Executive Director
Cathy Frank is thrilled to be the Executive Director of the Friends for the Abbott Marshlands. As a child growing up in Seaside Park, she spent countless hours outside with the beaches and ocean as her playground. Throughout her life, the love of nature that took root as a child has led her to explore and appreciate the outdoors at every opportunity. The Friends’ mission is a perfect vehicle for Cathy to share her love of nature, science, and education with others. She works closely with the Friends’ Board to bring the values and mission of the organization to the surrounding community in a mutually beneficial way. Cathy heads the Friends’ Volunteer Program and acts as the community and corporate liaison for outreach and stewardship programs. She is always happy to talk to people about the opportunities to enjoy, steward, and support this important natural and historical preserve.
Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, Cathy was a small business owner in the wellness field for over 15 years in Bucks County, PA. She holds a M.S. in chemistry with experience in the pharmaceutical industry. When not at work, Cathy enjoys reading, music, yoga and meditation, and spending time with her friends and family.
“I have met the kindest and most interesting people since joining the Friends! The Board, volunteers, members, and staff at the Tulpehaking Nature Center are united in the effort to make our little piece of the planet as green and welcoming as possible!”
Board of Directors
Jackie Stone has always loved staying active and exploring the outdoors. She is an avid hiker, runner, and just about anything else that gets her exercising out in nature. Growing up on the West coast, she has particularly enjoyed learning about all the new plant, animal, and fungi species she has encountered since her move to Mercer County a few years ago.
Jackie has a PhD in microbiology but has moved away from the microscopic world and research laboratories to focus on scientific communications. She currently works as a medical writer, helping translate advances in medicine for multiple audiences. This work led her to start volunteering at the Tulpehaking Nature Center, writing many of the center’s exhibit signs. Her passion is helping make science- no matter what field- available and easily understandable to everyone.
Jackie was recruited to the board after volunteering at a number of Friends events and is grateful for the opportunity to help give back to the community of nature lovers she has come to cherish.
Eugene M. Fuzy has had a love of nature and sharing his experiences since he was 3. His love of insects led him to manage a laboratory at Rutgers University for 14 years, where he co-authored 22 peer-reviewed journal entries. He has also co-discovered a new species of nematode and has given nearly 100 talks. Eugene has been interviewed in newspapers, radio shows, and television. His “largest” claim to fame is appearing as a spider expert on the History Channel’s MonsterQuest: Giant Spiders.
Eugene tries to provide at least one public talk or hike within the Abbott Marshlands each year. Eugene was recruited to the board after bumping into the Friends at various events and offering to do those walks. Eugene decided to join the board to give back to the community and share his love of nature with the public. Eugene is currently the Secretary and Marketing and Membership Chair. He is eager to share his knowledge and passion in an easy-to-approach manner.
I have been a Hamilton Resident since 1886, and I live in Yardville. I recently retired from the County of Mercer after 32 years with the Planning Department. I served as the Assistant Director starting in 2015. Much of my career was working to preserve open space throughout the county. I also was closely involved with the Park Commission in park planning and development, including the development and construction of the Tulpehaking Nature Center
My husband Karl and I have 2 grown daughters, Elise, and Emma. I enjoy gardening, traveling, and reading. I play the clarinet and I am a member of the Mercer County Community Symphonic Band.
Mike MacEwan went to Stockton College (NJ), where he studied Environmental Science and Biology. His interests were in population dynamics and animal behavior, and he has been fortunate enough to work with blue crabs, 3 different seal species, diamondback terrapins, and, after graduation, grey wolves in Minnesota. While sitting by a pristine lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area WIlderness, he realized that he wanted to get youth excited about environmental science. He came home to start teaching science and has been an educator in many different settings since, sharing his love of the environment and helping people experience nature around them.
His family is new to this area of NJ, but they quickly realized how special this place is. The Marsh and the Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark are literally in his backyard, and he had no idea. The more he has learned, the more he wants to preserve this place and help others enjoy it the way his family does (they love watching turtles, by the way).
Jeanette has been a plant nerd ever since her grandmother showed her how to get nectar from honeysuckle and mulberries from a tree. She has lived in Hamilton since 1997, raised two daughters and loves gardening, biking, hiking, and birding. After retiring from the State of NJ Department of Health as a Program Manager, Jeanette has taken active roles in the organizations that make Hamilton special to her including the Environmental Advisory Commission.
Experiencing the marshlands for the first time in her kayak in the early aughts piqued Deb’s interest in this area, which led to walks at Spring Lake and learning more about the marshlands. Deb has volunteer experience, both locally and nationally, in planning, constructing, and maintaining hiking trails. She has been a trail monitor and led construction projects on trails in the marshlands and is currently Stewardship Committee Chair. Her goal in stewardship is to balance preservation of natural habitats with providing sustainable access to preserved land.
Deb is retired from a career in education, both teaching and conducting research related to learning and assessment in STEM classrooms. She has an educational background in environmental chemistry and received certification as a Rutgers Environmental Steward upon completion of a multifaceted project in the marshlands with Pat Coleman.
An art quilt hobbyist, Deb finds inspiration from the beauty and serenity in the natural world for many of her creations. Her quilts have appeared in art and quilt shows in several states.
Nikki has served as Treasurer and Vice-Chair of the Marketing & Membership Committee, and has contributed to the Finance and Fundraising Committees. She received the “Rising Star” award at the 2024 Annual Meeting for her contributions to the Friends. Her deepening connection to the Marshlands also inspired her to join the Bordentown Township Environmental Commission.
Nikki holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree from Rider University. She spent 12 years in higher education administration before transitioning to the National Park Service, where she currently works as an Interpretive Park Ranger. In this role, she educates thousands of visitors, protects historical and cultural resources, and spends much of her time outdoors—pursuing the passion that began with her love for the Abbott Marshlands. She credits the Friends for playing a pivotal role in shaping her professional path.
A founding partner of Princeton Hydro, Mark is a pioneer in the field of restoration ecology, and helped get the conservation science movement off the ground in the 1980s. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Moravian College and Master of Science in Plant Ecology from Rutgers University. For more than two decades, Mark has overseen wetland and terrestrial ecology projects at Princeton Hydro, including many complex restoration projects that require unique solutions.
Megha earned a bachelor’s in physics and Master’s in Journalism and Mass
Communication with an emphasis on Science Journalism. She took these skill sets and embarked on
Citizen Science in the field of Astronomy and used her Journalism skills to tell the stories that scientists
often can’t convey to the public. She has conducted research in the fields of archeoastronomy and
positional astronomy. She has been a regular news and journalist personality in the field of
astronomy. She has 6 publications and has presented over 50 presentations across the globe. She gives
back by teaching the vision impaired about her passion, astronomy and working in the Planetarium at the New Jersey State Museum. She is an active participant in Friend’s programs, sharing her love of nature and science with everyone she meets!
Margaret Simpson was raised in the Lalor Tract neighborhood of Bow Hill Mansion. She learned early on to love history. The marsh uplands, meadows and surrounding woodlands were where her childhood meandering began. Lalor Tract’s woods connect to the historic “White City” area of Spring Lake one mile away. In high school and college, Margaret worked for Dunham’s Department Store at Independence Mall, where she met her future husband, Jamie. The mall borders the land designated in 1976 as Abbott Farm Historic District.
Artists run in her family. Margaret raised her three children while working in graphic design and exhibiting watercolor paintings at area galleries. Drawn to nature for exploration, photography, and inspiration, she participated in the Abbott Marshlands monthly trail walks since 2019. She attended a public session at Tulpehaking Nature Center, which spurred an interest in joining the Friends board that year. Margaret now volunteers her time with marsh clean ups, photography, graphics and writing social media posts for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. She is grateful to work with the Friends for the Abbott Marshlands board on their marketing goals and preservation of this unique place.
Michael Skelly has a lifelong passion for environment, history and art. He’s active locally in Bordentown and Hamilton, NJ. He has served on numerous Boards in a range of groups including Northeast Sustainable Energy, Crossroads of the American Revolution, National Heritage Association, and as past President of NJ Alliance for Environmental Education. Friends for Abbott Marshlands provides an opportunity to support a unique natural area that is close-by and close to his heart.
He is retired from the business of utility scale renewable energy development and law practice.
Michael is a graduate of Rutgers and Seton Hall Universities, and has two children.
Advisory Board
Mary is a seed ‘nerd’. As a child Mary wondered whether the orange seed she’d swallowed would grow inside her. As a senior at UMass, while walking across campus thinking about her research project, she wondered how anyone could be anything but a Botany major!
Since then, Mary’s research has mainly concerned seeds. She didn’t know about tidal freshwater wetland until 1974. That first research project of seeds in marsh soil with a Rider University student led to more than 25 marsh-related publications as well as two co-edited books, one on soil seed banks and the other on seedlings. Seeds and, by extension, the marsh are central to her being; Mary couldn’t be happier than being hip deep in wetland plants or trying to identify a new seedling growing in marsh mud.
Marsh-related laboratory projects for her students and field trips for high school students from Trenton made her realize the importance of the marsh as an educational resource. Mary became a strong advocate for the marsh. Now the marsh, through the efforts of many, has a nature center, an active Friends group, new trail signage, and varied programs.
Mary also pursues photographic interests. Her most recent is an exhibit at the Tulpehaking Nature Center, ‘The Wisdom of Trees’ with Patricia Bender, in which she explores how tree bark accommodates growth in diameter and circumference.
Director of Environmental Education, Mercer County Park Commission
