2025 – 2026

Sara Thomas – President

Sara lives in Oceola Township., Howell. She received a B.A. degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Michigan State; has received the Conservation Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), the Green Tree Award from the Huron Valley Girt Scout Council, is a member of the Brighton Women’s Roll of Honor, and was nominated for the City of Brighton’s Volunteer of the Year for the Miller School program, “Environmental Awareness Month”. She is one of the founding members of the Livingston Land Conservancy when it was formed in the mid-1990s and has served as the land acquisition chair for many years, helping to secure the majority of the 750 acres currently under protection. She fondly remembers childhood days visiting her grandparents’ farm in Gregory, loves being outdoors honing her naturalist skills, and working on the restoration of her small prairie.

Rob Stanford – Vice President

Rob lives in Williamston, Michigan. He received an A.A.S. in Architectural Technology from Lansing Community College, a B.S. in Geography and Economic Development from Northwest Missouri State University, and a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Michigan State University. He has been
employed in both the private as well as public planning sectors, and has recently completed 20 years of
employment as a Principal Planner with the Livingston County Planning Department. He serves as Vice-
Chair for the Williamstown Township Planning Commission. He has served on the Michigan State Board
of Professional Surveyors. He has one daughter studying nursing at Michigan State University. He enjoys
spending time with his family and their three dogs, as well as outdoor camping and sailing.

Gary Edwards – Treasurer

Gary lives in Tyrone Township, Fenton. He obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at GMI (Kettering) and an M.B.A. in Operations Research at the University of Michigan. He retired in 2008 from GM as Director of Advanced Vehicle Development. Gary has taken the course work in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes as well as the Green Realtor course through the National Association of Realtors. He is a part-time realtor at Crystal Mountain Resort and also serves on two homeowners associations at the resort. In his spare time, Gary enjoys water and snow skiing, tennis and exploring nature.

Marcee Wardell – Secretary

Marcee lives in Genoa Township, Howell. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Writing from Grand Valley State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Western Kentucky University. She has worked as a writer and digital marketer, with experience including technical writing, email marketing, and marketing operations, and is currently employed with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Marcee spends much of her free time reading, cooking and baking, visiting with friends and family, and working on her small hobby farm with her husband, John.

Paul Stavros – Director

Paul lives in Brighton Township and grew up in SE Michigan. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of MI and an MBA from Michigan State University. During his career, he has held various executive roles within the healthcare industry. Currently he is the Executive Director for Sun Health at Home. Paul is very interested in environmental preservation and working with his hands – a perfect match for the Conservancy. He has lived in Brighton since 2006; he and his wife, Jackie, have two adult children (Ally and Adam) and two small dogs (Rex and Bo).