MEET THE TEAM
The Great Island Foundation, Inc, (GIF) is a Connecticut non-stock corporation qualifying under Section 501 (c) (3) formed in 2022 to further and promote charitable and educational purposes to return the mouth of the Connecticut River and the Long Island Sound to a rich, diverse and regenerative ecosystem and motivate creative entrepreneurial individuals to support the economy surrounding such areas in an environmentally responsible way through educational and regenerative activities of natural habitats.
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The GIF founding members are natives of Old Lyme with a lifetime of knowledge of the area, and a profound sense of responsibility and stewardship to protect this rare and vital element of a vast global ecology. As stewards, we see this as a lifetime project that will be passed down to future generations.
Sam Schavoir
Sam grew up on the Connecticut shoreline. He has a background in business management and sustainable governance. Sam holds a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College and an M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University. He is the Chairman and CEO of the Great Island Foundation.
Nick Richardson
Nick grew up on the Old Lyme shoreline, spending countless hours exploring the estuaries of the Connecticut River delta. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and specializes in robotics. He is President and COO of the Great Island Foundation.
Alec Goodrich
Alec grew up on the water just up the Connecticut River from Great Island in Essex, Connecticut. A lifelong sailor, fisher, and outdoors enthusiast, Alec is passionate about conserving and restoring the natural waterways that he has explored since he was a child. He holds a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from Tufts University and a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School. He sits on the Board of Directors as the Development Chair for the Great Island Foundation.
Peter has been living and coming to the mouth of the Connecticut River for more than 65 years. He is a lifelong ecologist, journalist, writer, and nature enthusiast. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and sits on the GIF Board as the Secretary.
Peter McKillop
Liddy Karter
Liddy grew up in Old Lyme, CT and lives on the mouth of the Connecticut River. Entrepreneur and ecologist, Liddy is on the non-profit board of the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale. Liddy received her MBA from Yale University and a B.A. from Columbia University. She is the Board Treasurer of the Great Island Foundation.
Fred Fenton
Fred lives on the edge of a tidal marsh in Old Lyme and recently retired from a 25-year career in Emergency Medicine, practicing in Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Zealand. Prior to medicine, he was a real estate and investment attorney. He currently serves on the Shellfish Commission of Old Lyme and is a past Board member of the Old Lyme Land Trust.
Liam is a long time resident of the area and teaches history and languages at the Williams School in New London. He is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University. He is a Board Member of the Great Island Foundation.