{"id":88420,"date":"2026-01-16T10:57:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T10:57:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/88420\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T10:57:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T10:57:22","slug":"berks-nature-welcomes-six-new-board-members-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/88420\/","title":{"rendered":"Berks Nature Welcomes Six New Board Members for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Berks Nature<\/p>\n

Berks Nature is proud to welcome six new members to its Board of Directors: Caitlin Banta, Risa Marmontello, Dianna McHugh, Chiara Sockel Renninger, Sandra Valencia, and Christi Weitzel. These talented women join Berks Nature\u2019s dedicated Board of Directors, providing vital governance for the organization and serving as ambassadors within the community.<\/p>\n

Kirsten Deysher continues her leadership as Board Chair, presiding over Board meetings and the Executive Committee.<\/p>\n

Please join Berks Nature in welcoming its entire 2026 Board of Directors:<\/p>\n

Officers<\/p>\n

Kirsten Deysher, ChairBeth Kohl, Vice ChairJames Kohler, Corporate SecretaryNicholas Bieber, TreasurerRisa Marmontello, Past Chair<\/p>\n

Directors<\/p>\n

Caitlin Banta \u2013 Brentwood Industries Inc.Nicholas Bieber \u2013 Cherry BekaertDoug Dahms \u2013 RetiredKirsten Deysher \u2013 Entech EngineeringDavid George, MD \u2013 RetiredDr. Terry Hand \u2013 RetiredChris Hawk \u2013 Hawk Environmental ConsultingDarryl Jenkins \u2013 Chester Water AuthorityEric Jenkins \u2013 Jenklein LLC and FM&CBeth Kohl \u2013 Barley SnyderJames Kohler \u2013 Mitsubishi Chemical GroupRisa Marmontello \u2013 RetiredDianna McHugh \u2013 PenskeTerry Reed \u2013 RetiredChiara Sockel Renninger \u2013 Focus Partners WealthSandra Valencia \u2013 Tower HealthChristi Weitzel \u2013 Berks County Intermediate Unit<\/p>\n

This dedicated Board of Directors adopted a 2026-2028 strategic plan to guide the growth of the organization and to guide proactive projects that protect natural resources and connect the community to nature. Get to know the newest members of Berks Nature\u2019s Board of Directors as well as its Executive Committee.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Kirsten Deysher \u2013 Manager of Client Engagement, Entech Engineering<\/p>\n

Berks Nature Board Chair<\/p>\n

Dedicated to building strong client relationships, driving revenue growth, and advancing the community, Kirsten has over 20 years of diverse experience in marketing, communications, client relationship management, and business development. At Entech, Kirsten is an integral leader in strategy development and implementation, business relations, and client experience initiatives.<\/p>\n

A champion for the region, Kirsten is engaged in numerous industry and nonprofit boards and committees, actively contributing to organizational advancement through major development campaigns, rebranding initiatives, real estate purchases, leadership transitions, and the expansion of new services and programs.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Beth Kohl, Esq. \u2013 Attorney, Barley Snyder<\/p>\n

Berks Nature Vice-Chair, Chair of Community Engagement Committee<\/p>\n

Beth is a Berks County native and is an attorney at the law firm Barley Snyder, where she regularly represents private and public clients in land use and zoning matters, municipal law, and real estate transactions. Beth also has past experience working for an engineering firm as a land development consultant and in the real estate department of a midstream energy company. Beth earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University and earned her law degree from the Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Drexel University in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

Beth serves on the Boards of Directors of Berks Nature, the Friends of the Reading Hospital, and the Pagoda Pacers Athletic Club, and is co-chair of the Municipal\/Real Estate Law Section of the Berks County Bar Association. She is an avid runner and cyclist, and lives in Lower Heidelberg Township with her husband, Tom.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Nick Beiber \u2013 Manager at Cherry Bekaert<\/p>\n

Berks Nature Treasurer, Chair of Finance Committee<\/p>\n

Nick is a Berks County native, graduating from Exeter High School and currently residing in Sinking Spring. Nick joined Cherry Bekaert (formally Herbein + Company Inc.) upon graduating from Elizabethtown College and is a manager in the audit department specializing in the government and not-for-profit industries.<\/p>\n

Nick joined the Berks Nature finance committee in 2019 upon graduating from Leadership Berks and also serves on the board and finance committee for the Vision Resource Center of Berks County. Nick resides in Sinking Spring with his wife, son, and twin girls. He coaches his son\u2019s little league baseball team and serves on two local not-for-profit boards.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

James Kohler \u2013 Senior Manager Sustainability, Mitsubishi Chemical Group<\/p>\n

Berks Nature Secretary<\/p>\n

Jim is an experienced leader in the sustainability industry, with over 35 years of diverse professional experience. He currently serves as the Americas Regional Senior Sustainability Manager for Mitsubishi Chemical Group (MCG), where he leverages his background in engineering and sustainability to help implement innovative solutions in the industry. He has served on the Environmental Committee for the International Association of Plastic Distributors (IAPD) in support of sustainability across the supply chain of performance plastics since 2020.<\/p>\n

Jim is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and Arizona State University, where he received a Master of Sustainability Leadership in May 2024. His dedication to sustainability reflects his commitment to stewarding resources responsibly and promoting environmentally friendly practices in MCG\u2019s business units.<\/p>\n

Passionate for community, Jim has been very active in many organizations within Berks County over the years. He is a graduate of Leadership Tri-County, including one year on the American Red Cross Board. He has coached Little League Baseball, led church youth events, participated on several church councils, volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, and served as an assistant Scout Master in a local Boy Scouts Troop. He started an on-site garden program at MCG\u2019s Reading location with support from the Trellis for Tomorrow \u201cFood for All\u201d program. A team of 10 passionate gardeners harvests 1,500 lbs. of produce from 10 raised garden beds annually for local food pantries. He is a resident of Exeter Township, where he lives with his wife, Stephanie.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Risa Marmontello \u2013 Retired<\/p>\n

Berks Nature Past Chair<\/p>\n

Risa is a former Berks Nature Board Member serving 2008-2018 and spent two years as Board Chair from 2015-2017, providing leadership to the opening of The Nature Place in 2017.<\/p>\n

Risa has been involved in environmental issues to some degree since college. In recent years, land preservation and habitat restoration have been a primary focus. Most of her volunteer time is devoted to working with the Monocacy Hill Conservation Association (MHCA) and its responsibility of maintaining the trails and facilities of Monocacy Hill Recreation Area, a 428-acre forest owned by Amity Township.<\/p>\n

As an organization leader, she oversees and carries out organizational administration, training, organization of volunteers, grant writing, and cooperative work with the township. Environmental Education and Forest Stewardship are additional activities of the MHCA, of which Risa helps to lead.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Caitlin Banta \u2013 President & CEO, Brentwood Industries Inc.<\/p>\n

Caitlin is Brentwood\u2019s President & CEO. She assumed this role in March 2024, marking a transition from the second generation of Rye family leadership to the third. In this role, Caitlin is committed to investing in people and innovation, minimizing the company\u2019s environmental footprint, and positively impacting the communities where Brentwood employees live and work.<\/p>\n

Prior to becoming CEO, Caitlin spent years learning the plastics manufacturing business, the many markets Brentwood operates within globally, and the people at the heart of the company\u2019s success. Brentwood has been part of Caitlin\u2019s life since she was 5 years old. That\u2019s when her family moved to Reading, so her father could learn the business from her grandfather. Caitlin continues their legacy today by growing the company and building a global \u201cOne Brentwood\u201d company culture.<\/p>\n

She is people-oriented and technical-minded. Caitlin empowers her employees to reach their full potential by prioritizing continuous learning and professional development. On the technical side, her pragmatic approach to business is informed by her mechanical engineering education from Tufts University but shaped by the collective knowledge and experiences of her Brentwood colleagues. She firmly believes that incorporating a range of perspectives is key to identifying the best opportunities for Brentwood.<\/p>\n

Caitlin is a trustee of her alma mater, Lancaster Country Day School, and is a member of the campaign cabinet for the United Way of Berks County. Outside of work, Caitlin is a Berks Nature preschool parent and enjoys spending time with her husband, Walter, and their two young children, Astrid and Alice. The family of four likes to travel to new places and try new foods.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dianna McHugh \u2013 Director of Customer Success, Penske<\/p>\n

A Berks County resident for the past decade, Dianna serves as Director of Customer Success at Penske, located just down the road from Berks Nature. In her role, she oversees a large, customer-facing team dedicated to driving long-term success for customers through the effective use of Penske\u2019s digital tools and services. Throughout her entire career, Dianna has maintained a strong focus on customer experience and delivering meaningful results for the organizations she supports.<\/p>\n

Outside of work, Dianna resides just outside of Reading with her family \u2014 proud members of the Berks Nature preschool community, past, present, and future. Dianna has been active in sports and the outdoors throughout her life \u2014 from playing on a Division II National Championship softball team in college to coaching her son\u2019s t-ball teams, she and her family enjoy staying active and spending time together outside.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Chiara Sockel Renninger \u2013 Senior Wealth Advisor, Focus Partners Wealth<\/p>\n

Chiara helps clients and their families develop, implement, and monitor wealth management strategies in pursuit of their financial goals and a stress-free life. She also works with clients to create comprehensive financial plans customized to their specific circumstances, plans that include portfolio management, tax-efficient strategies, advanced planning, retirement analysis, and education planning. Her specialties include working with trusts and multigenerational planning, helping families meet their financial goals while preserving their legacy and passing on their important values. One of her biggest rewards is watching her clients, their children, and sometimes their grandchildren achieve financial independence.<\/p>\n

Outside of work, Chiara is involved with a number of charitable and community organizations. She is the founding member and steering committee chair for the Power of the Purse Fund in Berks County, which provides funding to help break the cycle of poverty by eliminating or addressing barriers for women who want to enter or re-enter the workforce. She also sits on the development committee and the board of directors for Berks Nature and is past president of the board for Montessori Country Day School. Chiara and her husband, Ryan, have two children. She enjoys playing golf and basketball, going to the beach, and spending time with family and friends.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Sandra Valencia \u2013 Director Employee Relations, Tower Health<\/p>\n

Sandra is a Senior Human Resources professional with over 15 years of practical and progressive career success in human resource management. She has a strong background in strategic Human Resources, change management, performance management, compensation, (union and non-union) labor relations and employee relations, special projects, recruitment and workforce planning analysis, organizational development, and training.<\/p>\n

She is a dedicated professional and a strong bilingual leader in Spanish. She is a goal-driven leader who believes in continuous improvement. She has a proven track record in re-evaluating programs to drive cost savings and implementing programs to drive positive employee relations and consistency across the company. She is a highly effective communicator with a strong ability to build relationships with all levels in the organization.<\/p>\n

Sandra is a graduate of Penn State University and lives in Berks County with her husband, Jaime Perez, and their two daughters.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Christi Weitzel \u2013 Assistant Director of Early Childhood Programs, Berks County Intermediate Unit #14<\/p>\n

Christi is an experienced leader in early childhood education, with over 25 years of experience dedicated to advancing high-quality programs that promote children\u2019s growth and support their lifelong success. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Early Childhood Programs at the Berks County Intermediate Unit, providing strategic oversight and leadership for the organization\u2019s Head Start, Pre-K Counts, and Early Intervention programs.<\/p>\n

Christi holds dual bachelor\u2019s degrees in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education from Kutztown University and earned her Doctorate in Education Administration and Leadership from California University of Pennsylvania. Her doctoral research focused on the benefits of peer coaching among early childhood educators, underscoring her commitment to educator development and program excellence.<\/p>\n

Throughout her career, Christi has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advocacy and community engagement, working to elevate awareness of the critical role early learning plays in shaping positive educational and developmental outcomes. Her leadership reflects the belief that equitable access to quality early childhood education lays the foundation for stronger families and communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From Berks Nature Berks Nature is proud to welcome six new members to its Board of Directors: Caitlin…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":88421,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[128,130,129],"class_list":{"0":"post-88420","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-reading","8":"tag-reading-city","9":"tag-reading-city-headlines","10":"tag-reading-city-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88420"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88420\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}