Clean Water Conversations

Send us Fan Mail This season, we focused on education, and we had some great guests for you to listen to! Episode 41 is the season 5 finale, recorded at the Choose Clean Water Conference in downtown Lancaster!  We wrapped up the season with some fond memories, guests pulled directly from the conference, and a look into season 6.  We would especially like to thank our season 5 sponsor, RK&K , f...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features Jennifer Diaz and Sarah Kemble of Leadership Lancaster.  Sarah and Jennifer are both exceptional storytellers who make us laugh, think, and become inspired to take our next steps.  It's a fun and insightful discussion on leadership, collaboration, and connection.  We also hear from Sallie Gregory, Lancaster County Conservation District's Education a...

Send us Fan Mail We continue our theme of education in the conservation world with this Conversation with Lancaster County's three formal institutes of higher learning. Franklin & Marshall College , Millersville University , and Elizabethtown College each provide robust environmental studies programs, complemented by hands-on and extracurricular experiences that deepen student learning. B...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Diana Oviedo Vargas and Melinda Daniels, Research Scientists from Stroud Water Research Center about what brought them to water science, the impact Stroud is making in helping to positively affect our waterways, and we play a game of Hiking Trivia.

Send us Fan Mail Season 5 of Clean Water Conversations is all about environmental education and who better to talk on the subject than Tom Ackerman, the Vice President of Education at Chesapeake Bay Foundation ? We talk with Tom about the challenges and rewards of getting students outside of the classroom, the current curriculum, and saving Abraham Lincoln. We also play a round of National Park tr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are talking with Mr. Brandon Bixler, Agriculture and Environmental studies teacher and FFA staff advisor at McCaskey High School and Valerie Gray, student and president of the FFA Chapter at McCaskey High School. We discuss FFA in an urban school setting, how to explain Lancaster County farming to Floridians and how a stuffed bird can make a good booth-minder. ...

Send us Fan Mail Season 5 is all about conservation education from the ground up; from kids to adults, from conservation entusiasts to conservation professionals.  We celebrate the people and programs that share the knowledge that makes a difference to our waters.    Season 5 of Clean Water Conversations is sponsored by RK&K We begin season 5 with a conversation with Angie Martin, the Director...

Send us Fan Mail We wrap up season 4 by talking to Drew Robinson, Communications Director for the Choose Clean Water Coalition and Chair for the Development and Communications Committee at Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake>  We discuss Conservation Communications and storytelling, the updated Bay Agreement, The Choose Clean Water Conference coming to Lancaster in May, and more! We also pla...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we celebrate Lancaster County Conservation District's 74th anniversary with Assistant District Manager, Matt Kofroth.  We talk about the history of the Conservation District, some of the amazing work being done now, and where the future may lie.  We also play a game of "75th" Trivia. You can find more about Lancaster County Conservation District at...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we talk with Bess Langbein, partner of Due East Partners, about networking, the Common Agenda, hometown fun, and coming home when the streetlights came on.  Because she is so involved in her kids' activities, we played a round of Youth Sports Trivia. To learn more about Due East Partners, go to https://dueeastpartners.com/

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Jenn Fetter, the Water Resources Team Leader at Penn State Extension and Director of the Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training (CACAT). We discuss groundwater, educating students, from children to adults, and growing up Gen X.  And for the theme park fan and self-described "connoisseur of eating", we played an exciting rou...

Send us Fan Mail The newest episode of the Clean Water Conversations podcast is available now!   In this episode, we talk with Dr. Patrick Fleming, Associate Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Program Chair of Public Policy at Franklin & Marshall College , Co-Director of the Chesapeake Watershed Institute .  We talk economics, local clean water projects, and his job as a farmer at Verda...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Scott Peiifer, the recently retired Manager of Quarryville Borough, hiker, gardener, and surfer.  He is truly a Renaissance man with a passion for his community, helping the next generation, and going above and beyond expectations. This episode is brought to you, in part, by our Contributing Sponsor, Native Nook Nursery and Nature Shop .

Send us Fan Mail  We are back with season 4 of the Clean Water Conversations podcast.  In the latest episode, we talk with Emily Broich.  Emily serves as the Green Infrastructures & Forest Projects Coordinator at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.  We discuss her past at the Conservation District and US Fish & Wildlife Service, green infrastructure, and birds.  We also play a wild round...

Send us Fan Mail We are wrapping up season 3 from the NFWF Crescendo in Collaboration celebration at Ascension Lutheran Church.  We give some of the highlights from season 3, talk with Ryan Hill from Chesapeake Conservancy, and give a little sneak peak into what you can expect for season 4. Thank you to Chesapeake Conservancy for sponsoring this season and most of all, thank you to you, the listen...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Ryan Foltz and Sam Son, two of the owners of Pour Man's Brewing and St. Boniface Brewing.  We hear about how they got their start, the importance of clean water to brewing and all about their special Water Week Beer, Ripple Effect along with Our Town Brewing. Head to Our Town Brewery or Pour Man's Brewing Company to get a Ripple Effect pale...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we speak with Director of High Impact for the High Foundation and Executive Director of the Partners for Environmental Stewardship, Diana Martin.  World traveler, adventurer, organic farming enthusiast and Lancaster City advocate, Diana tells compelling stories and shares exciting plans for the Sunnyside project! The logo for Partnership for Environmental Stewards...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are talking with Natalie Johnson and Mike Hudson from Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake.  We discuss the amazing work being done by local congregations, growth within the organization under the leadership of the new Executive Director, the power of collaboration and we play a trivia around called For the Birds, For the Beach. To find IPC's list of upco...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are talking about the Blue-Green Connector project, Lancaster Science Factory and learning through the Covid years with the Director of Education & Environmental Strategy at the Little Conestoga Creek Foundation through the Steinman Foundation, Emily Landis.  She is a fun guest, an excellent storyteller and plays a mean game of mixed-bag trivia. The logo di...

Send us Fan Mail On January 28, 2025, a memorandum was released from the White House Office of Management and Budget that,“Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to the disbursement of Federal financial assistance.” Although that edict was rescinded, some funding sources remain unavailable. In this episode, Allyson and Kenn discuss the ripple effect of this decision, how it...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are chatting with Brian Gish, the Senior Watershed Planner at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF).  He discusses CBF's focus on local waterways, tells some great personal stories,  avoids acronym buzzers like he's walking through a minefield and tells us about the local legend of the Albatwitch. This episode is sponsored by Chesapeake Conservancy .

Send us Fan Mail Season 3 kicks off with a chat with Jenna Mitchell Beckett, Pennsylvania State Director and Agriculture Program Director at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and is also the current Chair of the Lancaster Clean Water Partners Board of Trustees.  She discusses her beginnings at Lancaster County Conservation District and her work in collaboration with some pretty conservation-mind...

Send us Fan Mail Thank you for a great first year!   In this finale of both season 2 and our first year, Allyson and Kenn talk about their list of awesomeness for the year of the show, play highlights, give updates have a little fun and, of course, dodge acronyms.   

Send us Fan Mail This week, we talk with Mike Lasala, the CAP Coordinator Team lead.  He is also a Specialist/Analyst and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program Manager from LandStudies, Inc.   He discusses the Countywide Action Plan, the team's purpose, steps beyond 2025...and darn near breaks our acronym buzzer!

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Hilary Harp Falk, the President and CEO of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) about the Bay, network building, Lancaster's reputation and spaghetti pizza.  This is an amazing opportunity to learn a few things from the founder of Choose Clean Water Coalition.  If you're not careful, you may learn a thing or two.