Partnership for the DE Estuary

As the Source Water Protection Manager for PDE, Allison Hartman manages the Schuylkill Action Network and the Delaware River Improvement Partnership. Allison has a degree in Marine Science from Stockton University and comes to PDE after spending the last decade in environmental education. Most recently, she was working for NOAA at the Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, and before that she was the Director of Education for the Pinelands Preservation Alliance.

Allison was born and raised in Ocean City, New Jersey, and she is still a beach kid at heart. She is an American Canoe Association certified kayak instructor and loves to go out paddling whenever possible. When not kayaking, Allison can be found knitting or in a ceramics studio.

Brian Yerger is PDE’s Business and Operations Director. In this role, he works with all aspects of the Partnership to ensure the organization is performing in an efficient and effective manner. With over 25 years of financial and operational experience, Brian has a diverse background encompassing Chief Financial Officer, Renewable Energy consultant, Equity Analyst, and chairperson of a Delaware-based non-profit. Incorporating these diverse positions into one unified perspective gives him the opportunity to implement successful business management practices while remaining true to the mission of the Partnership. Brian graduated from the University of Delaware and is a holder of the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst® Designation. He is a Delaware native and enjoys spending time with his family, in nature, at the Delaware beaches, travel, golfing, and live music.

To contact Yerger, please call (302) 655-4990, ext. 129, or email  BYerger@DelawareEstuary.org.

Chesa Blom is PDE’s Estuary Engagement Manager. In this role, she organizes public environmental events in the Philadelphia area, such as the annual Delaware River Festival. She also coordinates the storm drain marking volunteer program and dog waste reduction outreach work on behalf of the Philadelphia Water Department.

Prior to joining PDE, Blom served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer at the School District of Philadelphia Sustainability Office, where she worked with teachers and district offices to engage young people in sustainability efforts. Blom holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies, with a concentration in Sustainability, from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Resource Management from Penn State University. Blom lives in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, with her husband, where she loves trying out new recipes in the kitchen. She also enjoys spending time outdoors, whether in the garden, local park, or along the Delaware River in Philadelphia.

To contact Blom, please call (302) 655-4990, extension 117, or email at fblom@delawareestuary.org.

Daniela Perez is the Estuary Community Coordinator. In this role, she designs, develops, and implements community engagement projects focused on clean waters, healthy habitats, and fostering strong communities.
Before joining PDE, Daniela was Delaware State Parks’ Interpretive Communications and Exhibits Specialist, where she managed publications, community engagement initiatives, and assisted with exhibit design.
She earned a master’s in Environmental Education, and a bachelor’s in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, both from the University of Delaware.

Daniela is from Newark, Delaware, and likes to spend her free time with her dog and practicing nail art. She enjoys going to concerts with friends, and hiking around her favorite place in the Delaware Estuary, White Clay Creek State Park.

Daniela can be reached at (302) 655-4990, ext. 110, or via email at DPerez@DelawareEstuary.org

Eve Quinones is PDE’s Urban Waters Program Manager. In this role, Eve provides leadership for the Urban Waters Federal Partnership program and supports other outreach-based initiatives in urban areas located in the Delaware Estuary. Eve comes to PDE with a B.S. in Marine Science, concentration in Marine Biology, from Stockton University.

Prior to this position, Eve worked with the Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River as their Fellowship Program Manager, where she lead the program and worked with an alliance comprised of 22 environmental centers across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware to provide job opportunities and professional development for youth in under-resourced areas within the Delaware River Watershed. Born, raised, and thriving in Camden, New Jersey, Eve hopes to continue to educate and empower her community and other overburdened areas within the Delaware Estuary.

When not working, you can find Eve enjoying the outdoors while hanging out with her two pups. She also appreciates time with family and friends and is always looking forward to the next adventure with them. To contact Eve Quinones, please email equinones@delawareestuary.org or call 302-655-4990 ext. 104.

To contact Burns, please call (302) 655-4990, extension 108, or email hburns@delawareestuary.org.

To contact Savini, please call (302) 655-4990 extension 121, or email jsavini@delawareestuary.org.

Joe DiDomenico is the Estuary Science Coordinator at PDE. In this role, he supports a wide range of estuary research, monitoring, and restoration efforts, with responsibilities spanning fieldwork, laboratory tasks, GIS applications, and statistical analysis. He helps organize and conduct coastal wetland and shellfish monitoring projects, manages data QA/QC, and assists in developing scientific products for the National Estuary Program.
Joe is a New Jersey native and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Operational Oceanography from Rutgers University. His master’s research focused on the development of a validation methodology for machine learning-based classification of benthic habitats from sonar imagery. Prior to his role at PDE, he conducted coastal and estuarine fisheries research as a field technician at the Rutgers University Marine Field Station. He has also worked as an educator and river guide in the New Jersey Pine Barrens through Pinelands Adventures, a subsidiary of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance.
In his free time, Joe enjoys paddling the diverse waterways of the Delaware Estuary and New Jersey Pine Barrens. He is also a PADI-certified Rescue Diver and has logged dives all over the world, including sites in the Philippines, Central America, the Mediterranean, and the Great Lakes.

Joe can be reached at (302) 655-4990, ext. 107 or via email at JDiDomenico@DelawareEstuary.org.

Jonetta Lucas is PDE’s Finance Director.  In this role, Lucas is responsible for performing the month-end accounting transactions, account analysis, preparing monthly reporting and assisting in the year-end audit procedures.

Before joining PDE, Lucas lived in New York where she held accounting positions with several real estate and property management companies such as Tishman Construction Corp., Cushman & Wakefield, and Scholastic Inc.  Lucas has over 15 years of accounting experience and has held roles ranging from AP clerk to Assistant Controller throughout her career with exposure to Human Resources and Office Management.

Lucas earned her BA in Accounting from Monroe College in Bronx, New York.  During her free time, Lucas enjoys spending time with her family and friends and reading.

To reach Lucas, please call (302) 655-4990 extension 101, or email jlucas@delawareestuary.org.

Karen Forst is PDE’s Senior Grants Manager. In this role, she oversees the writing and management of PDE’s grants and other funding opportunities, and works with staff to identify current and future funding needs. Forst worked for PDE from 2006 – 2014 as the Development Director and the Director of Institutional Giving, and then rejoined the PDE staff in 2018 in her current position. Outside of her time with PDE, Forst served as the Director of Grants and Fundraising for Laura Bishop Communications, and as an environmental specialist with the Bureau of Environmental Analysis and Restoration at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).

Forst has a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Forst lives in East Greenwich, New Jersey with her husband and two children. She is active in her community through participation in a local all-women’s charity dragonboat team and as a Girl Scout troop leader. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, being at the beach, and spending time with family and friends.

To contact Forst, please call (302) 655-4990 x 120 or via e-mail at kforst@delawareestuary.org

Kate Layton is Communications Manager for Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. In this role, she promotes PDE and its activities to build awareness and engagement for protecting and enhancing the Delaware Estuary.

Before joining PDE, Layton served as the Public Outreach Manager for the Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization in central Delaware. Prior to that, she was a reporter and photographer for newspapers in Delaware, Indiana, and Kansas City for several years and briefly worked as a weekend announcer at a public radio station.

A native of the Sunflower State, Layton has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Kansas.  She lives in central Delaware and enjoys reading, photography, and wandering on Delaware Bay beaches looking for sea glass. Her favorite spot to visit in the Delaware Estuary is Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna, Delaware.

To contact Layton, please call (302) 255-6878, or (302) 655-4990, ext. 113. You may also try emailing her at KLayton@Delaware Estuary.org.

Kathy Klein is PDE’s Executive Director.

Kathy first joined PDE in 1997 and served as the Executive Director until 2007. Before her return to PDE in 2018, she was the Executive Director of the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin and worked as a strategic planning consultant with the Philadelphia Water Department.  Throughout her career, Kathy has worked to improve environmental quality in the Delaware River Watershed and spent many years serving as development and program directors for several other regional organizations.

Kathy has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She resides in Wilmington, Delaware, and likes to spend weekends enjoying the Delaware River in Stockton, New Jersey, with her family and dog, Kai.

You can reach Klein via email kklein@delawareestuary.org.

Ken Williamson is a Restoration Specialist at PDE. In this role, he works in the Oyster Shell Recycling Program, facilitating oyster shell pickups from various nearby restaurants in northern Delaware and Philadelphia. In addition to helping maintain the oyster shell lots, Ken assists with the installation and monitoring of living shoreline projects and oyster shell bagging events.

Ken grew up and lives in Newark, Delaware, and learned to appreciate the White Clay Creek watershed at an early age. A native plant enthusiast, he’s worked in landscaping and gardening for over a decade, as well as working for several seasons on a cranberry farm in the bogs. He enjoys camping, hiking with his dog, heavy metal concerts, and pinball.

Kerry O’Connell is PDE’s Lead Development Coordinator. In this role, she oversees the day to day administrative duties of the Development team and maintains grant and donor databases. O’Connell earned her Bachelor of Art Degree in Art from the University of Delaware and has over 10 years of non-profit experience. Prior to PDE, she worked with organizations such as Food Bank of Delaware, Little Sisters of the Poor and the Cecil County Arts Council. O’Connell lives in Newark, Delaware with her husband, two children, three dogs and a cat. She loves spending time with her family on the beach in Lewes, Delaware, as well as writing children’s books, designing tiny houses, watching foreign murder mysteries, photography, travel and fast cars.

To contact O’Connell, please call (302) 655-4990, extension 120, or email koconnell@delawareestuary.org

Leah King is the Grants Coordinator at the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. She plays a crucial role in advancing the organization’s mission through grant writing and administration. With five years of experience in securing funding for non-profits, Leah excels in developing compelling proposals and managing grant-related tasks to support the Delaware Estuary Program’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). She holds an MBA from Wilmington University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Stockton University. Leah is dedicated to leveraging her organizational and project coordination skills to enhance environmental conservation efforts. Her role involves researching and evaluating funding opportunities, preparing proposals, and collaborating with staff to ensure timely and accurate reporting for grant-funded projects. Her commitment to protecting and restoring the Delaware River and Bay is evident in her strategic approach to grant management and her ability to build strong relationships with funders and partners. Outside of work, Leah enjoys yoga, Pilates, cooking, and taking nature walks. Her favorite spot in the Delaware Estuary is Brigantine Beach, where she finds peace and inspiration. Leah lives in New Jersey with her two young daughters, who share her love for the outdoors.

Leah can be reached at (302) 655-4990, ext. 131 or via email at LKing@DelawareEstuary.org.

LeeAnn Haaf, Ph.D. is PDE’s Director of Estuary Science. In this role, LeeAnn performs research on coastal wetlands and forests, helps manage a variety of research projects, and leads scientific reports on the status and trends of the health of the Delaware Estuary. LeeAnn first joined PDE in 2013 as a Science Intern. LeeAnn earned her Bachelor’s, Masters, and PhD in Environmental Science from Drexel University. LeeAnn started her research career in the New Jersey pine barrens where she studied pine snake ecology and conservation. Now, her research focuses on coastal wetlands and the response of Mid-Atlantic coastal forests to sea level rise and climate change. LeeAnn’s professional goal is to help bridge the gap between rigorous scientific research and its’ implementation to inspire positive environmental change. LeeAnn lives in Salem County, New Jersey. In her free time, LeeAnn enjoys horseback riding (her own horse, Reiner, is retired!) and going on hikes with her dog, Sprocket. LeeAnn’s favorite place in the Delaware Estuary is Jakes Landing, Cape May County, NJ.

To contact Haaf, please call (302) 655-4990, extension 116, or email lhaaf@DelawareEstuary.org.

Marguerite DiGiorgio is PDE’s Engagement Assistant Coordinator. In this role, she supports the Schuylkill Action Network by facilitating the connection of partner organizations that are focused on source water protection and engages the public through PDE-organized stormwater education and community events.

Marguerite comes to PDE with a bachelor’s degree from Temple University and a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with dual certificates in public history and cultural landscape management. Prior to this position, DiGiorgio worked for the National Park Service, where she organized regional and national professional development programs for landscape-based park staff. Additionally, as a part of the Frederick Law Olmsted Center of the National Park Service, she consulted on horticultural issues at National Park sites across the region.

When not at work, DiGiorgio loves to craft. She has a rotating list of crafty hobbies that include embroidery, knitting, and watercolor painting. One of DiGiorgio’s favorite places to visit in the Delaware Estuary is the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Philadelphia.

To contact Marguerite DiGiorgio, please reach out via e-mail at mdigiorgio@delawareestuary.org, or call (302) 255 6882, extension 124

Sally Ehlers is PDE’s Science and Engagement Specialist. In this role, she works with the science and engagement teams to support freshwater mussel projects and water-related outreach activities.

Prior to this position, Sally worked with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Freshwater Mussel Assessment Team, where she conducted field surveys and supported mussel propagation efforts. Sally holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, with minors in biology and writing, from Drexel University. She lives in Philadelphia and loves cooking, reading, and listening to live music in her free time. To reach Sally, please email sehlers@delawareestuary.org.

Thomas Manning is a Restoration Science Specialist with PDE. In this role, he participates in science and restoration initiatives, including shellfish recruitment studies, water quality assessments, living shoreline and tidal wetland monitoring, as well as PDE’s oyster shell recycling program. He also contributes to data management, analysis, and quality analysis/quality control using R, Excel, and other programs.

In 2025, Thomas graduated from Gettysburg College with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies, with concentrations in Environmental Policy and Management and Environmental Justice. Prior to working for PDE, Thomas interned with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Philadelphia. In his free time, Thomas enjoys playing saxophone and guitar, walking his two dogs, visiting local parks, and fishing in the Delaware River.

Thomas can be reached via email at TManning@DelawareEstuary.org