Meet the Team
400 Trees is run by a dedicated staff of local community members committed planting trees and educating youth about our natural ecosystems.

Co-Founder and Executive Director
Peter Lawrence
From 1985 to 2014, Peter was Chairman & Founder of the Corporate Design Foundation, whose mission was to improve the quality of life and the effectiveness of organizations through design. In 2001 he received the Teknion Humanitarian Award for the work of the Corporate Design Foundation. Prior to this he was Director of the Design Management Institute in Boston. From 1986 to 1997, he was a Lecturer at Boston University School of Management, and he has also taught design at Babson and UT Austin’s School of Business. During 1982-84, he was a Lecturer at London Business School and served on the Advisory Board of the School’s Design Management Unit. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Warren Center of the University of Sidney from 1986-87. He received a degree in economics from Lafayette College, and after serving as a Supply Officer in the U.S. Navy, he received a degree in architecture from Rhode Island School of Design. In 2011 he received an honorary Doctor of Arts from Kendal College of Art & Design.

Program Director
Erin Anastasia Murphy
Erin has 15 years of experience working in both the private and nonprofit sectors, specializing in operational and knowledge management, community engagement and strategic learning. Since 2011, Erin has worked in the international development sector, leading women’s health, advocacy and climate equity programming in Southeast Asia, Africa and North America. Erin spent three years co-leading the ‘Catch Carbon’ unit at Rare, a conservation organization based in Arlington, VA with a domestic “Climate Culture” program. Through that work, Erin developed a deep knowledge and passion for natural solutions to climate change, specifically around urban forestry and tree planting and preservation. Most recently, she worked with City Forest Credits, the only urban forest carbon credit registry in the United States, to manage a multi-year multi-million dollar US Forest Service grant. She brings her deep expertise, networks and curiosity to this new role leading the 400 Trees program for Biomimicry New England.
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Erin earned a bachelor’s degree in English & History from the University of Vermont and a Master of Science in Information and Knowledge Strategy from Columbia University.

Eduational Director
Victoria Fortune
Victoria has spent much of her career working in education, first as classroom teacher in
public schools in Boston and Concord, Massachusetts, and later as Senior Editor at
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Educational Publishing division, where she led the
development of K-12 language arts and social studies texts. She has also volunteered
for the nonprofit 826 Boston, working with teachers in Boston classrooms and helping to
run writing and bookmaking field trips for elementary students at the 826 Boston writing
center. She earned a B.A. in English from Tufts University, graduating cum laude, and
an M.Ed. from Harvard Graduate School of Education, where her thesis focused on
interdisciplinary studies and writing across the curriculum.
Recently, Victoria has shifted her focus to creative writing, earning an MFA from Salve
Regina University, with a concentration in historical fiction. Her work has appeared in
The Sun and The Ilanot Review, and she was longlisted for the CRAFT Setting Sketch
Challenge. She is particularly interested in writing about nature, and her critical thesis
focused on works of literature that utilize trees as symbol and motif. She is passionate
about promoting good stewardship of the environment, especially among young people.
When she is not writing, Victoria is usually in the woods, walking her dog, hiking, or
skiing.

Tree Director, Certified Arborist
Jack Montgomery
Jack Montgomery is a certified arborist with over 25 years of experience in the field of arboriculture. He holds an ISA Arborist Certification (NE-7637A) and the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ). His expertise spans structural and health related tree care, woody plant management, and long term landscape planning.
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As the owner and operator of Montgomery Tree in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Jack provides specialized care for trees, shrubs, and other woody plants in residential and estate settings. His work focuses on evaluating plant health, assessing structural integrity, and implementing site specific solutions that support both plant longevity and human use of the landscape.
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Jack is particularly skilled in pruning, cabling and bracing, and collaborating with property owners to develop long term care plans. He is committed to finding the balance between what trees and shrubs need with what the humans around them want.
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In addition to fieldwork, Jack serves as a trainer and presenter to arborists across the country. His educational work emphasizes safety, proper technique, and thoughtful application of arboricultural standards in real world settings.

Education Coordinator
Alyssa Daddario
Alyssa is a nature educator. She is passionate about helping children have access to outdoor spaces to play and connect with nature.
Throughout her career, working in environmental non-profits, eco fashion, art and teaching, a love for the natural world has always been at her core. She currently consults/writes nature-based seasonal curriculum for elementary age children and teaches at Cedar Rock Gardens.
She hold an MFA in Social Practice from California College of Art and a Certificate in Nature-Based early childhood Education from Antioch University.
