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Ariel View of Wharton State Forest

Ariel View of Wharton State Forest

New Year, New Leadership at the Pinelands Preservation Alliance

Twenty-one years ago, the Pinelands gained a lifelong advocate named Jaclyn Rhoads. For those of you who do not know Jaclyn, our new Executive Director at the Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA), then let us introduce you!

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Jaclyn, Rob Ferber, and Cory Booker in 2018

Jaclyn began her career at PPA after earning a Ph.D. in Environmental Policy and served first as our Policy Director, then for the last 10 years as Assistant Executive Director. She knows Pinelands protection issues inside out and continues to develop creative solutions to advocate for this very special place. Jaclyn’s calm, even-keeled demeanor and ability to articulate complex topics have made her an inspiring leader who has earned the confidence of our colleagues, partners, politicians, government officials, and our members and supporters. We are thrilled to welcome Jaclyn into this new role and have full faith that she will continue to protect the Pinelands and guide our team to uphold the same standards.

Carleton Montgomery
Carleton Montgomery, Director of Strategic Initiatives

Our previous Executive Director, Carleton Montgomery, passed the torch to Jaclyn at the beginning of this year. Carleton isn’t retiring yet, though; he still has projects that he wants to support and much wisdom and experience to share from his twenty-six years as ED. His new role is Director of Strategic Initiatives, and he will focus on specific policy issues, on our work to make natural places accessible for all people, on advancing scientific research in the Pinelands, and on promoting more environmentally sustainable and healthy farming and food systems. We thank him for his dedication and admire his innovative approaches that have helped the Alliance to grow into what it is today.

Rob Ferber, Chief Operating Officer

We have other changes in our leadership! We welcome Rob Ferber as our Chief Operating Officer. Rob has over 30 years of experience in agriculture, outdoor recreation, and education. He first arrived at the Pinelands Preservation Alliance in 2014 when he was selected as the first Director of Pinelands Adventures. He spent seven years building Adventures into a robust enterprise reaching thousands of participants. Rob went on to serve as New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s Regional Manager for the Delaware Bay Watershed. We are excited to have him back on our team, overseeing the essential operational functions and enterprises within PPA.

Michael W. Klein, JD, Ph.D. Director of Government Relations

Michael W. Klein, JD, Ph.D. joined our team as the Director of Government Relations. He started his career working for New Jersey Governor Tom Kean and, after getting a law degree, served as legislative director to then-Assemblyman Leonard Lance. Michael was appointed as an assistant counsel to Governor Christine Todd Whitman and then worked in Treasury and Community Affairs. Michael later led the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University and much more. Michael focuses on PPA’s relationships with the governor’s office, the New Jersey legislature, and New Jersey’s congressional delegation. You can find him tracking legislation, attending committee hearings in Trenton, and coordinating with PPA’s staff and allies on amendments to legislation, comments on proposed regulations, and appointments to the key agencies affecting the Pinelands.

Jennifer Krumins, Ph.D. Science Director

Last, but certainly not least we had Jennifer Krumins, Ph.D. join as our Science Director! Jennifer’s scientific career has centered on soil ecology and how plant and soil interactions change under the influence of anthropogenic disturbance. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her doctorate from Rutgers University in Ecology and Evolution. After completing her Ph.D., she went on to a National Science Foundation-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology in Europe. Since that time, she has taught classes, mentored students, and led a productive research agenda as a professor at Montclair State University. Jennifer is focused on developing research initiatives and providing scientific expertise to support PPA’s policy work.

So, as you can see, there is a lot of change happening at Pinelands Preservation Alliance, and it is all so that we can continue to be the leading voice for preserving the natural and cultural resources of the New Jersey Pinelands through advocacy, constituency building, low-impact recreation, land conservation, public lands stewardship, and promoting sustainable farming. A big congratulations to our new leadership team. Click here to visit our staff and trustee page to learn more about all our staff and contact them.

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