Marcia’s interest in the land trust mission grew out of her experience as executive director of the Eastern New York Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, with 27 preserves in 16 counties at the time, and her personal commitment to environmental protection as a volunteer and supporter. She served on the board of The Environmental Planning Lobby (now Environmental Advocates) for 10 years, including two as president, and was a board member for five years of Rensselaer County Environmental Action. She served for several years on her Town Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee.

Marcia helped to establish a small community in rural Poestenkill, NY, patterned after co-housing communities, with a cluster of homes built by the owners helping each other. After getting settled 25 years ago, the community residents formed a small corporation to own more than 120 acres adjacent to the homes and adjacent to a Nature Conservancy preserve. They have protected those wooded acres through a conservation easement donated to the Rensselaer Land Trust.

Marcia has a BA degree in Communication from The Ohio State University. She has been active in the environmental movement, including serving for a decade on the board of the Environmental Planning Lobby of New York (now Environmental Advocates), and serving two years as president. She was a member of her town comprehensive plan steering committee whose plan was just adopted by the Town. She lives in Rensselaer County in a home she built herself as part of a community of owner-builders.