RAMBOLAND

A globally experienced leader with over 25 years of professional background in whole system thinking, ecological planning, and sustainable design, Chad is leading the farm business modeling for the projects.  

“I believe that a resilient systems approach in our built environment – informed by the pattern and process of nature – will be an economically robust business model of the future. We must understand land and people as a positive relationship that enables them both to thrive in the future.” 

A lifelong leader in education systems throughout Pennsylvania, and now leading educators to reinvent the education system itself via his role at Drexel University's Doctorate of Education program, John sees Ramboalnd as the important first example of the sort of community educational infrastructure we need in every neighborhood. He is thus working to integrate the project with curriculum and learning institutions locally and regionally. 

Kirby Smith and his wife Suria have led an innovative and practice-leading company, Sunkirb Ideas, for many years. Kirby is a technologist and innovator in connecting built-environment management systems with interfaces people with any level of ability can use to manage their spaces and systems. Kirby has been supporting Ron and Ramboland to help Ron in his current living situation, and maximize the independence yielded by the Ramboland design. 

Marcus has been an international leader in the green building movement and energy optimization for three decades. His passion for how things things can support and integrate with social and food systems, and via a regenerative approach, has attracted him to contributed in several ways to Ramboland. He is leading the team's efforts around food system partnerships.   He's also passionate about working in his local community, and lives near the Ramboland site. 

Erin's goal is to leave every place better than the way it was found, in both professional and personal life. While in college, Erin designed buildings that met the net zero energy standard and strived to achieve Living Building Challenge certification. Erin has a very strong passion for high performance buildings and believes architectural professionals play an important role in demanding and producing a more sustainable built environment. In this vein Erin worked for Habitat for Humanity in North Carolina, serving as a laborer and project manager who helped build 50 houses in just one year. Erin has been aspiring to live a zero waste and vegan lifestyle for over six years in an effort to reduce her ecological footprint as much as possible. Erin is leading the effort to produce the final permit documents for the Ramboland this year. 

Cheryl Love, RLA, does not seek out the limelight, but it found her as she and other “Women of Influence” were honored by the Central Penn Business Journal. The awards are based on experience, integrity and leadership. Cheryl is the Director of Landscape Architecture, specializing in Land Planning. For many years, she has been the lone female partner at ELA Group, Inc, which she has since been integral in developing ELA into an Employee Owned Company (ESOP). Cheryl is a gifted Landscape Architect with passion and energy for making the community great, through the project she leads and civic causes she supports. Cheryl focuses on sustainable designs, responsible use of water resources, and energy efficient designs. She sees Ramboland as an extension of all these things.

Elizabeth W. Baldwin, P.E. is an experienced Senior Professional Engineer (P.E.) and Project Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the civil engineering industry. Elizabeth  is a professional skilled in Stormwater Management Design and Implementation, Land Development, DEP Permitting, and Erosion Control. Elizabeth feels this project is an important contribution to the industry and regulations due to the ways in which it is future facing. She feels this project will be an example for development to come to show how combining site stormwater and water systems can be sustainable and beneficial for all.

Thomas W. Devenney, P.E. is the Director of the Water/Wastewater Engineering Department at ELA Group, Inc. His responsibilities include overseeing the water and wastewater engineering design and project management. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Systems Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, Thomas has an educational background in air pollution, ground pollution, and water pollution control and values the opportunity to be involved with a project that seeks opportunities to mitigate its carbon footprint and institute water conservation practices.  Thomas is also passionately committed to the project because its attitude toward nutrients and management of resources is the direction we need to go if we're going to only solve, but dissolve our "waste" water challenges. 

Sam believes in architecture as profoundly unique form of human expression, with the ability to impact both humanity and the planet for better, or worse. He feels strongly that it should do the first. 

Sam lives a slow life in Lynchburg, VA where he and his wife operate a small design studio focusing on single family residential architecture and interiors. He enjoys spending time in nature, weight training, obsessing over building science, technical construction details, and a cold beer on the porch. He has lead the final visualization efforts for RAMBOLAND.