SVT Annual Meeting 2026

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Village Hall on the Common
2 Oak Street
Framingham, MA

 
Annual Meeting Program

6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  -  Social Hour
  • Generous appetizers and soft drinks
     
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.  -  Annual Meeting
  • Approve the Minutes from 2025 (Read the Minutes)
  • Election of SVT Board Members & Board Officers (scroll down to read about the nominees)
  • State of the Organization and Mid-point Review of the FY24 to FY29 Strategic Plan, by Davnet Conway, Executive Director
  • Presentation of Annual Conservation Awards (Morgan Volunteer of the Year, Steward of the Land, Lewis Conservation, Distinguished Public Service, Youth Steward, Trailblazer for Inclusion in the Outdoors, Lifetime Achievement, Lifetime Membership)

All are welcome. 

2026 Board Member Nominees

Abigail Chan 

Abigail Chan (she/her) is a proud Chinese-American environmental strategist who cares deeply about bringing an intersectional lens to both her work and everyday life. As the Director of Strategy at the Open Space Institute, she leads the development of strategic initiatives that strengthen land conservation efforts across the Eastern Seaboard. In her role, Abigail coordinates organizational priorities across programs, partners with the Board and executive leadership to assess emerging opportunities, and cultivates strong relationships with community partners. Abigail holds a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Environment, and dual bachelor’s degrees from the University of Virginia.

Abigail believes strongly in the transformative power of storytelling. She is dedicated to unearthing and uplifting AAPI narratives that have been overlooked or forgotten, highlighting how these stories intertwine with environmental stewardship, culinary traditions, and cultural identity. In her free time, she loves to play mahjong, explore Boston’s green spaces, and build community over food.

Leora Mallach

Leora Mallach is an experimental learner at heart and educator by training. Born in Philadelphia, she took a gap-year before college, and then after completing her BA at Washington University in St. Louis, spent a couple of years as an outdoor educator around the northeast. The first time she reacted to poison ivy she was 31 years old! She has also completed a self-designed interdisciplinary Masters in Education degree at the University of Vermont.

Upon arrival in Boston in 2007, she worked with the Youth Conservation Corps program at Boston Natural Area Network, and then consulted with TTOR on the buildout of statewide program model and learned the value of land trusts.

She also co-founded Beantown Jewish Gardens and for ten years built the non-profit foundation to teach about the agricultural traditions inherent in Jewish text, tradition, and culture. She maintains a healthy obsession with the resiliency of local farms and food systems to this day.

After many moons in Jamaica Plain, she moved to Framingham in 2017 and is working to make her home pollinator and people friendly, including an annual maple sugaring boil down and hosting a little free library.

In 2021 she was elected to the Framingham City Council as the District 7 representative and has since been re-elected three times. She currently serves on the finance committee, as Chair of the Environmental and Sustainability sub-committee, and as a liaison to the Youth Council. She was previously Chair of the Mayor’s Compost Task Force.

Along the way she has also lived and traveled abroad, created a batik art
business (bbbatiks.com), developed a taste for olives and a love of tea, and embarked on numerous kitchen experiments. She is still amazed at the wonders of the natural world, and hopes she always will be.

Shelley (Michele) Trucksis 

I have a lifelong passion for native plants, wildlife, and the preservation of healthy ecosystems. My professional background as both a scientist and physician has shaped the way I observe and understand the natural world, fostering an appreciation for the interconnected relationships that sustain ecological stability. While science has informed my perspective, my love of nature began much earlier through childhood experiences exploring local woods, observing birds, and spending time outdoors with my mother. Those formative experiences instilled a deep respect for the environment and a lasting commitment to conservation.

Since retiring, I have devoted increasing time and energy to environmental stewardship, with a particular focus on native plant gardening and habitat restoration. As a Massachusetts Master Gardener, I enjoy educating others about the benefits of native plants and sustainable gardening practices that support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife while enhancing the resilience of our landscapes. I believe that individual actions, when multiplied across communities, can make a meaningful contribution to biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation.

My involvement with Sudbury Valley Trustees reflects a desire to help protect the natural resources that enrich our communities and provide essential habitat for future generations. Whether working in the garden, volunteering on environmental projects, or exploring natural areas, I am continually inspired by the beauty and complexity of the natural world. Experiencing nature has long been a source of balance and renewal in my life, and I am committed to supporting efforts that ensure these landscapes remain healthy, accessible, and ecologically vibrant for years to come.