Meet the Board
Sarah Kipp, President
Sarah Kipp is the Land Conservation Coordinator at the Land Conservancy of Adams County. She joined the Land Conservancy in 2009 after completing her master’s degree in City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania, where she focused on land use and environmental planning. Sarah has been on the HABPI board since 2017. She also serves on the Gettysburg Borough Planning Commission and on Historic Gettysburg-Adams County's Preservation Committee. In 2013 she adopted a goal to bike every road in Adams County, and it looks like 2021 will be the year she completes that mission!
Eric Meyer, Vice President
Eric moved to the Gettysburg area in 2011 after retiring from a 33-year career in engineering and technology. He and his wife, Betsy, enjoy biking the beautiful back roads of Adams County, walking the Gettysburg battlefield, and hiking in state and national parks. Eric joined the HABPI board in 2014 and currently serves as President. In addition to his involvement with HABPI, Eric taught monthly classes in family budgeting and financial literacy to clients of SCCAP’s Work Ready Program for eight years until the program’s closure in 2020. He also volunteers with the Physical Fitness Task Force to support their hikes and free 5K’s.
Michael Bramel, Treasurer
Michael (Max) Bramel is a retired psychologist who was an instructor at Penn State Mont Alto. He has served on the HABPI board since 2017, and as treasurer since 2020. He sees HABPI as a means to develop local biking/hiking trails with reduced or no motorized traffic. Max served on the Cornerstone Counseling and Education board of directors from 1996 to 2017.
Dennis Hickethier, Secretary
Dennis has lived in Gettysburg since 1992 and retired from federal government service in 2005, having worked in three different federal agencies at six different locations. He has always been a "slow-pace" bicycle rider but never enjoyed it more than in Adams County. He helped create HABPI in 2005 and served on the board since then, including a few years as President.
Gary Shaffer
Gary grew up in the Washington D.C suburbs in the 1950’s, which presented many opportunities for bicycling on the roads that were not yet crowded with increasing suburban traffic. His summers were spent cycling to the activities he enjoyed - swimming, little league baseball, miniature golf. In the 1970’s, Gary graduated from the University of Maryland School of Architecture and relocated to Gettysburg, where he now maintains an architectural practice. While the location may have changed, his enjoyment from bicycling the less crowded local roads remains the same.
Patricia Lawson
Patricia “Patti” Lawson has served on the HABPI board since (year), and represents the organization as a member of Borough Council. She has lived in the borough since January 1999 when she moved here with her family from Maine. She held the position of associate vice president for government and community relations at Gettysburg College before retiring in May 2016. She currently works part time in admissions for Gettysburg College. For a dozen years, Patti served on the Main Street Gettysburg Board of Directors and was its chair for three years. In addition to the HABPI Board, Patti serves on the Callie Committee, and volunteers as a cook for the Soup Kitchen. You can often see Patti walking or bicycling through town.
Baird Tipson
Baird first moved to Gettysburg in 1987 to become the Provost of Gettysburg College. He left the College in 1995 to become President of Wittenberg University in Ohio, and after nine years there served for six years as President of Washington College in Maryland. He retired in 2010, and returned to Gettysburg with his wife, Sarah. His second book, entitled "Inward Baptism,” appeared in early 2020. Since he enjoys riding his bicycle all over Adams County, Baird joined the HABPI Board about five years ago, served a few years as Secretary, and continues to be impressed with HABPI’s support for bikers and cycling.
Steve Neibler
Steve was born and raised in Gettysburg and he cannot remember a time when he did not own a bicycle or two. He is one of the founders of Healthy Adams County Inc., which helped HABPI get started many years ago. Steve is retired after 34 years of employment with the Adams County Office for Aging, Inc. He served as director for 31 of those years.
Lex McMillan
Lex McMillan is a retired educational administrator who served for more than 37 years in positions of increasingly broad scope and responsibilities at four liberal arts colleges in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Upon his retirement in 2017 after 12 years of service as president of Albright College, the Board named him President Emeritus. He moved to Gettysburg in 1993 to serve for 11 years as Vice President of College Relations at Gettysburg College. An enthusiastic bicyclist, he has enjoyed exploring the beautiful countryside of Adams County and is excited to be involved with HAPBI’s vision for more biking and hiking options in our community. He currently serves as board secretary for the Adams Rescue Mission and is an active volunteer with Fair Districts PA. He and his wife, Dorothy, have five grown children and six grandchildren.
David Shaffer
David is a certified personal trainer and running coach, and he loves being active outside whenever he gets the chance. David is an avid runner, cyclist, and nature lover. He has taken his bike all over the country, but some of his favorite riding is right here in Adams County. His favorite place to ride is among the fruit orchards in the northern part of the county. He served a brief stint on the board in 2010, before moving away, and rejoined the board in 2019. David also volunteers with Healthy Adams County's Physical Fitness Task Force.