Judith Bishop, Jenkintown Borough
Judith Bishop has been a Jenkintown resident for over 50 years. A member of the Jenkintown Environmental Advisory Committee, Judy has had a lifelong interest in nature and environmental issues. She has been a member of the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust since 1980. She has also been a member of Earthright, a local environmental group concerned with educating the public through programs and speakers. Judy was one of three Jenkintown members on the Steering Committee of the Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan from August 2001 to June 2004. She spent 30 years as a medical receptionist.
Joan Blaustein, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation
Joan S. Blaustein serves as the Director of Urban Forestry and Ecosystem Management Division for the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation. This department is responsible for 13 percent of the city’s land, comprising over 300 parks and recreation facilities, ranging from neighborhood playgrounds to vast natural areas, making it one of the largest urban park systems in the country. The Division is responsible for maintaining and restoring the Department’s 5,400 acres of forests, streams, lakes, meadows and wetlands; managing the public tree canopy, including all street trees; conducting assessments and analysis for resource management; and advancing the city’s urban agriculture efforts. Joan is a native of Pittsburgh, PA where she developed a diverse portfolio of environmental experience, including new program development, project implementation, strategic planning, and public process. Joan is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Biology and Chemistry.
Joanne Dahme, Philadelphia Water Department (TTF Vice President)
Joanne Dahme was appointed General Manager of the Public Affairs Division in January, 2009. She holds a B.C.E. degree in Civil Engineering from Villanova University and an M.J. in Journalism and a Masters in Creative Writing, both from Temple University. Ms. Dahme joined the Water Department in 1980 and served as the Manager of the Public Affairs Division from 1994 to 1999. She later served as a Watersheds Programs Manager for the Department’s Office of Watersheds until returning to assume her current position in Public Affairs. She currently serves on the board of the Delaware Estuary Program in addition to several regional watershed planning committees.
Wendy Green-Harvey, SEPTA
Wendy Green-Harvey has spent the last decade as a Constituent Relations Coordinator at Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The Authority provides multi-modal transportation in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. In this role, she works directly with community groups, elected officials and businesses regarding SEPTA construction and transit projects. She also serves as a liaison with individuals, agencies and communities in resolving issues regarding public transit. During construction projects, she mitigates and manages business and residential concerns. Wendy also coordinates community requests to place art and gardens/plantings on SEPTA property. Her career includes working as a case manager for the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, a public relations assistant at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania and as an office aide to the late State Senator Hardy Williams. Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Arts from Hampton University in Hampton, VA and earned her Masters’ Degree in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Susan Harris, Montgomery County Conservation District
Susan Harris has served as Watershed Specialist at Montgomery County Conservation District since May, 2001. Her responsibilities at the District include coordinating the Watershed program, reviewing plans and permit applications for compliance with Chapter 102 Erosion and Sediment Control program, website administration, and coordination of educational events. In her role as Watershed Specialist, Susan manages and coordinates watershed restoration and protection projects. Project responsibilities include grant writing, administering funding, managing budgets and construction bids, providing technical assistance, and design and implementation of watershed restoration and stormwater management projects.
Bryan Havir, Cheltenham Township (TTF Treasurer)
Bryan T. Havir, P.P., AICP has been employed for the last 14 years as Assistant Township Manager for Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He holds a BA in Political Science and a MPA in Public Administration from the Pennsylvania State University. He is a licensed professional planner in the State of New Jersey, member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, American Planning Association, and the Urban Land Institute, Philadelphia Chapter. With over twenty-five years combined municipal and county government and land use planning experience, he has a strong background and passion for helping to make local government efficient, effective, action-oriented and responsive to the goals and needs of communities. Such issues include developing cooperative programs, regional planning initiatives, and seeking grant funding for economic and community development and sustainable planning initiatives, housing and neighborhood preservation, open space and historic preservation, conservation, environmental and watershed stewardship in New Jersey and Pennsylvania with a concentration on the immediate Greater Philadelphia Region and within the Tookany-Tacony Frankford Watershed. Since 2005, he has served on the TTF board as Cheltenham Township’s municipal representative and currently serves as board treasurer.
Stephen Heverin, Springfield Township
Stephen P. Heverin is currently a Web Technology Engineer for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Pfizer is a worldwide pharmaceutical company headquartered out of New York city, New York with leading products in the areas of women’s health care, neuroscience, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular therapy, vaccines, infectious disease, hemophilia, immunology and oncology. Stephen’s primary responsibilities are managing intranet and internet hosted environments for most of the company’s websites such as Advil.com, Centrum.com, Chantix.com and global internet sites worldwide. Stephen is a 1996 graduate of York College with a B.S. in Information Systems. Stephen is a past president and current member of the Delaware Valley chapter of the Alumni Committee since 2004. Stephen is also a member of the Springfield Township Environmental advisory committee, serving as a member since August 2010. He recently became Chair of the EAC in April 2011.
Gerald Kaufman, Citizen (TTF President)
Gerry Kaufman has served as an independent consultant since 1993, assisting organizations, particularly nonprofits, to become results-oriented and future-focused. Areas of expertise include board governance, group facilitation, organizational assessments, long-range planning, management of Future Search Conferences and training design and delivery. Gerry has previously served as a Program Associate at LaSalle University’s Nonprofit Management Development Center, Acting Executive Director for the National Council of Nonprofit Organizations, and President of the Center for Non Profit Corporations. Gerry also served as a legislative consultant and was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1967 to 1972.
Jack Kitchen, Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC)
Jack currently serves as the President and CEO of the Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC). Under Jack’s leadership, OARC has been recognized as an organization that brings together politicians, businesses and community members to create change that enhances wealth and improves the quality of life in a community. Jack was instrumental in the development and establishment of the West Oak Lane Charter School, HOPE Charter School, NIA Center, New Media Technology Charter School and many early OARC projects. Jack created the West Oak Lane Jazz and Arts Festival in 2004. Growing every year from its inception, this year’s festival drew over 500,000 visitors, making it an international event and making the Northwest a destination for music and the arts. Jack has been recognized and awarded by such organizations as The Urban League of Philadelphia and The Philadelphia Business Journal. He is the recipient of The Thomas Pim Cope Award, presented in honor of his dedication to civic and environmental improvement and special efforts in education and social issues.
Ben LePage, PECO
Ben is currently a Senior Environmental Project Manager for PECO Energy Company. His career has provided him with great opportunities to experience and study wetlands both as an academic and industry scientist. He earned a B.Sc. in Biology (Botany) and Ph.D. in Geology (Geobiology) at the University of Saskatchewan. Following his graduate work, he was a post-doctoral scientist at the University of Alberta where he focused his research on mycorrhizal associations. He then joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania as a Research Scientist where my research shifted to the study of the ecology, structure, composition, and productivity of ancient and modern wetlands. This program allowed students opportunities to examine how temperate and boreal wetland ecosystems might respond to future global climate change. As an industry scientist he manages the company’s wetlands program, which entails educating the company’s workforce on wetland issues, developing procedures and policies that protect the wetlands in our service territory, and working with several regulatory agencies to ensure corporate compliance with all state and federal regulatory requirements.
Fred Lewis, Senior Environment Corps, Center in the Park
Fred Lewis is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Senior Environment Corps at Center in the Park in Germantown. The Senior Environment Corps is a group of dedicated volunteers, who value the area’s natural resources and are working to conserve, preserve and improve the environment for future generations. Established in 1997, the Senior Environment Corps provides opportunities for older adults to play an active, visible role in environmental protection, education and advocacy He previously served as a management consultant in the laundry industry. Fred is active in many local organizations and boards of directors, including the Philadelphia Water Department Citizen Action Committee, Friends of Vernon Park, Friends of Cliveden Park, and the Wissahickon Watershed Partnership, among others.
Ian Litwin, Philadelphia City Planning Commission
Ian Litwin is the Community Planner for the Lower Northeast and North Delaware Districts at the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. He graduated from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University in 2006 with a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning. Prior to joining the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, Ian worked for both small and large architecture and urban design firms designing neighborhoods, writing master plans, and developing form-based zoning codes. He is working with City agencies to create a greenway and trail along the Frankford Creek in the neighborhoods of Juniata Park and Frankford.
Hannah Mazzaccaro, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
Hannah Mazzaccaro works for the Montgomery County Planning Commission. She is a Certified Planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners, with more than a decade of private sector, public sector, and non-profit experience. Private sector experience included designing and planning for residential and mixed-use developments in PA, NJ, NY, MD, DE, CT, and MA. Hannah currently works with local governments to improve their land use planning policies and regulations and engage citizens to envision and plan vibrant and sustainable communities. Her public sector work requires broad knowledge and application of planning, engineering, and design principles, data analysis, mapping, public outreach and engagement methods, and best practices in community development. Her specialties include: planning for sustainable communities, fiscal and economic impact analysis, urban design, mapping and spatial data analysis, visioning, project management, Pennsylvania land use regulations, and code writing.
Emma Melvin, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Emma Melvin, ISA certified arborist, has been working with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society since fall 2011. She came to the organization with both riparian restoration and stormwater management experience. Emma has worked in the water and natural resource protection field for the last 12 years, starting with US Geological Survey as a hydrologist in the New Jersey Water Resource Center and continuing on to the University of Vermont Lake Champlain Sea Grant, where she educated municipalities on natural resource planning and low impact development. Emma came back to the area to work with Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy as their conservation coordinator.
Susan Myerov, Heritage Conservancy (TTF Secretary)
Susan is a Senior Planner with Heritage Conservancy, a regional land trust located in Doylestown Bucks County. Her responsibilities include preparation of watershed-based conservation plans, stormwater management education and outreach, and preparation of municipal open space plans. Susan is a member of the Schuylkill Action Network’s Stormwater Workgroup and the Lower Delaware River Management Committee. Susan’s professional affiliations included the American Planning Association, American Institute of Certified Planners, Pennsylvania Planning Association and the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals. In addition Susan is member of the Abington Township Environmental Advisory Council. Susan has represented the conservancy on the board of the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership since 2005.
Denise Payne, TD Bank
Denise Payne maintained a position at Wachovia bank for 20 years, 17 of which were in management. In 2006 she left Wachovia to work for Commerce (now TD Bank) as a Branch Manager. She has 23 years of banking experience.
Michael Powers, Abington Township
Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, Philadelphia City Council
Maria Quiñones-Sánchez represents Philadelphia’s 7th District in City Council. She serves as Chair of the Committee of Licenses and Inspections, Vice Chair of the Streets and Services and also serves on Appropriations; Labor and Civil Service; Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs; Commerce and Economic Development; Public Health and Human Services; Education; Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless and the Disabled and the Handicapped. Maria is a veteran activist with over 22 years of service to the City of Philadelphia, its constituents and neighborhoods, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and beyond. Maria is a founding member of the Pennsylvania Statewide Latino Coalition and served as its first Co-Chair of the Board of Directors. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Women’s Campaign Fund, a statewide political action committee working to elect progressive women to the State Legislature.
Patrick Starr, Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Patrick Starr serves as Senior Vice President and leads the southeast regional office (serving Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties) located in Center City Philadelphia. Major initiatives under Starr’s direction include the Tidal Delaware Initiative, building the East Coast Greenway, Urban Stormwater Management and Philadelphia Sustainability. Patrick serves on numerous task forces and boards including Mayor Nutter’s Sustainability Advisory Board, Delaware River City Corporation, the Central Delaware Advocacy Group, GreenSpace Alliance. In years past, he co-founded the Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance, chaired the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Regional Citizens Committee, and served on the board of the Schuylkill River Development Council. He works in partnership with numerous agencies of government including the U.S. EPA, PA DEP and DCNR, DVRPC, SEPTA, as well as numerous municipalities including the City of Philadelphia.
Amy Steffen, Friends of High School Park
Robert Thomas, Philadelphia Parks Alliance
Bob Thomas is a founding partner of Campbell Thomas & Co. Architects, founded in 1976 and a firm noted for historic preservation, energy conscious design, community development, greenways, accessible design and appropriate technology. Bob has led numerous architectural, planning, greenway, solar, bicycle and public transportation projects and has worked with such agencies as the Fairmount Park Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and the Montgomery County Planning Commission. In addition to his architectural skills, Mr. Thomas previously worked as a planner for SEPTA, and has worked on the transportation-planning project of the Philadelphia Zoo Transportation Center. His knowledge and use of public transportation is invaluable in planning sites to be accessible by all sectors of the population. In recognition of his achievements and advocacy for accessibility, he was appointed to serve as the Chair of the City of Philadelphia’s Accessibility Advisory Board for 12 years. In this capacity he has reviewed over 800 projects, assisting in the development of innovative solutions to meet the spirit of the code and law; thus resulting in the 1997 President’s Access Award.
Sarah Wu, City of Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
Sarah Wu is the Policy and Outreach Manager in the City of Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. Prior to joining the Office of Sustainability, Sarah helped implement Opportunity NYC, an incentive program working to improve the health, employment, and education of New Yorkers in poverty. Sarah also served on New York University’s Sustainability Task Force to help the University make green choices in its long-term planning and facilities management. Before moving to New York, Sarah researched national environmental policies at a non-partisan organization in Washington, DC. Sarah holds an undergraduate degree from Williams College and a Masters in Urban Planning from New York University.
John Wynne, Rockledge Borough
John Wynne has served as Chief Cameraman for New Jersey Public Television since 1980. He holds a Masters of Public Administration from Rutgers University and a BA in Broadcast Journalism, from Penn State University and is a Certified Public Manager in the state of New Jersey. John is the Chairman of the Rockledge Borough Planning Commission and the Chairman of the Rockledge Borough Shade Tree Commission.
