Lisa Santacroce

Lisa Santacroce of Glendale Place, Branford, a longtime advocate for the environment, died Friday (September 7, 2001) at Connecticut Hospice at the age of 38. Though her last four years were spent living with cancer, she remained an active and capable force in Connecticut's environmental community. Her careful construction of effective coalitions, together with her grasp of scientific matters and patient manner, made her particularly effective at bridging gaps among environmentalists of differing agendas. A graduate of Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden, Lisa held a bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of California at Berkley and a masters degree in Organizational Behavior from the University of New Haven. Since 1994, Lisa served as the Director of Environmental Affairs for the Connecticut Audobon Society, playing a significant role in several key environmental successes. In 1998, under her leadership as co-chair, the Land Conservation Coalition of Connecticut mounted a campaign that resulted in passage of landmark open space funding. She was later appointed to serve on the state Licensed Environmental Professional Board, charged with implementing a new program of licensing for environmental engineers. Throughout her career, Lisa never forgot to "think globally and act locally." She worked at the national, state and local levels, combining her political skills with her love of nature. She began organizing local environmental phone banks for candidates endorsed by the Sierra Club at the congressional and presidential levels. She helped to found the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters and Citizens for Branford Environment, where she held the post of vice-president. She served as political chair of the Sierra Club's New Haven Group and Connecticut Chapter, member of the National Sierra Club Political Action Committee, co-chair of the Branford Conservation Commission, active member of the Branford Land Trust, the Branford River Project and the Branford Democratic Town Committee, as well as board member of the newly formed Connecticut League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. One of her proudest local achievements was helping to protect the Branford Supply Ponds. In a typical strategy, Lisa helped to organize a formidable grassroots campaign to win permanent protection of this resource. Lisa was an avid outdoorswoman who loved birding, boating and fishing. She was at home on the water and loved her native Long Island Sound, Block Island and Maine where she enthusiastically sought out new bird species and game fish. She took great pleasure in books, music and theater, and in her pets Cali and Lily. Connecticut's environmental community has lost a capable leader, but is grateful for Lisa's many contributions during her brief career. Her loss is keenly felt by family, friends and colleagues who benefited from her clear thinking, sound advice, good humor and quiet gift for bringing them all together. She was the beloved daughter of Donald and Sally DeCarlo Santacroce, beloved sister to Stephen Santacroce and loving granddaughter of the late John and Mitzi DeCarlo and Catherine Haesche. Her funeral will leave the Iovanne Funeral Home, Inc., 11 Wooster Pl, New Haven, Monday at 9:15 a.m. for a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Mary's Church, Branford at 10 a.m. Burial will be private. Family and friends may call Sunday 4-7 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Branford Land Trust, P.O. Box 254, Branford, CT 06405.