Lotus Do and Andrew Jacobs, Co-Chairs
and the Benefit Committee invite you to join them for
CELEBRATING CONSERVATION SCIENCE
A Benefit Luncheon for Black Rock Forest
HONORING
David & Jeannette Redden
Honorary Chairman & Board Director
with the Dr. Ernest G. Stillman Award in recognition of exceptional
contributions in leadership & conservation in New York
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
David Redden Conservation Science Fund
Small Grants Program Awardees
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
12:00 Noon to 2PM
Tavern on the Green
South Terrace
67 Central Park West, New York, NY
Please RSVP by May 8,2024
Parking is available at GGMC Parking, 10 West 66th St.
Business casual attire is recommended.
Support the Benefit
A special thanks to our donors for helping to make this event a success!
A special thanks to our sponsors for your efforts and generosity in supporting our fundraising event.
David and Jeannette Redden are deeply committed environmental
philanthropists who have held leadership roles throughout the Hudson Valley.
David retired as vice-chairman of Sotheby’s and was their longest-serving auctioneer. He has served as chairman of the boards of Scenic Hudson, the Hudson Highlands Nature Center, The Olana Partnership, and Hudson Highlands Land Trust. As Chairman of Scenic Hudson, he led $50 million in preservation efforts and land acquisitions.
David also served on the BRF Board for 17 years, including as Chairman of the Board from 2016 to 2018. As Board Chair, he deftly oversaw the successful transition from the leadership of our founding family, the Goldens, and he helped manage the successful completion of our first capital campaign establishing our endowment and fulfilling the Golden Family matching gift challenge.
In 2017, David was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and is one of a select few patients to receive an implant (Synchron’s Stentrode) in his brain affording him the revolutionary ability to convert brain signals into language. Participating in this clinical trial has been a source of inspiration for David. Despite the challenges of living with ALS, David’s dedication to the region and his level of engagement at Black Rock Forest have remained steadfast.
Jeannette currently serves on the BRF Board of Directors and is a Commissioner for the Palisades Interstate Park, a member of the Garden Club of America – Orange & Dutchess Chapter, of the City Garden Club of New York, and has also served on the boards of The Storm King School, Hudson Highlands Nature Center, and the Chelsea Square Conservancy.
The David Redden Conservation Science Fund Small Grants Program
The program was established in tribute to David Redden through the proceeds of Black Rock Forest’s 2018 Benefit. The Fund’s mission is to advance conservation science through a speaker series and through our Small Grants Program, which is designed to enable researchers from high school students up though professors to pursue conservation-relevant research at Black Rock Forest and beyond. We are honored to have distributed $167,000 in awards to 33 deserving research projects over the past six years.
Black Rock Forest 2024 Benefit Committee
Lotus Do & Andrew Jacobs, Co-chairs
Board Director & NY/NJ Trail Conference Maintainer
Richard & Kerri Bartlett
John M. Botti, PhD
Hilary S. Callahan, PhD
Catherine S.M. Diefenbach
Peter Duggan, Jr.
Christopher “Kim” Elliman
William & Eileen Glaser
Douglas Land & Lynn Peebles
Amelia Prounis Raftopoulos & Harry Raftopoulos, M.D.
Andrew & Catherine Sidamon-Eristoff
Hume R. Steyer
Christie Van Kehrberg
We are grateful to our Benefit Committee members for their support and efforts to make this event a success.
Cover Design: Jenkins & Page (NYC)