FOW Staff Celebrates Ruffian Tittmann’s Lasting Legacy
by Claire Brennan, FOW Communications Coordinator
In Ruffian Tittmann’s final weeks as Friends of Wissahickon’s executive director, a role she’s held for five years at an organization she’s been with for nearly two decades, she prepares to begin again.
Ruffian joined FOW in 2006 as development director alongside executive director Maura McCarthy, with whom she built the capacity of the organization, hired full-time staff, acquired the technology and the tools for success, and left a lasting legacy.
“Ruffian has been an amazing leader and mentor to so many staff members of FOW over the years,” said Shawn Green, FOW’s field stewardship director.
“I have always appreciated her wit, her wealth of knowledge, and the way she builds a culture of collaboration. We were lucky to have her at the helm through the challenging Covid years, which showcased her ingenuity and allowed the organization to grow rather than wilt.”
We are thankful for our female leaders every month, and this Women’s History Month, we’re proud to recognize Ruffian and to have had her as a collaborator, leader, and role model at FOW all these years.
In her next role as the executive director of Allentown Parknership, she’ll join the organization as their first full-time staff member, armored with her impressive tenure and endless possibilities to grow and improve Allentown’s parks and recreation sites. And we know she’ll do just that.
“For the first thirteen years that I worked at FOW, I worked closely with Maura McCarthy when she was executive director, which was very rewarding,” said Ruffian.
“She trusted me all those years to support her work which was one of the things I learned from that relationship: that when you’re out front, you have to trust your staff to support you and to support them in return.”
Not only does Ruffian trust her staff, but she believes in them with enough conviction to step away from the organization that she loves dearly.
“I really want people to know that our staff is amazing, and a large part of my success the past five years [as executive director] has been everybody who works here,” said Ruffian.
While it’s impossible to distill 18 years of work down to an elevator pitch at an organization that does so much to conserve the park’s habitat, spur engagement from the community, and improve its critical infrastructure, Ruffian certainly has much to be proud of.
As executive director of the organization, Ruffian ensures all of FOW’s programs are true to its mission and aligns with principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, which she championed in FOW’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.
In her day to day, Ruffian also works closely with FOW’s project manager, Pauline Berkowitz, on improving the park’s infrastructure and habitat, in addition to long-range planning for capital improvements.
“I owe where I am professionally thanks to Ruffian’s mentorship,” said Pauline. “Having her trust and confidence to get out there and manage contractors and make on-the-ground decisions has enabled me to step outside my comfort zone and grow in a position where there usually aren’t many women.”
“She’s created space for me to figure it out on my own while always being a resource when I need her to be,” said Pauline.
More recently, the two saw their project, the organization’s largest capital investment to date, the Valley Green Run Restoration and Lida Way pedestrian bridge, come to fruition after a decade of fundraising, planning, and building following the collapse of the original pedestrian bridge in 2014.
“Seeing a project through was one of the greatest things for me,” said Ruffian. “Whether it was the Forbidden Drive collapses and seeing those restored, the parkwide signage project, various trail projects, the ultimate was the [Lida Way] bridge. It was amazing. That day, December 10, standing on it [at the ribbon cutting], I don’t know that I’ve had a such a great feeling of satisfaction ever professionally.”
Ruffian also had the opportunity to celebrate the organization’s Centennial anniversary at the 100 Years of Wild Gala this past November and to thank the many contributors to FOW’s success, especially our honorees, Christine Bamberger, Linda and David Glickstein, and Keisha and Tarsha Scovens who were major collaborators and supporters throughout Ruffian’s tenure.
“Almost all of the folks who were at FOW in 2006 were a part of the 100th in some way,” said Ruffian. “Either they were at the Gala, the Backyard Bash, or couldn’t come but still supported the organization. That was amazing.”
It’s special to know that Ruffian’s fantastic journey at FOW was as serendipitous as a longer-than-usual bike ride on an unfamiliar path, where she stumbled upon the park that would be the backdrop for her life for the next 18 years.
“I had been living over in the art museum area, and Kyle and I took a bike ride one day up Kelly Drive and onto the bike trail and somehow ended up in the woods,” said Ruffian. “When we made it to Lincoln Drive, it had felt like maybe we had ridden much further than we thought to be because all of a sudden you couldn’t see the city anymore, and there are all these trees.”
She recalled finding her way to the Wissahickon when she stumbled upon the job posting for development director that year.
As FOW begins to look for its next executive director, the organization will be in good hands with Sarah Marley, development director, who will assume the position in the interim.
“Sarah is fully prepared to take on this role and be a steady guide and support for the staff as FOW looks to its next century of conservation and prosperity and as a huge resource for the board in their search for my successor,” said Ruffian.
Between the close collaborators, the feeling of gratitude is mutual.
“Ruffian’s extraordinary leadership helped turn one of the most challenging periods in FOW’s history into its most successful, engaging more volunteers, partners, members, and donors and making the organization more financially secure than ever,” Sarah said.
“Speaking for the staff, she was our trusted leader and mentor, and we will miss her dearly. She positioned us well for success and we hope to make her proud.”
From the staff:
“Ruffian’s leadership of this organization and staff has truly been something to admire. Having worked with her for almost ten years, and being under her direct leadership for over five, I can say with absolute confidence that she will go on to do great things at Allentown Parknership and they are lucky to have her. Ruffian will be greatly missed here at FOW and I wish her nothing but much success and happiness,” Ashley Velez, executive coordinator.
“Ruffian has been a guiding voice for the 6 years that I’ve been at FOW – not just with her vast knowledge of fundraising and events but also with her enthusiasm. She was always willing to celebrate the big wins – like the success of our 100th Anniversary – and the small wins – like a beautiful bird picture getting a lot of attention on social media. Truly I will miss her personality in the office, ready to have another cup of coffee and some dried mango, and ask what you’re doing this weekend,” Maeve Pollack, development & database manager.
“Ruffian’s warm personality and sense of humor have seeped into the foundation of FOW, and I am grateful to count Ruffian among my mentors and friends. I’m excited to keep up with her achievements in a new chapter with the Allentown Parknership!” Zoe Bagenstose, development assistant.
“Ruffian is a role model of mine. I am early on in my non-profit career, and she has taught me how to lead with humor and grace. Ruffian helps cultivate a productive, fun, and fulfilling work environment at FOW. The work she has accomplished making Wissahickon Valley Park a more accessible and sustainable public space has truly been remarkable. I will always carry her legacy with me, and I wish Ruffian the best of luck in her next adventure at the Allentown Parknership,” Amelia Marren, volunteer program coordinator.
“While I greatly admire Ruffian for the care she shows her staff and her unwavering dedication to FOW’s mission of sustainability, engagement, and inclusion, it’s really her endless supply of dad jokes I’ll miss the most. I have no doubt she’ll lead the Allentown Parknership with the same warm spirit she’s brought to FOW, and if their name is any indication, I feel better knowing they’ll appreciate her humor as much as we did. I wish her all the best of luck in this next chapter,” Marisa Miller, program assistant.
“Long after Ruffian has officially parted with Friends of the Wissahickon, her name will be fondly recalled when people speak about the organization’s impact on the park we all love so much. I’ll always admire Ruffian’s confidence in her staff and how it enables us all to shine. She’s a model leader and fun-haver and has made my first “big girl job” a place I enjoy going to. We’ll miss her so much, but I look forward to seeing all she’ll accomplish in Allentown,” Claire Brennan, communications coordinator.
“Ruffian was named executive director, she also became FOW’s spokesperson. It wasn’t her favorite thing to do,” said Laura Feragen, FOW’s publicist and editor. “But of course she conducted interviews with the intelligence, kindness, and wit she is known and respected for. Whenever I heard Ruffian speak on behalf of the organization, I felt a sense of pride. I am honored to have worked with her,” Laura Feragen, publicist.