President – Mark J. Dreibelbis
Mark J. Dreibelbis, President of the Dreibelbis Farm Historical Society, grew up in northern New Jersey and spent summers working at his grandparents’ farm near Fleetwood, Pa. where he developed an understanding of the PA German Culture. He graduated from Elizabethtown College with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy, and returned to Berks County with a first job at Reading Rehab Hospital. Mark founded Berks Hand Therapy Center in Wyomissing in 1987, and continues to work there as a certified hand therapist. In 1996, he was approached by the Dreibelbis Cousins of America to help to preserve the Jacob B. Dreibelbis homestead farm. The property was acquired in 1998 and Mark has been working since then to preserve and protect this historic treasure.
Vice President – Ned Dresher
Norman Dresher is a retired Lutheran pastor, having served congregations in Berks and Schuylkill Counties. He graduated from Gettysburg College and received graduate degrees and certifications from Wittenberg University and Luther Seminary in Minneapolis. Ned, as he’s called, has served on the board of the Dreibelbis Farm Historical Society since the non-profit was founded in 1989, with special attention to publicity and fundraising. Past community service has included board and officer roles with Hamburg Salvation Army Service Unit and Reading Urban Ministry. Ned also currently volunteers with the Hamburg Food Pantry, the Interim Ministry Committee, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, and with IHartHarvest, Inc, the “Potato Project” which raises food to feed hungry neighbors.
Treasurer – Nancy Dresher
Nancy Dresher is a retired accountant, having worked in tax accounting with Berks County farmers and small business. She received an A.A. degree from Reading Area Community College and served as an elected auditor for twelve years for Windsor Township, Berks Co., PA. Nancy has been a volunteer for the historic Dreibelbis farm since 2011 and with the Hamburg Food Pantry since 2013. In addition to her work as treasurer for the non-profit farm corporation, she serves as Financial Secretary for Zion’s Lutheran Church of Perry Township.
Secretary – Jodi Greene
Jodi Greene is the Associate Professor of History and Political Science at Reading Area Community College where she also serves as the Undergraduate Research Coordinator. She holds a Master’s degree in History from West Chester University and formerly taught history at York College of Pennsylvania. She worked as a volunteer at the Daniel Boone Homestead and became involved with the Dreibelbis Farm Historical Society in 2011. She has served on the board since 2012.
Brian Ott
Brian Ott is a partner with the law firm of Barley Snyder and is the former Chair of the firm’s Personal Planning group. His practice focuses on estate planning and administration, business succession planning for family-owned businesses, and the representation of tax-exempt organizations. He has presented and written articles on a variety of estate planning topics. He is a member of the Pennsylvania and Berks County Bar Associations, a former president of the Berks County Estate Planning Council, and the former director of the Berks County Bar Association. He earned his B.A. at Lehigh University, his J.D. from Boston College Law School, and an LL.M in Taxation from Villanova University Law School.
Becky Mazzei
Becky (Dreibelbis) Mazzei holds a B.S. in Geology from Lafayette College. She has worked for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection since 2007 as an environmental specialist enforcing the State’s wetland, stream corridor, and coastal land use regulations. She has volunteered in the Girl Scout program and served on the leadership board of her church for several years. She has also volunteered on service trips to Mexico and Guatemala, partnering with local communities to build housing and work with at-risk children.
Vernie Noecker
Vernie Shiposh Noecker is a tenth generation Berks Countian, born in N.J. She graduated from Wilkes University with a B.S. in Elementary Education and did grad work at Penn State and Kutztown Universities. Vernie serves on the Board of the Pennsylvania State Sunday School Association and as president of the Berks County Sunday School Association, and has taught Vacation Bible School and Sunday School for 53 years. She is the founder and director of the Christian Education Resource Library, co-founder of the Hamburg Youth Center, and co-founder of the Kings Academy of Mohrsville. Vernie taught in the Hamburg Area School District for 10 years and is a long-time volunteer for the Berks County Heritage Center as an historical interpreter. She is a mother of 3, grandmother of 9, and great-grandmother of 2. Along with her husband, Bob, she enjoys 19th century reenactment presentations.
Dick Miller
Richard Miller, after serving as pastor in Brooklyn, NY, decided to
move “back home” after 42 years in the city. Being back in the area of
Pennsylvania Dutch culture, language, and cooking is a joy. A special
place to “reconnect” has been the Dreibelbis Farm where he has spent
time scraping, re-glazing, and painting windows, among other things.
The best times on the farm are when it’s very quiet, and one hears
only sounds of birds, insects, goats and hens. Richard is a graduate of
Kutztown Area High School, Muhlenberg College, and Philadelphia
Lutheran Seminary. Carolyn and he now live in Topton. Since his return
to PA Dutch Country, he has spent lots of time reading, writing, and
learning to speak more fluently in the dialect. He has enjoyed speaking
at Grundsau Lodcshces, Fersommlings, and has preached at dialect Worship
events.
Site Director – Bradley Smith
Bradley Smith worked for 17 years in various roles for the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. He has been affiliated with the Berks History Center since 2016, and he is currently the center’s Assistant Director, Archivist, and Pennsylvania Dutch language teacher. In addition, he has been an Adjunct History Professor at Alvernia University, since 2005. While Bradley was raised in Schaefferstown, Lebanon County, his father’s family has lived in Berks County since the early 1700s.