STAFF

Ruth Berlin, LCSW-C, Executive Director

Ruth founded the Maryland Pesticide Network in 1994. She became a grassroots activist after she and her son were poisoned by pesticides aerially sprayed for fruit fly eradication in Southern California in 1990. Her work on the issue of pesticides and her success at bringing together a diverse coalition of state groups concerned about the impact of pesticides on public health and the environment has been recognized locally and nationally. She was appointed to the Maryland Governor's Pesticide Council in 1997 by Governor Parris N. Glendening and was a member of the Council until December 2004. Ruth has been a board member of Beyond Pesticides since 1996. She also served on the board of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters from 1998- 2000 and is an active member of the Maryland Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a coalition of Maryland environmental groups.

Ruth received her B.A. from City College of New York in 1970 and her M.S.W. from Adelphi School of Social Work in 1972. She was the co- founder and co- director of the Family Group Institute, San Francisco from 1976-1981 and associate faculty at the University of San Francisco Medical School from 1977-1981. She was also the co-founder and past co-director of InnerSource: A Center for Psychotherapy and Healing in Annapolis, MD from 1990-2000. Ruth gave this position up to devote her time to the Maryland Pesticide Network. She has been a practicing psychotherapist for 36 years and currently maintains a small part-time private practice in Annapolis, MD.

Sharon Fried, M.A. Project Director

Sharon has held a variety of both clinical and non-clinical positions in health care since 1980. Most recently, she was the Safety & Sustainability Specialist at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, where she was responsible for management of programs such as Integrated Pest Management, Hazardous Waste Handling and Reduction, Recycling and other Green Team initiatives. Additionally, Sharon maintains a working relationship with a human rights NGO in El Salvador, where she travels regularly for social justice projects. Closer to home, Sharon's skills in coalition building and community organizing can be seen in her successful efforts the keep her diverse neighborhood safe, clean and green. And, as a lifelong advocate for homeless and neglected pets, she volunteers at her local animal shelter as a feline foster parent and adoptions counselor. Sharon earned both a B.A. and M.A. from College of Notre Dame of Maryland. She also has certificates in Leadership & Social Change and Nonprofit Management.

Robert SanGeorge, M.A., Project Director

Robert has been professionally engaged in environmental, public health and social change work for the last twenty-two years. His past positions include Senior Communications and Development Consultant for the Sabin Vaccine Institute, Vice President for External Relations for the World Resources Institute; Director of Communications for the World Wildlife Fund and Vice President for Public Affairs for the National Audubon Society. Prior to his work with these organizations, from 1978- 1984 Robert worked for United Press International (UPI) as Chief International Energy and Environment Correspondent, Legal Correspondent and as UPI Ohio Bureau Chief. He has an M.A. in public policy from Ohio State University, where he was a Kiplinger Foundation Fellow.

Kim Birnbaum, Program Assistant

Kim has been an environmental activist with the Sierra Club since 2000. During her conservation work with the Howard County Sierra Club, she led an educational campaign regarding pesticides used in response to West Nile Virus. This led to her becoming the Maryland Sierra Club representative on the MPN steering committee, on which she has served since 2002. She also serves as MPN's membership coordinator. Kim is Maryland Sierra Club's Pesticides Issue Chair and for the Howard County Sierra Club serves as vice chair and fundraising chair. Her skills include grassroots campaign activism and organization, volunteer coordination, and event planning. Kim is passionate about environmental health issues and environmental justice, especially as they impact children, minorities, and other especially vulnerable groups.