Who We Are

Sarah  Leonard holds a Master’s of Science degree in therapeutic recreation and has worked in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing  homes and juvenile respite care facilities. She has established a small  farm on School Hill Road in Goshen with her family. She volunteers for a  variety of local organizations, currently participating in the Goshen  Recreation Commission, Goshen Community Care, Supporters of Wamago  Agricultural Sciences (SWAGS) and Goshen Center School. Sarah also  substitute teaches at Connecticut Junior Republic, primarily in  Agricultural Sciences. 

Additionally, Sarah enjoys running, CrossFit classes, gardening, bird watching, and trying to keep up with her busy family!   

Marissa holds a Master’s of Science degree in Biology and has over 20 years of experience in environmental protection and sustainability. She is employed by the federal government and works as an Adjunct Professor teaching sustainability and environmental resources and management at Central Connecticut State University. In her career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, she has served in a variety of roles, including leading diverse environmental project development teams of over 25 people, and oversees projects and resources to ensure environmental compliance. Additionally, she has supported emergency response missions and has deployed to many areas impacted by natural disasters.  

Marissa has regularly interfaced with federal, state, and local non-profit organizations. She has served as Vice Chair and Commissioner on the Wetlands Commission in the town of Thomaston for 6 years, volunteered for the Northwest Conservation District for 5 years, serves as Liaison for the State of CT Emergency Operations Center, and has over 14 years part-time experience with the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Marissa recently joined the Sustainability Commission in the town of Goshen and is an Associate to the Goshen Land Trust. 

Additionally, Marissa has over 8 years of experience investigating missing persons cold cases and is the CT and WA Liaison for the CUE center (Community United Effort) for missing persons. 

Nestled in the rolling hills of northwestern Connecticut, Goshen is a rural community with extensive watershed resources which are critical to the health of the community and surrounding areas. It is characterized by agriculture, family farms, and beautiful forested landscapes. A portion of the land in Goshen is protected through public and private entities, including CT DEEP and the Goshen Land Trust. Protecting  critical natural capital assets including forests, wetlands,  watersheds, and endangered species habitat is critical to ensuring a  safe supply of clean drinking water, clean air and climate change  resilience. Areas that are currently undeveloped and connect to natural  areas should be prioritized for protection.