CPoHdG Board of Directors
David Lynch – President
A founding member of the CPHdG in 1997. David participated in the initial organization of the Harris Stadium Project and helped the organization evolve into the Community Projects of Havre de Grace. He served as the original vice president until 2010, reassuming that position in 2017.
David has lived in Havre de Grace my entire life. He graduated from Salisbury State College with a bachelor’s degree in Geography and Urban Planning. He then obtained his masters of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University at Aberdeen Proving Ground. David worked for 29 years with Cytec Engineered materials. For 7 years he was employed with Orbital ATK in procurement supporting Rocket Center, West Virginia and Elkton, Maryland plant locations. Prior to retiring in 2018 David worked for the Maryland Transit Administration starting as the Senior Manager of Procurement.
Being a parent, David became involved in his children’s activities. He coached both boys’ and girls’ recreation lacrosse and soccer. He ran the soccer program for 10 years both indoor and outdoor. With his children attending the same elementary school as he did, he could see how little change from when I attended. David and a few others lobbied the Board of Education to do a total renovation of the school and bring it up to modern standards. When the renovation was approved as the PTA president, David organized a committee of parents and teacher to create a building specification of what we would like to have in the renovation. Most of their suggestions were incorporated in the renovated building.
Jeff Andrews – Vice President
Jeff joined CPHdG as Director At Large in February 2018.In 2024 he was elected to Vice President.
A lifelong resident of Havre de Grace, Jeff graduated from Havre de Grace High School in 1983 and went on to earn a Bachelors Degree from the University of Maryland in 1987. He is also a 2015 graduate of the Harford Leadership Academy. Employed by Tidewater Marina since 1981, Jeff is currently the Executive Vice President and General Manager, a position he’s held since 2011.
Jeff is currently active locally on the board of directors of Havre de Grace Youth Sailing as well as serving the city of Havre de Grace on the Tourism Advisory Board and the Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Advisory Board. He has previously served on the board of governors for the Havre de Grace Yacht Club (Commodore- 1998). He was active with the National Intercollegiate Lacrosse Officials Association where he served as Membership Chairman for 10 years. Jeff is still active as a director of the Southern Lacrosse Officials Association.
Julie Ruhnke – Secretary/Treasurer
While Julie joined the Community Projects of Havre de Grace (CPHdG) in 2024, she has been involved in city activities since moving to HdG in 2009. She is on the Board of Directors of the Lock House Museum and works as the administrator for the HdG Chamber of Commerce and HdG Alliance. Previously she participated in the City Economic Development Advisory Board and the city’s Main Street Organization.
Julie worked for the US Department of the Army for over 30 years, retiring as Product Manager for both artillery and communications programs. Her education includes an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Masters in Resource Management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF).
Steve Gamatoria – Member at Large
Volney Ford – Member at Large
Scott Elliott – Member at Large
Jim Reynolds – Member at Large
Fred Wills – Member at Large
Fred became involved with the Community Projects of Havre de Grace (CPHdG) in 2013 when he began providing logistical support to the Community Thanksgiving Dinner and the Winer Wonderland Committee, both elements of CPHdG at that time. Fred assumed the role of Co-Chair for the Thanksgiving Dinner in 2017, coordinating the purchase or donation of all products required to prepare the dinner and in 2023 became the chairman of the committee upon the retirement of Don Osman after 35 years of running the dinner. Thank you Don for your longstanding support. Fred also led the Winter Wonderland retirement from CPHdG as the committee mission ended and was dissolved.
Fred worked as an engineer for the US Department of the Army for over 30 years, reaching the senior management level of Technical Director/Chief Engineer. After retiring from federal service, Fred worked in the private sector for two years as a technical consultant and a business development manager.
Committees & Board Chairs
Katie Arnold – Thanksgiving Dinner Committee
Katie joined Community Projects of Havre de Grace in 2025 as Chair of the Thanksgiving Dinner Committee. Her involvement with the Thanksgiving Dinner Committee began in 2023 after several years of volunteering alongside her family. Community service has long been a family tradition, with her parents, Rodney and Lou Ann Swam, serving on the committee for more than 25 years. Katie learned the meal request process from Don Osman, who coordinated the Thanksgiving Dinner for 35 years, and worked closely with Fred Wills, who led the committee for the past decade, gaining valuable insight into the program’s longstanding success.
Professionally, Katie is a chemist with more than 25 years of service with the U.S. Department of the Army, where she currently serves as a Branch Chief. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Washington College and a Master of Chemistry degree from Illinois Institute of Technology. Beyond her professional career, Katie is deeply committed to community service. She is an active member of Soroptimist International of Havre de Grace, serves as a Troop Leader and Service Unit Manager for Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, and volunteers with the Miracle League of Harford County.
Al Peteraf – Citizens Against Trash
Al joined Community Projects of Havre de Grace in 2015. He Is the Director and Founder – CAT Club of Havre de Grace.
Al Peteraf has been a licensed Maryland Realtor since 2003. Currently Office Manager for Integrity Real Estate in Havre de Grace. Al has twice been elected President of the Cecil County Board of Realtors (2013 & 2021) and has also served on the Community Service and Public Relations Committees for several years. Al is also the 2020 Harford County Remarkable Realtor Award recipient.
Al graduated from Orleans Technical Institute and moved to Maryland in 1992.
Tamara Stickler – Stray Streets TNR
Donna Mandl – Farmers Market
Donna Mandl joined CPHdG as the representative for the Havre de Grace Farmer’s Market in 2021. She has been an active vendor at the farmers market since 2008 selling heritage breed pork.
Donna is a law professor and attorney with over 25 years in the legal profession with a focus on civil litigation, construction law, and contracts. Donna and her husband, Karl, run Deer Meadow Farm, a heritage breed hog farm, in Aberdeen, Maryland, specializing in Berkshire hogs. The farm farrows about 40-50 hogs each year.
Donna has a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Dickinson College, a master’s degree in International Affairs from American University, and a law degree from the University of Baltimore. Retired from full time law practice, she is currently a professor and department chair of Legal Studies for the Community College of Baltimore County.
Residing in Harford County since 1980, she comes from a long Harford County farming tradition with family members owning dairy and beef farms in Fallston and Churchville. In addition to her service with the Havre de Grace Farmer’s Market Board and CPHdG, Donna is an active member of the Maryland State Bar Association and Baltimore County Bar Association. She also served as a board member of the Harford County Farm Fair, and as chair of the Churchville Creswell Community Advisory Board.
Christy Silverstein – Celebrate the 4th
Deborah Stathes – HdG Twinning Foundation
Debby Stathes has been a resident of Havre de Grace since 2007. During this time she has sold scones at the Havre de Grace Farmers Market for a number of years and served on the Tydings Park Commission. Currently, she is actively involved in the Susquehanna Museum at the Lockhouse and heads the Havre de Grace Twinning Foundation. She grew up an army brat and graduated from Edgewood High School. She went on to attend Washington College, the University of Gottigen, Germany, and American University. Debby is a retired high school English teacher, having taught for thirty-three years at the Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, Maryland, and seven years at John Carroll.
Her mother was a war-bride from Swansea, South Wales. Having family in Swansea, and living in Germany on two separate occasions, kept Debby in close touch with Swansea and her family. In 2017, she and Chris purchased their own place in Mumbles, South Wales, noticed the similarities between Mumbles and Havre de Grace, and initiated the twinning process between the Twinning Association of Mumbles and Havre de Grace, subsequently creating Havre de Grace Twinning.
Reggie Bishop – Memorial Preservation
Dianne Klair – Trails