Kristin Williams
Executive Director
Kristin Williams assumed the role of Executive Director of the Open Land Trust in January 2018. Kristin brings with her 10 years of experience as the Executive Director of a conservation organization, Friends of the Environment, located in Abaco, Bahamas. Kristin has a track record of success in program development, partnership expansion and campaign management. A native of the Bahamas, Kristin attended the College of Charleston where she met her husband, Charleston native, Lloyd Williams IV. The couple lives in Beaufort with their 2 children, Gray and Ford.
Sherry Akers
Office Administrator
Dana Bauer
South Carolina Sentinel Landscape Coordinator
Dana Bauer serves as the Coordinator for the South Carolina Lowcountry Sentinel Landscape and shares an office with the OLT land protection team. She brings extensive compatible land use and resilience planning experience, including the development of mission sustainability and community partnership strategies for Marine Corps and Air Force installations across the country and overseas. In her role as Coordinator, Dana looks forward to working collaboratively across the landscape to advance the partnership’s goals of protecting and enhancing the Lowcountry’s habitats and ecosystems. She holds a Master of Public Policy degree from The College of William & Mary and a BA from the University of Richmond. She is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and is a member of the American Planning Association’s Federal Planning Division.
Liz O’Brien
Director of Development
Liz O’Brien joined the Open Land Trust in September 2024. She comes to us from Riverview Charter School where she worked for many years in a variety of capacities focused on growth and communications, most recently as Operations Manager. At OLT she will oversee development of donor programs and community engagement as we continue to expand our work in the Lowcountry. Liz was born and raised in Beaufort and holds bachelor’s degrees in journalism and political science from Indiana University. She returned to Beaufort in 2007 with her husband and two children.
Caylor Romines
Director of Land Stewardship
Caylor Romines joined the Open Land Trust in June 2019 as the Director of Land Stewardship. Caylor brings with him experience working for the federal government as well as the private sector in land, wildlife, and fisheries management. He oversees the OLT’s land stewardship program, including the management of the OLT’s fee-owned conservation properties. Caylor is originally from East Tennessee, where he attended the University of Tennessee, receiving a Bachelor and a Master of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. Caylor and his wife, Brett, have been in the Lowcountry of South Carolina since 2017 and live near Yemassee with their son Coleson.
Kate Schaefer
Director of Land Protection
Kate Schaefer joined the Open Land Trust in December 2020. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Conservation Biology from Clemson University and master’s degree from Kenan-Flagler business school at UNC-Chapel Hill. Previously, she worked in environmental advocacy and policy at the state and local level and taught high school science in the public school system. At OLT, Kate works with landowners, partners, and local and state government programs to identify strategic land protection opportunities in the region. Currently, OLT manages Beaufort County’s Rural and Critical Lands program and Kate serves as the staff liaison. She lives in Beaufort with her husband and children.