Who We Are
Who We Are
Friends of Cabin John Creek, Inc. (FoCJC) is a volunteer citizen group dedicated to the restoration, preservation, and stewardship of the Cabin John Creek watershed. FoCJC was started informally in 1999 as a committee of the Cabin John Citizens Association in Cabin John, Maryland. FoCJC has since incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit and has grown to include members from within and without the watershed, including residents of Glen Echo, Bethesda, Potomac, and Rockville.
FoCJC regularly collaborates with local organizations including the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, City of Rockville, Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, The Potomac Conservancy, Audubon Naturalist Society, Alice Ferguson Foundation, and Izaak Walton League of America. FoCJC volunteers organize events and programs, such as Creek Clean-ups, environmental film viewings, stormwater management campaigns, and other activities to educate and motivate local residents to become stewards of Cabin John Creek.
Mission Statement
We work to protect and improve the health and beauty of the Cabin John Creek Watershed, raise awareness of its significance in the community, and foster community involvement in these goals through education, projects, and advocacy.
Board of Directors
Friends of Cabin John Creek is always looking for talented go-getters who love working for a good cause, sharing their knowledge and experience, and learning new skills. Volunteering with FoCJC -- whether as an intern, event supporter, program organizer, or board member -- allows you to learn more about the challenges and threats facing our watershed and make a difference for the environment. There are opportunities for people with all backgrounds and availability. Contact us to find out more!
Our Logo
FOCJC has chosen the Cabin John Bridge as a symbol in the FOCJC logo, because the historic Cabin John Bridge (built in 1863) is located at the geographic point where all the water of the Cabin John Creek Watershed flows into the Potomac River.
​P. Burton Gray
President
​Burr moved to Cabin John in 1991 and began yearly creek cleanups which resulted, among other things, in the removal of the WSSC signs indicating that the Creek was polluted. Burr is a co-founder of FoCJC and served for 20 years as the head of the Cabin John Citizens Association which has supported FoCJC since its infancy. Burr has also served on the Boards of the Potomac Conservancy and the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. He has a BA from Dartmouth College and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center.
​Sandy Laden
Vice President
Sandy Laden has a BS in Animal Science from Rutgers University and is a graduate of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and has been a practicing veterinarian in Montgomery County since 1991. Sandy hikes frequently along Cabin John Creek near Luxmanor and Tilden Woods Park. She became interested in creek stewardship after seeing the erosion of the creek along the park trails. Sandy is also involved with restoration projects of Serpentine Barrens in Baltimore and Harford counties.
Scott Hoffman
Treasurer
Scott is a long-time Cabin John resident and has spent the last 30 years as the fourth generation running a local family-owned insurance company, serving as Treasurer for the past 20 years. After graduating from St. Stephen's High School in 1986, he earned his B.S. degree from the E. Claiborne School of Business of the University of Richmond. Scott is active in solving local community issues and is an avid barefoot water skier!
​Jon Putnam
Secretary
Jon has degrees from Amherst College and the University of Michigan and works in international conservation for the federal government. He has lived in Cabin John since 2011, attracted to the community in large part by its natural setting, including in particular Cabin John creek. Jon also serves on the Advisory Group for Montgomery County's Legacy Open Space, and is an avid birder.
​Don Libes
Director, Webmaster
​Don has degrees in computer science and math from Rutgers and the University of Rochester. Don works as a computer scientist for the federal government when he is not out on the trails.
Don brings balance to the Board by representing the average citizen who wants to do the right thing despite a complete lack of formal education in any environmental sciences. Don also maintains FoCJC's website and social media sites.
Peter Bross
Director
​Peter has a BA and MD from the University of Virginia and works for the Federal Government. He grew up across the river in McLean, and moved to Cabin John in 2010. Peter served on the Board of Directors of Earth Day Network and the Potomac Riverkeeper and enjoys kayaking on the Potomac and other locations, including Cabin John Creek, after a big rain. Peter also enjoys hiking and walking his dog along the creek and its tributaries, as well as along the C&O tow path.
Greg Gurley
Director
Greg has been a resident of Cabin John for 21 years, and Cabin John Creek has been an urban escape for his family; they hike it, his dog swims in it, and he even occasionally fishes it (catch and release). He is the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club overseer of the Democracy-to-Tuckerman trail stretch, supports the local boy scout scout troop, and recently became an ANS-certified water quality monitor. Greg works in the IT field when not being a Watershed Warrior and has an MS from Johns Hopkins in Computer Science and a BA in Mathematics from the University of Virginia.
Dan Kulpinski
Director
​Dan is a writer and editor who enjoys hiking the Cabin John Trail. After writing an article about the Cabin John watershed for the Audubon Naturalist News, he became inspired to help reduce stormwater runoff and improve the creek's health. Dan has an M.S. Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University.
Michael Northridge
Director
​Mike has a law degree from Georgetown University and works in the environmental field for the federal government. He is a Potomac resident and enjoys walking his dog along the Creek and its tributaries. (He always cleans up after his pet!) Mike is aiming to increase participation by local schools (public and private), places of worship, and HOAs/citizens associations in FOCJC's efforts. Also, as an Eagle Scout, he is especially interested in getting local Scouts involved.
Directors Emerita
Eric Strassler
Director
Eric was an early supporter of all things Cabin John Creek.
​Mark Frey
Director
Mark has
​Mark Frey
Director
Mark has degrees in Biology, Environmental Studies, and Environmental Science from Oberlin College and The Ohio State University. Mark has been studying and managing natural resources since his Eagle Scout creek restoration project in 1992. His work has been primarily within national parks focused on habitat restoration and invasive plant management. He moved to Cabin John in 2012.
​Doug Holy
Director
Doug has a Masters degree in Civil Engineering and Environmental Science from the University of Oklahoma, and is presently retired after having a successful career as an Environmental Scientist with environmental consulting firms in Dallas, TX and over 35 years as a Federal Civil Servant with the EPA and the USDA. Doug’s residence in Bethesda backs up to the Cabin John Creek and trail where he enjoys hiking.
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​Roy Seidenstein
Director
​Roy has a BA in Biology & Environmental Studies, and has been a practicing environmental lawyer for almost 30 years.
In addition to leading FOCJC's water quality monitoring program, Roy was one of two co-founders of the group in 1999, and has helped organize trash-cleanups and other activities ever since.
Lisa Wilcox Deyo
Director
​Lisa is a Landscape Architect with a focus on water issues, tree preservation, and native plants. She recently became certified by the Chesapeake Bay Landscaping Council as a Level 2 Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional. Lisa lives in Carderock Springs, where she designed a Community Rainscapes Demonstration Project that received an Award of Excellence from the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection.