About Us

About Us

Friends of Wilmington Parks works closely with Delaware State Parks staff to offer residents the chance to relax, play and enjoy nature just steps from their front door.

Our parks are linked like jewels along the Brandywine River from the central business district to the western city limits. They are oases of natural space, offering beautiful vistas, hiking trails, bike paths and picnic areas.

The Wilmington State Parks encompass five lush, urban parks along the Brandywine River in Delaware:

  • Brandywine Park marvels with its beautiful views of the Brandywine River as well as historic monuments.
  • H. Fletcher Brown Park provides a small oasis in the Wilmington business district.
  • Rockford Park in Wilmington’s Highlands neighborhood has one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city, the Rockford Tower.
  • Alapocas Run State Park, located between Augustine Cutoff and Route 141, encompasses 191 acres of woodland used by hikers, joggers and cyclists.
  • Kentmere Parkway is a half-mile long green parkway connecting Brandywine and Rockford Parks.

Leslie Hubbard, Executive Director

Executive Director Leslie Hubbard is passionate about our city parks. She is a lifelong resident of Wilmington and has lived in the Triangle, Midtown Brandywine and Trolley Square neighborhoods. She started her career at Delaware State Parks as an exhibit designer and served as the first Curator of Education at the Brandywine Zoo. For the past 20+ years, she worked as a consultant for cultural institutions and nonprofits in program design and content development. She loves playing tennis at the Rodney Street courts and walking her dog along the Brandywine and in Alapocas Run. Leslie has two grown children and lives in North Wilmington with her husband.

Joe Scharf, President
ENGINEER, NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER, 
PHILADELPHIA DIVISION

Joe resides near Rockford Park with his wife and daughter. He is a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy, Penn State University. He is employed by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, located in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He and his family enjoy walks, runs and bicycle rides through Rockford, Brandwine and Alapocas Run Parks. He and his daughter enjoy volunteering at the native habitat restoration area.

FOWP Board Members

The FOWP Board of Stewards is comprised of civic, legal, business, nonprofit, education, financial, and horticultural leaders. Each board member serves a one-year term, and elections occur at the FOWP Annual Meeting in November.

Sheryl Blowman, Vice President Retired Marketing Professional

Sheryl spent her career in project management, business development, and strategic communication within the financial services sector.  A native of Pittsburgh, Sheryl likens Wilmington to her hometown because of the abundant parks, friendly people, cultural activities, and sense of pride in the community. She and her husband can be found walking through the parks with their pups, enjoying the local dining scene, or tending to her expansive container garden.


David Sorber, Treasurer

David Sorber is a lifelong resident of the Wilmington area. A graduate of St. Edmonds Academy, Salesianum School, and the University of Delaware, he has been a member of the Friends board since 2000. He was a banker in Wilmington for 46 years and retired in 2020. He and his wife Marie live in the Delaware Avenue neighborhood near Brandywine Park.

Natalie Ephraim, Secretary Chemical management analyst, Dupont

Natalie has been with FOWP since 2021, first as a Rose Garden Volunteer, then as a Special Events Program Lead. She is enthusiastic about environmental sustainability and believes the outdoors are for everyone. Her main goal is to increase access to parks programming for people of all backgrounds and abilities. In her free time, she enjoys skiing and creating new art projects. Natalie works for DuPont where she is a Product Stewardship and Regulatory Chemical Management Senior Analyst.

Benjamin Allen

Attorney, Richards, Layton & Finger
Habitat Restoration Program Lead

Kevin Fennessy

Virtual Sales Support Representative, IQVIA Boston Scientific
Special Events Program Lead

Andrea Filbeck

Associate Attorney
Gordon, Fournaris, and Mammarella

Sarah Fraser

Digital Manager
Bank of America
Special Events Program Lead

Elizabeth Freud

Attorney,
Richards, Layton & Finger

Aimee Gibison

Partnerships and Community Engagement Manager, Independent School Management
Community Outreach Chair

Herb Inden

Retired,
City of Wilmington

Kinsey Lenehan

Attorney,
Richards, Layton & Finger

Phillip Liu

Senior Vice President, Biology, Synnovation Therapeutics
Habitat Restoration Program Lead

Ellen Muenter

Docent, Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
Rose Garden Program Lead

Ed Pankowski

Retired – Attorney, City of Wilmington Law Department

Dan Sampey

Flight Attendant
American Airlines

Logan Sturgill

Retired
Ashland Inc.

Jamieson Thomas

Sculpture Artist
Community Outreach Chair

Sandy Xu

Attorney,
Richards, Layton & Finger

Honorary Members

  • Gary Linarducci
  • June Peterson
  • Michael A. Porro
  • Charles F. Richards, Jr.
  • Lisa A. Schmidt

Park Historian and Author

  • Susan Mulchahey Chase, Ph.D

Staff Member

  • Jaime Colletti, Bookkeeper

FOWP Financial Information

Friends of Wilmington Parks is committed to financial transparency. For our most recent Form 990, see below.

  • Income Tax Form 990... VIEW
  • List Item
Income Tax Form 990

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