Mass Audubon Adds Three New Members to Its Board of Directors

Mass Audubon, the largest nature-based organization in New England, named Dr. Jacob Hesterman, Shannon Cabot, and Stuart Armstrong to its Board of Directors at its Oct. 24 annual meeting, adding diverse leadership and experience to the nonprofit’s governance.

“Mass Audubon has lofty goals, and we need deeply devoted and skilled directors from a variety of backgrounds to guide us on our mission of protecting the nature of Massachusetts,” said Beth Kressley Goldstein, Chair of Mass Audubon’s Board of Directors. “We’re grateful for these three new faces and the fresh ideas they bring to the table during a crucial time in our organization’s history.”

Stuart Armstrong, a Milton resident, has been a Mass Audubon member for 12 years, an advisory Council member since 2016, and has served on our Development and Sanctuaries Committees for several years. Armstrong is also a regular volunteer at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and an active birder with an emphasis on osprey advocacy. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Allegheny College and works as a financial planner at Centinel Financial Group.

Shannon Cabot holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a master’s degree from Yale University and is the President and Chief Compliance Officer at AltaRock Partners. An Ipswich resident, Cabot is a frequent visitor at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary where she often engages in birding, even going so far as to earn a Mass Audubon Birders Certificate. She’s been a Mass Audubon member for nearly 20 years and a member of our Council since 2022.

Hailing from Newton, Dr. Jacob Hesterman and his family have engaged in dozens of Mass Audubon programs, camps, and other activities and spend much of their time at Drumlin Farm. A devout birder since the age of 11, Hesterman went on to develop an interest in optical imaging that led to his current position of Chief Data Officer for Ratio Therapeutics, where he heads medical imaging and data technology for cancer research. He’s been a Mass Audubon member since 2009 and a Council member for two years.

“We are incredibly fortunate to add three business leaders and committed conservationists to our already impressive roster of Board members,” said David O’Neill, President and CEO of Mass Audubon. “Each are already deeply involved in and supportive of our mission of protecting the nature of Massachusetts and, as Board members, they will provide important skills, perspectives, and expertise to help us reach our ambitious goals.”