Meet ESLC Staff

For organizational questions, contact Robert J. Etgen:
Robert J. Etgen has been the Executive Director of ESLC since October 1990. Prior to joining ESLC, Rob was the Land Trust Program Manager for the Maryland Environmental Trust where he assisted in the formation of 18 private land trusts. Before that, he worked for the Soil Conservation Administration of the Maryland Department of Agriculture, the Attorney's General's Office in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and two private law firms in Baltimore. Rob started his career as a Forest Ecologist for the U.S. Forest Service in Morgantown, West Virginia as head of a research program studying the impacts of the Gypsy Moth. He has authored several manuals, booklets, and papers on land conservation issues. Rob was the founding director of the Maryland Heritage Tree Conservancy and serves on the board of the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, Scenic Maryland, and the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Chesapeake Bay Program. In 1996 he received the Aileen Hughes Award for leadership from the Maryland Land Trust Alliance. Rob received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland and a B. S. in Forestry from West Virginia University. He is also a member of the Maryland Bar.

For information about how to protect your land in Dorchester, Talbot, or Caroline Counties, as well as conservation financing, land protection programs, and stewardship, contact Meredith Lathbury.
Meredith Lathbury joined ESLC as Director of Land Conservation in January 2006. Originally from central Pennsylvania, Meredith grew up in Maryland. With 10 years' experience in conservation transactions and program management, Meredith worked for the Potomac Conservancy, where she led the organization's land protection, restoration, and policy initiatives. Her professional experience also includes serving as a natural resources planner for the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. She began her environmental career at Environmental Concern in St. Michaels. Meredith is a member of the Maryland and Federal bars, holds a law degree and Masters of Environmental Law from Vermont Law School and a B.A. in Economics from Pennsylvania State University.

For information on how to protect your land in Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties, please contact Sandra Edwards.
Sandra Edwards is the Land Protection Specialist for Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties and works directly with landowners interested in voluntarily protecting their land. Sandra is a native of Cecil County, has a farming (equine) background, and currently resides in Chesapeake City. She is also a charter member of the Cecil Land Trust. Prior to joining ESLC, Sandra worked for more than seven years as a Cecil County planner, leading a number of innovative conservation initiatives. She also worked as a field archaeologist with the University of Delaware for three years. Sandra earned a B.S. in Geography with an emphasis in planning from Salisbury State University.

For information on how to protect your land in Caroline, Talbot, and Dorchester Counties, please contact Jared Parks.
Jared Parks joined ESLC as Land Protection Specialist in February 2007. Born and raised on the Eastern Shore, Jared has spent the past four years as a faculty research assistant and crew leader for the grassland restoration project on Chino/Bluestem Farms in Queen Anne's County. In addition to his work on Chino, Jared has worked with a University of Maryland PhD candidate on a project studying conservation buffers on different farms in Queen Anne's, Caroline, and Talbot counties. His professional experience also includes serving as a research technician for the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Colorado Bird Observatory. Jared received his Masters of Environmental Studies at Evergreen State College and his Bachelors in Anthropology from Lawrence University.

For information about stewardship, please contact Vikram Krishnamurthy.
Vikram comes to ESLC from the University of Delaware's Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, where he has spent the past two years as a research assistant managing urban forestry research projects. Prior to that, he worked as the tree program manager for the Delaware Center for Horticulture where he managed all aspects of Wilmington's urban forestry program. Vikram is completing a Master of Arts degree in Urban Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Delaware. He also has degrees in horticulture and anthropology. He resides with his wife Kate and their two children Arun and Bailey in Delaware.

For information about land use planning and advocacy issues, please contact Amy Owsley.
Amy returns to ESLC's Land Use Planning team from Maine where she was the field representative on the Maine Coast Protection Initiative. In Amy's time with ESLC before working in Maine, she created and led the original Eastern Shore 2010 initiative and established a land use planning educational forum. Amy has a Masters in Forest Science from Yale University with a focus in watershed management and a Bachelor's in Earth Sciences from Pennsylvania State University with a focus in geoscience and technical writing. She recently relocated to Easton with her new husband, Ryan Ewing and cat Malomar.

For information on ESLC's land use planning efforts in Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne's Counties, please contact Morgan Ellis.
Morgan Ellis joined the ESLC staff as a Land Use Planner in February 2007. Originally from Kentucky, Morgan most recently worked for the city of Eugene, Oregon as a Planning and Community Development intern. In this capacity, Morgan conducted research on affordable housing and green developments and created reports for municipal staff with her research findings. Prior to that, Morgan worked for the Fayette, Kentucky Soil and Water Conservation District where she worked on a variety of conservation projects throughout the county and developed environmental education workshops and presentations. Morgan received her Masters in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon and her Bachelors in Natural Resource Conservation and Management from the University of Kentucky.

For information on ESLC's land use planning efforts in Caroline, Dorchester and Talbot counties, please contact John Seward.
John Seward joined ESLC as a Land Use Planner in January 2007. Originally from Nebraska, John's experience combines planning expertise with a farming background. Prior to joining ESLC, John was a policy research assistant for the Center for Great Plains Studies where he conducted nationwide farmland viability research interviewing farm owners and other key informants regarding land use policies. An organic farmer, John's Middle Creek farm produced over 200 varieties of organic vegetables that he direct marketed through various farmers markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares in Nebraska. He will receive his Masters in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Nebraska this Spring and received his Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from Nebraska Wesleyan.

To make donations to ESLC, contact Jennifer Pollard.
Jennifer Pollard is ESLC's Director of Annual Giving. With more than10 years' experience with nonprofits, including five years with ESLC, she has also worked in development and public relations for the Macon Heritage Foundation and Orchard House-Home of the Alcotts. Jennifer received the highly competitive Elizabeth Perkins Fellowship in Maine, and earned a B. A. in History from Georgia College. She recently completed the Institute for Conservation Leadership's Complete Fundraising Program.

For membership questions, please contact Robin Telepchak.
Robin Telepchak is ESLC's Membership Coordinator. Originally from Pennslyvania, Robin moved to the Eastern Shore from Texas in 2004. During her time in Texas she was employed with The Tarleton Alumni Association where she worked as Administrative Assistant and Bookkeeper. Prior to her move to Texas she worked as Administrative Assistant and Bookkeeper for Goss & Topp advertising agency in Delaware.

For organizational information, contact Nina White.
Nina White is ESLC’s Director of Administration and has worked for the organization for 10 years. Prior to joining ESLC’s staff, Nina worked for the Wildfowl Trust of North America as the Finance Manager. Nina has more than 15 years experience in finance departments; the bulk of which she has spent with nonprofits.

For media and public communications, please contact Kristine George
Kristine George joined ESLC as Manager of Communications in January 2007. An Eastern Shore native whose family works in the equine industry, Kris worked locally as a journalist and editor for the Chesapeake Publishing family of newspapers before heading to Delmarva Foundation's Corporate Communications department where she was responsible for media and public relations. Her professional experience also includes three years with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Zone Management program. A graduate of Salisbury State University, Kristine received her undergraduate degree in Sociology and is currently pursuing her Masters in Management and Public Relations from the University of Maryland.

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