DaubertAmy Daubert

Amy joined Orenda’s Board in 2021. She is a graduate of Williams College (BA) and The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (M. Ed). She describes herself as a professional volunteer. Currently, she is the president and head agent of her class at Williams. She also is a Vice Chair of the Williams Alumni fund. Amy is a member of the Vestry of The Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill and chairs the Stewardship Committee. She also is a member of Advisory Board of the YMCA and development chair of Somos Amigos Medical Missions. Six years ago, Amy started a counseling program for disadvantaged students to help them plan for life after high school and continues to mentor them on their journeys through college and beyond. Amy is a lifelong summer resident of the Cape and like her relatives before her, shares a deep passion to preserve the land.

Richard Boyden - HeadshotRichard Boyden

Dick joined Orenda in 2001. Prior to his retirement, Dick held office senior leadership roles in the college admissions profession. Dick has been active over the years in marking the easily accessed boundaries of the various Orenda sanctuaries. Dick is also a board member of the Bourne Conservation Trust where he heads up the volunteers who maintain the BCT’s many walking trails. He resides in the Town of Mashpee.

Zak MertzZak Mertz

Zak Mertz joined Orenda’s Board in 2021.  He is the Director of the Birdsey Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable, MA and the Assistant Director of New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, MA. He has worked in the field of environmental conservation and research for the past decade, and is a State and Federally licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Previously Zak worked as a hydrologist and holds a Master’s degree from UMASS with a concentration in both physical and socio-hydrology. In addition to serving on Orenda's Board of Directors, Zak Currently serves as a board member for the Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Massachusetts and the New England Wildlife Centers.

Honorary Board Member for Life

Jefferies Wyman Jr - HeadshotJefferies Wyman, Jr.

Recently Jeff was named an honorary Board Member for Life in honor of his long standing service to Orenda. Jeff was a longtime friend and donor to Orenda before he joined the board. A resident of West Barnstable and Sharon, Mass., Jeff was an integral part of the 1998 project to protect land on Meadow Lane in West Barnstable that eventually evolved into the Smith’s Dock Sanctuary. This helped ensure that the endangered Diamond Back Terrapin turtles had a suitable and protected habitat.

Board of Advisors

Barbara Birdsey, Founder & Past President

Mark Robinson, Executive Director of The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, Inc.

Laura Herbst, Past President

Staff

Jane Ounanian, Office Administrator

Jane was introduced to Orenda Wildlife Land Trust through their First Day Hikes Cape Cod event, which was held at our Turtle Garden sanctuary in West Barnstable. In further researching Orenda’s mission and learning about our sanctuaries, Jane reached out and inquired about how to best support us. Jane joined our staff in January, 2023 as our part-time office administrator, and is involved with the organization's Communications, Education & Outreach and Development committees, as well as taking part in the Terrapin Protection Program. Jane enjoys exploring and learning about the Cape’s unique ecosystem.

Johnny Robinson, Land Steward

Johnny Harlow Robinson was born and raised on Cape Cod, and was instilled with a love of nature by his parents, Mark and April. In the past, Johnny has worked with the Brewster Conservation Trust as a stewardship intern; Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon as a field ranger intern; the Town of Dennis Department of Natural Resources as a natural resource officer; and Kennebec Land Trust in central Maine as a summer intern. He has also volunteered with the Barnstable Land Trust and the Dennis Conservation Land Trust. Johnny recently graduated from College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, ME with a degree in Human Ecology, and a focus on land conservation. For his senior project, he studied land trusts across each of the six states of New England, and created a series of podcast episodes compiling interviews, field recordings, and background research. Johnny is excited to work with Orenda as a land steward and help them carry out their mission to preserve woods, wildlife, waters, and winds for everyone, forever.

Tyler Linnell, Residential Caretaker, Nelson Sanctuary, Plymouth

Tyler LinnellTyler became the Caretaker of Orenda’s Nelson Sanctuary in Plymouth, Massachusetts during the Fall of 2019. Tyler developed a passion for the outdoors at an early age, and enjoyed extensive travel across the globe visiting 5 different continents.

Having seen much of the world and witnessing its natural beauty firsthand, Tyler holds a special place in his heart for the Nelson Sanctuary and currently resides as guardian of the land and cottage on the property. Tyler is an avid outdoorsmen and believes strongly in environmental preservation and sustainability. He appreciates the peace and tranquility of preserved land and the value to future generations.