Speaker Biographies

Andy Lau
Steve Hoog
Dr. Tim Lutz
Thom Marti
Jim Krut
Dan Brown
Vertis Bream
Audrey Hess
Dick Schmoyer
Mark Williams
Russell Guthrie
Maureen Diaz

Andy Lau

Andrew (Andy) S. Lau is Associate Professor of Engineering, Coordinator of First-Year Seminars for the Penn State College of Engineering, and Associate Director of the Center for Sustainability at Penn State. He has worked since 1977 as an engineer in the areas of solar energy applications in building, simulation of building energy use, and general consulting in the energy field. He joined the faculty at Penn State Harrisburg in 1984 and taught in both the Energy Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology programs.

Steve Hoog

Since 1980, Steve has been a Macrobiotic Dietary Counselor and Shiatsu Practitioner. He presently does four different types of bodywork and is a teacher of Shiatsu. He is a member of the steering committee of The Alliance for Sustainable Communities-Lehigh Valley, is on the board of directors of The School of Living (a community land trust organization),  and is on the board of the Lehigh Valley Food Coop. He has written a 13-page proposal for relocalization of  food production and is planning, in coordination with the Alliance, several  permaculture projects in his area.

Dr. Tim Lutz

Dr. Tim Lutz holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. For the last fifteen years he's been teaching environmental geology and related courses at West Chester University, West Chester, PA. Teaching interests include energy consumption and its connections to climate change and sustainability. His recent research interests include short-term (decadal) climate change, drainage basin geomorphology, and communication of risks from geologic hazards. He also is a member of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction committees of West Chester Borough and Chester County.

Thom Marti

Thom and Judy Marti gave up careers in science to buy a three-acre piece of mountain land in Wenksville in 1983 to turn their 'farm dream' into their 'dream farm.' They have now been operating Broad Valley Orchard (Certified Naturally Grown) for 25 years. They have made a living on this micro-farm, thru farm markets, CSA since 1995. Thom and Judy also serve as mentors for interns for local colleges, and have been "Friends of Hundred Fold Farm" since its founders brought their idea here. They are very active in working to support Local Food, Art, Music, and Literature.

Jim Krut

A Mount Union native, James R. Krut of Gettysburg is in his 18th year with Adams Electric Cooperative, where he serves as vice president of communications and community services. From 1983 to 1990, Jim edited Penn Lines, the statewide magazine of the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association (PREA), with a circulation of over 250,000. Jim has consulted on local co-op publications in several states and led workshops for cooperative leaders in 10 states. He also was active on several electric cooperative task forces relating to electric utility deregulation.

Dan Brown

With a degree in environmental studies and a decade of construction work experience, Dan Brown started Brown House Consulting several years ago. Their service assesses the impact of building materials, air quality and other elements in home construction, and creates ways to improve the home environment and keep families healthy. Brown has expanded his consulting services to include green building practices and passive solar techniques. Dan and Erika Brown live with their children in Kempton, PA, where they work toward a goal of low-impact, sustainable living and net zero energy usage.

Vertis Bream

Vertis Bream has been homesteading self-sufficiently for over 17 years, growing 90% of his food and supplying all of the homestead's energy needs. He has 32 years of alternative energy experience with solar, wind, hydro, methane, wood gas, butanol, and slow speed diesel generation using owner-made fuel. 

Audrey Hess

Audrey Hess is a Registered Dietitian who strives to enrich and broaden her nutritional thinking through input from varied nutritional perspectives. She enjoys helping people to connect with nutritious foods and their sources as well as gardening and creating in the kitchen. Audrey worked in clinical nutrition at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, including providing nutritional care and education to the pediatric population. She and her husband, Fred Oberholtzer, lived for four years as community development workers in rural El Salvador. Her current employment is with the Women, Infants and Children Program in Adams County, promoting maternal lactation and providing nutrition education, with a focus on the Spanish-speaking population. She loves sharing life-learning with her 5 and 2-year-old sons, Noé and Lucas.

Dick Schmoyer

Dick Schmoyer has worked as the director of the Adams County Office of Planning and Development since 1988. His love of maps and travel put him at the helm of a growing county's planning and development department. He is a member of the Amierican Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and a board member of Healthy Adams County Bicycle/Pedestrian Inc.

Mark Williams

Mark Williams was born and raised in Athens, Ohio. He holds an Associate of applied science in Industrial thermodynamics from Hocking College and a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from Ohio State University. He is a certified water specialist (all 6 levels) from the Water Quality Association and a PA Dept of Environmental Protection certified operator for small systems. He has been the co-owner of NicMar Water, Inc. (DBA Ecowater Systems) for 16 years.

Russell Guthrie

Russell Guthrie has 36 years experience in the field of educational technology. He has a broad range of experience, from mainframes to personal computers to networks in both administrative and instructional use.  He is currently specializing in Green Energy Awareness Seminars. He serves on the Board of Directors at Sunlion Energy Systems, Inc. and Kingdom Energy Solutions LLP, an energy firm that sells power purchase agreements.

Maureen Diaz

Maureen Diaz is the homeschooling, homesteading wife & mother of 9 children. She lives with her family in the beautiful Buchanan Valley where she enjoys gardening and learning more about history, nature & nutrition. She is also the Weston A. Price Foundation chapter leader and, as such, takes great pleasure in sharing accurate nutrition information with others and teaching cooking classes based upon WAP principles.

Click here to return to the top of the page.
Click here to return to the Earth Day page.