Our Staff

Executive Director
Heather Forsyth, 410-810-7556 x 300 or hforsyth@chesterriverassociation.org

Heather Forsyth was named Executive Director in January 2012. She is a native Marylander and brings a wealth of community non-profit experience to the position. An attorney, she has worked as a legal aid lawyer and a public defender, including a stint in Dorchester County on the lower Eastern Shore.  Most recently, she lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she served on the Board of Sustainable Tulsa, Inc., an organization dedicated to supporting Tulsa's efforts to become the sustainability leader of the Midwest.

Riverkeeper®
David Foster, 410-810-7556 x 303 or riverkeeper@chesterriverassociation.org

David Foster was named Riverkeeper in February 2010.  He has a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland and a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Tech.  He has had 19 years with EPA and 16 years as an environmental consultant focusing primarily on water and sanitation.

Policy Specialist
Isabel Junkin, 410-810-7556 x 303 or ijunkin@chesterriverassociation.org

Isabel Junkin was named Policy Director in June 2011.  She has a Master of Environmental Management from Duke and a B.S. in Animal Behavior from Bucknell.  She has had experience with the Ocean Conservancy in Washington, DC and with the Midshore Riverkeeper. 

Office Manager
Bobbi Marshall, 410-810-7556 x 301 or bmarshall@chesterriverassociation.org

Bobbi Marshall has been CRA's Office Manager since October 2004.  She has had extensive experience in office management in the insurance industry.  Bobbi has a complete knowledge of various database fundraising programs and  QuickBooks financial management system.

Watershed Coordinator / Scientist
Ron Melcer, 410-810-7556 x 302 or rmelcer@chesterriverassociation.org

Ron Melcer was named part-time Watershed Coordinator in November of 2010.  He has had extensive administrative experience as an officer in the New Jersey State Police.  He has a broad knowledge of database management and has assisted with assembling our yearly Chester Tester Report Card.  At CRA, he is responsible for the Chester Tester volunteer program, coordinates staff testing and chairs CRA's Science and Tech Committee.

Conservation Planner
Virgil Turner

Virgil Turner is a part-time Conservation Planner.  He is a lifetime resident of Kent County and retired in 2004 after a 47 year career as a conservation planner with the state and federal government.

Conservation Planner
Paul Spies, 410-708-5481 or pspies@chesterriverassociation.org

Paul Spies was named Conservation Planner in October 2007.  He has a B.S. in Agronomy from the University of Maryland and has worked in the fertilizer division of Willard and Perdue.  His father owns and operates a 1000 acre grain farm in Talbot County.

Septic Specialist
Jennifer Hicks, 410-708-7891 or jhicks@chesterriverassociation.org

Jennifer Hicks is a part-time septic specialist..  She has had extensive experience as an environmentalist with the Climate Action Network, Seacoast Anti-Pollution League and with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as an environmental educator.  She holds a B.S. in Education from Shippensburg University and M.S. in Environmental studies from Antioch New England Graduate School.

Energy Consultant
Robert W. Parks, 410-810-7556 x 300 or bparks@chesterriverassociation.org

Bob Parks was  Executive Director of CRA from December 2005 - December 2011. He came to CRA from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, where he served as a development officer. He has had non-profit experience as a consultant and as an executive director and has had extensive management experience at IBM. Bob has a B.S. and an M.S. in Business Administration from Bucknell University.

 Office Number:   410-810-7556