Dr. Seewagen joined Great Hollow as the organization’s first executive director in May of 2016. He leads Great Hollow’s conservation science program, the planning of education programs and community events, fundraising, and all other aspects of the administration and operation of Great Hollow. Prior to joining Great Hollow, Dr. Seewagen was a Senior Wildlife Biologist and Technical Director at a New York City-based environmental consulting firm, and before that, worked as a Research Scientist and Intern Program Coordinator in the Department of Ornithology at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. He has a B.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Conservation from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, an M.A. in Conservation Biology from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Western Ontario. He is an adjunct faculty member of the Department of Natural Resources & the Environment at the University of Connecticut and the Department of Ecology, Evolution, & Environmental Biology at Columbia University, where he teaches ornithology. Dr. Seewagen’s primary research interests include the physiological ecology of bird migration, the impacts of mercury pollution on birds, the impacts of light pollution on bats, and the effects of non-native plants on wildlife habitat quality.
Benjamin Lee
Preserve Steward & Naturalist Ben is a naturalist and insect ecologist who joined Great Hollow in the summer of 2023 as our Preserve Steward and Naturalist. Ben has a B.S. in Conservation Biology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and a Master Woodland Manager Certificate from the Connecticut Forest & Parks Association. He has worked as a biological technician for Cornell University and the CDC, respectively assisting with research on insect-pest management and mosquito transmission of malaria. He also previously led environmental outreach programs for SUNY-ESF and a local summer camp, and held prior positions involving landscaping, farming, and private estate maintenance. At Great Hollow, Ben is responsible for the maintenance of our trail network, grounds, and facilities, land management, and assistance with outreach programming and volunteer coordination.
Tara Ewers, M.S.
Education Director Tara develops and leads Great Hollow’s year-round environmental education programming and is the director of our Eco-Discovery Camp. She also assists with research, community events, fundraising, graphic design, social media content, website maintenance, raptor care, and just about everything else that goes on at Great Hollow. She’s a lifelong resident of Connecticut with a deep love of the outdoors, photography, and the combination of the two. Tara has a B.A. in Art from Western Connecticut State University and an M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from Clemson University. She also has a certificate in GIS Applications for Natural Resources from Clemson University and a certificate in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the International Center of Photography in New York City.
Griffin Nicholson, Ph.D.
Post-doctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Nicholson is a herpetologist who recently joined Great Hollow after completing his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Texas A&M University. His dissertation investigated the effects of invasive frog species on the threatened Chiricahua leopard frog and other native frogs in New Mexico. Dr. Nicholson previously received a dual-major B.S. in Biology and Environmental Science from UCLA, where he studied the impact of road mortality on the western pond turtle. He has conducted field work on reptiles and amphibians across the southwestern U.S. and in Mexico, Costa Rica, St. Croix, and Malaysia. For his fellowship at Great Hollow, he will be studying the impact of road mortality on wood turtles and the impact of sensory pollutants on amphibians, while also assisting with other research projects, leading outreach programs, and coordinating our summer internship program. Dr. Nicholson maintains several active roles in the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, including a current term as the managing editor of their journal, Herpetological Review.
Coco Deng
Graduate Research Assistant
Coco is a Columbia University master’s student who is working with Great Hollow on a study of spotted lanternfly communication and host-plant selection under the mentorship of executive director Dr. Chad Seewagen and Columbia professors, Dr. Bekka Brodie and Dr. Malcom Rosenthal. Coco previously earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Ecology from Bard College, where she studied avian pollinators in the Caribbean for her undergraduate thesis. She has also conducted field work on plants and reptiles in the Caribbean, and on birds in Hawaii and Maine.
