Staff

Alphabetical List

Jeff Rumpf, Executive Director
845-265-8080 x7121Jeff Rumpf took the helm as the executive director of Clearwater in 2007 and has evolved the organization in multiple ways, including relocating the its offices to Beacon, NY, and establishing an endowment, effectively positioning Hudson River Sloop Clearwater as a leading Hudson Valley non-profit, working to create a new generation of environmental leaders while preserving and protecting the Hudson River.

Growing up in Nyack, NY, Jeff looked to Pete Seeger, as a mentor and inspiration. In his role at Clearwater, Jeff continues to work closely with Mr. Seeger on issues of social and environmental justice. In 2009 Clearwater celebrated Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday on a grand scale with The Clearwater Concert: Creating the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders, a benefit concert held at Madison Square Garden. Under Jeff’s leadership, the concert was a monumental success, raising essential funds to benefit Clearwater’s educational and youth empowerment programs.

With over 20 years of experience in the outdoor education and youth development fields, Jeff has served as Executive Director for several award-winning initiatives, including the development of the Community YMCA branch in Somers, NY and founding YMCA Camp Combe in Putnam Valley, NY. Jeff also ran “Little Heroes” Camp programs for the children of 9/11 that included an organic farm and adventure camp that was featured on the Learning Channel. In 2010-11, Clearwater worked with the Obama Administration to provide a national youth green leadership and environmental education model as part of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. Clearwater was selected for its strong connection to youth and work to build and strengthen green initiatives for a green economy, creating a more inclusive and diverse environmental movement.

Jeff serves on Our Hudson Tomorrow task force and as a board member for the Hudson River Estuary. Recently, he served as a leader in the Hudson River’s 2009 Quadricentennial Celebration.

He received his BS degree in environmental science from S.U.N.Y. Purchase, and his MS.ED degree in environmental education from the University of Northern Illinois. Jeff, his wife Laurie and their three boys, Walker, Wilder, and Wyatt love the Hudson Valley and are passionate about the Clearwater mission and its wonderful people!

Amy Bonder, Office Manager
845-265-8080 x7100Amy came to Clearwater in the fall of 1996 after graduating with a Bachelor degree in English from Trinity College in Burlington VT. After 6 years of Vermont life, she wandered south to the Hudson Valley. She started here as Development Assistant and after a few years became Office Manager. When not at her desk in the main office, you can probably find her skiing in Sugarbush VT, camping on Lake George, paddling on Saranac Lake, or working on her house and building bonfires with her husband Scott and cat Doogan.

Roger D’Aquino, Financial Director
845-265-8080 x7123Roger came to Clearwater in September of 2007 after spending most of his career in the corporate and educational worlds of employment. He is very happy to be aboard the sloop after swimming the Hudson the last two summers. He is also happy to include both worlds of accounting and music into one great job, and looks forward to keeping the mission of Clearwater going strong for the next generation of environmentalists.

Heidi Thorn, Administrative Assistant
845-265-8080 x7101A native of Beacon, Heidi left to see the world and returned many years ago to plant roots with her partner. She is thrilled with all the positive changes in the community including the relocation of the Clearwater offices to the foot of beautiful Mt. Beacon. In addition to being a paralegal, she has a degree in Exercise Science & Wellness. Heidi came to Clearwater in August 2010 bringing a diverse background in the private sector including administrative support to an engineering firm, a hospital wellness center, a law office, a marketing company and an appraisal service. She is excited about supporting the environmental mission and her true passion – the great outdoors. She can usually be spotted walking her yellow lab Belle around Beacon.

Nick Rogers, Captain
845-265-8080 x7103Captain Nick Rogers returned to Clearwater as relief Captain in October of 2007 and full Captain in January of 2008. During his previous stints on Clearwater, he worked as 2nd Mate during the 2005 season, and as Engineer & Bosun before that. Nick received 2 degrees from the University of Rochester in physics and applied mathematics. He has experience working with youth as an Environmental Educator and Trail Crew Leader with the Student Conservation Association and as an Educator with a YMCA camp in New England.

Jesse Loge, Captain
845-265-8080 x7163Captain Jesse Loge has been sailing historic vessels since 2001. His career, starting in the Pacific Northwest, has spanned both coasts, as well as the Great Lakes before finding himself on the Hudson River. Jesse is an avid reader, musical enthusiast, and historian. He thoroughly enjoys the opportunity presented to him aboard the Clearwater to reach students, and spread the message of environmental stewardship.

Heidi Kitlas, Development Director
845-265-8080 x7118Heidi received her B.S. degree from Boston University where she studied Communications and Economics. She grew up in northern New Jersey and has always loved the outdoors. She lived in Boston and San Francisco before moving to NYC where she most recently worked for The Trust for Public Land. For over six years she raised funds to support land conservation efforts throughout the Mid-Atlantic states. With a particular focus on NYC, she worked on two successful fundraising campaigns for a citywide community park/playground initiative serving under-resourced neighborhoods.

Heidi’s dream of living along the Hudson River became a reality when she and her husband moved to Beacon in 2009. Heidi enjoys running, hiking, gardening, and the peace that living pocketed between the mountains and the river provides.

Excited to continue her work with environmental organizations, Heidi joined Clearwater in the spring of 2010 as part of the development team. She will help build and steward the fundraising efforts for the organization’s education and environmental actions programs, restoration of the sloop, support of the endowment, and planned giving. Please contact Heidi if you would like to learn more about supporting Clearwater’s efforts to inspire, educate, and activate the next generation of environmental leaders.

Ann Mellor, Development Associate
845-265-8080 x7119Ann Mellor started working at Clearwater as Development Assistant / Membership Associate in April 2009. Previously, Ann served as Membership Associate / Administrative Assistant at the Hastings Center in Garrison, NY for 7 years. She is married and lives in Beacon, NY with her husband Michael Mellor. They came to the Hudson Valley in 1984 from Rochester, NY. Ann and her husband raised their two wonderful daughters in Beacon; one daughter, Mary Joe, is married and serves in the U.S. Navy, and the other daughter, Christine, served in the Air Force and is now married to an Airmen and lives in Virginia. In her free time, Ann loves to cook, read, travel, listen to music and watch movies.

Eileen Newman, Grants and Major Gifts Coordinator
845-265-8080 x7160Eileen graduated from Binghamton University with a B.A. in Political Science. She grew up in the Hudson Valley and spent most of her childhood in trees, bushes and the ocean. She joined Clearwater in April 2009, and two-years later, she’s here still, making friends and connecting new people to Clearwater, in the hopes that it brings them as much joy and inspiration as it has her. When not connecting folks, Eileen can usually be found completing vast amounts of research, writing grants to cover the extensive cost of getting kids involved with their environment, and giving her honest opinion on a vast variety of topics (whether asked for it or not).

In her spare time, Eileen loves playing rugby, cooking, analyzing a good article on sound development practices in Africa, and traveling around the world to meet passionate, pragmatic and purpose-filled people. Eileen would be happy to chat with you about what you can do to help Clearwater activate the next generation- every hand counts!

Linda Richards, Events Coordinator/Power of Song
845-265-8080 x7105Linda Richards – rarely seen without a guitar in her hand or a song coming out of her mouth – has been involved with Clearwater in one way or another since the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Yes, it’s true. First a Sloop Singer, then rising through the ranks from contract educator to Education Director, she cast off 3 years ago to return to public school (having been a classroom teacher for almost a decade), only to realize that The Power of Song is her best gift to her students and Clearwater is the best school. So, she’s back. And she’s singing!

Julia Church, Communications Manager
845-265-8080 x7112Julia joined Clearwater in the summer of 2010, bringing 15 years of non-profit experience that includes four years as Communications Director with National Maritime Historical Society and 11 years with Green Hill Center for NC Art . She has served on community festival organizing committees, granting committees, and as a consultant for curatorial projects. Julia received her BFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has a certificate in web development from Guilford College. In 2005, Julia and her husband moved to the Hudson Valley from Toronto, Ontario. They enjoy getting outside, paddling, primitive camping and hiking, and are delighted to call the Hudson River Valley home.

Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Action Director
845-265-8080 x7113Manna Jo Greene, Clearwater’s Environmental Action Director since 2000, was formerly the Recycling Coordinator/Educator for the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency for more than 10 years and a registered Critical Care Nurse for 22 years. She holds an AAS in Nursing, a BA in biology (pre-med) from SUNY/New Paltz, and completed course work toward a Masters in Environmental Sciences at Bard College. A lifelong environmental professional and community activist, Manna avidly supports collaborative land use planning and problem solving. Working to promote sustainable agriculture and green building and landscaping practices, she teaches communities how to integrate environmental preservation, economic prosperity (based on quality of life indicators), and social equity using effective communication. Manna also serves as Councilwoman on the Rosendale Town Board.

Victor-Pierre Melendez, MSc, Director of the Green Cities Initiative RCWC & Kingston Green Infrastructure, Community Project Leader
845-265-8080 x7144Victor Pierre Melendez has lived in the Hudson Valley since 2002. He received his B.S. in Environmental Science & Marine Biology from the University of Tampa, FL and his Master’s in Environmental Policy from the Bard Center for Environmental Policy at Bard College. Having worked for Scenic Hudson as a Community Outreach Coordinator in the Ulster, Westchester and Columbia County areas, Victor has worked to educate communities about the importance of applying sound waterfront principles in newly proposed developments. Victor has sat on the Diversity Committee for the New York State Outreach Education Association and served as an Executive Board Member for Sustainable Hudson Valley. As an entrepreneur, he managed a café and art gallery that hosted many awareness events for the communities of Kingston’s Waterfront district.

Currently employed with Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc., Victor is the Director of the Green Cities Initiative and continues to act as Coordinator for the Rondout Creek Watershed Council, and Project Leader for Green Stormwater Infrastructure in the City of Kingston. Victor is the inspiring the next generation of environmental leader by working to create a framework that assists communities of the Hudson River Valley in applying sustainable principles and improve the quality of life on all levels through municipal planning, community development and education.

Karla Raimundi, Esq., Environmental Justice Associate
845-265-8080 x7159Karla was born and raised in Puerto Rico where she completed a Juris Doctor at the State University. In 2006, already a licensed attorney in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Karla and her husband moved to New York. Once in New York she decided to go back to school to pursue a career in the environmental field. As a postgraduate student of the prestigious Environmental Law LLM program at Pace University Law School she fell in love with everything environmental. It is after having completed two masters in law at Pace that she realized that she wanted to work helping people change the way in which they relate to their environment and inspire them to take upon themselves the leadership necessary to bring about the environmental change we so much desire and are in need of. It is this commitment that so enthusiastically brings her to Clearwater.

Karla has always loved the outdoors. In Puerto Rico it was the beaches, biking in El Morro and occasional hikes in El Yunque Rainforest. In the states it is all about skiing during winter (if there is snow in May within driving distance you will see her there too) and hiking, rollerblading, biking and thinking about skiing during the rest of the year.

Ryan Palmer, Green Cities Project Coordinator
845-265-8080 x7114Ryan Palmer is a Beacon native who first joined the Clearwater team in 2004 as an Environmental Associate, where he spent 3 years developing our early watershed protection initiatives as the original coordinator of the Hudson River Watershed Alliance and the Fall Kill Watershed Committee. He holds BS in Environmental Science and Wildlife Biology from the University of Rhode Island and has training in Land Use Law, Stream Monitoring, Biodiversity Assessment, Watershed Management, and Energy Efficiency Auditing.

Ryan returned to the Clearwater team in 2011 as our first Green Cities Project Coordinator, leading our watershed protection, green infrastructure, and environmental justice projects in Poughkeepsie, and providing strategic planning and capacity building support for our regional Green Cities, Clear Waters Initiative.

In his off time Ryan has traveled around the Caribbean, US, and London playing professional high-stakes poker, rocking the bass in a country band, running a beach volleyball league, and crewing on a 1906-designed 12-metre sloop. Having recently returned to the Hudson Valley, Ryan is excited to be back and eager to create positive environmental change for this special place he calls home.

Dave Conover, Education Director
845-265-8080 x7104Dave Conover first joined Clearwater in 1991 as an onboard educator and has worked off and on for the organization in various roles, including Navigator editor, grant officer and even storyteller at the Clearwater Festival. He received a BS in forest biology from SUNY ESF and an MS in environmental studies with a teaching certification from Antioch University New England. Dave has experience working on American shad research in the Connecticut River, water treatment for the NYC DEP, and environmental education at the Ashokan Center. He has also traveled to Russia and Syria as part of citizen exchange programs and visited Greenland as part of a climate change awareness project. Dave is currently an adjuct instructor for Marist College, teaching environmental issues. Dave returned to Clearwater in 2007 as education director after serving as a high school teacher for the Dutchess Academy of Environmental Studies.

Maija Niemistö, Director of Shipboard Programs
845-265-8080 x7115Maija was born to a family of musicians in the heartland, far from the sea. Minnesota was her first hailing port. School, university and adventures took her to Finland, Wisconsin and Lebanon. She followed the smell of sweet salt air and ran away to see the sea aboard her 28-foot sloop. Clearwater appeared on the horizon and she jumped at the chance to combine her interests in music, sailing, teaching, water ecology, environmental advocacy and pumping the bilge.

Nina Sander, Outreach Educator
845-265-8080 x7117Clearwater’s new outreach educator is Nina Sander. Nina is a graduate of Vassar College and is a M.A. candidate in Environmental Conservation Education at NYU. She has extensive teaching experience both in the classroom and onboard boats, having worked with Living Classrooms Foundation (Lady Maryland) and Ocean Classroom Foundation (Harvey Gamage). Nina has also served as a volunteer program assistant with Rocking the Boat. She is thrilled to be part of the Clearwater education team!

Eli Schloss, Tideline Discovery Director
845-265-8080 x7106Eli was born at a very young age to a female mother in the fair state of Indiana. Schooled and corn-fed he departed for the big city only to fall in with the wrong crowd. They hung out by the dock, tying knots and climbing things using unseemly or archaic language. They would yell at kids things like “haul away” and “avast you land lubbering scuds”. Permanently fixed to their salty spirit by shared spider crabs, speaking sea robins and estuarine adventures, his fate was sealed. He roamed from the brackish in Baltimore to the salty mists of Maine. To his eternal benefit, the ravages of age (and love) brought forth a beacon from the shore. He navigated a course to the tideline for a wife and babe. Eli still has the brackish water in his veins though, and still bellows to the children a gravelly “ahoy”.

Catherine Stankowski, Sail Program Manager
845-265-8080 x7107Catherine Stankowski, Clearwater’s Sail Program Manager, is from Canada. Since settling in the United States in 2003, she has fallen in love with the Hudson Valley and has taken to extolling its beauty and virtues to anyone who’ll listen. Catherine’s professional background is in volunteer and program coordination, and she’s worked in paid and voluntary capacities with organizations dedicated to strengthening communities and improving the quality of life for all people, including Housing Works in NYC and Best Buddies- Vrais Copains Canada in Toronto. When she’s not busy being an office maven, Catherine enjoys reading poetry aloud to her daughter, who has yet to show any sign of appreciating it.

Tom O’Dowd, Onboard Education Specialist
845-265-8080 x7162Tom O’Dowd has worked for the New York State DEC, the Nature Conservancy, and the San Mateo Outdoor Education program in California. He has a BS in Environmental Studies from University of Vermont, and a MS in Natural Resources and Environment from Universtiy of Michigan. Tom enjoys a range of outdoor activities, from cross-country skiing to canoeing.

Jocelyn Bertovich, Onboard Education Specialist
845-265-8080 x7157Jocelyn Bertovich has a background in environmental science, with a BA in Environmetnal Studies and Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She loves sailing, surfing, and SCUBA. Before joining Clearwater, she was employed at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.