Westchester Land Trust (WLT), a nationally accredited land conservation nonprofit headquartered in Bedford Hills recently announced that Dr. Diana Kaye Williams of Mount Vernon has joined its Board of Directors and will use her expertise in the areas of clean energy and community advocacy, as well as her passion for improving the lives of marginalized people, to further WLT”™s efforts to protect land and support local communities through access to the outdoors and stronger food systems.
“Dr. Williams is an extraordinary addition to our leadership team,” said Bruce Churchill, chairman of WLT”™s Board. “We look forward to learning from her robust community advocacy experience and expertise in community engagement, which will undoubtedly allow us to increase our impact across Westchester County.”
Throughout her career spanning more than three decades, Williams has focused her work on serving the needs of marginalized communities. She currently leads Adopt Clean Energy in Mount Vernon and New Rochelle, a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Clean Heating and Cooling campaign and has completed several energy conservation projects as an NYSERDA Multifamily Building Solutions certified partner and a former Energize New York accredited partner. “Land preservation and conservation are important to protect our planet against the devastating impact of climate change. I hope to use my voice as an environmental and clean energy advocate to help WLT continue its cause,” said Williams.
A co-founder of Comrie Enterprises LLC in 2001, which addressed rising energy costs for low- and middle-income housing by outfitting buildings with energy-efficiency improvements, Williams previously was the executive director of the Doctors Council, the largest doctors union in the U.S. She spent several years as a dentist in Harlem, New Rochelle and Port Chester during which time she worked to bring substantial federal funds to Central Harlem to increase access to dental care for marginalized communities.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University, a DDS from Howard University College of Dentistry, an MBA from University of Bridgeport and completed her internship and residency in general dentistry at Harlem Hospital through Columbia University College of Dentistry.
Founded in 1988, the Westchester Land Trust has preserved 9,000 acres of open space. More than 1,000 acres of land are owned by the organization, which are free and open to the public year-round. WLT was one of the first land trusts in the nation to receive accreditation through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.
