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Board

Meet Our Staff

Deb Nardone

Executive Director

Deborah Nardone has primary strategic and operational responsibility of carrying out ClearWater’s mission and vision. She helps lead staff, volunteers, and friends of the organization to implement that mission while setting strategic direction for the organization. She is also the lead fundraiser and represents the organization to the community at large.

Deb has 20 years of broad experience in the field of natural conservation with local, state and national organizations including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Allegheny Ridge Heritage Area, Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited, and the Sierra Club.

She was awarded the Conservation Professional of the Year Award by National Trout Unlimited in 2010 and was named one of the top 40 Pennsylvanians under the age of 40 working to protect the environment by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. Nardone earned bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Science and Political Science from Juniata College and a master’s degree in Environmental Pollution Control from Penn State University.

She resides on a small, wooded lot with her husband, Jason Little, and their son, Jonah. Together, they enjoy hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing, hunting, gardening and cooking.

Suzy Yetter

Ecologist

Suzy joined Clearwater in July 2017 as the Conservation Projects Coordinator.

Suzy develops, manages and advances conservation projects in ClearWater’s land and water resources programs in collaboration with the Habitat Stewardship Biologist and Land Conservation Manager.

As an aquatic ecologist, Suzy spent the last 20 years studying riverine benthic macroinvertebrate ecology, conducting natural resource and water quality assessments and managing research projects for Riparia at Penn State University where she earned her B.A. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science and her M.S. in Ecology.

Suzy grew up and currently lives near Lewisburg at the foot of Buffalo Mountain in Central Pennsylvania along with her husband, Rick and sons, Caleb and Ethan. Outside of work, you’ll usually find her behind her microscope, tending her garden, hiking in the woods, or splashing around in the water.

Ryan Hamilton

Land Conservation Manager

Ryan Hamilton is ClearWater's Land Conservation Manager. Ryan works with local landowners, volunteers, partner agencies, engaged businesses and stakeholders along with ClearWater staff and board to conserve ecologically important habitats in Central Pennsylvania.

Prior to joining ClearWater, Ryan practiced as an environmental, land use, and natural resources attorney in Pittsburgh representing individual property owners, nonprofits, and small businesses across the state.

He earned a JD with a Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law at Lewis and Clark Law School and he graduated with a BA in Philosophy and English from Juniata College.

Outside the office, you can most often find Ryan exploring local hiking trails with his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Elouise. He also enjoys gardening and mountain biking.

Jennifer Dombroskie

Riparian Program Manager

Jennifer Dombroskie joins ClearWater as the Riparian Program Manager. She worked previously with the Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ regulatory program in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Jennifer has seen improvements to the Chesapeake Bay firsthand while working there in flourishing SAV (submerged aquatic vegetation) beds. She also worked in the Pennsylvania Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with endangered species, primarily Indiana bat, bald eagle, and bog turtle.

Jennifer grew up in north central West Virginia riding bikes and playing in the woods. Combining her passion for animals and nature, she graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. Outside of work, you’ll find Jennifer in the garden, or hiking, biking and kayaking with her husband and daughter.

Rhonda Rumbaugh

Director of Operations

Rhonda joined Clearwater in 2017 as the Events & Volunteer Coordinator. She brings more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Her background includes event planning, marketing, strategic planning, and developing training programs.

Rhonda graduated from George Washington University and earned her MBA from Eastern University. As recent transplants to Centre County, Rhonda and her husband enjoy exploring the region’s outdoor recreational sites. Rhonda also makes time for reading, cooking, and following her creative impulses.

Danny Brumbaugh

Land Steward Assistant

Danny Brumbaugh supports the organization's land conservation and stewardship efforts as ClearWater's Land Steward Assistant.

Danny holds a degree in Biology from Lock Haven University, where he focused much of his time researching cold water fish communities. After graduating in 2019, he went on to work as a Stream Restoration Technician with Trout Unlimited and an Instrument Repair Technician with Field Environmental Instruments, Inc.

Danny is a Centre County Native and has held a lifelong passion for the great outdoors. In his spare time, he enjoys biking, hiking, kayaking, and caving. He also spends a great deal of time playing music with his project The Psychic Beat One Man Band. Catch Danny at a venue, forest, or stream near you!

Andrea Murrell

Strategic Communications Coordinator

Andrea is responsible for sharing news, events and updates about ClearWater Conservancy's many efforts to protect and restore the region's natural resources. She also assists ClearWater and its Centred Outdoors program with communications efforts to increase everyone's access to the many benefits of spending more time in nature.

Andrea holds a communications degree from Penn State University, and has over ten years' of communications, marketing and fundraising experience with Pennsylvania non-profits with audiences on the local, statewide, national and global level.

Andrea loves learning all about local forests and local foods with her husband, Chris, and two energetic and adventure-loving sons. Packing a picnic and exploring Rothrock with her family is Andrea's favorite way to spend a day.

Bridget Whyte

Adventure Coordinator

Bridget is responsible for coordinating ClearWater’s outreach and education efforts through programs like Centred Outdoors. She works to conserve natural areas and build healthy communities by connecting people to the outdoors.

Bridget graduated from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 2017, and has since worked for a variety of organizations as a guide, naturalist, and teacher.

Bridget practices what she preaches, and can often be found outdoors herself. She enjoys rock climbing and bird watching, and sometimes both at once.

Sean McConnell

Office Manager

Sean McConnell joins ClearWater Conservancy as office manager where his goal is to serve the community and local environment through the management of various aspects of the organization’s operations and outreach efforts.

Sean holds an Economics degree from Penn State University and plans to purse graduate coursework in Ecology or Ecosystem Management. He most recently held a position within the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA-DCNR) as an office administrator for Greenwood Furnace State Park, where the serene and beautiful grounds of the park and surrounding Rothrock State Forest inspired him to take a path of education and conservation.

Sean grew up in central PA and learned two staples of the region early on as a kid; how to play baseball and how to catch a trout. Now with kids of his own, he finds immense peace and beauty in nearby forests and streams while camping, kayaking, and day hiking with his family. He looks forward to supporting the protection of the inspiring natural places as part of the ClearWater team.

Maggie Anderson

Events and Volunteer Coordinator

Maggie joined ClearWater in the fall of 2021. She works with staff and volunteers to plan annual events, including Art & Chocolate and Otto’s Golf-Fest. She also coordinates incoming volunteers to help them find a place to contribute to ClearWater’s local conservation efforts.

Maggie holds a bachelor’s degree from New York University and a master’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College. She has worked locally in journalism, marketing, events, nonprofits, and local food.

A Boalsburg native, Maggie enjoys outdoor activities like hiking with her husband, Quentin, and their beagle and indoor activities like cooking and reading (both of which also happen outside from time to time).

Sandy Miller

Communications Specialist

Sandy supports the Centred Outdoors program as well as ClearWater's community outreach and events, focusing on digital communications including social media, enews, and website design.

Sandy brings more than ten years' marketing experience to ClearWater, and has held related positions at Otto’s Pub & Brewery, Tussey Mountain, and Penn State. She is highly familiar with connecting with our local community to promote events and programs.

Sandy is an avid hiker and lover of the outdoors, photography, and gardening.

Olivia Stas

Assistant Adventure Coordinator

Olivia Stas (She/Her) joined the ClearWater team in March of 2023 as the Assistant Adventure Coordinator. In this position, Olivia helps to coordinate ClearWater’s outreach and education efforts through our Centred Outdoors Program. Her work connects people to place and teaches the importance of land conservation through nature walks and wellness programming.

Olivia, originally from Southwest PA, has lived in State College since starting school at Penn State in 2014. She graduated in 2018 with her Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology. Her passion for connecting our health to the natural world has carved a unique career path where she has gained experience in environmental education, early childhood education, public programming, and outdoor recreation programming.

In her free time, she enjoys gardening, connecting with loved ones, and exploring the Earth’s beauty on foot, bike, or boat.

Bridget
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