About
Our Team
Executive Director, RIVERKEEPER®
Kemp Burdette
kemp@cfrw.us
Kemp Burdette is the Cape Fear Riverkeeper and he works to protect and improve the water quality of the Lower Cape Fear River. He is a Wilmington native who grew up exploring the waterways and swamps that make our area so special. Kemp has lived and traveled around the world as a US Navy search and rescue swimmer, a Fulbright Scholar, and a Peace Corps volunteer. At home and abroad Kemp has always been interested in the way humans interact with their environment. His academic background is in geology and history, graduating from UNCW magna cum laude with honors, and he holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA), also from UNCW. He also holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University. Kemp spends most of his free time with his two daughters Olivia and Caroline, working in his garden, or tinkering in his workshop, or exploring the waterways and swamps of the Lower Cape Fear Region.
UNCW Health Equity Bonners Fellow
Lj Hammer
lj@cfrw.us
LJ Hammer is from a small town outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, and is currently a sophomore at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She is hoping to study marine biology and go into a conservation based field working with wetland vertebrates. She is a part of the Health Equity Bonner Fellowship at UNCW and is working with CFRW as a four-year intern through the fellowship program. LJ is passionate about making positive and effective environmental changes here on the East Coast and hopes to make that into her career. She loves to spend her time paddle boarding, scuba diving, hiking, looking for shark teeth, and hanging out with friends.
Water Quality Programs Manager
Rob Clark
rob@cfrw.us
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. 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.
Boathouse Manager
Artie Rendina
artie@cfrw.us
Artie was born and raised in Pearl River, New York, about 20 miles north of Manhattan. He graduated from Pearl River High School in 1982 and went to DeVry University from 1982-1984 studying electronics repair. Artie worked for Park Site Construction from 1984-1987 as an equipment operator and was hired in 1987 at Orange and Rockland Utilities as a fleet mechanic, before transitioning into the role of relay technician which he worked until his retirement in September of 2020. In total he worked for Orange and Rockland Utilities for 33 years. He is married to his wife Terri and they have three children, Derek, Vinny, and Angela. He and his wife moved to Leland in December of 2020 and he is proud to be working as boathouse manager for a great organization. In Artie’s free time he likes to camp, fish, hunt, cook, and above all spend time with family and friends!
Outreach & Engagement Manager
Morgan Hooks
morgan@cfrw.us
Morgan Hooks traded her mountain home for the coast in 2021 after earning her B.S. in Communications with a concentration in journalism from Montreat College. She spent the first few years here on Bald Head Island documenting barrier island conservation before working as a television producer and, most recently, in public radio. She is passionate about science communication and making this important work more accessible and engaging for all. You can otherwise find her volunteering at a local wildlife rescue or exploring the marsh with her camera in-hand.
Operations Manager
Lisa Brandkamp
lisa@cfrw.us
Lisa Brandkamp is from Webster, NY, outside of Rochester. She moved to Charlotte in 2007 in pursuit of warmer weather, and settled down in Wilmington in 2016. She has degrees in Economics, Accounting, and Finance from University of Michigan and The Wharton School. Lisa is excited for the chance to do all the “boring” things necessary for an organization to function, allowing the team to focus their efforts on education, advocacy, and action. When not working, she can usually be found on an area tennis court, playing pickleball, out on the water, or off skiing somewhere when the weather gets cold.
Water Quality & Outreach Intern
Kenzie Beattie
Kenzie is a Wilmington native currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sustainability and Environmental Science from Purdue Global. Kenzie is passionate about using their knowledge to make a positive impact on their environment and community. When they are not working or studying, they enjoy fishing, making collages, and discovering obscure music.
Water Quality & Outreach Intern
Campbell Schanz
Campbell is a junior at UNC Wilmington studying Environmental Science with a concentration in environmental conservation and minor in coastal and environmental writing. A highlight of her college experience so far was a six-week study abroad program she completed in Costa Rica. Campbell is especially interested in environmental justice and a big fan of the Dave Matthews Band.
Water Quality & Outreach Intern
Kate Graber
Kate is from a suburb outside of Chicago, Illinois and currently a junior at UNC Wilmington studying Marine Biology with a minor in Spanish. She is especially passionate about environmental education. Kate’s favorite color is pink and her favorite animal is a great white shark.
Cape Fear River Watch | 617 Surry Street | Wilmington, NC 28401 | Phone: 910.762.5606
