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.

Michael Boeck, J.D., Program Director

Mike is the director of Maryland Pesticide Network's IPM in Health Care Facilities Project (in partnership with Beyond Pesticides). Mike has sixteen years of professional experience in the field of environmental policy and project management that emphasizes community involvement and environmental justice, risk communication, technical outreach, strategic planning and program development, and alternative regulatory approaches. Prior to his work with MPN, Mike worked as a consultant primarily to U.S. EPA, where he was engaged in the development of innovative programs such as the university-based Technical Outreach Services to Communities program, the national brownfields cleanup and revitalization program, environmental justice communities displaced by environmental contamination, and pesticide environmental stewardship. Mike holds a J.D. in Law from the University of Georgia and a B.A. in Economics from the College of William and Mary.

Diane Zerbe, M.H.S., MT (ASCP) Program Director

Diane is the Program Director for the Pesticides in Chesapeake Bay Watershed Program. She has over 15 years of experience with environmental, public health, and emergency response programs and over 20 years of experience with community health and workers’ health issues. She has held several positions focusing on the training and education of students and practicing professionals in occupational and environmental safety and health involving areas such as; hazardous waste, environmental exposures, emergency preparedness and industrial hygiene. Diane has also worked with business, industry and community groups on environmental concerns. She has held positions with Johns Hopkins University, Millersville University, Stevens College of Technology, and various health care institutions. She received her Master’s of Health Sciences in Industrial Hygine from Johns Hopkins University and an undergraduate degree in clinical laboratory science from Millersville University.

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, program chair, and conservation 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.

Ther Aung, M.H.S., Research Associate

Ther has been working as a part-time Research Associate for the Maryland Pesticide Network since July 2006. She conducts literature search on peer-reviewed epidemiological studies on pesticides for MPN’s publications used to educate health care providers and public health professionals. In addition to research, she is involved with the development of MPN’s resource guide and outreach to minority worker populations to raise awareness about the health impacts of occupational pesticide exposures. She has over five years of research and advocacy experience working with non-profit organizations in the field of labor rights, health, and international development. Ther has an M.H.S in Environmental Health Science from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a B.A. in International Relations and Environmental Studies from the College of William and Mary.