Board of Directors

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Meet the Board of Directors!

Candy Perez

President

Candy has been a summer resident since she was five years old (and full time since 1993).  As her father was an early member of the Highland Lake Association, Candy learned at a young age the importance of protecting the lake. She was on the Highland Lake Watershed Association board of directors in the late 1990s as well as the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission.  She became President of the HLWA in 2022.

She currently serves on the Board of Selectmen. One of her main areas of interest is keeping our lake a good place to swim with improvements to the drainage system around the lake.

 

Beth Papermaster

Beth joined the HLWA Board in 2014 and was President from 2018 to 2022. In addition to her involvement with HLWA, she serves on several nonprofit committees. Beth and her husband Dan live in Hartford and have two adult children, Nathan and Molly. They have had a home on the lake since 2004.

Lynn Carter

Lynn moved to Highland Lake in 2004 by way of California, Florida and a few other places in between. She has been a year-round resident since then and enjoys the outdoor activities of the lake. Depending on the time of year and the weather, she will be biking, hiking, boating, paddle-boarding, swimming, kayaking, gardening, snowshoeing or cross country skiing. Two years ago, she noticed a part of the watershed stream system that needed attention and was directed to speak to the Mayor, Candy Perez. She expressed her concerns about the lake with Candy and Candy suggested getting involved with HLWA. Lynn started volunteering with the HLWA water testing and this year was asked to be on the Board of Directors. Lynn is currently the cochair of the Water Quality Committee.
 

Willie Platt

Vice President

Willie and his wife Terry have lived at Highland Lake since 1976.  Willie serves as a Chairman of the Legacy Committee and is on the Town Ad Hoc Water Level Committee, Planning & Zoning Commission and Conservation Commission.  Willie attends many town meetings and has volunteered at many HLWA events – setups and tear-downs, cleanups, and more. Thanks to Willie’s creative thinking HLWA began soliciting ads for the newsletter several years ago and at this point there are so many advertisers that the cost of printing and mailing the newsletter is fully covered by the advertising fees.

Stuart Yaffee

Stuart Yaffee was introduced to Highland Lake in 1971 by his wife, Gail. His wife’s family has owned the lake residence since 1944. Stuart was a Financial Advisor for 35 years. He served on the Board of Powder Forest Homes Association in Simsbury for 10 years, serving as president for 7 years. As President of the Powder Forest Homes Association, he had dealings with Simsbury Town officials: Fire, Police, Public Works, the Building Department, and the Town Council, skills which he will bring to HLWA. Stuart values the work the Highland Lake Watershed Association Board does and looks forward to being a part of it.

Evan MacDermott

Evan MacDermott and his wife, Donna, first purchased a home on Highland Lake in 2002. They moved full time to Highland Lake from Simsbury in 2015. They have two adult children. Evan worked as a Forester for many years and now is a lumber salesman. Evan loves Highland Lake and enjoys fishing and watching wildlife at the lake. Donna recently retired from teaching kindergarten for 36 years. Evan looks forward to playing an active role on the Board with a focus on Water Data Collection.

Greg Kyrytschenko

Greg came to Highland Lake in 2020.  As a kid he always drove by Highland Lake, but never had a chance to recognize its beauty until 2020 when he made a short visit with his wife and fell in love with the place.  A month later they made the decision to purchase a home in third bay.  He has worked in the cybersecurity and technology field for 25+ years. He is an adjunct faculty member teaching technology and cybersecurity courses at
Sacred Heart University.  In his spare time, Greg is an avid runner, loves the outdoors and spending time around the lake with his family.  When not at the lake, he also enjoys coaching his three kids in their respective sports.

 

Amy Frankel

She and her husband Glenn live in West Hartford and have three adult children, Jenna, Sharon and Kyle.  They bought a house at the lake in 2019 and love it, hoping to make memories at the lake for years to come.  Amy has a background in accounting and has actively volunteered in her kids’ schools throughout the years.  She looks forward to making new connections at the lake and serving on the board.

 

Annie Simard

Annie and her husband Greg bought their cottage in September 2019 with the initial intention of being seasonal residents, but after one summer of “lake life,” they converted their cottage and lives to full-time lake living. They both love the lake and the community. They love that it is a natural and very clean lake. Since the day they made the decision, Annie has wanted to be a part of the protection and preservation of the lake. In her professional life she owns yoga studios and is a realtor. She has decades of experience building connections, fostering relationships and creating strong community bonds. She is honored to be on the board and continue the work that has been done thus far, making Highland Lake what it is today.

 

Betty Martin

Betty has been vacationing at Highland Lake with her family since 1997.  It was a dream come true to purchase and live full time at the lake as of 2020. She recently retired from Investment Accounting after working in the industry for 35 years and is now enjoying tennis, golf, biking and, of course, activities on the lake. She is also enjoying the opportunity to contribute to various charitable organizations including Gifts of Love in Avon and HLWA.  She is now secretary on the HLWA Board of Directors.

 

 

Denise Pratt

Denise was born and raised at Highland Lake and has many fond memories. To name a few, penny candy at Toto’s, end-of-summer ski tournament, Bruno’s Market, the first boat made of plywood, and a Johnson outboard. Having one brother and one sister was the perfect number for a skier, driver and shotgun along with generous parents providing the boat and gear. In more recent years, a whole new set of happy times are happening with her daughter and son as well as extended family who continue to love all four seasons at the lake. Her favorite HLWA events are the spring and fall cleanups!

 

 

Upcoming Events

May 2024
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