Michele Becci grew up in Phillipsburg, NJ, and frequently visited New Hope for ice cream and walks on the canal with her grandfather as a child. Her childhood dream was to ‘live in New Hope and own a Monte Carlo.’ While she never got the Monte Carlo (thankfully), she now lives in New Hope, in the historic Locktender’s House at what was Lock 10.  Since 2016, Jay (her partner) and Michele have been lovingly restoring the home, and both are passionate about preserving the history and legacy of the Delaware Canal and New Hope.

Professionally, Michele worked in the science and technology sector for over 35 years, leading global strategy and sales teams in the clinical trials software industry. She spent most of her career at Oracle Corporation, followed by Medidata (now part of Dassault Systemes) in NYC.

Michele left corporate America in 2022 to follow her passion for all things Italian. Today, she focuses on cooking, food and travel writing, and photography in support of her Italian website, Our Italian Table. She is fortunate to call Montalcino, Tuscany, her second home, where she has an apartment just steps from the main piazza. In addition, Michele serves as a councilwoman on New Hope Borough Council.

 

Since 2018, Bob Margadonna has resided in the Borough of New Hope, PA with his wife, two sons and dog. Most recently, he served four years on the New Hope Borough Shade Tree Commission where he actively pursued grants and partnerships with the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS) and the Riverwoods Homeowners Association resulting in the planting of dozens of new trees acquired from PHS to help offset the devastation caused by the emerald ash borer.

Bob has a longstanding interest in conservation and is committed to the preservation and enhancement of the natural areas that enrich our communities along the Delaware River. Bob currently serves a Canal Locktender and notably, has been an active member and strong advocate for New Hope for Our Canal, which seeks to ensure funding is in place for full-year operation of the pump at Centre Bridge that supplies water from the Delaware River, ensuring the canal is fully watered from Solebury through New Hope Borough.

Professionally, for the last 15 years Bob has been employed at Merck as Commercial Lead for Scientific Strategy and Engagement on the Hospital Antibacterial Marketing Team.

In his spare time, Bob can frequently be found bicycling with friends on the towpath and visiting the many communities along the Delaware River. In his new role as Board Member, Bob’s primary focus will be the Fundraising and Membership Committees.

John O’Keefe has been a member of the Friends for several years and began meeting with our executive director to look for ways to support the Friends’ mission. He brings a great deal of public and non-profit experience to the board table.

John oversees the division of Information Technology Services at Lafayette College and is responsible for the college’s technology strategy and IT operations, including learning and research technologies, user support, web development, digital infrastructure, and data integrations and reporting.

In addition to his Lafayette portfolio, John serves as chair of the board of KINBER, a Pennsylvania non-profit that promotes the innovative use of digital technologies throughout the state. He has also served as chair of the board of the Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges (CLAC), an organization that represents IT leaders from the top liberal arts colleges in the country, and the Third Street Alliance, a community-based non-profit that provides housing services for women and children as well as an early learning center, all within a historic mansion in downtown Easton.

John is an avid runner and a long-time canal enthusiast. After learning more about the Friends and their commitment to the canal, he was eager to contribute however possible, from lending support to creating virtual experiences along the canal to help drive membership and partnerships with local businesses. John holds an A.B. in American Studies and Music (double major) from Lafayette and is pursuing an EMBA at Drexel University.

Matt and his wife Maria purchased a renovated Locktender’s House in 2023, and they were eager to become engaged with the community. The canal and the Friends seemed a logical place to start. So, after becoming members and attending a few events, Matt accepted the challenge of joining our Board and assuming the role of Treasurer.

Matt is a likely choice for the position. He has a strong background in finance, understands the markets, and will be able to steward our investments toward the long-term security of our organization.

Here are some comments from Matt on his nomination to the Board.

“I would like to introduce myself. I am Matthew Emanuel, and I have been a financial/Investment advisor for 32 years. I started my career on Wall St. in 1992. I have spent the last 28 years at Herold & Lantern Investments. I have been married for almost 25 years to my wonderful wife, Maria. We have one son, Alexander, who attends Lafayette College.

“In May of last year, we bought a Locktender’s House at Lock No. 14. It was intended to be a weekend retreat, but I fell in love with it and now call Bucks County my home. My dog Jake and I walk the towpath every day.

“I joined the Friends because I support their mission. My wife Maria and I look forward to meeting new friends, attending events and helping preserve and improve the beautiful Delaware Canal.”

Ken and his wife Julie moved to Buckingham Township full time from New York City and Long Island in 2019, but they have enjoyed life along the Delaware River for much longer than that. Annual summer camping trips with the Boy Scouts at Treasure Island Scout Reservation, canoe trips in high school and college days, and family camping in the Delaware Water Gap were all part of their lives.  Now they enjoy the views along the Canal towpath while biking, hiking and walking their dog Dizzi.

Ken retired in 2018 after a 43-year career in engineering, managing the planning, design and rehabilitation of infrastructure projects. He found working on dams, locks and canals to be the most interesting and challenging projects, including more than a dozen projects along the New York State (Erie) Canal and the D & R Canal in NJ. He hopes that experience will be put to good use along the Delaware Canal. Ken has been a member of the Friends’ Advocacy, Restoration & Maintenance Committee for the last year. Ken has degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Lehigh University and is a licensed Professional Engineer and a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Jack’s earliest memories of the Canal are of family day trips to New Hope, when he was fortunate enough to be able to experience the mule barge rides. After moving to Bucks County, he learned that the Canal was, indeed, more than just an attraction in New Hope.

Jack resides in Erwinna, just above the Canal, and enjoys walking and biking on the towpath in what he considers to be one of the most scenic areas along the waterway’s entire length. He became involved with the Friends when he was asked to help out with Canal Clean-Up Days. Since then, he has served on the Fundraising Committee, as well as the Advocacy, Restoration and Maintenance Committee, and is also a business member of the Friends. Jack values having the Canal as part of his community and is committed to preserving it for future generations to enjoy as well.

Jack is a Real Estate Agent, licensed in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and enjoys telling his clients about the Canal, the Friends, and all of the many activities that make this area a special place to live.

Having grown up in Bucks County, the Delaware Canal was always a feature in Laure Duval’s life.  In the summer, she could walk the towpath and canoe; in winter, with luck, ice skate.  She was taught the Canal’s history by her parents who were Bucks County natives and dedicated conservationists.  Her father was a founding member of what is now the Heritage Conservancy and also the Solebury Historical Society.

Laure hopes to carry on this family legacy of preserving beautiful Bucks County by doing what she can to get and keep the Canal in working order for future generations.

Professionally, Laure was a psychiatrist and lived in New York City while she went to the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and then began to practice.  In 1986, she realized that she was a country girl at heart and moved back to Bucks County.  She has resided in Tinicum Township for 30 years while practicing professionally in facilities in Flemington and Clinton, NJ.  Laure retired from medical practice in 2016 and is ready to take on some new and not-so-new challenges.  The Delaware Canal has much to offer in that line.

Pete Rosswaag has been a resident of Upper Black Eddy for 31 years, and feels privileged to have the Canal as his family’s backyard playground. Pete and Joyce raised their two daughters in a house (rebuilt after two floods) located between the Delaware Canal and Delaware River.

The Rosswaags thoroughly enjoy the benefits of the towpath – walking, jogging, running, biking, cross-country skiing, and snow shoeing. And they enjoy the waterway by canoeing, kayaking, paddle boating, and ice skating. Their five grandchildren love visiting “paradise” to share in these activities, including frequent trips to the Homestead Store for ice cream.

Pete displays his love of the canal by encouraging his grandchildren to assist in his favorite Canal Tender activities of scum busting, vine eradication, and trash collecting via canoe. What fun! He is hoping to make a difference in any way he can, so that future generations can continue to enjoy this unique and wonderful 58.9-mile waterway.

Pete worked for the State of New Jersey for 31 years in the Department of Human Services. Currently, he is the Tax Collector for Bridgeton Township.