Board of Directors

Frank Digialleonardo, President
Back in the seat for a reprise, Frank is the founding President, Corsica River Conservancy. His history with restoring the Corsica traces back to his being a key contributor to the Corsica Watershed Restoration Strategy (WRAS) which set the stage for years of restoration work throughout the watershed.

Other volunteer efforts that Frank made since retiring as a senior executive at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other Federal departments include the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Board, QAC Parks and Recreation Board, Chesapeake Charities (Foundation for Community Partnerships) Board, Chester River Association Board, and serving as Chair of Maryland’s Upper Eastern Shore Tributary Team. Frank is a QAC Master Gardeners alum and enjoys vegetable and landscape gardening with his wife around their home on the Corsica. When not there or on the trails and tributaries of their beloved Eastern Shore, they are usually on a discovery trip somewhere around the world.

Katherine Schinasi, Vice President
Katherine is a lifelong fan of the Corsica. Her grandmother was from a farm family in Church Hill and her grandfather sold to farmers on credit during the depression. Her mother grew up on Liberty Street until her parents built a house on the river, which Katherine and her family have kept. Katherine wants to leave the native habitat and clean water legacy that she grew up with to her children and grandchildren. As a former executive with the U.S. Government Accountability Office, she understands the power of direct action, transparency, and accountability, and the need for collaboration, in affecting change.

Gayle Jayne, Secretary
Gayle has lived in Queen Anne’s County since 1986 and currently resides near Centreville in the Corsica River watershed. She holds a BS degree from WV University and spent her career as a computer programmer and website developer. An avid vegetable gardener and native plant advocate, she has been active in Queen Anne’s County Master Gardeners for over 25 years. Gayle samples water for bacteria testing during the summer months and helps survey Submerged Aquatic Vegetation for ShoreRivers annually. Her dream is for her grandsons to swim in a healthy Corsica River without worrying about contaminants.

Susan Buckingham, Treasurer
Susan lives on the Chester River and cares deeply about the watershed. A retired public school English teacher, she loves nature, walking, writing, and traveling. Concerned and interested in water quality, she has been testing the waters of various rivers and streams for 6 years through ShoreRivers, first as a Chester Tester and currently as a Swim Tester. Other volunteer work includes work with CBEC (previous), the Institute for Adult Learning in Centreville, and Queen Anne’s at Home in addition to serving on several committees in her community.

Ginger Cushing, Director
Ginger is a consultant to consumer products companies, where she develops sustainable packaging for food and healthcare products. She holds an MS in Chemistry and an MBA. She lives on the Corsica River with her husband, John. In addition to serving on the CRC Board, she is active with several packaging industry associations, oversees a scholarship for women in industry, is a member of the ShoreRivers Chester River Watershed Advisory Board, and volunteers with Compass Hospice.

Byron Luna, Director
Byron grew up in Hampton, Virginia and was a pediatric nurse for 30 years. A past board member of the Corsica River Yacht club, Byron lives in Centreville with her dog, Nelly. She is a member of the Centreville Garden Club.

Ed Nielsen, Director

Kurt Rodowsky, Director
Kurt grew up in Annapolis with a view of the Chesapeake Bay and now lives on the Corsica River with his wife Nancy. He’s an avid boater, and in addition to his work on the Board, Kurt volunteers in the ship yard at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michael’s. He also volunteers as is a swim tester for ShoreRivers, testing the Centreville Wharf weekly for bacteria. He is retired from the State of Maryland where he worked in IT for the Anne Arundel County Health Department.