Tom Kassan has been an outdoor enthusiast for most of his life after growing up in New York, and has spent decades exploring the Catskills, Adirondacks, White, and Green Mountains. He is an avid skier, hiker, rock climber, paddler, and gardener, and loves how much Avon and the Farmington Valley support this lifestyle. He attributes these lifelong passions to being exposed to the outdoors as a child and believes that we need to protect public access to nature in Avon.

Since moving to Avon, he has developed a stronger connection to nature and a passion for land stewardship. He has seen the negative impact invasive plants are having on the ecosystem and cares deeply about promoting wildlife diversity through protecting native plants and preserving natural habitats. These passions are what led him to start volunteering with the Avon Land Trust and eventually join the board of directors. He has also recently completed the Master Woodland Manager program with CT DEEP and currently serves on Avon’s Inland Wetland Commission. Professionally, Tom is a practicing doctor of physical therapy and owns Ground Up Studio, a Pilates and PT Wellness Center, in Farmington with his wife.

As Avon Land Trust President, he plans to focus on increasing public access to Avon’s beautiful landscape, promoting community togetherness through shared experiences in the outdoors, and stewarding our properties to help native flora and fauna thrive. He feels a strong responsibility to help preserve, protect, and restore as much of the land in Avon as possible, to allow future generations of people and wildlife to enjoy the land as we do today.