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Meet Our FBRP Ambassadors

Our FBRP Ambassadors are volunteers who have been trained to know the Pinelands ecosystem and all about Black Run Preserve and its trails.

Be sure to say “HELLO” if you see them out and about on the trails. They’re happy to answer any questions and provide insight about the Black Run Preserve.

Dan English

Dan is a Marlton resident and outdoor enthusiast who enjoys camping, boating, fishing, and hiking. Hiking highlights include: Valley of Fire State Park - Nevada, Zion National Park - Utah, Grand Canyon's Bright Angel Trail - Arizona, and Black Run Preserve - New Jersey. See ya on the trails.

Amy Golden

Dr. Amy Golden has a dual degree in Biology and Psychology from Trinity College, and a Dental degree from University of Pennsylvania. She is a board member of South Jersey Camera Club and avid outdoor photographer. She also is honored to serve as a Trustee for Black Run Preserve.

Ron Pugh

Ron is a 53+ year resident of Evesham Twp; father of four boys; a veteran (U.S. Army); a retired (35 years) Vocational Counselor specialist with the NJ Department of Labor, with a Masters Degree in Education. As a United States Soccer Federation Youth Coach, and a State level Referee for 30+ years, he was inducted into the South Jersey Soccer Hall of Fame. Ron was a former LL Bean employee, and, as an instructor for their Outdoor Discovery School, he led a number of seminars on Outdoor and Nature topics, and was a frequent guide on their hiking and biking trips, among other responsibilities. In his spare time while raising his four boys, Ron was also Cub master for the local Cub Scouts for fourteen years. Ron’s lifelong passion is nature and the outdoors including birding and nature photography. Ron is a huge asset to the BRP participating in ambassador led tours, trail management and a variety of BRP projects.

Mike Kaliss

Mike is a forty year resident of Southern New Jersey with decades of experience exploring, photographing, hiking and kayaking in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. He is the Principal Administrator for the 26,000 member Jersey Pine Barrens Facebook Community Group, a past Board of Trustee Member for Whitesbog Preservation Trust and former moderator of South Jersey Trails and Bog Iron Outdoors. Mike is a graduate of Rutgers University and welcomes giving back to the community via volunteering for environmental causes, leading private and public tours as an Ambassador, and through extensive social media content creation focused on the Pinelands National Reserve. You can find over 500 of his photos via Instagram @pinebarrensadvocate.

Marge Taylor

Marge is an artist and lifelong nature lover. She worked as a decorative painter and was a coordinator for Literacy Volunteers, a library-based ESL program for 13 years. Her artwork has won awards in The Friends of Black Run Juried Photography and Art Exhibition, the Bly Ransley Founders’ Open Juried Art Exhibit, and the Willingboro Art Alliance’s Annual Open Juried Exhibition. She currently serves on the board and volunteers for The Friends of the Evesham Library. She has been an Ambassador for the Friends of Black Run Preserve since 2019 and is also a member of the Nestwatch project which tracks bird nesting in the preserve. In her free time, Marge enjoys travelling and hiking with her husband Rich and each Summer they volunteer together at the Cold River Camp in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. She also loves to read and spend time with her family.

Sue Pettijohn

Sue is a retired Speech–Language Pathologist who has proudly served as an Ambassador for the Friends of Black Run Preserve since 2019. An enthusiastic trail explorer, she delights in guiding newcomers through Black Run’s winding paths and sharing the preserve’s hidden wonders. Beyond her ambassador role, Sue leads hikes for the Outdoor Club of South Jersey and volunteers with the ReTurn the Favor horseshoe crab rescue project in partnership with Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River. In her downtime, Sue embraces the outdoors with her family—whether hiking, backyard birding, or tending a native‐plant garden. A lifelong learner and avid reader, she especially enjoys books that deepen her appreciation of the natural world.

Diane Hardies

Bio coming soon!