Lea currently resides in Huntingdon Valley with her husband, two young children and dog.  Lea is the program coordinator with the Medical Physics Graduate Programs at the University of Pennsylvania. Lea earned a BS in Environmental Science from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York and an MS in Nonprofit Leadership from La Salle University. Prior to working at the University of Pennsylvania, Lea worked in the experiential and environmental education fields for over ten years, and is thrilled to continue pursuing her passion for connecting folks of all ages to the environment where they live through volunteer work at Briar Bush. In addition to working, tending small children and volunteering, Lea enjoys all aspects of flower gardening -- from seed starting, tending to the plants, and sharing the flowers with friends and family.

Pamela Olshefski lives in the Upper Dublin School District with her husband and 3 daughters. Pamela is the Plant Records and Living Collections Manager at the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked at the Arboretum since 2001 and works in the Plant Science department. Pamela loves youth environmental education and is especially passionate about teaching children to learn, love, and protect our environment. It is an honor to support Briar Bush Nature Center by being on the board!

Since moving to Glenside in 2010, Tara and her family have enjoyed Briar Bush’s activities, including Magic Mornings, campfires, lectures, and summer camps. She got a closer look at the workings of Briar Bush in 2019 when her daughter and two friends designed and installed the children’s area mural in the Bird Observatory while earning their Girl Scout Silver Award, and later when her son and daughter did their Eagle Scout projects at Briar Bush. Tara volunteered with Girl Scouts for many years, including serving as the committee chair for Girl Scouts Overseas in Singapore. She also works with the Abington Senior High School Theater Department's student stage crew as the Set Designer. A registered professional engineer with a Ph.D. in Medical Engineering, she is self-employed as a consultant investigating accidents.

Bonnie resides in the Upper Dublin School District with her two daughters and a multitude of pets. She is delighted to have been selected by the Friends of Briar Bush to contribute to their board leadership team and chairs the board’s Governance Committee. Bonnie appreciates the organization's extensive history, unwavering commitment to the community, and recognition of the inherent brilliance of young minds when exposed to open space. Professionally, Bonnie serves as the Director of Brand Management with BLBB Advisors, a registered investment advisory firm located in Montgomeryville, PA.

Regina and her family have lived in the Highland Farms neighborhood across the street from Briar Bush Nature Center for more than 25 years. Her children visited frequently when they were young, and her family's love of the outdoors led her back to Briar Bush as a member of the board. Regina plans to share her expertise and develop new skills to help advocate for and advance BBNC’s mission. She has worked in content creation, strategic marketing, and media relations roles at Penn State Abington since 2009 and previously served as an editor at a daily newspaper after earning a degree in journalism from Temple University. She is a longtime member of the Abington Community Taskforce, a coalition of local agencies and organizations that support youth development. She enjoys reading, walking her dogs, and traveling with her husband and extended family.

Jacqui Flynn grew up down the street from Briar Bush Nature Center (BBNC) and started as an animal husbandry volunteer in 2001. From 2002 to 2005, she served as a part-time Center Aide under former Briar Bush Executive Director Dede Long. During her tenure, she learned about nonprofit organizational structure, fundraising, and event planning while supporting the Feather Our Nest Gala.

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Today, Jacqui brings 18 years of high-performance fundraising experience to the BBNC Board of Directors, having raised over $50 million throughout her career for a range of nonprofit organizations. Currently, she holds an executive role with HopePHL, a nonprofit that helps families and youth experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. Through her consulting work, she has helped nonprofit organizations identify plans and set achievable goals for sustainable growth with an asset-based, solutions-oriented approach. Jacqui is excited to return and support Briar Bush’s mission—an organization that has been fundamental to her success in life and work.

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Outside of work, she enjoys exploring local hiking spots and looks for any opportunity to be outdoors in the fresh air.

Alexis has always had a deep appreciation for nature and the impact it has on our well-being. A registered nurse with a degree from Holy Family University and an MBA from Saint Joseph’s University, she has built a career in healthcare operations, helping hospitals streamline processes and improve patient care. A resident of Montgomery County, Alexis enjoys gardening, exploring the outdoors with her family, and encouraging her young son’s curiosity about the natural world. She believes that hands-on experiences in nature foster a lifelong appreciation for the environment. Joining the Briar Bush Board is an exciting opportunity for Alexis to give back to her community and support a place that inspires both children and adults to engage with the natural world. She looks forward to contributing her skills and passion to help Briar Bush continue its mission for years to come.

Tim was born and raised in Central New Jersey. In his youth he loved having pets around him, from hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, mystic sharks, snakes and even scorpions. This taught him to value and respect animals and nature. When he first attended Rutgers College in New Brunswick, NJ, his goal was zoology but later he eventually changed his major to math and economics. This led to his I.T. career that just reached 25 glorious years. Tim moved to Glenside in 2010 and discovered Briar Bush in 2016 when his daughter started summer camp there. It was an instant connection and he felt right at home. When Tim is not working, you can find him biking on trails and enjoying nature. When he is not on the trails, you can find him on the courts playing tennis with his daughter. Nature is our heaven on earth and he is very happy to be a part of an organization that cares so much about preserving nature.

Leah lives in Glenside and loves exploring the natural world with her daughter and husband. She is a Youth Education Initiatives Coordinator for the Brooklyn Public Library and was an educator for the American Museum of Natural History for over a decade. Leah is passionate about science, empowering youth to protect our planet, and building a community of learning. She has previously served on the board of directors for Emergent Horizons and currently serves as Board President for the New York City Museum Educators Roundtable. Leah enjoys growing pollinators and vegetables in her backyard garden.

A fan and member of Briar Bush since moving into the area in 2016, Kim works in municipal government, focusing on strategic planning and the successful administration of state, county, and federal grants.  Previously, Kim worked as an independent nonprofit consultant and in-house leading fundraising, engagement, and relations for teams at Manor College, Fox School of Business at Temple University, and the National Kidney Foundation. Kim lives in North Hills with her family and enjoys spending time gardening, hiking, camping, and skiing.

Norman S. Marcus of Meadowbrook, PA is a licensed professional engineer chiefly involved in engineering design and operations for the American transit industry and railroads. In addition to being a consultant primarily for the transit agencies serving the Northeast Corridor, he serves as the technical advisor to the SEPTA Citizens Advisory Committee as an emeritus member. Norman is an active member of the local Briar Bush community serving on the local boards of the Abington Police Athletic League and the Meadowbrook Bird Sanctuary, and is a member of the Wyncote Audubon Society, Old York Road Historical Society, and the Rydal-Meadowbrook Civic Association. Norman also serves on the Boards of the Historic Germantown Consortium (currently 19 member sites) and its Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion and Germantown Historical Society member sites. Norman serves on the Boards of the Society for the Preservation of Landmarks, and the Uptown Entertainment & Development Corporation, and maintains an active membership in, and support for, many of the Region's historic, preservation, horticultural, and arts institutions too numerous to mention. Norman is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, including the Philadelphia Chapter, and a member and Director of the Philadelphia  Chapter of ASM International (the International Materials Engineering Society). Norman has been associated with the Friends of Briar Bush since the 1980s, serving on the Board for many terms. 

Jake Ricci has not lived far from the area, growing up in Willow Grove and currently residing in Glenside with his wife Amy, and two daughters, Lois and Penelope, both of whom have gone to camp at BB and Amy previously on the board.  He is currently an Equipment Account Representative for United Rentals in Philadelphia Pa, pushing the use of hybrid and electric machines to keep our work going in a cleaner, greener direction.  He is a strong advocate for a vibrant, sustainable community and environment, currently serving as a member on the Greater Glenside Civic Association and PennEnvironment.  He enjoys spending time with family, friends and neighbors, loves to garden and grill, and believes being outside in nature is the truest way to connect with ourselves and each other.

Based in Abington, Matthew oversees all internal operations, strategy, and programs at PennFuture—a statewide, member-supported environmental advocacy non-profit. He manages the organization's senior leadership team as well as advises the president and CEO on all matters, including fundraising, public policy, advocacy, external communications, and partnerships. Prior to this executive role, Matthew was PennFuture's Director of Policy.

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Prior to joining PennFuture, Matthew served as the director of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation’s Center for Clean Energy Innovation (CCEI) in Washington, D.C., where he managed high-profile energy and climate policy initiatives at the state, national, and international levels. He has testified before Congress and his work has appeared in numerous national and state media outlets.

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Matthew was also a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Fellow at the National Academies of Science, where he worked with the Transportation Research Board to analyze light-duty vehicle energy reduction policy strategies. He also served as a fellow at the Breakthrough Institute, where he focused on clean energy innovation policy opportunities, and participated in the inaugural Millennial Trains Project.

Matthew holds a B.Sc. in Meteorology from Millersville University as well as a M.Sc. in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is a professional member of the American Meteorological Society.

Matthew was born and raised in Philadelphia and is an avid reader, weekend DIY warrior, amateur genealogist, and baseball geek. His favorite band is Pearl Jam.

Lauren lives in Maple Glen with her husband, 10-year-old daughter, and their two dogs, a mutt named Lucy, and a purebred German Shepherd named Jasper. She has spent the last twenty years as a Librarian in both the public and private sectors. She is currently the Research and Intelligence Operations Manager within the Research and Intelligence Center (“RIC”) at Ballard Spahr, LLP which is a large law firm with 18 offices across the country. In this role, Lauren oversees access to legal research material in digital and print formats, manages contract life cycles, and participates in the annual budgeting process for the RIC. Prior to her current position she worked in the investment banking world, at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and at a local school district in an elementary school setting. Lauren enjoys spending time outside, particularly on walks with her family and in her garden. She is an avid reader, likes to bake and sew, and spend time traveling, especially to the beach. Lauren’s daughter has always had the opportunity to spend a lot of her time outside particularly during the summer months at camp which has led her to develop a strong appreciation for science and the natural world. Lauren is looking forward to being part of an organization like Briar Bush that affords opportunities for local children, families, and adults to explore the natural world around them.