Our Mission
Environment, Community and Art
Peconic Green Growth (PGG) seeks to integrate the preservation and enhancement of natural resources, development of sustainable communities, and design of public space. By brokering a balance between the natural and built environment, PGG will foster both environmental sustainability and human activity in watershed communities. A multidisciplinary approach to public infrastructure and space, incorporating art and design, can provide public amenity, support livability, and maximize benefit of resources.
Within the Peconic Region, we will help:
- The transformation of the Peconic region into a vibrant community asset.
- Improve the environmental health of the Peconic region and estuaries.
- Increase the attractiveness and accessibility of the region.
- Support social justice issues
- Reinforce the historic land use patterns and hamlets
- Increase awareness of environmental assets
- Integrate arts and culture with community and environmental enhancements.
Our Board
Drianne Benner, CFA
Drianne is Director of Institutional Marketing & Client Service at Appomattox. Previously, Drianne was the Global Marketing Director at Cadogan Management LLC. She also spent ten years as a Managing Director at U.S. Trust Company, where she developed client and marketing initiatives focused on investment communications, initiated an institutional consultant relations program and serviced large institutional clients. Drianne spent 14 years at Paribas Asset Management, Banque Paribas, where she was the director of institutional marketing and client service. She earned a BA from Pennsylvania State University and attended graduate studies in regional planning in international development at Cornell University. Drianne is on the Philanthropic Committee of the Peconic Land Trust and on the Advisory Council for NYC Audubon.
Glynis M. Berry, AIA, LEED AP (Executive Director)
Glynis is an architect, urban designer and planner. As chair of the planning committee, she organized a one-day symposium for the AIA Peconic Chapter on New Solutions to Community Wastewater Treatment in 2011. She is active with the Management Committee of the Peconic Estuary Program and is a member of the Suffolk County Planning Commission. With her partner at studio a/b architects, she recently designed a house that won Platinum status in the LEED for Homes Program. Previously Ms. Berry started NYC DOT’s pedestrian and traffic calming program, as well as supervising the NYC bicycle program, where she worked on comprehensive planning issues and developed criteria for the installation of new prototypes that are now part of the department’s tool kit of solutions.
Brian Mealy
Brian is a life long north fork resident who grew up in Mattituck. Thanks To his parents Dorothy and Otha’s guidance he cultivated and developed a strong sense of community and appreciation for our bucolic environs. Brian has enjoyed his work with the USDA on the Golden Nematode program. This program has safe guarded the important natural resource of the Long Island potato for many years. Recently Brian has become concerned as Long Island farmers particularly on the south fork are forced to sell their acreage for development, in order to maintain their livelihoods. Some strides have been made as east end towns have become more involved in active land preservation.
Nancy Messer
Nancy has been visiting the North Fork for 35 years and lived here full time for 8 years. She has swam and used the bays and sounds for water sports and relaxing for all of that time so our local waters are near and dear to her heart. She has been the commercial lending officer on the North Fork for the Bridgehampton National Bank for the past eight years. This has given her the opportunity to make contacts and relationships with local business and municipal communities. She hopes to contribute to PGG through the relationships the Bank has with all of the local Chamber of Commerce and business groups and the banks marketing data bases for community outreach. They provide a good number of the commercial mortgages to the business community and she can survey them regarding their septic systems and their perceptions regarding clustered wastewater treatment. She also has 25 years of commercial lending experience and an MBA in Finance.
Robert Governale
Robert enjoys working in the field and has always gravitated towards environmental issues working towards better performing protective systems and construction. He hold a BS in Geology from SUNY Stony Brook. Bob was a Research Vessel Captain engaged in marine ecologic surveys, a field supervisor for submarine cable repair and hazardous spill response. He started his firm, Excav Services, in 1999, where he specializes in Low Impact Development and advanced wastewater construction. When he can find time he enjoys sea kayaking, hiking and snow sports.
Please note that Peconic Green Growth is growing its Board. We are seeking a range of skill sets, interest in environmental, community and artistic endeavors, and representatives from different sectors in the community. If you would be interested in applying, please send the board a letter of interest and a bio/resume at info@peconicgreengrowth.org.
