Since 1999, Richard has served as the President of the Biophilia Foundation. From 1993 to 2002, Richard raised funds and helped to manage many wildlife habitat restoration and conservation projects while working for Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage. Also during this time, through a demonstration project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Richard substantially initiated the Maryland Department of Environment’s Water Quality Linked-Deposit Loan Program. He was also appointed by the Governor to the Maryland Wetlands Restoration Steering Committee; the committee was charged with guiding the State’s efforts to restore 60,000 acres of wetlands. In 2002 and 2003, he was a Project Manager for the Trust for Public Land. Since 2004 he has been the full time President of the Biophilia Foundation.
Richard holds a M.S. degree in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University, and a B.S. in Engineering from Vanderbilt University. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Sustainability Education from Prescott College. Richard also serves on the Board of Directors of the University of Maryland's Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, and is the Vice Chair of the Defenders of Wildlife Board of Directors. Richard is a former Board Member of the Ploughshares Fund, and a former member and a past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Shipboard Education, which operates the Semester at Sea program in academic partnership with the University of Virginia.
John E. (Ned) Gerber
Wildlife Habitat Ecologist/Director
Email: nedgerber@verizon.net
Ned received his B.S. in Biology from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and an Sc.M. in Ecology from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. His Master's thesis is entitled "Lead Poisoning and Wintering Ecology of the Black Duck in Chesapeake Bay.” Gerber specializes in habitat creation for both wetland and upland wildlife. He particularly enjoys turning cropland into wetlands of various types to provide habitat for a diversity of critters including shorebirds, warblers, fox squirrels, bobwhite quail, dragonflies, amphibians, and wild waterfowl. He notes that building new habitat is important and that maintaining that habitat in good condition for wildlife is equally as valuable. Ned enjoys gardening, bee/butterfly/bird watching, bird hunting (ruffed grouse and waterfowl), fishing, and dog training/spoiling in his spare time.
Chris coordinates Biophilia’s grants program and assists with the habitat conservation program. As a staff member of Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage since 1998, he has many years of project management and development work. He has additional experience including habitat protection in partnership with landowners, drafting conservation easements and analyzing land conservation transactions. He was previously the Outdoor Education Coordinator at Pickering Creek Audubon Center. Mr. Pupke graduated from Drew University in Madison, NJ. He currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for Queen Anne’s Conservation Association, is a member of the Board of Trustees of Camp Wright, and is active in his local parish.
Manuel Jauregui
Ranch Manager
Manuel has worked at Pritzlaff Ranch for over twenty five years. In this capacity he has gained extensive first hand knowledge of its forest, pasture, riparian, and stream ecosystems. Manuel is responsible for the day-to-day planning, logistics, mechanical and human labor needed to accomplish ecosystem restoration and ongoing management of Pritzlaff Ranch lands. He is assisted in this work by Tony Lucero, Ranch Hand, and local seasonal contract labor.
Melissa Gerber has been a landscape designer for over 20 years and in that time has developed a strong interest in the benefits of horticultural therapy, employing the use of plants and a focus on nature to support the well-being of participants. Studies have shown that interacting with the natural world helps to alleviate depression and anxiety, while promoting a more positive outlook on the future.
In the past 10 years, with the help of local community grants and the Biophilia Foundation, Melissa has had the opportunity to work with at-risk children, learning disabled students, disadvantaged adults, substance abusers, and seniors. Her “Nature's Lessons” program is solely funded by the Biophilia Foundation.
She holds a B.S. in Sociology from Washington College in Chestertown, MD and has studied horticulture and landscape design at Anne Arundel Community College and George Washington University.
Officers and Directors
Richard Pritzlaff, President
John Edward “Ned” Gerber, Treasurer
Christopher Pupke
