Our Staff
Marci Mowery | President
A former high school educator, Marci entered the conservation arena 25 years ago, and has served as the President of the Foundation since 2005. Her passion is to connect people to the outdoors. When not working, Marci enjoys hiking, biking, paddling, reading, cooking, wine tasting and spending time with her family.
Margarita Caicedo | Ambassador
Margarita first learned about PPFF during one of her regular visits to Nolde Forest. In the spring of 2021, she joined the staff as the Foundation’s first Ambassador. A longtime resident of Reading who originates from Colombia, Margarita is a Bilingual ESL Program Coordinator at Reading Area Community College (RACC). In her role as Ambassador, she works closely with Hispanic park visitors in developing outdoor skills and utilizing Leave No Trace principles. She also works alongside park staff assisting to create welcoming environments throughout the parks and forests in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Email Margarita
Tasha Ferris | Public Engagement Coordinator
Tasha is PPFF’s Public Engagement Coordinator in the Camp Hill office. She loves to kayak – even bought a second boat so friends can’t say things like, “Well, I’d love to go but I don’t have a kayak.” With years of graphic design and project management experience, Tasha will use her skills to communicate PPFF’s mission and inspire others to take up the challenge of stewarding PA’s state parks and forests.
Bernadette Howard | Bookkeeper
Bernadette comes to us from years of property management and has tons of experience with bookkeeping and accounting. She loves to spend time in the outdoors walking and says “Ricketts Glen is one of my favorite spots for waterfalls. My best vacation ever was in Alaska when there was still snow everywhere. I am a lifelong camper and have passed that love down to my three children that now take their families. I love to garden, and really enjoy cooking, baking and, of course, eating!!”
Nina Kralick | Office & Online Retail Facilitator
My love of nature began years ago, when I ran cross-country through Pennsylvania coal country back in high school. Later, I was a cyclist, criss-crossing the Commonwealth a little faster than when I was a runner. These days, the outdoors, and the park system in particular, feed my artist’s soul and you can often find me, watercolors in hand, putting the natural world around me down on paper. From waterfalls, streams, and lakes to soaring forests, quiet trails, and rocky outcrops, the diversity we have here in Pennsylvania is unmatched. I wanted to work at PPFF to help promote and preserve the beauty I have always benefited from, for the next generation, and the ones after that as well. We need to be faithful stewards and protectors of our precious natural resources, and I invite everyone to join in their own way.
Pam Metzger | Membership Coordinator
Pam came to the nonprofit world in a roundabout way, having worked for 25 years in the legal field. Now she’s overjoyed with the freedom of a “no pantyhose job.” Getting out to the parks and forests, working with the Friends groups, and writing her weekly “Take Five/Fridays with Pam” eblast are the best parts of her day. Pam lives near her beloved Great Allegheny Passage trail. She enjoys biking on the trail, travel and planning to travel, and good books.
Phoebe | Office Dog
The youngest member of the staff, Phoebe, is a quick learner and we have no doubt that before too long she’ll be writing for the newsletter, managing donations, and mailing passports – making all of the rest of us quite redundant. In the meantime, when she isn’t out in the field exploring, she is diligently protecting PPFF staff by tearing the stuffing out of rogue stuffed office sharks.
Isabella (Izzy) | Office Dog (2009-2022)
The office dog, Izzy greeted visitors and reminded us not to take life too seriously. She was an avid hiker and swimmer, and enjoyed long walks and tummy rubs. She visited many state parks and forests with her humans.
We miss her terribly.