Board of Directors

Henry C. Pitts, President of The Manor Conservancy, has been a Manor area resident for over 60 years. His property is under an easement co-held by the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) and The Manor Conservancy. He is a retired pension fund manager with Mercantile Safe-Deposit & Trust Company.

Harry McDonough, Vice President, is a lifelong resident of a 312-acre farm on Carroll Road. He has granted easements on over 170 acres through the Rural Legacy program. Harry is an independent businessman specializing in privately held firms.

J. Doug Behrens is a Manor resident and a descendant of the Sparks and Hutchins families. Doug's residence is under a conservation easement. Doug is a former manager of hospital pharmacies and has been a TMC director since 2013. Doug serves on the Easement Committee and advises the Fugate Committee.

Robert Bowie, Jr. has been a Manor resident since 2007. Bob is the founding member, now retired, of the law firm of Bowie & Jensen, LLC. The firm practiced business law, including real estate matters. Bob has also written eight plays that have been performed in Baltimore theaters. He is a preservationist and avid fisherman. Bob coordinates Conservancy Advocacy liaisons.

Susanna Brellis has lived in Monkton since 2016 on her homestead, preserved under an easement with TMC. Susanna is an environmental scientist with KCI Technologies, Inc., and has spent her career studying the effects of development and watershed conditions on local waterways.

Dean Bryant was born and raised on a small cattle farm in Indiana. He has cattleman’s blood in his veins. He graduated from Perdue University with a degree in Animal Science and a Master’s in Animal Genetics. After school, he moved to Maryland’s Eastern Shore and played and enormous role in developing the University of Maryland’s Wye Herd genetics program. Dean is now Roseda Farm’s resident cattleman and genetics master. He and his wife, Marcia reside in Monkton.

George G. Clarke, Secretary, and his wife live in a 19th-century home on TMC and MET-conserved property. They plan to re-establish agricultural use of the property, restore the wooded acreage and outbuildings, and preserve the house. George worked in financial management at Rockwell International, including controllership of manufacturing facilities. He also developed three franchise territories (Baltimore, Buffalo, and Rochester) for a national telecom system that a publicly listed corporation subsequently acquired. George serves on the stewardship and finance committees.

Jim W. Constable is Chairperson of the Board of the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) and is a partner at Wright, Constable & Skeen, L.L.P. in Baltimore. Mr. Constable’s practice includes corporate and business law, real estate, commercial transactions, transportation law, commercial litigation, arbitration, estate planning, non-profits, conservation easements, dispute resolution, railroad law, and utility law. Mr. Constable has written numerous publications on conservation easements and estate planning. Mr. Constable is the past president and chairman of The Manor Conservancy and is the former chair of the Baltimore County Landmarks Preservation Commission. Mr. Constable is a resident of Baltimore County. Jim serves on the Easement Committee.

Joe Davies is a lifelong Manor resident. He resides at Dunmore Farm, which is under easement. He is the CEO of his own recycling business. Joe is a horseman and a gentlemen farmer and has served on The Manor Conservancy Board of Directors since 2003. Joe serves on the Easement Committee.

Emily Emerick has lived in the Manor area for 26 years and has been the Executive Director of the local treasure, Ladew Gardens, since 2002. Emily has served on The Manor Conservancy Board of Directors since 2013. Emily is a member of the Development Committee.

Dorian I. Filbert has lived in Monkton since 1987. Her homestead is under easement co-held by The Manor Conservancy and the Department of Natural Resources. She has served on The Board of Directors for The Elkridge-Harford Hunt Club and served on The Manor Conservancy Board of Directors since 1993. She is co-chairman of the Development Committee. 

Chuck Gittings has lived in the Manor area for the last 26 years. His farm is under an easement with the Maryland Environmental Trust.  He was a self employed auto dealer for over 40 years.  He is co-chair of the Manor Race, a member of the Baltimore Area Boy Scout Advisory Board, and other philanthropic organizations.

Thorne Gould, Treasurer, has been a Manor area resident since 1992. His homestead is under easement through the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF). Thorne owns several area businesses and has served on The Manor Conservancy Board of Directors since 1993. Thorne also serves as Chair of the Finance and Nominating Committees.

Ron Maher is a lifelong Manor resident. His homestead is under easement through the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF). Ron formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Elkridge-Harford Hunt Club, The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) Foundation, and the Maryland Polo Club. Ron is co-chairman of the Development Committee.

Joan Norman has owned One Straw Farm in White Hall with her husband, Drew, since 1983. A certified organic farm, One Straw has a very active CSA program serving 1500 members and sells produce to restaurants and farmers’ markets. Joan’s farm is preserved through an easement with the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation.

Patrick Smith has been a Monkton resident since 2013. He is Vice-President/Principal at Blue & Obrecht Realty and is on the Associate Leadership Council of the Living Classrooms Foundation. Patrick, an avid outdoorsman and hobby farmer, has been a TMC director since 2017.

Wilson Taliaferro lives in Phoenix next to the NCR trail and Gunpowder River. Taking action to improve the place where he lives is essential to him. Wilson is a strategic financial planner at Bush River Trust, past alum board co-chair for Friends School of Baltimore, and a board member for Gunpowder Riverkeeper. He serves on the Finance Committee.