The American Chestnut Foundation Headquarters
160 Zillicoa Street, Suite D
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 281-0047
Fax: (828) 253-5373
chestnut@acf.org
Bryan Burhans, President & CEO
Bryan received an Associate of Science degree in Wildlife Technology and a B.S. degree in Wildlife Science from The Pennsylvania State University. Bryan received his M.S. degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from Frostburg State University working out of the University of Maryland’s Appalachian Environmental Laboratory in Frostburg, MD. He worked as a Wildlife Biologist for the Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries for 2 years and, after receiving his M.S. degree, he served as Wildlife Biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for two years. Then, in 1997, he went to work for the National Wild Turkey Federation in Edgefield, SC, as the Director of Land Management Programs working throughout the US, Canada and Mexico. Bryan has experience working with a very large chapter-based organization and has developed extensive partnerships with corporations and state and federal agency partners. Bryan is a certified wildlife biologist through The Wildlife Society.
Dennis Kimball, Staff Accountant
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Dennis joined TACF in April 2008 as Staff Accountant. Dennis holds a Bachelor of Science in Business degree, accounting major, from Columbia College and an MBA from Le Moyne College. Dennis brings over thirty years of varied accounting and systems experience to TACF, skills which will help TACF grow to another level.
Dennis is a voracious reader of nearly everything from science fiction/fantasy to classical literature and points in between. He loves the outdoors, cross country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter and bicycle riding in warmer weather. He also loves to ride his motorcycle.
Betsy Gamber, Vice President, Operations
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Before joining TACF in September 2009, Betsy worked for the Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte-North Port Realtor’s Association as their Director of Professional Development where Betsy created and established a professional educational program for the 1200+ members of the Association. She was also responsible for all fundraising and public relations activities. Prior to that, she was the Executive Director for the Bon Secours-St. Joseph Hospital Foundation in Port Charlotte, FL where she developed and implemented a comprehensive development program, which included fundraising campaigns, special events, planned giving seminars and a grantsmanship program. She was also responsible for over 400 hospital volunteers. Betsy received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from Eckerd College in Florida.
Within the community, Betsy was a volunteer board member and Vice Chairman for the Pregnancy Crisis Careline
and served on an Adaptive Playground Committee for mentally and physically challenged children.
Betsy and her husband live in Barnardsville and enjoy day trips through the mountains by motorcycle, camping and exploring Asheville.
Meghan Jordan, Director of Communications
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Meghan became TACF’s Director of Communications in 2005 and is responsible for all media and public relations efforts for TACF. She has more than 20 years of communications and events planning experience for both corporate and non-profit organizations and worked as a freelance writer prior to joining TACF. Meghan previously worked for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Washington, DC where she wrote, designed and produced a national award-winning communications portfolio for the association’s youth tour. As an events planner for Electronic Data Systems she planned meetings and special events for corporate officials and visiting members of U.S. Congress, and she wrote press releases and articles for external publications.
Meghan graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Communications. She and her family live in Asheville where she enjoys researching her family tree, biking on the Blue Ridge Parkway, reading the latest book on the New York Times bestseller list, and eating chocolate.
Sarah Spooner, Program Manager, Grants & Agreements
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Sarah joined the staff of TACF in March 2009. Sarah takes on the job of writing and managing grants and works closely with the Board of Directors; she loves to handle whatever comes her way. Sarah is originally from rural northwestern Virginia and majored in Environmental Studies with a concentration on Communication and Information from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in Syracuse, NY. Before coming to TACF, Sarah had a myriad of jobs; her adventures include working as a rock climbing instructor, a whitewater rafting guide, an intern for a large environmental consulting company and regularly selling business suits to the US Secret Service. When she isn’t working, Sarah loves to be outdoors and enjoys reading, whitewater kayaking, playing guitar and discovering all the wonders that Asheville has to offer.
Judy Antaramian, Administrative Assistant
Before Judy joined TACF in May 2010, she worked for the Collier County Tax Collectors in Marco Island, FL. Originally from Massachusetts, Judy earned her Associates in Liberal Arts at Middlesex Community College in Bedford, MA. She and her family spent 20 years in Florida before moving to Asheville.
Judy is an avid recycler and enjoys reading, hiking, photography, as well as catching a Red Sox game whenever she can. She enjoys exploring Asheville and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Judy also volunteers at RiverLink, a local non-profit helping to revitalize the French Broad River in Western North Carolina.