After a year without a permanent Executive Director, The Belle Center looks to a familiar face to steer the community agency into new phases of growth.

The Western New York Land Conservancy held its 22nd annual Membership Meeting and Reception on Friday, June 7, at the Main House on the grounds of the beautiful Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora. With more than 150 people from throughout Western New York attending, it was one of the most successful events in the history of the Land Conservancy. 

The event began by honoring the outstanding contributions of two Land Conservancy members, Michael B. Powers and Edward Fuchs. 

To say that the newest additions to the staff at the Western New York Land Conservancy — Jajean Rose-Burney and his wife Ana Hernández Balzac — have interesting resumes would be a dramatic understatement. While volunteers in the Peace Corps, Jajean and Ana spent 27 months in Puebla, Mexico, successfully tackling problems that often seemed insurmountable. 

Among other things, Jajean helped protect a globally important wetland twice the size of the city of Buffalo from rapid and unplanned urban development, while Ana enabled nearly 100 schools throughout the state of Puebla to become certified “Green Schools.”