District Directors are volunteers nominated by local, countywide organizations and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Their responsibilities range from policy creation to supporting efforts of district staff and their partner agencies to provide quality administrative, technical, and educational assistance to all county residents who request it.

  • Chairman - Lillian Theophanis 
Lillian served as Manager of the conservation district for 29 years. Lillian developed many of the partnerships for the district. Lillian is also a founding member of the Upper Susquehanna Coalition, as well as an active member of PACD.
  • Vice Chairman & Public Director - Curt Hepler 
Curt has a wide range of experience for the district as he taught at Blue Ridge school district for 37 years until retirement in 2001. Curt purchased his farm in 1981 and started his beef herd at that time to over 150 head presently. He is in partnership with his son Brian and Grandson Ben at Hepler Beef. They are proud to provide quality, full flavored Beef to their valued customers. Curt practices best management practices and is a valuable member of our board.
  • Commissioner Director - Elizabeth Arnold
Elizabeth M. Arnold is in her second four year term as a Susquehanna County Commissioner. She was first elected 2015, and has served on several boards including the Penn State Extension Advisor Board, the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau and the Susquehanna County Tick Task Force. She joined the Conservation District Board of Directors in 2020.
Ms. Arnold grew up in Susquehanna County on a dairy farm in Elk Lake, Pennsylvania and was an avid 4-H’er, and a participant of the dairy promotion team. Before running for county commissioner Ms. Arnold was a small business owner. She is a licensed barber stylist, was a licensed Realtor in PA and NY, and worked as a Landman in the oil and gas industry.
Ms. Arnold loves and appreciates the great outdoors, and beautiful county she lives in, and she enjoys kayaking and spending time with her family and friends.
  • Farmer Director - Jim Kessler
After 40 years as the Service Forester in Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties, Jim has found lots of ways to stay busy. This Penn State graduate is on the board of directors for the Friends of Salt Springs Park, Woodbourne Sanctuary, Cooperative Extension, and Camp Lackawanna. A Rotarian and Master Gardener, Jim is very active in the Susquehanna County Forest Landowners Association. Jim and Jan Kessler have four grown children. Besides operating Kessler’s Christmas Tree Farm, Jim enjoys travel, hunting, cross country skiing and woodworking.
  • Farmer Director - Brian Severcool
Brian comes to the District with a career in logging. He has been active in the forests for 32 years. Brian and his wife Charlotte have two daughters-Kelly and Tracy. In his spare time he restores vintage Fords. He has a special weakness for 1958 to 1964 models. 
  • Public Director - Bill Bayne 
Bill was born in Philadelphia PA and raised in South Jersey in a township that went from 2,000 population in 1950 to 17,000 in 1970. He spent much of his childhood summers in rural McKean County PA. Bill started building his house in 1972 and moved to Liberty Township full time in 1976. Bill was a Township Supervisor for over 20 years. Has worked on several “Dirt and Gravel Road” Projects. He has worked with the Conservation District, DEP, Army Corp. on several bridge and creek projects. He has been part of many programs and committees such as the Township Recycling Program, “SWAC” (solid waste advisory committee) and RESWAP (Recycling Solid Waste Panel), and the Susquehanna County Forest Landowners Association. Bill went to all six school districts in Susquehanna County and two in Wyoming county to talk to 3rd-7th grade students about Forestry and Conservation issues. Bill enjoys gardening, cutting firewood and being outdoors.​
  • Farmer Director - Doug Wood​
​​Doug is a lifelong county resident. After working 24 years at IBM, in 2005 he started a lawn care business. Interests include hunting, fishing, and raising beef cattle. He recently started managing his forest property for timber harvest.
  • Public Director & Treasurer - Jack McKee
Jack was appointed to the SCCD Board as a farmer Director in January 2019. He was raised on a dairy farm in Western PA. After graduating from Penn State, he taught in the Montrose Area School District for 34 years before retirement.
Jack and his wife, Judith, purchased a small farm in Bridgewater township in 1987 where they maintain an Angus cow/calf operation. Since purchasing the farm, many conservation practices have been put into place utilizing the services of the Conservation District and NRCS. Some of these practices include spring developments, drainage of wet areas, cattle walkways, and planting hundreds of trees of a wide variety.
  • Public Director - Robert Fearnley
​​​Robert holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from Penn State University.  Upon graduating from Penn State, he returned to the family dairy farm and ran the farming operation until a barn fire in 2007 at which time he took a job with the Susquehanna County Conservation District as Watershed Specialist and retired from the district in 2018.
 He currently serves as a Board member for Claverack, is on the SSSP Education committee and the Susquehanna County Forest Landowners Board.  Robert lives in Forest Lake Township and enjoys gardening and most anything outdoors.
  • Associate Director - Ed Price
Ed is a retired Susquehanna Co. school teacher with interests in the environment.  He believes it is imperative that we teach young people in our schools to respect and protect our soils, water, forests and wildlife.  Ed is an avid hunter, trapper and fisherman who cares about the forests and waters in our County.  He feels that it is a pleasure to be an Associate Director for Susquehanna County Conservation District Board.
  • Associate Director- William Shay
​Bill resides in Thompson and has 140 head of beef and replacement heifers. He also owns a stone quarry business. Bill has been married to Aileen for almost 23 years. They have 3 children; Audrey is 22 and a Civil Engineer in Harrisburg, Tosha is 20 and a Senior at Lackawanna College, and Cody is 16 and a Junior at Mountain View School.