Chester Creek Trail
Rail Trail in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Board and Governance
Barry Pinkowicz
President
Barry, who has lived in Aston for over 60 years, is currently serving as President. He is a long-time supporter of the Chester Creek Branch Rail Trail, and previously served as Vice President. He is very active in the local community with his volunteer efforts, including lifelong support for scouting, where he is currently a Committee Member with Troop 225, sponsored by St John Fisher Church in Boothwyn, PA. Barry also volunteers with the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He also enjoys helping out the Lions Club in Aston with their fundraisers. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park NY. Barry retired in July, 2022 from his position with Brock & Company as an Executive Chef with PJM Interconnection located in Audubon, PA. He enjoys traveling to each of the National Parks with his wife, Janilyn, spending time with his family, and working on special projects associated with the Chester Creek Rail Trail.
Ira Josephs
Vice President
Ira is involved in local bicycling advocacy on several fronts, and also volunteers for Transition Town Media and the Media Fair Trade Committee. He is an original member of FOCCB and currently serves as Vice President. Ira rides his bike for transportation, recreation and fitness, and most excitedly, wild mushroom foraging! He has a BS degree in Biology from Colorado State University.
John Paulson
Treasurer
John had been an active member of the FOCCB initially, and more recently has served as Treasurer since 2003. He has served in a variety of civic and church-related charitable activities, including a used bicycle donation ministry. John and his wife Debra have been Middletown Township residents since 1978 and enjoy cycling, especially on rail trails where traffic is not a safety issue. John is a CPA who retired from Vanguard where he worked as a systems analyst.
Janilyn Pinkowicz
Secretary & Membership Director
Janilyn has lived in Aston Township since 1960. She joined the board in 2015 as Membership Director & Secretary. She volunteers, along with her husband Barry, with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She has also been active in volunteering her service and time with other community organizations. Janilyn enjoys working on the historical signage that is being placed along the Chester Creek Trail. Janilyn retired in July, 2022 from her position as Senior Customer Service Coordinator with Asendia USA, an international e-commerce and mail-shipping provider, located in Folcroft, PA. She enjoys spending time with her family and three children, and enjoys traveling and visiting our incredible National Parks with her husband, Barry. She also enjoys walking and using the trail whenever she can.
Glen Clark
Project Director
Glen, along with his wife Kim, have been Aston Township residents for over 35 years. Glen has been in the construction business for over forty-nine years. During that time he owned his own business, Aston Contractors. As a Scoutmaster and Scouter for Troop 225 he has volunteered his time and has mentored many scouts throughout the years. In addition, he has overseen Eagle Scout projects along the Chester Creek Trail. Some of these projects included installation of all the benches and trash cans on the Middletown section of the trail, as well as installation of steps at the Mount Alverno Parking area/trailhead which has provided our trail users with a safe access point to the trail. Glen enjoys fishing and spending time with his family and grandchildren.
J. Michael Penzone, P.G.
Maintenance Director
Mike has lived in the area for over 20 years. He has worked as an environmental geologist in both the private and public sector and currently is employed by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). Mike holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Geology from West Chester University and is a licensed geologist in both Delaware and Pennsylvania. He has volunteered in his community for Aston-Middletown Little League, DCNR trail volunteer at Ridley Creek State Park, and currently a Committee Member with both Troop 292 in Aston and the Minquas District.
Samantha Kelly
Social Media Director
Samantha graduated from Widener University in 2020 with a BSBA and a love of marketing. She was vice president of Pi Sigma Epsilon, a co-ed marketing & sales fraternity, in her junior & senior years. She volunteers with multiple charities including city team and other organizations. Samantha has an eye for social media and digital marketing, her goal is to bring her knowledge to smaller organizations in hopes of providing them a larger online presence and a more competitive platform. Samantha currently works as a care assistant and pilates instructor, while doing small business marketing on the side. Chester Creek Rail Trail is her favorite spot to walk in Delaware county! She hopes to foster a connected trail community through her efforts with FOCCB and inspire the younger generations to get out and adventure
Lathish Vellingiri
Website Director
Lathish has been a resident of the Media area for the past decade. With a bachelor’s degree in computer science engineering, he currently serves as a Manager of Enterprise Architecture at AmeriHealth Caritas. He is married and has two wonderful children. The family cherishes their time together, often taking leisurely strolls along the local trails, soaking in the beauty of nature and enjoying each other’s company. This love for the outdoors has led Lathish to become actively involved in the Friends of Chester Creek Branch (FOCCB), where he recently joined to help improve the organization’s website. Always ready to tackle technical challenges, he is passionate about the game of cricket and all things tech.
Kelly Johnson
Emeritus Board Member & Volunteer Consultant
Kelly joined the board in 2014 as Communications Director and has lived in Middletown Township for more than 15 years with her husband and two daughters. She has a master’s degree in international relations and is currently employed as a software consultant for a national non-profit organization. She was a previous member of the Delaware County Parks Board and has volunteered with other community organizations. Kelly is delighted that she can walk to the Chester Creek Trail from her house, and can be seen on it regularly. Recently, Kelly stepped down from the board in 2023. However, she will be staying on as a non-profit volunteer consultant for the FOCCB.