Harrison Marks
Executive Director

Wilmington Office
(910) 726-3049

A longtime resident of Winston-Salem and New Bern, Marks has a strong connection to the North Carolina coast going back to his youth.

Marks attended Dartmouth College, earning a degree in Biogeography and served as co-chair of the newly formed Environmental Studies Division of the Dartmouth Outing Club. He had a long and successful career as a senior executive for Wachovia Bank, leading multiple departments in several divisions of the company. He went on to serve as Executive Director of Sound Rivers, overseeing the merger of the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation and Neuse River Foundation into a new organization.

Marks was an active member of the Coastal Land Trust’s Finance Committee for many years before joining the board of directors in 2021. He stepped into the role of Interim Executive Director in September 2022, taking a leave of absence from the board. During that time, Marks led the organization through the completion of a new Strategic Plan and built strong relationships with the staff, board, partners, and key supporters of the organization.

An active out-of-doors person, Marks has been a volunteer with numerous environmental organizations. After stepping down as Executive Director at Sound Rivers, Marks and his wife, Suzie, spent almost two years on their sailboat, sailing along the east coast of the US and the Bahamas.

He is excited and grateful to have the opportunity and privilege to help conserve important lands and varied landscapes of the coastal plain.

Jesica Blake
Associate Director

Wilmington Office
(910) 726-3057

Jesica Blake joined the Coastal Land Trust in 2002 as its very first stewardship staff member, and she’s been a driving force in land conservation ever since. With a B.S. in Environmental Science and Natural Resources from Johnson State College and a Certificate in Forestry and Wildlife Conservation, Jesica brings deep expertise to her role overseeing monitoring, enforcement, and preserve management across Coastal Land Trust’s conservation properties. In her current role, Jesica has taken on greater leadership responsibilities, including guiding organizational strategy and overseeing people operations to support a strong, collaborative team. She recently expanded her leadership toolkit by earning Executive Leadership and Change Management certificates from Cornell University.

Jesica is a recognized Southeast stewardship leader and a Land Trust Alliance Advanced Practitioner, known for her dedication to long-term land protection and collaborative conservation. She co-chairs the Cape Fear Arch Conservation Collaborative and currently sits on the Board of Champlain Area Trails. Her past service includes board roles with the Cedar Hill/West Bank Cultural History Foundation and the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees. In 2020 (through 2024), she was appointed to the national Land Trust Alliance Conservation Defense Advisory Council, helping strengthen conservation defense efforts nationwide. She is especially passionate about community-based conservation, including projects that celebrate cultural heritage and increase public access particularly within the National Park Service’s Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. One of her favorite efforts is helping preserve and restore Reaves Chapel, a historic African American church in coastal North Carolina.

Outside of work, Jesica enjoys being outdoors, whether on the beaches of the NC coast or by Lake Champlain in upstate New York and loves traveling to visit her three adult children in Charleston, Charlotte, and Melbourne, Australia.

Mellissa Dionesotes
Land and Stewardship Manager

Wilmington Office
(910) 726-3095

Mellissa moved from the Chicagoland area to Wilmington, NC in 2003 to follow her lifelong dream of living near the beach and studying marine biology. She earned her BS in Marine Biology from UNC Wilmington (UNCW) in 2006 and began working for the university’s Center for Marine Science. In 2015, Mellissa found she had a passion for coastal conservation and went back to school. She earned her MS in Environmental Science and Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from UNCW. She joined the Coastal Land Trust in 2018 and is excited to help preserve the ecosystems unique to the North Carolina coast. In her free time, Mellissa paddles the local waterways or works in her garden. She is a long time sea turtle volunteer and loves anything that has to do with the coast!

Kenneth Lingerfelt
Director of Land Protection

(910) 726-3065

Born in Asheville, NC, Kenneth grew up exploring the high elevation creeks of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. On family vacations, he enjoyed exploring the tide pools of the NC coast. He earned a B.S. in Ecology and Field Biology from UNC Asheville in 2014 where he also competed for the university’s D1 soccer program. He built a baseline of academic experience in aquatic ecology, wildlife conservation, and GIS before working field research positions with the National Park Service, US Forest Service, and then the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). During his time with the NCWRC, he led backcountry field research teams dedicated to studying and mapping the distribution of native fish species in WNC and was selected for the Technician of the Year award in 2018.  He joined the Coastal Land Trust team in January of 2022 as GIS Specialist and Stewardship Associate and assumed the role of Director of Land Protection in April 2024.

Kenneth always felt drawn to the coastal landscape and is excited for the opportunity to bring his skills and experience to the Coastal Land Trust team and to the conservation of wild places in the region. In his free time he enjoys canoeing, hiking, and camping with his girlfriend and their dog, as well as the occasional soccer game just for fun.

Bryce Tholen
Environmental Education and Stewardship Coordinator

Wilmington Office
(910) 726-3005

Bryce Tholen graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in May of 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences and a minor in Geospatial Technology. In the Spring of 2021, Bryce interned for the City of Wilmington and taught a wildlife explorers program downtown. Later that year Bryce joined the Coastal Land Trust team as an AmeriCorps Service member. In 2023, Bryce officially joined the staff as the new Environmental Education Coordinator and Stewardship Assistant. Bryce will support the stewardship team with fieldwork and continue to grow our environmental education programs.

Before moving to Wilmington Bryce grew up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Bryce enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, birding, hunting, fishing, surfing, or laying on the beach. Bryce’s favorite Coastal Land Trust preserve is the Gales Creek Preserve.

Lauren Waibel
Volunteer and Trail Coordinator

Wilmington Office
(910) 726-3105

Lauren Waibel grew up in Baltimore and spent her childhood exploring the Gunpowder River, Assateague Island, and the Outer Banks. Lauren graduated from the University of Vermont in 2022 with a BA in Sociology and minors in Environmental Studies and Studio Art, shortly before moving to Wilmington. In her time at the Coastal Land Trust, Lauren has enjoyed becoming more closely acquainted with the communities and ecosystems of Eastern North Carolina. Lauren loves being in the woods, swimming in all bodies of water, travel, and the fiber arts.

Laura Wilson
Development and Communications Specialist

Wilmington Office
(910) 726-3076

Laura Wilson has a deep connection to coastal lands and life. Having spent childhood along the beaches of Delaware, Laura grew up appreciating and admiring the ocean. Laura then moved to South Carolina where Laura earned a BS in Marine Science from Coastal Carolina University.  Wilson’s love for marine mammals and coastal exploring took Laura to the central coast of California where Laura lived for nine years before returning to the east coast in 2019.

Before joining the Coastal Land Trust in 2019, Laura worked in development for the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County in California. Wilson is excited to continue the great work of land conservation. Wilson enjoys yoga, being a wife and mom of two boys, hiking with their dog, and swimming in the ocean.

Bridget Crabtree
Development Associate

Wilmington Office
(910) 726-3094

Bridget Crabtree brings a background in nonprofit leadership and donor stewardship to the role of Development Associate with the Coastal Land Trust. From upstate New York, she has lived in several parts of the country- including New York City, and the Seattle area, before moving to Leland, North Carolina in 2013- where her passion for community, conservation, and the outdoors continues to grow.

Bridget holds a B.A. in Leadership in the Public Sector from NC State University, and is currently completing her Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Arizona State University. Her professional experience spans service with AmeriCorps in Washington State, membership development with the Girl Scouts-North Carolina Coastal Pines, and most recently, roles in donor relations at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Bridget has served on the Town of Leland Parks and Recreation Board, leads a local Girl Scout troop, and currently serves on the Resource Development Committee for the YMCA. She is passionate about connecting people to purpose and helping preserve the places that make the coast so special.

Outside of work, Bridget enjoys traveling with her family, exploring national and state parks, swimming, and spending time at the beach.

Lizzie Barkley
Office and Event Coordinator

Wilmington Office
(910) 726-3089

Lizzie Barkley was born and raised in Raleigh and grew up exploring all that North Carolina has to offer, including the mountains, the city, and the coast. She graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Recreation Management and a Concentration in Outdoor Experiential Education. Lizzie recently moved to Wilmington and is enthusiastic about all the city has to offer.

Prior to joining the Coastal Land Trust, Lizzie worked as the Operations Manager for High Gravity Adventures in Boone, NC. After many years in the outdoor recreation industry, she is excited to focus her passion for the outdoors towards saving the lands we love along the coast! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading fiction books, and kayaking in the marsh.

Mary Catherine Parker
Administrative Assistant

Wilmington Office
(910) 790-4524

Mary Catherine grew up in Annapolis, Maryland where she learned to drive the family boat on the Chesapeake Bay and pick hand-caught crabs! She graduated from Arcadia University in December of 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and moved to Wilmington in 2021 to explore a coastal city similar to the one she grew up in.

In her free time, Mary Catherine loves to read and can play classical piano. She is passionate about our environment and waterways. Working for the Coastal Land Trust is a dream come true, and she’s excited to contribute to its mission.

Lee Leidy
General Counsel

Elizabeth City Office
(252) 335-9495

Lee joined the Coastal Land Trust in 2002, after having represented the Coastal Land Trust in conservation acquisitions while in private practice. She loved the work, professionalism, mission, and people of Coastal Land Trust – so much so that she eventually left private practice to join the Coastal Land Trust as a staff attorney and the northeast region director in the Elizabeth City office.  In private practice, she focused on residential and commercial real property transactions.  This practice engendered a special appreciation for the fragile balance which exists between economic, and, in turn, political demands and environmental concerns – particularly in the state’s coastal plain. Lee earned her B.A. degree in Biology from Wake Forest University and her J. D. degree from the UNC Chapel Hill. She lives in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, with her husband.  They have two grown children. Lee loves running, hiking and playing at the beach. Her favorite Coastal Land Trust projects are Springer’s Point Preserve, Bray Hollow, Sample, Rayburn Farm, and Jubilee Farms.

Brian Rubino
Northeast Region Director

Southern Shores Office
(252) 216-2095

Brian received a BS and MS in geology from East Carolina University in 1997 and 2001 and is a Professional Geologist in N. C. (#1933). Brian’s professional career has primarily included private sector interdisciplinary environmental consulting with an emphasis on coastal natural resources. He has enjoyed working on coastal restoration projects where his role has involved management of stakeholder teams that include members of the general public, resource and regulatory agencies, local government, legislators and conservation groups.

Brian and his family have lived in the Outer Banks area for 25 years, raising their 2 children who have attended Dare County schools. Brian’s personal connection to the Northeast, service on the Coastal Land Trust’s Board of Directors (from October 2022 – November 2025), as well as his professional relationships made him the ideal choice to become the Coastal Land Trust’s Northeast Director in December 2025.