Our board and staff

David Gerth – Board Chair

David founded the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society in 2008 and has been director and volunteer with the organization ever since.  David lives near Duluth, MN and loves everything about Isle Royale and Rock of Ages Lighthouse, especially the beauty, solitude, and rich history of the area. David is a building facility manager for the Duluth Public School District where he has worked for the last 15 years.  He directs the restoration of Rock of Ages Lighthouse and manages the organization.

Nathan Gerth – Board Vice-Chair

Nathan has been a board member since 2008. From a young age grew to love Lake Superior and the North Shore of Minnesota. He is a digital archivist for the University of Nevada Reno and has worked in the discipline since 2012. Nathan maintains the website and conducts historical research for the organization.

Charles Gerth – Board Treasurer

Chuck is one of the founding board members. He enjoys volunteering at the lighthouse with his family every summer they are able. He grew up on the North Shore and currently lives in the St. Louis area, making trips to MN to enjoy the outdoors and visit family. Chuck graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Industrial Technology. Since 2004 he has been working as a Steel Foundry Process Engineer at Amsted Rail, specializing in the process control for the manufacture of large steel railroad components. He enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and learning or experiencing the history of people and places. He is a member of the American Foundry Society and currently serves on a Technical committee to improve the Greensand Process for the industry. He is also involved in Scouting as volunteer leader for local units (Troops and Pack) and has managed several overnight camps as Camp Director.

Jessica Gerth – Secretary

Jessica is a founding board member.  She graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders and Sciences and a B.A. in Psychology.  She completed her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (SLP) in 2006 from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville.  She currently works as a licensed SLP for Belleville Area Special Services Coop at Franklin Elementary School.  Jessica specializes in working with students with Autism to improve their communication and quality of life by using technology and practical lessons. She looks forward to the day when she gets a chance to spend time at Rock of Ages.  She enjoys traveling, reading, working on crafts and spending time with family.

Deb Winchell – Board Member

Deb grew up camping and swimming and on frigid Skaneateles Lake in upstate NY. As an adult, she moved her family to Minnesota in the early ‘90s and has kayaked many Superior locations since getting hooked on the sport in 1998. Her first Voyageur II trip past Rock of Ages left a lasting impression! She’s backpacked and kayaked Isle Royale and loved listening to the howl of wolf packs.

She retired from Cornell University where she was a student leadership facilitator and communications manager. Deb lives on a lake in Carlton, MN, and has four grandchildren. She is a freelance writer for Boreal Community Media and author of a children’s book that took place on Rock of Ages.

Carne Andrews – Board Member

Carne is a first year volunteer and board member in 2017. From the moment she heard of the Rock of Ages Lighthouse restoration, she knew she wanted to be actively involved. Her love and appreciation of the Isle Royale National Park environment spans several decades. Her favorite activities include hiking, camping, paddling and birding in, around and on Lake Superior. She is a retired Nurse Practitioner living in Boulder Junction, WI. Being involved in ROALPS has provided an opportunity to be more involved with National Park Service, the greater Isle Royale community and to share the unique beauty and history of this Lake Superior gem with others.

Richard Kaufman – Board Member

Richard is a new member to the board of directors. Along with his wife, Rachael, he joined the board in 2017, after their first work-trip to the Rock of Ages lighthouse. Richard has visited Isle Royale 17 times. His other volunteer activities include helping with trail maintenance for the Superior Hiking Trail, serving on the City of Superior Tree Board, and volunteering at the local VFW. His passions include anything outdoors: alpine skiing, biking, hiking, and camping. Along with his wife, they also enjoy traveling and drinking good beer and eating great food. His full-time profession is a Project Manager for the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth, MN.

Rachael Holden-Kaufman – Board Member

Rachael has been a board member and volunteer with Rock of Ages since 2017. Though new to the board, she has a long history with Isle Royale National Park and has been visiting “the island,” as it was called at her house, since she was a child. She lives in the Twin Ports with her husband and their pets and enjoys reading, hiking, drinking good beer, and traveling. Rachael has a background in education and communication and is looking forward to the opportunity the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society provide for sharing her love of all things Isle Royale with a larger audience.

Mary Hennessy- Board Member

Mary is a lifelong Duluth Minnesota resident. Retired in 2019, she worked in X-ray, Cardiology, and IT with certifications in Web Development, CISCO Networking, and Transformational Leadership. Her interest in new technology drove her to combine interests across her career to culminate as an Operations Coordinator for WorkWell Prevention & Care. Data collection, analytics and organizational skills have been essential to volunteer work for her church, Duluth Women’s Club, Union Gospel Mission, Arrowhead Regional Arts Council and Meteek Construction Company. Having a history of backpacking Isle Royale she was looking for alternate ways to continue adventures there. She signed up to work at the lighthouse as a test, in case she volunteered to be a docent and was trapped by weather at the lighthouse. Later that year she joined the ROALPS Board, and still works as a summer volunteer. A bonus to the lighthouse work has been making friends with the local Washington Harbor Preservation Group and assisting with restoration and maintenance of cabins in the area. When not attending her 13 grandchildren or 3 great grandchildren’s events, she can be found downhill skiing, paddleboarding, golfing, rowing, hiking, or traveling with her husband Mark. Some of her favorites are her dog Dottie, photography, writing, and all things CHOCOLATE!

Jan Reyers – Board Member

Jan grew up sailing Lake Superior and still does to this day, having frequently passed by the Rock of Ages Lighthouse on the way to Isle Royale or Canada, at one point meeting his future wife in Isle Royale’s Washington Harbor. He has reconnected with the light and the harbor as a volunteer boat driver for the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society. Jan also volunteers with the University of Minnesota Raptor Center and the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, following a rewarding career in sales and marketing with the 3M Company. Living in Afton, MN, he can often be found at his Duluth, MN residence.

Heather Gerth – Assistant Director

Heather has volunteered with Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society since 2016 serving as both a trip leader and board member. In 2018 she became part-time Assistant Director working behind the scenes year-round to keep the organization running smoothly. She lives with her husband, David, and two children near Duluth, MN and enjoys hiking, birding, camping, and anything outdoors. She is an ecologist, interpreter, environmental educator and has a strong background in non-profits. Heather manages the membership database, writes and manages grants, performs bookkeeping, and coordinates events and volunteer work trips.