Executive Director

Krystal envisions a world where healthy forests are conserved by the communities who love them, farmers are empowered and abundant, and everyone can form a strong connection to the land. Krystal holds a Stormwater Management Certification as well as a degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in watershed management from the University of New Hampshire and has been a New Hampshire Natural Resource Steward since 2012. Krystal's personal passions include botany, walking in the woods, exploring swamps, cooking and foraging, and stewarding a 20-acre forested homestead in Northwood with her husband.

Reach out to Krystal at k.balanoff@bear-paw.org

Conservation Manager

Kaitlin manages Bear-Paw's conservation easement projects, assisting landowners with their land protection goals and fulfilling Bear-Paw's mission to conserve a network of lands for people and wildlife.

Kaitlin grew up in Southern Vermont playing barefoot in the Green Mountain National Forest. She holds a liberal arts degree from UNH and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). In her free time she volunteers for CASA of New Hampshire and enjoys trail running, baking bread, and going on adventures with her partner and two dogs.

Reach out to Kaitlin at k.deyo@bear-paw.org

Operations Coordinator

Previous to their move to New Hampshire, Leslie and her husband were living in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, owning and running their family farm serving CSAs and Farmers’ Markets.

For the past two years Leslie has had a full-time job as mother to her three-year old son and seven month old daughter. In coming to Bear-Paw, she is ready to use her management skills honed in running the family farm business. As much as she likes working outside on a farm, her strong suit is handling details and people to make programs and events run smoothly. She likes being on the back-end and seeing a successful follow-through.

Reach out to Leslie at l.randall@bear-paw.org