The American Chestnut Foundation National Office
160 Zillicoa Street, Suite D
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 281-0047
Fax: (828) 253-5373
chestnut@acf.org
Bryan Burhans, President & CEO
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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.
Paul Franklin, Director of Communications
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In addition to being TACF's new Director of Communications, Paul has been a professional photographer and writer for over twenty years. His work has appeared in numerous national magazines including Yankee, Woman's World, WoodenBoat, Harrowsmith, Vista USA and others. He has photographed, authored or co-authored sixteen travel guide books, including the DK Top 10 Guide to San Antonio and The Top 10 Guide to Mexico City. He has also contributed to several recent large-format travel anthologies, including National Geographic's 500 Journeys of a Lifetime. Paul’s most recent project was to both write and photograph the DK Guide to Washington DC for the Family. Paul is looking forward to using his communication skills to tell the story of the American chestnut to audiences around North American and worldwide.
Lisa Sousa, Director of Grants & Agreements
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Lisa Sousa joined the staff of The American Chestnut Foundation in March 2011 as Director of Grants & Agreements. Lisa is a successful grant writer with more than 13 years of experience working for nonprofit organizations from coast to coast. Before joining TACF, Lisa honed her grant writing skills working as Development Director for Young Chicago Authors and as a grant writer for Girls on the Run of WNC and Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. In addition to her expertise in nonprofit administration, Lisa also has a background in community media including video production and freelance writing. She is a native of Cape Cod, MA, but has spent most of her life in San Francisco, CA with a brief stint in Chicago, IL. Lisa now lives in Asheville, NC next door to a small American chestnut planting of the Carolinas Chapter of TACF.
Mila Kirkland, Communications Specialist
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Mila graduated from Erskine College with a BS in Biology in 2006 and has held numerous positions with TACF since returning from the Peace Corps in March of 2009. As a Peace Corps volunteer, she served the northwestern Paraguayan community of Ka’aguy Kupe as an Agroforestry Extensionist. She began working for TACF as a farm hand at the Meadowview Research Farms and later became a Meadowview research technician. She also participated in the formation of the Southwest Virginia Restoration Branch. Mila began working in the TACF National Office in Asheville, NC in January 2011 as an Office Assistant and now works as Communications Specialist. Mila lives in Black Mountain with her husband Taylor and her dog Creek.
Judy Antaramian, Membership Coordinator
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.