Staff Biographies

Laura Baird
Resource Protection Specialist
As Resource Protection Specialist, Ms. Baird works with interested landowners to explore the various land conservation strategies available to them, and bring these transactions to fruition. She also works with municipalities to help formulate and implement their Open Space Plans. Ms. Baird previously worked as a Community Planner at the Monroe County Planning Commission where she was the Agricultural Land Preservation Program Coordinator.

William Brokaw
Director of Geospatial Services
Mr. Brokaw has over 20 years of experience as an environmental and engineering consultant serving both public and private organizations. He has taught geographic information systems (GIS) application courses at both Rutgers University and Penn State and has published GIS-related papers in several publications. As Director of Geospatial Services, Mr. Brokaw applies spatial information technology to planning, environmental and watershed management projects. His responsibilities include providing GIS and related information management services to clients and staff, conducting spatial analyses, and maintaining and distributing geospatial data.

Megan D'Arcy
Conservation Biologist
As Conservation Biologist, Ms. D'Arcy identifies, evaluates and monitors natural resources on Conservancy-eased and other properties, including conducting fieldwork investigations and preparing annual monitoring reports, conducting baseline documentation surveys and developing and implementing site-specific management plans. Ms. D'Arcy promotes the Conservancy's mission through contact with landowners and the public. In addition to her employment at the Conservancy, Ms. D'Arcy is currently a master's candidate in the environmental studies program at the University of Pennsylvania.

Clifford C. David Jr.
President
Mr. David has led Heritage Conservancy for 20 years. He is responsible for the operational and financial management of the Conservancy and for the development of the organization's strategic initiatives. He manages the 25-person professional staff in its oversight of the organization's land conservation and historic preservation programs and projects. Mr. David seeks creative ways to fulfill Heritage Conservancy's mission and to meet clients' needs.

Mr. David's previous experience included work within municipal government, including managing a 500-acre passive and active recreational and environmental education facility and administering municipal wetland protection regulations. In addition, Mr. David continues to serve on the boards of several for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

Lynn Dolinger
Director of Grants Development
Ms. Dolinger builds on more than 30 years of non-profit service, coordinating conservancy team efforts to develop and fund projects through public and private grants, many in collaboration with community partners. Most of her experience has been in the field of human services, as program and fund development staff in Pennsylvania and Maryland. She has been a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) since 1998, which designation recognizes comprehensive knowledge and experience in the fund development profession.

Robin Folkerts
Vice President of Advancement and Communications
Mrs. Folkerts brings over ten years of fundraising experience, particularly in the field of conservation. Prior to joining Heritage Conservancy, Mrs. Folkerts worked with Wildlands Conservancy, The Philadelphia Zoo, and The Nature Conservancy of Pennsylvania. She graduated from Messiah College with a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental science. Her responsibilities include all fundraising activities, public relations, external communications and marketing of the organization.

Michael Frank
Director of Community Planning
Mr. Frank has worked as a community planner for over 30 years, in multiple counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Formerly the Director of Community Planning for the Bucks County Planning Commission, his focus has been on the preparation of comprehensive plans, open space plans, zoning and land development ordinances, development review and a variety of community planning studies for local governments. He teaches continuing education courses in community planning at Bucks County and Montgomery County community colleges, Albright College and Temple University, and has published numerous articles in regional and national journals and newspapers.

David Kimmerly
Historic Preservation Specialist
Mr. Kimmerly brings over 17 years of professional experience in GIS analysis, planning and historic preservation to his work with Heritage Conservancy. As a County Planner with the Montgomery County Planning Commission, he worked on many aspects of the County Comprehensive Plan, and has written historic preservation ordinances and provided revitalization and preservation consulting services to numerous communities in this region.

Jeffrey L. Marshall
Vice President of Resource Protection
Mr. Marshall is a planner and historic preservationist with over 25 years of combined experience in land protection and historic preservation. He is actively involved in administering the conservation easement and facade easement programs with expertise in the employment of protection strategies for significant resources. He gives public education programs and acts as a preservation advocate throughout the community. Numerous articles have been published on his endeavors in the preservation field.

Susan Myerov, AICP
Community Planner
Ms. Myerov has over seventeen years of professional planning experience in both public and private sector positions focusing on a variety of environmental planning and land use projects. She has managed or served as lead planner on diverse assignments including environmental assessments for transportation projects, watershed storm water management plans and comprehensive plans. Ms. Myerov's current position with Heritage Conservancy involves a range of responsibilities including preparation of river conservation plans, non-point source pollution education and outreach, and assisting municipalities with natural resource protection ordinances.

Lisa Y. Nowicki Cruz
Conservation Biologist
As a conservation biologist for the Heritage Conservancy's Property Stewardship Service Area, Ms. Nowicki Cruz identifies, evaluates, and monitors natural resources on conservancy-owned properties and conservation easements. Her primary responsibilities include preparing annual monitoring reports for these properties; conducting baseline documentation surveys and report preparation for acquisitions and conservation easements; and, developing and implementing site-specific management plans. Lisa holds a BS in Biology from West Chester University.

Ksenia Rudensiuk
Vice President Property & Easement Stewardship
Ksenia has been with us since May 2007. She is responsible for managing all our properties, easements and historic buildings. Previously, Ms. Rudensiuk worked at The Conservation Foundation where she was the director of conservation development and legal affairs. Ksenia has also been Executive Director of the Alliance for Sustainability. An attorney, she also holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Minnesota and has completed PhD coursework in environmental policy.

Marian P. Sumner
Vice President, Planning & Implementation
Ms. Sumner brings over twenty years of professional planning experience in the public, quasi-public (public benefit) and nonprofit sectors focusing on a variety of community and sustainability issues including land conservation, economic development and affordable housing. Prior to joining the Conservancy, Ms. Sumner served as the Director of Conservation Programs for a northeastern land trust where she was instrumental in building a professional planning department, as well as implementing the conservation of thousands of acres of property. In the economic development realm, Ms. Sumner served as project manager for various multimillion dollar programs including Empire Development Corporation's Commercial Revitalization and Long Island High Tech Incubator programs. As a member of the Conservancy's senior staff team, she is also actively involved in organization-wide strategic planning and new initiative development.

Karen S. Williamson, R.L.A., C.P.S.I.
Planner/Landscape Architect
Ms. Williamson is a landscape architect, who has had over 22 years of experience in planning, design and site engineering of single family subdivision and residential developments, park and recreation improvements and commercial and industrial projects. Prior to joining Heritage Conservancy, she worked for Schoor DePalma as Senior Project Manager, where she was responsible for developing their Parks and Landscape Architecture department. She has recently completed a publication on green infrastructure and is working on multiple parks and recreation plans for local municipalities.

Mary L. Zagar
GIS Technical Analyst
Prior to joining Heritage Conservancy, Mary completed several internships which provided valuable experience in GIS applications and community planning activities. These included cost/benefit studies, community outreach and workshops, and build-out analyses. Mary was awarded first prize in Advanced GIS Poster Competition at Tufts University for a project on pedestrian accessibility on the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury.