Rich’s family moved to the Gettysburg area in the 1960’s. Following graduation from Gettysburg High School he earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and later earned a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland. His career as a civil servant began with summer employment at the FCC office in Gettysburg. He retired as the Head of the Propulsion Branch at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. He and his wife returned to Adams County in 2015 after spending most of their working years living in Carroll County, Maryland.

Pat retired from PECO Energy as the Plant Manager, Conowingo and Muddy Run Hydroelectric Plants. He was a charter member of the Watershed Alliance of Adams County, and is an Associate Director, Adams County Conservation District. Pat serves on several committees related to water resources including the Potomac Regional Water Resources Committee (State Water Plan/Act 220), and chairs the Gettysburg Municipal Authority Source Water Protection Steering Committee. Pat has contracted with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission for project review. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania (Active-Retired Status).

Watershed: Stevens Run

Pat has lived in the Gettysburg area since 1989 and has recently retired after more than 40 years working in the legal and financial services sector. Pat brings an acumen for detail and organization to the board.

Watershed: Stevens Run

After graduating from Penn State with a degree in biology, Lesa Bird worked in cardiovascular research before moving to Gettysburg 22 years ago with her family. Once in Gettysburg, she pursued her love of both research and the environment by working with the Watershed Alliance and the Adams County Office on Aging as they tested the water quality of local streams (usually with her children as assistants). Over the past 17 years she has worked for Advancing Science at Gettysburg College, which brings hands-on science activities and equipment to K-12 classrooms in south-central Pennsylvania with a special focus on watershed education and the Chesapeake Bay. As retirement approaches, Lesa is excited about having time to travel, spend time with her family in NYC and Pittsburgh, tame her garden, get just a few nibbles on the end of her fishing line, and focusing her energy on the many volunteer opportunities she enjoys in Adams County.

Watershed: Willoughby Run

Karen has lived in Gettysburg since 2003 and recently retired after commuting daily to northern Virginia, working at the Northwest Federal Credit Union Foundation. Prior to her work at Northwest, she worked for the Arlington Country Treasurer’s Office as a Program Specialist, and at the Industrial Designers Society of America, as Senior Manager of Awards and Competitions. Karen is thrilled to be part of the Watershed Alliance and looks forward to learning and contributing as much as possible to a community that she loves. Living along Marsh Creek for more than twenty years has simply reenforced the importance of preserving and protecting our waterways. She and her husband, Barry, who are now empty nesters, love the life that Gettysburg offers, and Karen appreciates the opportunity to contribute to its preservation.

Watershed: Marsh Creek

Cliff is a retired network engineer and telecommunications executive, with a Bachelor’s degree in statistics and a Master’s in Biostatistics from the University of California. He has been active in conservation efforts his entire life. His wife’s family have lived on a farm on Middle Creek since the mid-1960s. Cliff and his wife have been active in local historical and ecological conservation efforts in Adams County since moving here in 2014. Cliff is particularly interested in assisting efforts to collect and maintain data that can be used to drive fact-based conversations, decisions, and actions.

Watershed: Middle Creek

Joe grew up in Adams County, spending most of his summer days in Tom’s Creek. After studying at East Stroudsburg University, Joe returned to the area as programs coordinator at the Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve. For the past five years, he was the watershed specialist at the Adams County Conservation District, where he focused on watershed-related projects and community outreach, and helped create the Adams County Planting Partnership through the collaboration of individuals, schools, and organizations. Joe recently became the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Manager at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. He enjoys spending his time outdoors with friends and family, snowboarding, wakeboarding, gardening, hiking, and planting (and climbing) trees.

Watershed: Beaverdam Creek

Richard Lewis is a graduate forester and former president and CEO of the Forest Resources Association. He is also past president of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, where he currently serves as an at-large commissioner. He has also served as Director of Forest Resources for the American Forest Council and as a Senior District Forester with the New Jersey Bureau of Forestry. He is a member of many local and regional conservation organizations. Richard and his wife Jakie live four miles west of Gettysburg where they enjoy growing wildflowers and watching the plentiful wildlife that thrives in the riparian zone along Marsh Creek, which flows 75 yards from their door.

Watershed: Marsh Creek

Bruce, a life-long resident of Adams County, grew up fishing the local trout streams with his dad. His parents encouraged his love of nature as a child, which instilled in him the value of stewardship. He went on to pursue studies of natural sciences at Juniata College, Penn State University, and Shippensburg University. Bruce found his calling teaching Biology, Geoenvironmental Science and Environmental Science at Carlisle High School. He also coached the school’s Envirothon Team and worked in developing environmental education curriculum for grades K-5. After “rewiring” in 2017 he has devoted more time to his family, faith, and friends (and music, coffee, and Adams County!) Bruce and his wife Pam reside in Carroll Valley.

Watershed: Tom’s Creek

Bill has lived most of his life in Adams County. For the last 35 years he has lived along the banks of Marsh Creek. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Mount St. Mary’s University and a medical degree from Jefferson Medical College. Since retiring from emergency medicine, Bill has enjoyed spending time with family, gardening, hiking, canoeing, traveling, and reading by a babbling brook in Maine. He is a certified invasive plant patroller with the Lake Stewards of Maine in the 30-Mile River watershed at the headwaters of the Androscoggin River. He also plants trees and tests the water of Middle Creek as a Watershed Alliance volunteer. Bill values the ancient Greek proverb: “A society grows great when old men (and women) plant trees in whose shade they never expect to sit.”

Watershed: Marsh Creek