LORDSHIP IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION BOARD WELCOMES THREE NEW MEMBERS
- lordshipia
- Apr 18
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 19
The Lordship Improvement Association’s (LIA) Board of Governors welcomes Lordship resident Vickie Canevari (pictured) as new president of the organization, following her election to that post by the board at its monthly meeting on April 14.
The board also welcomes and announces the election of Lordship residents Jennifer Watkins as Associate President, and Jon Brody as head of Communications.
Through a land trust, the non-profit LIA is trustee and steward of Stratford’s Lordship Bluffs and corresponding segment of Russian Beach - a treasured coastal conservation and recreation area for Lordship residents on Long Island Sound, supported financially by donations from Lordship residents and conservation-related grants. The LIA also created and maintains eight Lordship community gardens.
“I am honored to serve the community of Lordship and thankful to the Lordship Improvement Association Board for placing their trust in me,” Vickie says.
“I look forward to working on enhancing positive neighborhood engagement and facilitating fun and friendships, balanced with preserving Lordship’s amazing natural resources for our children’s children. It is a beautiful corner of the world we live in. Let’s live like it.”
The new board members will fulfill terms following recent resignations and realignments of responsibilities:
· Former LIA President Jim Warren resigned on December 31, 2025, and board members Emily Viner (Associate President) and Sue Birge (Burgess) filled in temporarily as co-presidents pending identifying and electing a new president.
· At the board’s April 14 meeting, Emily resigned from the board to now head the LIA’s Lordship Bluffs Restoration Project. John Florian also resigned his communications position on the board, yet will continue his role in LIA communications including maintaining the LIA’s website, posting LIA news on social media, and chairing the LIA’s Calendar Committee, which produces the organization’s annual fundraising calendar.
The new officers bring a wealth of professional expertise and community commitment to the LIA.
Vickie Canevari (LIA President) has enjoyed living in Lordship with her husband, Tom, since 2001, raising their two daughters, Margaux and Dolly, and now strolling to the beach with her salty English bulldog, Viola – “Happy to savor Lordship seven days a week.” Professionally, she is an attorney who recently retired from American International Group Inc., where she worked as Claims Manager in the Corporate Insurance Department, overseeing the U.S. Casualty program and seeking insurance recoveries for international Financial Lines claims. A favorite part of her job was participating in risk assessments for employee volunteer fundraising activities (Chicago Polar Plunge, European bike marathon, office tower climbs – even bungee jumping from skyscrapers). Her volunteer service over the years has included serving as a Girl Scout leader, a court-appointed child advocate/guardian-ad-litem with Children in Placement, and pro bono appeal assistance for veterans.
Jennifer Watkins (LIA Associate President) is raising her family in Lordship, “drawn by the strong sense of community and the unique natural beauty that make it such a special place to live.” She is also proud that her children are fourth generation Lordship residents, and that she and her husband, Tom, are raising their three children – Ella, Charlotte and Tommy – “with the same appreciation for the beach and neighborhood” that shaped her own upbringing. Professionally, she is Director of Strategy and Planning for Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center, where she leads enterprise-wide initiatives focused on improving patient access, care delivery, and long-term strategic growth. Her work centers on bringing people together across complex systems to solve problems thoughtfully and effectively. On the LIA Board, Jen “Looks forward to supporting efforts that strengthen community engagement, enhance our shared spaces, and strike a thoughtful balance between preserving what makes Lordship special – and ensuring it continues to thrive for future generations.”
Jon Brody (LIA Communications) lives in Lordship with his wife, Laura, and their two dogs. Professionally, he is a marketing and communications professional with over 40 years of experience in launching and supporting memorable campaigns for leading global brands, including the NYSE, Nike, Staples, Citibank, IBM, Pfizer and Sony. His many positions also include Director of Marketing for Dupont IEA. He also led the Mobil Land account, where his experience with real estate and community planning will be invaluable to the LIA Board. Driven to improve communication in the senior care space, he earned a master’s degree in Gerontology from UMASS and co-founded The Vital People and Corporate Caregiver Center Camps – organizations focused on senior and caregiver research, education and support. In addition to his professional work, Jon is pursuing fiction writing, has completed his first book and is in early stages on the second.
For more about the new officers, LIA Board of Governors, committees, meeting schedules and minutes, visit the LIA website ABOUT LIA tab at https://www.lordshipct.org/bog
Coming soon:
April 25: Annual Russian Beach & Lordship Bluffs Cleanup, 9 am to noon. Please meet at the Lordship Bluffs on Park Blvd. for plenty to do. LIA will supply garbage bags for removal of winter debris, and recommends that you wear gloves and sturdy shoes. Large pruners would also be appreciated for cutting small limbs.
May 12: LIA Quarterly Committees Meeting, open to the public, St. Joseph’s of Stratford Church (1300 Stratford Road), 7 to 8 pm. The agenda will be posted soon, including the opportunity for public discussion of LIA projects.
Thanks for your support!
New LIA President Vickie Canevari
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