Name: Garrett Elwood
Resident Since: 2017
Profession: Real Estate

About: Garrett is the current President and prior to that served as Vice-President of Ardwood Civic Association. He has lived in Lower Merion for over 35 years and has called Ardmore home for nearly a decade. Garrett lives on Linwood Ave with his wife, three kids and Dog. Volunteering has been a part of Garrett’s life since childhood when he was a Boy Scout in Bala Troop One.  Other volunteer activities include currently serving on the Board of HOW Charities, Den leader for Cub Scout Pack 247. He founded an animal welfare non-profit called Citizens for a No-Kill Philadelphia, Philly PAWS, VP of Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Team, Philadelphia Mayor’s Animal Advisory Committee, President of Friends of Pretzel Park, PHS’s Parks Steering Committee, Board member of the Manayunk Development Corporation and Director of Economic Development, volunteer firefighter (10+ years) Union Fire Association (UFA), UFA Board of Directors, LMT Firefighter Relief Association Board. Giving back to the community is important to Garrett and he looks forward to the opportunity to serve Ardmore.

Name: Branlyn (Brandy) DeRosa
Resident Since: 2015
Profession: Psychologist in Oncology at CHOP, Clinical Assistant Professor at Penn School of Medicine

About: Brandy is currently the Vice President and has served on several committees. Before moving here from Philly in 2015, Brandy lived in many great areas, including Columbia, MD, Chapel Hill, NC and Gainesville, Florida. She came to Ardmore in search the right place to raise our two boys. Brandy loves Ardmore’s walkability, proximity to Linwood and South Ardmore Parks, its friendly neighbors, excellent school district, access to the city,  and cultural and economic diversity. She is passionate about bringing neighbors together for fun and a common purpose, whether that’s building community, beautifying our spaces, learning from each other, or promoting an environment for kids and adults to thrive.

Name: Doug Friese 
Resident Since: 2021
Profession: Client Service Strategy Manager at J.P. Morgan

About: Doug Friese is Ardwood's Treasurer and a recent addition to the Ardmore community. He’s serving on several committees including membership and Schauffle Plaza Design and served on the Ardmore Master Plan Committee. After graduating from Temple University, Doug joined JPMorgan working in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, and London before moving to Ardmore. He cherishes Ardmore for its walkability, downtown areas, and proximity to Philadelphia. Doug lives with his wife Britt and cat Oslo.

Name: Valerie Holliday
Resident Since: 2017
Profession: Environmental Consultant, Professional Geologist, Principal Scientist at GeoLogos, LLC

About: Valerie was recently appointed to the board and has successfully served as Committee Chair for the “Love Your Neighbor” Food Drive and Noise Ordinance Committee Chair, She is currently working on the bylaws committee. Valerie has lived on the Main Line since 1993 and raised her two children in Berwyn. She and her husband downsized to their unit at the Arbors at Athens condominium in 2017 and consider Ardmore their “forever home,” because Ardmore’s walkability, diversity, amenities, friendly people and positive vibe are simply the best! Other volunteering experience includes work with the Chester County Antiques Show, the Chester County History Center, Winterthur Museum, and Penn Museum’s Center for Analysis of Archaeological Materials (CAAM). Valerie cares deeply about the community’s environment and quality of life, and looks forward to helping Ardwood Civic grow and succeed.

Name: Adrian Seltzer
Resident Since: 1986
Profession: Community Activist

About: Adrian cares about her community. She and her husband Steven raised their 2 children here, both of whom attended LMSD schools, and they have been Lower Merion residents for over 40 years.  She is co-founder of Stand Up 4 Lower Merion and Narberth which produces a weekly newsletter that informs its readers about township, school board, civic, and other meetings and events. She is also Vice President of NAACP Main Line branch, a Judge of Elections, serves on the voter services committee for the League of Women Voters of Lower Merion and Narberth, and runs the popular Main Line Restaurant Reviews group on Facebook. She loves our neighborhood and wishes to inspire people to get involved civically so we can keep our community vibrant.

Name: Tom Yates
Resident Since: 2011
Profession: Fundraiser for Temple University

About: Tom Yates is a 12-year resident of Ardmore and a daily visitor to South Ardmore Park, along with his two teenage children and wife Shawn. Tom has worked as a fundraiser for Temple University since 2015 and prior to Temple worked at both CHOP and Drexel University.  In 2013, Tom and Shawn started Lower Merion United, a community group that advocated for gun safety legal reforms in Pennsylvania. Tom is originally is from the New York City area and a graduate of the SUNY system, but plans to never leave Lower Merion, which he considers the greatest township in the country. The proximity to South Ardmore Park was one of the main reasons he bought his home in Ardmore and he joins many residents in believing that it is the finest neighborhood park anywhere. 

Name: Jack Burns
Profession: Architect

After 25 years in the architectural industry, Jack Burns founded Jack Burns Architecture in 2008 with a passion for design and a desire to provide top-tier architectural design and construction management services to clients for both large and small projects.

As Principal and owner, Jack manages the life cycle and goals of each JBA project.  Detail-oriented, Jack’s foresight prevents problems in the design-to-construction transition. With a background in residential construction, Jack’s assessment of projects’ feasibility at the beginning of the design process minimizes his client’s investment in their projects. He also assists clients with realizing the potential in unlikely sites or the re-purposing of existing properties.

Prior to founding JBA, Jack co-founded Burns Morrissey Architecture and Design , where he served as Founding Principal. In his early   career, Jack worked with several large architectural firms throughout the mid-Atlantic region and upstate New York.  In this capacity, Jack was responsible for the design and management of projects from 500 to 100,000 square feet. He   executed numerous residential renovation projects, residential new construction projects, church designs,  restaurants, retail and office fit outs, and feasibility and zoning studies.

Jack holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Drexel University and is a member of several professional organizations including the American Institute of Architects, SARA – the Society of American Registered Architects, and Mensa International.  He is a registered architect in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and South Carolina, and is eligible for licensing in all 50 states. Jack also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and English Literature from The University of Pittsburgh.

Jack resides in Ardmore, Pennsylvania with his wife Lisa and two children, Benjamin and Sophie.