The Friends of Eastern Neck is managed by a Board of Directors and its appointed officers, but its strength lies in its members and volunteers and its close working relationship with the staff of the Refuge. The Refuge Manager is an ex-officio member of the Board.
Bill Burton, President
Bill and his wife Bobbie moved to Rock Hall from Baltimore after he retired from a 44-year career in environmental sciences. His work took him from the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays to coastal North Carolina and New York’s Hudson River and Long Island Sound, and included water quality monitoring, habitat assessments, fisheries and shellfish studies, marsh restoration, and contaminant testing. An avid naturalist who loves to sail and fish, Bill now coordinates volunteers at the Bayscape Butterfly Garden, where he and his wife maintain a plot. He was elected to the Board in 2022.
Rudy Dieperink, Vice-President
Rudy and his wife Liz found their way to the Refuge while vacationing, and enjoyed the area so much that they bought a home in Rock Hall. They walk, run, cycle and kayak around the island regularly, taking in its beautiful variety of landscapes and spectacular sunsets, and also love to sail. Rudy has worked in senior management roles all over the world, but the Chesapeake Bay holds a special place in his heart. He was elected to the Board in November 2023.
Cece Trainor, Secretary
Cece grew up in Baltimore and first visited Rock Hall on her father’s 19-foot outboard. She began weekending here more than 20 years ago while working as a molecular biologist at the National Institutes of Health. Cece and her husband Bill, a pulmonologist who practiced in Chestertown for many years, retired and moved to Rock Hall in 2017. They both love to cruise and race their sailboat, which they keep on Swan Creek. Cece was elected to the Board early in 2020 and continues to volunteer at the gift shop/bookstore.
Meg Scott, Treasurer
Meg and her husband George explored the Chesapeake on their sailboat and began looking for a place to retire. After seeing Rock Hall by boat they took a road trip, fell in love with the peace and serenity of the area and moved to Rock Hall in June of 2017. They enjoy everything the Chesapeake has to offer, especially Eastern Neck. Meg is a retired small animal Veterinarian residing in Rock Hall. She brings a new perspective to the board and will help with advocating for the Refuge. Meg was elected to the FOEN board in November 2025.
Secethia Boardley-Davis
Secethia, a lifelong Marylander, lives in Chestertown with her husband Darren and dog Lucy Ann. She worked in the field of Early Childhood for nearly 55 years and is passionate about connecting children with nature and providing learning opportunities for adults. She is a Master Gardener and a member of the Chestertown Environmental Committee and the Chestertown Garden Club. Secethia also tends a Butterfly Garden plot at the Refuge with two other fellow Master Gardeners. In her spare time, she enjoys antiquing, reading, and hiking.
Jennifer Glenn
Jennifer is a Kent County native who lives in Rock Hall with her husband and two young sons. She enjoys amateur photography and spending time on the island with her family, and began volunteering at the Butterfly Garden in 2021. Jennifer is an account manager for local insurance agency Dukes-Moore, and formerly worked as a veterinary technician at Chestertown Animal Hospital. She was elected to the Board in January, 2023 and is committed to developing more youth programs on the island.
David Holyoke
Bird watching brought David to the Refuge 20 years ago, and he has been a dedicated volunteer since he and his wife moved to Rock Hall in 2016. A software engineer and career-long IT specialist, David re-built the Butterfly Garden frog pond, complete with solar-powered waterfall. He also helped re-glaze the windows at the historic Lodge, and maintains 30 Wood Duck nest boxes on the island. He was elected to the Board in 2023.
Bill Kastning
Bill and his wife Tina, who is from Easton, moved to Chestertown from New Jersey in late 2024. They decided to return to the Eastern Shore to be closer to family after Bill stepped down as the executive director of the Monmouth Conservation Foundation nonprofit land trust. Earlier, upon retiring from AT&T after 30 years, Bill became a NJ township committeeman interested in land preservation and worked as a land preservation specialist with the NJ Department of Environment Green Acres Program.
John Smith
It took just a couple of visits for John and his wife Denise to fall in love with Rock Hall, where they retired in 2024. John spends as much time as possible outdoors, hiking, gardening and fishing – especially fly fishing. He recently retired from 33 years of public service, the first 19 in various housing and community development positions and the last 14 as Superintendent of Parks in Burlington County, NJ, responsible for the daily operation, maintenance, security and programming of that park system. John and Denise have three sons and four grandchildren.
Carol Sutera
Carol, who raised three sons in Kennett Square, PA, first discovered the Refuge when she was taking her boys to the YMCA’s Camp Tockwogh in Worton. She began bird-watching with her father as a child, studied horticulture at the University of Delaware and is an avid flower and vegetable gardener. She lives in Rock Hall and is also active with the Lions Club. Carol was elected to the Board in 2023, and manages the FOEN Gift Shop and Bookstore at the Lodge.