Keep New Hanover Beautiful
Board Members
Miles Oldenburg
Board Member & Treasurer
Miles is an engineer with a passion for the environment and outdoor activities. He holds a BS from The Ohio State University and a MS from Duke University in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is an avid kayaker who has spent countless hours paddling through the waterways of New Hanover County and its neighboring regions with a particular love for the Cape Fear River. He is also a wildlife photographer who enjoys capturing our local species. He participates in cleanups and other initiatives aimed at protecting our natural resources, and is a regular volunteer at Good Shepherd Center.
David Ingram
Board Member
David is the Sustainability Manager for the City of Wilmington and brings over 10 years of experience in recycling/zero waste programs, energy efficiency, green building operations, and project management. He is passionate about integrating sustainability best practices into City operations and actions. David has BS in Wildlife Biology from the University of Georgia, and is a LEED AP through the US Green Building Council. David brings his diverse background toward advancing the City toward becoming more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable. David has been with Keep New Hanover Beautiful since April 2017.
Rob Clark
Board Member
Rob Clark graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a B.S. in Environmental Science with a specialization in conservation. He has experience in both the private and public sectors of the environmental field, currently serving as the Water Quality Programs Manager for Cape Fear River Watch (CFRW). He has worked from the mountains to the coast and everywhere in between. He feels strongly about the environment and is looking forward to being able to serve his community as well as its ecosystems. In his free time, he enjoys reading, trail running, biking, and playing disc golf.
Dick Brightman
President & Executive Director
Dick has always felt giving back to the community is a citizen’s responsibility, when he and his wife Margie settled in North Carolina after a lifetime of memories made in New Jersey, he felt Keep New Hanover Beautiful would be a great way for him to continue his philanthropy efforts. Dick has been a part of their impact since 2012 and currently serves as the Executive Director. With a mission to reduce litter, improve recycling and beautify New Hanover County, the nonprofit’s goals align with his ethics. Dick has recently been elected as the Treasurer of the Executive Board for Cape Fear River Watch, an environmental nonprofit with the mission to improve and protect the Cape Fear River through education, advocacy and action.
“At present, I am extremely excited about the composition and diversity of our board as well as our growing list of volunteers.” Dick’s favorite accomplishment thus far is the Cigarette Litter Recycling Campaign, kickstarted in 2017, the momentum has grown from an idea to involving many businesses throughout New Hanover County.
Veda Lewin
Vice President & Manager of Social Media
Veda is a two-time graduate of UNC-Wilmington with a BS and MS in Environmental Sciences specializing in Sustainability and Coastal Management. Currently working for Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, she specializes in waste management, sustainability programming, and communications. Her ultimate goal within the environmental field is to create new avenues of environmental stewardship that are accessible and effective for all people. Veda serves as the Board Secretary and is responsible for all record keeping, reporting, and structural organization for Keep New Hanover Beautiful.
Jason Carothers
Secretary & Manager of Seabins
Jason Graduated from UNC-Wilmington with a BA in Environmental Science. As a Marine Corps veteran, his passion for the environment was ignited by seeing different places and wildlife around the globe. Previously an intern of Keep New Hanover Beautiful, he now sits on the board, where he assists with routine Seabin maintenance and secretarial duties. His hobbies include playing soccer, learning the guitar, hiking, and lounging on the beach. He has been a board member since 2022.
Melissa Johnson
Board Member
Melissa was a dedicated volunteer with Keep New Hanover Beautiful and Cape Fear River Watch for 5 years before gratefully joining the KNHB board in 2022. She loves being out in nature, whether hiking, paddling, running, or simply communing with the waves, sea birds and ocean breeze on one of our local beaches. Melissa brings her personal dedication to reducing human impact and improving environmental quality for all life that depends on it, one straw and one plastic bottle at a time. She hopes to further the KNHB mission through this passion, and through her decades of experience in technical writing, knowledge management, and website administration.