TILT Staff
Jake Tibbles, Executive Director
Jake was appointed Executive Director in May 2012, after serving as Assistant Director for a year. He has been with the land trust since 2007 when he had an internship through SUNY Cortland and SUNY Potsdam. He was hired full-time in 2008 as Director of Stewardship,and was Interim Director from 2010-2011.
Over the last four years, Jake has helped advance TILT’s Land Management & Conservation Program, Volunteer Initiative, TILTreks & Talks, and fundraising program. He has developed TILT’s Partner Program, working closely the NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), Save The River, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, and its other conservation partners on a variety of projects. He has also helped to initiate the Zenda Community Garden, Zenda Farm Tree Nursery, Annual Arbor Day Tree Planting, and TILT’s Stewardship Newsletter.
Jake earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the State University of New York at Cortland, majoring in both Biology and Chemistry. While at SUNY Cortland, he had the opportunity to study rainforest ecology and coastal marine biology in Belize, and to conduct several independent research studies on the ecological impact of North American beavers. During an internship with TILT, he assisted the NYS DEC in conducting a herpetological survey and researching the impact of shoreline development on NY State fisheries.
Having grown up in the North Country, Jake has a life-long passion for the environment and especially the Thousand Island region. He hikes, fishes, hunts and enjoys water sports. He has a keen appreciation for the importance of the St. Lawrence River system and is pleased to have the opportunity to work in its behalf.
Jake has been named one of NNY Business Magazine's "20 Under 40" for 2012. Contact Jake.
Don Brown, Stewardship Coordinator
As Stewardship Coordinator, Don Brown is responsible for managing conservation easements and fee-owned lands for TILT. He also supervises summer land stewards.
A 1968 graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Don worked as a forester in St. Lawrence County with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation from 1973 until retiring in 2003. Prior to that, he taught middle school science in Liverpool, NY.
Don serves on the board of directors of Indian Creek Nature Center and the Ogdensburg Tree Commission. He is a past member of the St. Lawrence County Environmental Management Council, the Potsdam Tree Commission and the Northern New York Forest Owners Association.
He is an avid gardener and fisherman and is interested in pursuing a sustainable lifestyle. He and Janice, his wife of 33 years, have two daughters aged 31 and 28. Their home is on Black Lake in St. Lawrence County. Contact Don.
Corinne Mockler, Coordinator of Education and Outreach
Corinne is responsible for developing and managing the TILTreks & Talks program, as well as community outreach and development.
She grew up in rural Maine where her parents were part of the “back-to-the-land” movement. She earned her BFA in advertising and graphic design from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and took classes in horticulture from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. She earned a Permaculture Design Certificate from the NY Open Center. It was the basic theory of Permaculture that really hit home for Corinne: “Care of People. Care of Planet. Return of Surplus to Both.”
Corinne had visited the Thousand Islands a few times, and fallen in love with the area, so in March of 2010 she moved to Hyde Lake with her husband to pursue a volunteer opportunity at a local artists’ retreat. She has also served on the education committee for the North Country Arts Council in Watertown, is a supporter of the T.I. Arts Center in Clayton and belongs to a local artist's group for women. She enjoys gardening, hiking, fishing and generally any activity that allows her to be outside. Contact Corinne.
Brandon Hollis, Stewardship Assistant
Brandon holds the responsibility of managing TILT’s fee-owned preserves, monitoring conservation easements, drafting newsletters, and is currently helping with the organization's Reaccreditation. Brandon who has been with TILT for the past two summers as a Land Steward is excited to take on new tasks and grow with the organization.
Brandon is a SUNY Potsdam graduate with a bachelor of arts in Environmental Science, having studied biodiversity conservation, environmental ethics, natural resource policy, and GIS. A native of Alexandria Bay, Brandon has spent much time on and along the St. Lawrence River, which contributes to his appreciation for the Thousand Islands Region. Contact Brandon.
Susie Wood, Membership Coordinator
Susie Wood has been a North Country resident for over 20 years, during which time she has worked for the Shipyard Museum (now the Antique Boat Museum) and was a freelance graphic designer. She taught high school English and edited several newsletters and journals.
Her connection to the Thousand Islands began in Chippewa Bay where her family has summered for over 80 years. She and her husband live in Macomb, near Black Lake. Contact Susie.