About LLC

About LLC

Founded in 1991, the Conservancy began as a standing committee of Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy. The Livingston Land Conservancy is now a private, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization working to protect the natural heritage and rural character of the Greater Livingston County Area. In recent years, the fastest growing means of protecting land has been through the use of conservation easements, a legal agreement between a private landowner and a land trust that permanently limits the scope and type of development while leaving the land in private ownership. LLC funds their land protection activities through private donations, gifts from corporations and foundations, and memberships.

Meet our Staff
Eric Olson, Land Protection and Membership Development Specialist
B.S. degree in Environmental Design from the University of Massachusetts and a M.S. in Landscape Architecture from U of M. Eric comes to us with extensive experience as a woodland consultant and a solid background in natural features ordinance writing. He also has a variety of computer, mapping, and organizational skills that are very beneficial to the Conservancy.

Meet our Board of Directors
Interested in becoming a board member? Email us at:
info@livingstonlandconservancy.org

Sara Thomas, President
Genoa Township
B.A. Michigan State University - Criminal Justice/Psychology
President – Livingston Land Conservancy – 2000 to present
Founding member – Livingston Land Conservancy – 1992
Conservation Chair & founding member – Sierra Club/Crossroads Group – 1991 to 1997
Recepient of:
National Conservation Medal – Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) –
2000
Green Tree Award – 1995 – Huron Valley Girl Scout Council
State Service Award – 1993 – Sierra Club/Mackinac Chapter
Nominated for David DeVries Outstanding Citizen Award – Brighton Area School
District – 1995 – for organizing Earth Awareness Month at Miller Early Childhood
Center
Sara has been involved with environmental issues for over 22 years and has received additional training/education on a wide variety of environmental topics.

Lori Cowan, Vice President
Unadilla Township
B.S. Sociology - Unadilla Township Board member and planning commission. Integral part of the Conservancy’s Land on the Horizon fundraising committee for the past 2 years.

Terri Coppens, CPA, CIA, CFE - Treasurer
Farmington
B.A. Social Work - Michigan State University
B.A. (equivalency) Accounting - Walsh College
CPA since 1987, Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Fraud Examiner
Director of Michigan Operations, Control Solutions International

Patti McElroy, AICP - Secretary
Putnam Township
B.S. Landscape Design – South Dakota State University
AICP certification in planning
Planner for the City of Farmington Hills. Also sits on the Putnam Township Wetland Board of Review. Worked as Zoning Administrator in Moline, Illinois before moving to Livingston County. Completed Master Gardener designation through MSU Extension.

Bill Cowan
Unadilla Township
Washtenaw Community College & Western Michigan University – studied music
Passionate about nature since childhood. As a camp counselor during his teen years, taught nature appreciation. Moved to Livingston County in 1991 because of its unspoiled landscape.

Kernie King
City of Howell
Attended Michigan State University
A.M.E. Lawrence Technological University - Mechanical Engineering
Kernie was born in Howell and has lived there his entire life. He has lived in the same house since 1937 which is two blocks from where he was born. Worked in the engineering departments of A. E. Parker & Sons, Excello Corp. and Fenton Machine Tool.
Retired from Toyoda Machinery, USA in Howell as a Proposal Engineer. Extensive naturalist background with MI Nature Association. Hobbies are photography, genealogy and exploring nature.

Dan Minock, Ph D.
Brighton Township
M.A. English Literature – University of Detroit;
Ph.D. English and American Literature – Ohio State University
Morris Lawrence Award, 2001, for distinguished service to Washtenaw Community College. Retired in 2001 from teaching English at Washtenaw Community College. Has been on the Executive Committee of the Crossroads Group – Sierra Club since 1991.



The Livingston Land Conservancy P.O. Box 236 Brighton, MI 48116-0236 (810) 229-3290 info@livingstonland conservancy.org		About LLC Founded in 1991, the Conservancy began as a standing committee of Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy. The Livingston Land Conservancy is now a private, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization working to protect the natural heritage and rural character of the Greater Livingston County Area. In recent years, the fastest growing means of protecting land has been through the use of conservation easements, a legal agreement between a private landowner and a land trust that permanently limits the scope and type of development while leaving the land in private ownership. LLC funds their land protection activities through private donations, gifts from corporations and foundations, and memberships. Meet our Staff Eric Olson, Land Protection and Membership Development Specialist B.S. degree in Environmental Design from the University of Massachusetts and a M.S. in Landscape Architecture from U of M. Eric comes to us with extensive experience as a woodland consultant and a solid background in natural features ordinance writing. He also has a variety of computer, mapping, and organizational skills that are very beneficial to the Conservancy. Meet our Board of Directors Interested in becoming a board member? Email us at: info@livingstonlandconservancy.org Sara Thomas, President Genoa Township B.A. Michigan State University - Criminal Justice/Psychology President – Livingston Land Conservancy – 2000 to present Founding member – Livingston Land Conservancy – 1992 Conservation Chair & founding member – Sierra Club/Crossroads Group – 1991 to 1997 Recepient of: National Conservation Medal – Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) – 2000 Green Tree Award – 1995 – Huron Valley Girl Scout Council State Service Award – 1993 – Sierra Club/Mackinac Chapter Nominated for David DeVries Outstanding Citizen Award – Brighton Area School District – 1995 – for organizing Earth Awareness Month at Miller Early Childhood Center Sara has been involved with environmental issues for over 22 years and has received additional training/education on a wide variety of environmental topics. Lori Cowan, Vice President Unadilla Township B.S. Sociology - Unadilla Township Board member and planning commission. Integral part of the Conservancy’s Land on the Horizon fundraising committee for the past 2 years. Terri Coppens, CPA, CIA, CFE - Treasurer Farmington B.A. Social Work - Michigan State University B.A. (equivalency) Accounting - Walsh College CPA since 1987, Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Fraud Examiner Director of Michigan Operations, Control Solutions International Patti McElroy, AICP - Secretary Putnam Township B.S. Landscape Design – South Dakota State University AICP certification in planning Planner for the City of Farmington Hills. Also sits on the Putnam Township Wetland Board of Review. Worked as Zoning Administrator in Moline, Illinois before moving to Livingston County. Completed Master Gardener designation through MSU Extension. Bill Cowan Unadilla Township Washtenaw Community College & Western Michigan University – studied music Passionate about nature since childhood. As a camp counselor during his teen years, taught nature appreciation. Moved to Livingston County in 1991 because of its unspoiled landscape. Kernie King City of Howell Attended Michigan State University A.M.E. Lawrence Technological University - Mechanical Engineering Kernie was born in Howell and has lived there his entire life. He has lived in the same house since 1937 which is two blocks from where he was born. Worked in the engineering departments of A. E. Parker & Sons, Excello Corp. and Fenton Machine Tool. Retired from Toyoda Machinery, USA in Howell as a Proposal Engineer. Extensive naturalist background with MI Nature Association. Hobbies are photography, genealogy and exploring nature. Dan Minock, Ph D. Brighton Township M.A. English Literature – University of Detroit; Ph.D. English and American Literature – Ohio State University Morris Lawrence Award, 2001, for distinguished service to Washtenaw Community College. Retired in 2001 from teaching English at Washtenaw Community College. Has been on the Executive Committee of the Crossroads Group – Sierra Club since 1991.