BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Richard C. Balaban 
Business Designer
London, England and Chestertown, MD

Georgina Creamer
Special Education Teacher, Baltimore City School System
Baltimore, MD

Robert F. Creamer, Jr
Emeritus Professor, Community College Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD

Julia M. Hassett
Oracle Corporation
Washington, DC

Leslie S. Morgenthal
Community Volunteer
New York, NY

Mel S. Rapelyea, M.D.
Contract Radiologist
Betterton, MD

Peter P. Rice, Jr.
Executive Director, Echo Hill Outdoor School
Worton, Maryland

Terry V. Rice
Principle, Terry V. Rice, CPA, LLC
Rockville, Maryland

John Schick Restaurant Design and Management, West Chester, PA

directors

Peter “Petey” Rice, III, Executive Director

As Executive Director at Echo Hill Outdoor School, Petey brings extensive experience in outdoor education, event management, and strategic planning. In 2010, Petey joined the staff at Echo Hill Outdoor School as Assistant Director and licensed USCG Captain. His tenure at EHOS has been marked by oversight of operations, program expansion, and fundraising. With a diverse background that includes roles at Echo Hill Camp, New York Road Runners, and Tough Mudder, Rice's career has been dedicated to environmental education and program development—and he looks forward to supporting the School’s mission of providing students with transformative outdoor experiences in his role as Executive Director.

andrew R. Mccown, Associate director, Director of Summer Programs and Historic Fleet

Andrew R. McCown has worked with Echo Hill Outdoor School since 1977. He founded the School’s Summer Explore Trips program in 1979, and became an Associate Director in 1981. Andrew’s contributions to the school’s mission and methodology are instrumental to the programs’ effectiveness and success. As a senior trainer and educator, he mentors the full program staff in Echo Hill’s teaching standards and quality of programming. Andrew is one of the School’s USCG licensed captains. He regularly teaches Bay Studies, aquatic ecology and the heritage of the Chesapeake Bay. Andrew is a current and founding board member of the Chester River Association and served on the board of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy for twelve years. Captain Andy worked as an oysterman for eight winters as he captained the Skipjack Elsworth, one of the last of the great dredge boats of the Chesapeake. In 2008 the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) awarded Andrew with the Robert Finton Outdoor Educator of the Year Award. Andrew also performs with the critically acclaimed folk group, Chesapeake Scenes. Andrew and his wife Betsy are caretakers of the school’s Nature Preserve.

Elizabeth Zelter McCown, Associate and Managing Director

Betsy joined Echo Hill Outdoor School in 1979 after earning a B.S. in Community Leadership and Development from Springfield College, Springfield, MA. Diverse involvement in outdoor adventure pursuits coupled with many years at a recreational summer camp built her foundation for individual and group development. She became an Associate Director in 1981 and has continued to work full time ever since. Betsy oversees all daily operations, the professional training and development of personnel, coordinates the yearly calendar of attending schools and groups, and helps to maintain a high standard of quality programming. In September 2011, Betsy joined the Board of Trustees for The Gunston School in Centreville, Maryland. At the heart of Betsy’s direction is her ability to facilitate personal growth and development and build a sense of community. Growing up in rural western New York State instilled in her a keen appreciation for creative play in the natural environment. The McCown family enjoys living on the Outdoor School’s nature preserve and appreciates the unique setting and community they call home.

Deborah Grigsby, Assistant Director

Debbie joined Echo Hill Outdoor School in 1991. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia. Her love of the outdoors began as a young child spending cherished times with family in the countryside surrounding her Front Royal, Virginia, home.  She actively directs Echo Hill’s challenge course, is one of the school’s USCG licensed captains, and teaches an array of classes. Debbie coordinates the weekly program schedule, assists with personnel and risk management, and is instrumental in helping to maintain our program standard in all areas. Debbie lives with her charismatic son Benjamin, who spends all the free time he can on the Echo Hill campus.

administrative support

Pat Bjorke, School Secretary/office manager

Pat grew up in eastern Pennsylvania in a family that valued time outdoors fishing, hunting, camping and skiing.  She is still happiest digging in a garden, poking around shorelines in her kayak, and walking in a quiet snowfall at night.  Curiosity about the human mind and psyche led her to a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  On a whim, she and her husband Clark wound up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland nearly 40 years ago and they have called it “home” ever since, raising three daughters and now three granddaughters on crabs and Old Bay seasoning.

Robin Whitney, Business Manager

Robin has been the Business Manager at Echo Hill Outdoor School since July 2013. Robin is a native New Yorker and her business career began in retail management in Macy’s Herald Square. She and her husband, Chris, left city life behind in 1990 and have never looked back.

After taking time off to raise their two young sons, Robin returned to work in an accounting firm, where she managed payrolls for clients in Maryland and Delaware. Her attention to detail and customer service provided the framework for strong professional relationships with all her clients. Robin handled Echo Hill Outdoor School’s payroll as well as accounting assistance and consulting when needed. She has now found her niche at Echo Hill and loves the non-profit world of outdoor education. Robin holds a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences and Psychology from Carnegie-Mellon University, and currently lives in Worton, Maryland with her husband and their orange tabby cat, Rocket J. Squirrel, aka Rocky.