Who We Are

Treasurer, worked for 40 years in various senior investment banking positions in London and New York. He has a deep commitment to advancing environmental and educational opportunities and socially responsible values. He helped to build Permian Global, an environmental investment firm, and is a founding Executive committee member of the Intentional Endowment Network, a collaborative peer-learning network advancing environmental, social and governance criteria in investment decisions. In addition to other professional awards and recognitions, Joe holds an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BA in biology from Gettysburg College. Appointed 2016.

Beth Finch is a former librarian, trust officer, and estate planning specialist who began building an appreciation for Brewster’s natural spaces decades ago. She also began forming a wide network of friends, contacts, and connections and has used them to advance many BCT acquisitions and initiatives. She served as BCT President from 2000-2006. An inveterate walker, Beth has also served on the Brewster Pathways Committee and led many hikes for BCT. Beth served on the Trust’s Board from 1998 to 2013 and was reappointed in 2014

Treasurer, worked for 40 years in various senior investment banking positions in London and New York. He has a deep commitment to advancing environmental and educational opportunities and socially responsible values. He helped to build Permian Global, an environmental investment firm, and is a founding Executive committee member of the Intentional Endowment Network, a collaborative peer-learning network advancing environmental, social and governance criteria in investment decisions. In addition to other professional awards and recognitions, Joe holds an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BA in biology from Gettysburg College. Appointed 2016.

Peter Johnson was born and raised in Western Massachusetts and was co-owner of Johnson’s Bookstore and Bookstore Buildings, a realty partnership. He also served on the South Hadley Conservation Commission, prior to his retirement to Cape Cod in 2003. Upon moving to Brewster, Peter joined the Board of BCT and served as President from 2006-2009 and 2010-2013, where he was instrumental in forming the partnership that preserved Quivett Marsh Vista. Peter is BCT’s first (and only) Emeritus Trustee. Appointed 2004.

Don Keeran is the assistant director of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, the Cape’s leading nonprofit environmental advocacy and education organization. He has an extensive background in environmental policy and advocacy, and has worked on numerous local, regional, state, and federal initiatives that advance protection, restoration and stewardship of Cape Cod’s natural resources and environment. Don also serves on the town of Brewster Open Space Committee. Appointed 2005.

John Lamb has an MBA from Harvard and BSc from Birmingham (UK). He spent 22 years as a strategic planner and operational innovation consultant helping health care providers and suppliers develop and deploy critical capabilities. In addition to his service to BCT, John leads a regional solar cooperative, runs the Brewster Community Network, and is a Medical Reserve Corps volunteer. Since 2006, he's also worked to foster sustainable development, conservation, and leadership capacity in Uganda and Rwanda. Appointed 2014.

Michael Lindgren was raised in Granby, CT, with woods galore, fresh air, and access to wide open natural spaces. He graduated from Bryant University with a finance major and built a successful career in commercial real estate and corporate lending. He concluded his career as Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at Cambridge Savings Bank. Michael is currently the Chairperson of Find the Cause Breast Cancer Foundation and volunteers at Big Brothers, APCC, Capabilities and Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. Appointed 2024.

Steve McKenna is a Cape Cod native who grew up in Harwich. He studied environmental science and marine transportation at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and became a licensed officer in the US Merchant Marine. After working as a professional mariner for several years, Steve sought to combine his maritime experience and interest in environmental protection. In 1996 he began working for the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and currently serves as Cape & Islands Regional Coordinator. He also served on the Brewster Conservation Commission for many years. Appointed 2016.

Hal Minis has been a BCT trustee since 2009, serving as President from 2013 to 2021. In town service, he played an instrumental role in facilitating the production of Brewster’s Vision Plan and its Local Comprehensive Plan. For 35 years, Hal worked for the Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina, one of the largest not-for profit contract research organizations in the country, where he designed and led US government-funded programs to strengthen local government systems in developing countries. He has a graduate degree in environmental management. Appointed 2009.

Bonnie Newman retired after 35 years of administrative leadership in higher education and the non-profit sector, including serving as a Program Director at Dartmouth College; Associate Dean at Tufts University; executive director of the national non-profit, A Better Chance; and as an independent management consultant. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Bonnie has been volunteering for over 30 years in conservation and land management in both Lexington, MA, and Brewster. Bonnie chairs BCT’s Land Stewardship Committee. Appointed 2012.

Roger V. O’Day is a founding member of BCT and provided pro-bono legal counsel to the Trust for almost 40 years. Roger was BCT’s President from 1986-1991. He also provided legal assistance to other Cape Cod land trusts. In Brewster, he has served on the Brewster Planning Board and on the Stony Brook Mill Site Committee. Roger now serves as one of three trustees on the board of the Eddy Foundation which provides grants annually to numerous charitable organizations in Brewster. Appointed 1983.

Peter Soule graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a BS in Management. He is a professional land surveyor and a founding member of the Brewster Conservation Trust. For many of his 40 years as a BCT Board member, Peter served as treasurer. He was also president from 1991-1993. Peter is a top-notch sailor and frequent finisher of the Figawi boat race, and an avid bicyclist and pickleball player. He splits his time between his homes in Brewster and Hawaii. Appointed in 1983.

President is most recently retired from his role as Executive Director of Pleasant Bay Community Boating, a nonprofit organization providing affordable and accessible sailing instruction and marine education. Prior to that he served as Brewster’s Town Administrator for almost 30 years, retiring in 2015. While Town Administrator, Charlie was recognized by BCT as Conservationist of the Year. He has a graduate degree in public administration from Northeastern University. Before coming to Brewster, Charlie served as chief administrative officer in Littleton and Acton. Appointed 2016.

R. Dirkie Van Antwerp is an attorney with 35 years of experience in the financial services industry and until retirement in 2012 was employed as Associate General Counsel of Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P, an institutional adviser with approximately $250 billion under management. In 2006 she received Loomis’ first annual Dan Fuss Award “for extraordinary and relentless dedication to our clients.” Dirkie earned a certificate in landscape design from The Landscape Institute issued by Harvard University and Boston Architectural College. Her emphasis is on ecology and native plants. Appointed 2014.

Vice-President, was born and raised in Brewster and holds degrees in materials science and engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Before returning to Brewster, he was a production and design engineer in opto-electronics. Back on the Cape, he designed and built a house for his family after clearing the lot of poison ivy and bittersweet. In addition to having a practical appreciation for invasive species removal and a deep knowledge of the land and trails on Cape Cod, Seamus is an endurance athlete who competes in races around the world. He is the owner of Secure Storage, Inc. Appointed 2022.