Introducing our Board of Director Candidates for 2016-2017 // Choose four!
Ballots have just been sent out to members of the PA/NJ Chapter to elect four open positions on our 2016-2017 Board of Directors. Keep an eye out for this mailing and be sure to cast your vote for four. Only current PA/NJ members will receive a ballot. If you have questions please contact our office at (814)863-7192.
About the candidates:
Board of Director Candidates 2016-2017
Mary Ayres
Mary Ayres became involved in PA-TACF in 2010, when she and her husband Jack Kerr purchased Lee Saufley’s property in Pine Grove, PA, complete with a TACF BC3 chestnut orchard. She and her husb
and have been involved in orchard maintenance, inoculation and roguing, as well as volunteering at the PA-TACF booth at the PA Farm Show.
Mary spent 28 years as a pharmaceutical marketing research consultant before retiring in 2013. She has a BA from the University of Wisconsin (1974), and a Masters (1978) and Doctorate (1983) in Social Anthropology from the University of Chicago. She and her husband reside in Wynnewood, PA, a sub-urb of Philadelphia, with their college-bound daughter.
Rick Hartlieb
Rick Hartlieb graduated from Penn State University with degrees in Forest Science and Forest Technology. Currently, he is an Assistant District Forester with the DCNR Bureau of Forestry William Penn State Forest. Before joining the Bureau of Forestry in 2008, he spent three seasons interning with the PA Game Commission and working for a local Arboriculture company.
Rick has been a member of TACF since 2005. He and his wife are lifelong residents of Berks County where he now manages 2 small F1 orchards. He is an avid woodworker and enjoys bird hunting with their two Weimaraners.
Robert Lingenfelter (incumbent)
Robert Lingenfelter has been a member of the PA Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation since 2008. A Pennsylvania native, he has also been involved in the Centre Region through such organization
s as The State Theatre, Tri-County Habitat for Humanity, and the Historical Architectural Review Board of Bellefonte, PA
Robert obtained his Bachelors of Landscape Architecture and Masters of Landscape Architecture from SUNY – College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University. He is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, American Institute of Certified Planners, and a Senior Associate with Weber Murphy Fox a full-service regional architecture, interiors, and construction firm with offices in Erie, Cleveland, State College and Charlotte.
Robert’s personal interests in outdoor recreation and open space stem from his childhood involvement with the outing club, alpine ski team, and more recently camping and bicycle touring on regional rails-to-trails. As a professional Landscape Architect, Robert deals with open space land use activities characterized by landscape features, process, and systems. As a LEED Accredited Professional, he works to promote human as well as ecological health. Robert is particularly interested in the restored American Chestnut tree’s potential to enhance ecosystem services provided by built landscapes.
Randy Santoro
Randy holds a B.S. degree in Forest Ecology from Cook College. He recently has been helping maintain the chestnut orchard at the Somerset County Environmental Education Center in NJ. Randy’s municipal volunteer activities include the last 10 years on the Bernards Township Shade Tree Commission including chairing the since 2007. He also serves on the Bernards Township Planning Board since 2008 and is a member of the Bernards Township Tree Protection Committee. Randy is a board member of the NJ Invasive Species Strike Team and also enjoys volunteering for the VNA of Somerset Hills and the Great Waters Music Festival.
It is obvious that his forestry background and organizational skills make him a great candidate for our Board of Directors. It will be advantageous to have another New Jersey member stepping up into a leadership role within our Chapter. Randy’s experience and enthusiasm will be a great addition to work for the Pennsylvania / New Jersey Chapter.