Staff
Josh Falk
Executive Director
443-714-7747
Jfalk@SRLT.org
Josh Falk is a lifelong Annapolitan with a deep commitment to conservation, education, and social change. With over 20 years of …
Erin Valentine
443-714-7744
Erin@SRLT.org
Erin joined the Scenic Rivers team in 2019. A communications and fundraising professional with over …
Erin Kilbane
Land Programs Manager
443-714-7742
Erinkilbane@SRLT.org
After beginning her career in the Midwest, Erin arrived in the beautiful Chesapeake region to join Scenic Rivers in 2024 …
Luke Lanham
Stewardship and Engagement Coordinator
443-714-7756
Luke@SRLT.org
Luke joined the Scenic Rivers team in the summer of 2024, having graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in …
Board of Directors
Joan Renner, President
Elizabeth Rosborg, Vice President
John Butler, Treasurer
Kristen Maneval, Secretary
Joe Ports, At Large Member, Executive Committee
Suhani Chitalia
John Elstner
Amelia Matthews
Dan Murphy
Lily Openshaw
Sara Ramotnik
Paul Zanecki
Officers
Joan Renner, President
Current Term: June 2025-June 2026
Joan has been employed by The Brick Companies (TBC) since 2001. She started as their Vice President of Finance and took over the role of Chief Financial Officer in 2003. As CFO, she is responsible for the development of the financial policies and procedures to ensure the Company’s assets are safeguarded and is responsible for negotiating and placing all long-term debt and the Company’s working capital line of credit. Prior to joining TBC, Joan was the Vice President of Finance at Development Resources, Inc., a Washington, DC-based company that specialized in third-party property management and development. In addition, Joan was a Certified Public Accountant with the firm of Beers & Cutler in DC. She has served as President of the Board of Directors of Commercial Real Estate for Women’s Baltimore Chapter and was President of the Parent-Teacher Association at Crofton Middle School. During 2012, Joan and Lex Birney, TBC Chief Executive Officer, were recognized by the Baltimore Business Journal as one of the CEO & CFO Dream Teams. She served as the Treasurer of The Brick Companies Foundation until 2021, and currently serves as the Treasurer of Maryland Hall.
Elizabeth Rosborg, Vice President
Current Term: June 2025-June 2027
Elizabeth resides in Arnold with her husband Rick and their large yellow lab. She enjoys boating, skiing, and hiking,
She returned to her family property on the Severn following her husband’s retirement from the Air Force. The property, known as Winterberry, is an accumulation of land started by her grandfather some 75 years ago.
Elizabeth’s interest in land preservation is evidenced in her volunteering in the past on the Growth Action Network Board of Director’s, Maryland League of Conservation Voters of Anne Arundel County, and Chairman of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee for the Anne Arundel County General Development Plan, Plan 2040. She currently serves on Arnold Preservation Council, President Emeritus.
John Butler, Treasurer
Current Term: June 2024-June 2026
John has approximately 40 years of experience in computer programming and project management predominantly in the public service. John has served as a Computer Specialist with the National Library of Medicine and USDA Forest Service over the past 30 years. John has a Bachelor of Science, Forestry from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science, Outdoor Recreation from Utah State University. In addition, John has volunteered with Maryland League of Conservation Voters for lobbying efforts to strengthen the Forest Conservation Act in both the 2017 and 2018 legislative sessions. He has spent his lifetime enjoying activities in the natural outdoors where he appreciates the results of conservation efforts. He also enjoys sailing, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding on the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. He is currently a member of the Eastport Yacht Club Environmental Committee.
Kristen Maneval, Secretary
Current Term: June 2024-June 2026
Kristen is the Senior Transactions Counsel at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. She assists Prince George's Department of Parks and Recreation in acquiring land for trails, urban parks, agricultural reserve easements and buffers to the Patuxent River at Jug Bay. She holds a Bachelor's in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Baltimore. She has concentrated her legal career on land use, affordable housing, and real estate and natural resources issues with a focus on the nonprofit and government sectors. Her experience includes three years at a boutique zoning and real estate law firm outside of Philadelphia; 11 years as Assistant General Counsel at Enterprise Community Partners in Columbia; and 10 years as Assistant Attorney General and Senior Counsel at Maryland's Office of the Attorney General representing the Maryland Environmental Trust. She served four years as a commissioner on the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and previously served six years on the board of SRLT. Kristen is admitted to the bar in Maryland. She lives on the Severn River in Crownsville with her husband and two children.
Joe Ports, At Large Member, Executive Committee
Current Term: June 2024-June 2026
Joe has been an Environmental Project Manager at a municipal department of public work's restoration division since 2016. Prior to that, he worked on restoration projects, water quality monitoring, and expanding public water access with the West/Rhode Riverkeeper, now part of the Arundel Rivers Federation, for approximately four years. Through his work, he sees the damage that is left from historic land use decisions and the need to preserve the natural resources that remain. Joe is an avid hunter, angler, sailor and general outdoor adventurer who enjoys being outdoors all year round. He holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from Towson University, and currently lives in Crownsville with his wife near the Little Round Bay area of the Severn River.
Board Members
Suhani Chitalia
Current Term: June 2025- June 2027
Suhani is a policy advocate with the Environmental Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., where she focuses on advancing federal legislation related to energy transition, chemical regulation, and public health. She works closely with scientists, economists, policy experts, and grassroots organizations to shape thoughtful, evidence-based solutions that address climate change and promote a healthier environment.
Suhani brings a decade of experience in environmental law and policy, having previously worked with an electronics manufacturing trade association, a state-level lobbying firm, and as a staff attorney with the University of Maryland School of Law’s Environmental Law Clinic. She has a deep interest in the intersection of zoning, environmental equity, and justice, and is a strong advocate for every community’s right to a healthy, sustainable environment.
A lifelong Marylander, Suhani has now lived in Baltimore City for nearly a decade and is incredibly proud to call it her home. Her connection to Maryland’s natural resources began in high school during a formative field trip to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Karen E. Noonan Center, where she witnessed firsthand the ecological and community value of preserving the Bay. That experience helped shape her enduring commitment to conservation and land use.
Suhani holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking in the harbor, exploring Baltimore’s neighborhoods, discovering new coffee shops, and spending time with her fiancé, two dogs, and close family.
John Elstner, MBA
Current Term: June 2024-June 2026
John is an entrepreneurial leader and small business value advisor who has contributed strategic and operational leadership to many growth-oriented businesses and non-profit organizations including Chesapeake Regional Tech Council, Chesapeake Innovation Center, Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center, and the National Association of Environmental Professionals.
A trained hydrogeologist, John has fifteen years of experience in the environmental consulting industry developing environmental compliance and site remediation solutions for government and corporate clients. A Pittsburgh native, John migrated to the
Chesapeake Bay in 1988 as a young environmental scientist and is grateful for the opportunity to have lived in nine different waterfront properties on both sides of the Mid-Chesapeake estuary.
Jenny Janis
Current Term: June 2025-June 2027
Jenny is a registered landscape architect and dedicated community leader with more than a decade of experience in sustainable design, urban planning, and environmental stewardship. Throughout her career, Jenny has led complex planning and design projects that integrate green infrastructure, habitat conservation, and stormwater innovation. In her current role with Messick and Associates, she partners with public and private clients to create landscapes that balance functionality, code requirements, sustainability, and community benefit.
Her professional background includes senior roles with leading design and engineering firms, where she contributed to major campus, park, and community projects—including stormwater reuse strategies, watershed-based planning, and multi-block urban developments. Jenny is also an experienced educator, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses on professional practice, green infrastructure, and urban resilience at the University of Maryland and the University of Texas at Austin.
Jenny holds a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health Science from the University of Georgia. She is a SITES Accredited Professional and an active advocate for sustainable development practices.
Amelia Matthews
Current Term: June 2024-June 2026
Amelia is a Transactions Specialist with The Conservation Fund. She joined The Conservation Fund in 2007 and assists in acquiring lands across the United States for open space, farmland protection, working forests, wildlife protection, recreation areas, and cultural conservation.
Amelia graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Amelia is a member of the Maryland Bar, a sustainer with the Junior League of Annapolis, and a Board Member of the Greater Annapolis Ballet. She lives in Annapolis with her husband Steven and their 4-year-old daughter Hendley Rose.
Dan Murphy
Current Term: June 2025-June 2027
Dan Murphy recently retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chesapeake Bay Field Office, where he served as Chief of the Division of Habitat Restoration and Conservation. During his 40-year career, Dan worked with colleagues and partners to protect over 20,000 acres of Chesapeake Bay forests, fields, and wetlands. He also led an effort that culminated in the establishment of the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge.
In 2024, Dan received the Department of the Interior’s Meritorious Service Award for his accomplishments in fish and wildlife habitat conservation. He lives in Annapolis with his wife Cindy and daughter Erin, and enjoys hiking, cycling, playing guitar, and travelling with his family.
Lily Openshaw, PE, MS, PMP
Current Term: June 2025-June 2027
Lily is a registered professional civil engineer with a BSCE (high honors) from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. She served 3 tours as a Naval Officer in the elite Civil Engineer Corps, receiving numerous awards including two Navy Commendation Medals and the Navy Achievement Medal. During her tour as Public Works Director, Naval Air Facility Washington D. C., the Department was awarded “Best of Type” by the Naval Reserve Inspector General. She also was appointed Acting Director of the first hazardous waste investigation and remediation unit in the Navy, NACIP, at the ground-breaking Naval Energy and Environmental Support Activity (NEESA). After her military service, she worked for several engineering consulting firms, and, for a time, worked part-time for the City of Annapolis as an engineering project manager while her children were young. Projects of note for the City included Restoration of the Southgate Memorial Fountain, Restoration of Historic Hanover Street, and construction of Little Gott’s Court, the City’s first green infrastructure parking facility. These projects received several heritage awards from Four Rivers Heritage Society and honorable citations from the State Legislature. In 2015, her Little Gott’s Court project won the Best Urban Stormwater Management project in an Ultra Urban environment from the Chesapeake Water Environment Association.
Since 2012, she has been President of Chesapeake Blue and Green, an engineering services firm with a concentration in civil and environmental infrastructure projects. She recently completed the Annapolis Design/Build project for the new $30 million Water Treatment Plant, the largest construction project ever undertaken by the City of Annapolis. The Water Treatment Plant recently won a 2019 Leadership Award from the state US Green Building Council and received an international LEED Silver certification, one of the first municipal projects in Maryland to receive that award.
Lily serves on the boards of the national Public Works Experience, the Bay Ridge Civic Association and the Four Rivers Heritage Association. Previously she served as Chairman of the Board of Leadership Anne Arundel, President of the St. Mary’s Pastoral Council, Chairman of the Board of Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, and President of the Founding Board of the Chesapeake Children’s Museum. For her community volunteer work, she was chosen as one of the Capital Women of the Year in 2012, a YWCA TWIN Awardee in ’07, and was selected for Leadership Anne Arundel Flagship in ’05 and the LAA Executive Leadership in ‘13.
Lily and her husband have four children, and in her free time, she enjoys her book club (of 28 yrs.) and is an avid USTA league tennis player.
Sara Ramotnik
Current Term: June 2025-June 2027
Sara Ramotnik works at the Choose Clean Water Coalition, where she manages member relations in order to advance the Coalition’s policy priorities. She works with conservation organizations from all over the Chesapeake Bay watershed to bolster their efforts in campaigning for clean water. She believes that through strong collective action and accountability, we can make policy changes that are crucial for protecting the landscape and waters that surround us.
From a young age, Sara knew she wanted to dedicate her career to conserving and restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. She is deeply committed to safeguarding our natural resources while also working to expand public access opportunities across the watershed. Sara previously worked at Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, where she led their policy work. Sara earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy with a specialty in economics from the University of Maryland. She currently lives in Annapolis, MD where she enjoys exploring the Chesapeake with her dog Hobie.
Paul Zanecki
Current Term: June 2024-June 2026
Mr. Zanecki is a Maryland attorney, counselor, and advisor, with some 40 plus years of experience, to both environmental and development firms, having significant experience in land use law, growth management controls, environmental law, community planning, property acquisition, land entitlements, property rights, public takings rights and litigation, and related areas. He currently manages land acquisition programs for stream and wetland mitigation rights and easements. He assists in developing strategies for ecological asset development (full delivery project acquisition and development) stemming from EPA Clean Water mandates, and compensatory 404 mitigation, including stream restoration, wetland mitigation, and state and county MS-4 and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) compliance rules.
He has had significant experience with the NEPA Act, Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Act, federal and state wetlands laws, and similar state and federal programs, as well as an extensive background in negotiating agreements with the Interior Department, National Park Service, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Capital Planning Commission, and Congressional Committees. His service to the community also includes serving as speaker and moderator for various Washington symposiums focused on charting the course for future growth and development in the area, as well as a guest lecturer, panelist, and faculty member at numerous forums on the environment, renewable energy and growth management (Smart Growth), land use and planning. In addition to his various speaking engagements, Mr. Zanecki is the author of “Planning and Zoning” in the published book titled Real Estate Practice in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, and an author of the Smart Growth section of MICPEL’s publication on “State and Local Government” Law, amongst other publications.
