Pollinator Partnership’s Board Chair Passes the Torch by Kelly Bills, Executive Director, Pollinator Partnership

Published February 12, 2026

As 2025 came to a close, Pollinator Partnership (P2) marked an exciting moment of leadership transition. After six impactful years as Board Chair, longtime board member Terry Witzel officially passed the torch to Megan Denver, who has stepped into the role to begin her three-year term as Board Chair, with the option to extend.

While Terry is handing over the gavel, he’s certainly not going far. He remains an active member of the P2 Board, continuing a remarkable 13-year commitment to the organization. Throughout his career, Terry has been deeply rooted in agriculture, food processing, and food distribution, with a strong focus on building sustainable food systems. His leadership experience includes managing California’s office of American Farmland Trust, advising the California State Fair, and supporting food banks at both regional and local levels. Terry joined Pollinator Partnership because he understands just how essential pollinators are to global food production—and his steady leadership has helped guide P2 through years of growth and impact.

Stepping into the Chair role is Megan Denver, whose connection to pollinators runs deep—starting in childhood. Megan’s love of beekeeping began on her father’s dairy farm in upstate New York, where hives sat tucked behind the family’s sugar shack. That spark never faded. After college, Megan established her own bee yard and went on to open Hudson Valley Bee Supply, now a cornerstone resource for local beekeepers and a catalyst for a thriving, sustainable beekeeping community.

Megan and her partner, Jorik Phillips, manage several hundred honey-producing colonies in the Hudson River Valley, and she is the driving force behind Patent Wall Organic Farm in East Durham, NY—a true “Bees First” passion project. Her vision is to transform the farm into an outdoor classroom, demonstrating how even small farms can create diverse, pollinator-friendly habitats. Megan also serves on the board of Bees for Development, North America, supporting global efforts to alleviate poverty through beekeeping.

Pollinator Partnership is deeply grateful for Terry Witzel’s years of thoughtful, committed leadership and equally excited about the passion, experience, and fresh energy Megan Denver brings to this new chapter. With a dedicated and generous Board of Directors behind them, P2 is well positioned to continue championing pollinators everywhere.

Learn more about the people behind Pollinator Partnership by clicking the link below.

Meet the Team