Meet Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy’s Board of Directors!
Pete Dixon (Chair) - Pete started volunteering with the Conservancy as a Stream Clean-up site leader in 2010. Pete’s overall goal is to leave the world a better place than he found it; finding a bunch of like-minded people at the PWC, he joined the Conservation Committee in 2012, then the Board in 2015, serving as Treasurer in 2017 and Chair starting in 2019. Hailing from the Doylestown area, Pete grew up fishing, kayaking and rock climbing in the Tohickon Creek gorge. Graduating from Central Bucks- East and Delaware Valley College (now University), Pete holds two degrees in Chemistry and Biotechnology, and has been a scientist at GlaxoSmithKline for over 20 years, first as an analytical biochemist, now as a project manager working to develop new biopharmaceuticals. In his free time, Pete enjoys a wide variety of outdoor pursuits through all seasons- skiing, mountain biking, trail running, sea kayaking, mountaineering, landscape photography, beekeeping, and fly fishing…. basically, any reason to get outside and check out interesting bugs, plants, and rocks. Pete lives in Collegeville with his wife Heather (who is a much faster runner), two water turtles, and several thousand bees of varying disposition.
Jean Akers (Vice Chair) - Jean K. Akers lives in Audubon with her husband, Dave, and dogs, Shadow & Buckeye. While semi-retired, Jean continues to consult with Conservation Technix, providing park, trail, conservation and community forestry planning in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Both a professional landscape architect (PLA) and certified land use planner (AICP), she has degrees in agriculture, horticulture, and landscape architecture. Jean also serves on the Park Board for Lower Providence Township to assist with their system-wide planning for conservation & recreational uses of land and water. She is an avid hiker and backpacker. Gardening, sketching & watercolor painting are favorite past-times along with activities involving her grandchildren.
Steve Oehlert (Secretary) - Steve resides in Limerick, PA with his wife Noriko and daughters Leah and Elina. He received his education from University of Delaware with a degree in Business Administration. He currently works at Oehlert Bros, Inc. As for the Conservancy, Steve helps out with videography and photography and is a member of our Development Committee. His favorite pass-times are conducting aerial photography, video editing, sporting clays, paintball, and cycling.
Chris Gerdes (Treasurer) - Christopher J. Gerdes has been a Director on the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Board since 2016. He currently serves as the Treasurer, chairman of the Finance Committee and a member of the Facilities Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Steven’s Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Rider College. Chris retired from Exelon Generation, Limerick Generating Station after a 37 year career holding numerous positions as an Engineer, Manager and Senior Manager. Chris and his wife Michelle, whom he has been married to for 34 years, reside in the watershed in Eagleville Pa. Chris and Michelle have 2 sons who live and work in the area. Chris enjoys cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles as a season ticket holder since 1986, working on his homes in Eagleville and River Hills SC and walking and running on the Perkiomen trail.
Ellen Miramontes- Ellen joined the Board in February 2020 and has since enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the Creek Sojourn and help out with the Stream Clean-up and Lenape Challenge. Originally from California, she moved to Pennsylvania in 2016 and lives in Plymouth Meeting with her husband, two daughters, and two pups. Ellen is a landscape architect and urban planner and currently works as a trails and open space planner for the Montgomery County Planning Commission helping to connect people with nature. Over the past few years, Ellen has enjoyed getting to know the community, landscape, plants, and history in her new home State – and being a part of PWC has been a fun part of that!
Steve Taylor - Steve and his wife Shari grew up on Long Island and ended up living in the Watershed when the Marine Corps ordered Steve to serve as an instructor at Naval Air Station Willow Grove. They have two daughters, Allison and Cynthia. He holds a degree in Aerospace Science and a degree in Aeronautical Studies. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Steve worked for twenty years as the IT Director of a local food manufacturing company and is now retired from there as well. His two Daughters spent their formative years exploring the Watershed either on foot or during many family canoe trips down the Perkiomen Creek and Schuylkill River. Steve joined the Board of Directors in December of 2018 and currently serves as the Chair of the Facilities Committee. He and his family still enjoy spending time on the water, hiking the trails, and volunteering time to the community.
Rebecca Jaroff - Becky Jaroff is an associate professor of English at Ursinus College, currently serving a third term on the PWC Board. She teaches a course on the Environment in Literature at Ursinus that encourages students to consider the obligations to the non-human world and offers ways for them to do so, including tree plantings and stream clean-ups with the PWC. Her hobbies include amateur bird-watching and hiking, especially with her husband up in the great North Woods of northern Wisconsin, where they have a cabin near Lake Superior.
Pat Quigley - Pat joined the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Board in Spring 2017. Her academic background is in ecology and environmental planning, and she has worked as an environmental consultant and licensed professional planner for over forty years. She started her own planning practice in 1985, specializing in environmental planning, natural resource conservation, impact assessments, permitting, and mitigation planning and design. A favorite aspect of her work is the restoration and monitoring of degraded habitats, which allows her to constantly observe what works or does not work in supporting natural habitat resiliency. She currently works with the PWC conservation team to assist, as needed, on project development, township coordination, and volunteer training. Pat lives with her husband, Mark, in Worcester, PA, where she served on the township’s Planning Commission for 29 years. While she plans to retire within the year, she is excited to spend more time pursuing landscape painting, and advocating for healthy natural environments by supporting PWC watershed projects and programs.
Don Elly - Don grew up in Southeastern PA, attended Conestoga High School in Berwyn, and graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University in 1980. His professional career includes over 30 years of operations and environmental compliance leadership in multiple construction industry sectors (Energy, Commercial, Residential, Heavy Highway). Don is currently the VP Environmental for Allan Myers, the Mid-Atlantic region’s largest Heavy Highway Contractor and Aggregate/Asphalt supplier, and serves on the board of directors of the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy and ACE Mentor Greater Philadelphia. Don loves to fish, and resides with his wife of 38 years, near to his 2 children and 6 grandchildren, in North Coventry PA.
Bob Dickinson - Bob is from Malvern, PA. He has been involved with the PWC Board of Directors for about two years. Bob retired from Exelon in 2020 after 37 years at Limerick Generating Station where he was an Engineer and held several managerial positions. Bob is married and has two grown sons. He enjoys being outside, hiking, biking, and paddling or sailing. Bob has a B.S. in Engineering and a B.A. in Economics from Swarthmore College, and an M.B.A from Saint Joseph’s University.
Bucky Mansuy - Bucky is a retired lawyer who has lived in Worcester for 35 years. He graduated from Amherst College in 1975 and the Villanova University School of Law in 1981. Bucky worked in private practice, as an Assistant US Attorney, and for 24 years for Lockheed Martin, specializing in litigation and compliance. He and his wife Joan Adams enjoy walking, whether on a golf course, the beach, or along the Perkiomen Trail.
Laura Lynch - Laura Lynch is from Downingtown, PA. She is the Manager of Regulatory Assurance and Environmental for Exelon at Limerick Nuclear Generating Station in Pottstown. Laura has a B.S. in Environmental Systems Engineering from Penn State University. She is married and has a wonderful “baby” girl, who is her inspiration for all things, especially environmental conservancy. Her favorite activities include hiking, traveling (when permitted), crossfitting, and eating! She is a newbie to the Board, but is looking forward towards engaging with the Conservancy with Water Trails and Education.
Mark Salvetti - Mark has been living in Schwenksville for over 30 years with his wife Nancy and children Brittany and Matt. He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State and his MBA in Human Resource Administration from Temple University. Just recently retired (Jan. 2021), Mark spent 42 years in various roles such as equipment design, manufacturing engineering, human resources, operations management, material logistics, supply chain and purchasing. He loves Philadelphia pro sports (especially the Flyers and Eagles) and watching automobile racing. In his free time, he enjoys working on a ground-up restoration of a 1967 Ford Mustang convertible (25+ year project that continues). He’s also interested in British sports cars of the 1960's (Triumph, MG, Austin Healey). When he’s not in the garage, he spends time landscaping, shooting rifles and hand guns, fishing, hunting, kayaking, golfing, and doing jigsaw and crossword puzzles. As for Mark’s Conservancy Involvement, he has been a member of the Board of Directors approximately one year, a member of the Facilities Committee, a multi-year participant in the Lenape Challenge (not any more), a multi-year participant in the Stream Clean-Up, and an events volunteer.
Jonathan Rinde - Jonathan Rinde lives in Collegeville with his wife Carla, where they raised their two sons, and has been on the Board of the Conservancy “for a very long time.” Jonathan’s love for the environment started early, when he was a member of the Youth Conservation Corps growing up in Suffolk County, New York. Jonathan continued his love for the environment academically, holding a BS in Biology and Environmental Studies from SUNY-Binghamton, a Master’s in Regional Planning for the University of Michigan, and a Juris Doctor from Temple University School of Law. Jonathan practiced environmental law for over 30 years, counseling governmental entities and Fortune 500 companies through all manner of environmental concerns. Golfing, cycling, photography, birding and spending time outdoors with his grandkids and family are some of Jonathan’s favorite activities – but not in that order of priority!
Joseph Greer Jr. - Joe Greer Jr . joined the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy organization in January 2020. He is a lifelong resident of the Perkiomen Valley, currently living in Schwenksville with his wife Kelly and their four children. Joe was drawn to PWC by the love of the outdoors and the stewardship that the organization provides to the local community. Joe is a VP of retail and commercial banking with TD Bank in Collegeville. In this role Joe is supported by a company that shares his passion for the community and preserving the environment. In his spare time Joe enjoys spending time with his family, partaking in everything active and outdoors, including hiking, fishing, kayaking, participating and volunteering in PWC events/initiatives and more.
Susan Lokey
Michaeleen Pacholski
Kathy Salisbury
Brooke Schiavone
