The Dockstader Foundation is a charitable body created under section 509(a)1 of the federal tax code and receives a continuing stipend from SECCRA. It is managed by an independent seven-member board of directors and staffed by a part-time foundation manager and bookkeeper.
John Gaadt, President
John M. Gaadt, AICP is an environmental and land use planning consultant. He is the principal of GAADT PERSPECTIVES, LLC, located in Chadds Ford, PA. His firm specializes in developing strategies to protect natural resources, preserve open space, mitigate environmental impacts, and encourage sustainable development.
Mr. Gaadt is a past Adjunct Professor of Land Use and Environmental Planning at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Gaadt is a longtime resident of Kennett Township, PA and is a board member of the Kennett Area Park Authority, which owns and manages Anson B. Nixon Park.
Doug Schott, Vice President
Doug Schott, P. G., is a professional geologist and project manager at ARM Group in West Chester, PA. His work focuses primarily on the solid waste industry and brownfield redevelopment.
Mr. Schott was previously a field scientist at SECCRA implementing their environmental monitoring program and continues to manage SECCRA’s environmental monitoring and related compliance reporting.
He is very active in Scouting America as an adult leader.
Linda Connery, Treasurer
Linda Connery is a retired educator, having spent 35 years as a teacher, reading specialist, language arts coordinator and principal.
Ms. Connery has lived in southern Chester County for 40 years and currently resides at Jenner’s Pond, where she serves on the Resident’s Council. She has worked as a volunteer at Project CURE for the past three and a half years. And is chairman of the Dockstader Scholarship Committee.
Robert Struble, Immediate Past President
Bob Struble is a charter member (2002)of the Dockstader Foundation Board of Directors and served previously as board president.
Mr. Struble is the retired Executive Director of the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance, and a lifelong resident of Chester County.
Harold Walls, Member
Harold Walls is a long-term resident of Southern Chester County and a local businessman.
He is a former director of Southeastern Chester County Refuse Authority and was appointed to the Foundation Board of Directors in 2008.
Roger Legg, Member
Roger Legg is an attorney and resident of Highland Township, Chester County. He is the Solicitor for the Southeastern Chester County Refuse Authority. Mr. Legg is a charter member (2002) of the Dockstader Foundation Board of Directors and is legal counsel.
Christian Strohmaier, Member
Christian Strohmaier has been Managing Director of the Chester County Conservation District since 2009. The Conservation District works with a number of agencies and groups to provide guidance on sustainable use of natural resources.
Mr. Strohmaier is a resident of Kennett Square . He joined the Board of Directors for the Dockstader Foundation in March 2025.
Gary Odle, Member
Gary Odle is a member of the Southern Chester County Refuse Association (SECCRA) Board of Directors. He is a long-time resident of London Britain Township. His business, Stonescapes, specializes in custom masonry, stone setting and other stonework.
Mr. Odel was appointed to the E. K. Dockstader Board of Directors in March 2025.
Staff
Daria DiSabatino, Foundation Manager
Ms. DiSabatino was elected to the Dockstader Foundation Board of Directors in 2015 and is a past president. Prior to her 2023 appointment as Foundation Manager she worked as the Interim Manager to help transition the foundation to web-based grantmaking and management systems.
Dawn Robinson, Finance Manager
Dawn Robinson has been employed with SECCRA for over thirty years. She has been providing financial services to the Dockstader Foundation since 2014
