What is Sustainability?

Jenn Lucas - Chair

A member of Sustainable Maple Shade and the Maple Shade Green Team for more than 10 years, Jenn Lucas is sharing her knowledge and experience with a new team dedicated to making Maple Shade a more eco-friendly town.
As the former editor of the Maple Shade Progress, she was brought on board as the media representative and has blossomed into an eco-warrior. She was instrumental in making the Green Fair an annual event. Thanks to her efforts, projects such as the Costume Swap, the Prescription Drug Drop Off Box, Shredding Day, Town Clean Ups, and the Community Garden have become part of the make-up of the town.
After putting away her pen and notebook when the Progress closed down, she became a stay at home mom, avid gardener and cat lover, volunteering with cat rescue, New Pawsabilites of New Jersey.
Look for her around town or on social media talking about gardening, composting, recycling, animals and other ‘green’ topics. She also gets a good amount of help from her eco-avengers, Lukas, Eloise, Alex and Patrick, a group of kids who help keep her garden green, street trash free and her storm drain clean.
 

         Lynne Carsillo

Lynne Carsillo is a Mom of one who moved to Maple Shade in 2014 with her Husband. She joined Sustainable Maple Shade in 2022 because she wants to do her part to help make Maple Shade more resilient for future generations. Her personal motto is “Lead with Action” and she is hoping to inspire more cooperation and communication across all of Maple Shade’s moving parts for the betterment of our community. She is also currently serving on the newly formed Business and Economic Development Commission.

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Peg Weber

 

Peg Weber has lived in Watergate for 7 years.  She has worked as a social worker, in medical device and healthcare and currently works part time as an educational assistant in area schools. She joined SMS initially to help secure a community garden but has become interested in recycling and many of the initiatives SMS is involved with.  She is glad to be part of a very talented and committed group. 

Heather Talarico - Chair

Heather Talarico is a mom of two who moved to Maple Shade in 1999.  She was one of the original founders of Sustainable Maple Shade in 2013 and helped grow this volunteer group to what it is today.  Heather has volunteered in Maple Shade since she moved here in many different aspects from being a part of the PTA, member of various sports organizations, Land Use Boards, Democratic committees to running for a council chair.  She gives 100% to this town all the time and hopes her efforts make this a better place to live for all.

Carl Christianson

 

Carl is a native of Philadelphia who moved to Cinnaminson in 1971. After receiving a B.S. from Rutgers, and an M.S. from University of Maryland in Wildlife Management, he moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1981 where he held a variety of jobs for a variety of state and Federal agencies in wildlife and fisheries management. He was hired by the Army Corps of Engineers in Walla Walla, Washington in 1986 where he spent the bulk of his career as a fish and wildlife biologist, environmental specialist, and project manager, retiring in 2015. He returned to New Jersey in 2017. Shortly thereafter he joined the Maple Shade Green Team taking the lead on several actions. Carl is married with two grown children, 5 grandchildren, tends a rather large vegetable garden, and works part-time at the Rancocas Nature Center as a teacher-naturalist.

Melissa Robert

 

Melissa Robert is an empty nester who has lived in Maple Shade for over 15 years. Committed to volunteer work, she decided to join Sustainable Maple Shade in 2022.  She became involved to empower others and raise awareness about the importance of "going green," in order to reduce the environmental impacts and improve the quality of life in the community. With a passion for building a better future for our children, Melissa is dedicated to helping her community become more sustainable.