Sam Bucciarelli

I am a tour guide and educator with a passion for ecology, especially as it pertains to fungi and the role they play in helping our ecosystems thrive. I grew up in the NJ Pinelands, but brought my passion for all things wild to Philadelphia in 2017 and have been sharing that passion with others ever since.

Bethany Teigen

I am a dog walker and pet sitter in the Art museum area, where I first discovered a love for mushrooms popping up alongside the street trees and flowerbeds. In 2018, I founded the PMC. I'm also deeply invested in environmental justice, particularly in Cobbs Creek, where I organize monthly trash clean ups. My main interests are fungal biodiversity & community building.

Kevin Popowich

I am an Ecological Risk Assessor who is passionate about connecting curious minds to fungi. I enjoy expanding our club's mycelial network by fostering a welcoming community while promoting fungal conservation and biodiversity.

George Pushkal

I am an arborist, naturalist, and photographer. My main goal is to foster community science in Philadelphia and South Jersey while raising awareness about fungal conservation.

Veronica Rosenberger

What a perfect time to start volunteering- June 2023, around the time Philly Myco Club became a registered nonprofit, since I have a heart for mission-driven, nonprofit work. When I’m not mushroaming around the woods with my dog Mel, I’m working at an environmental non-profit in communications (doing graphic design, enewsletters, social media, etc.), and I get to contribute to the Club in those same areas. What I love the most about being involved is being around knowledgeable folks who share in passions for accessibility/inclusion in nature, conservation, mushroom photography, and awesome myco-culinary creations.

iNat: @verpaconica
Instagram: @verpa.conica

Christian Kustra

I am a Mechanical Engineer with a love for fungi. For the past 4 years I have been diving down the mycology rabbit hole, learning as much as I can about the characteristics of fungi. I'm particularly interested in the research behind growing materials from mycelium and their potential to replace single use plastics.

iNat: @christiankustra

Luke Smithson

I am a taxonomy geek and love learning about mushrooms as well as teaching people about mushrooms. All mushrooms are cool, but big chonky polypores are the coolest!

Ben Ruben

Since being introduced to my first edible wild mushroom in the summer of 2012, I've spent most of my free time learning about mycology and searching the forest for fungi. When the PMC was created I showed up to help identify mushrooms on the very first hike, when Beth was just getting started with mycology, and have been helping teach fellow club members ever since.

Matt Schink

I am an environmental educator and amateur mycologist. I have been studying mushrooms for over ten years with an emphasis on North American Ganoderma species. I am also an avid artist and photographer with a current emphasis on bioluminescence. I like to explore worlds that are usually hidden or unseen.

Anthoni Goodman

I'm a researcher at CHOP studying epilepsy, but when I'm not at work I spend entirely too much time studying, photographing, and otherwise enjoying the fungi around me. Participating in the year-round easter-egg hunt that is mushroom foraging, especially when I get to share that hobby with others, is my greatest passion. I'm especially interested in taxonomy as well as culinary pursuits.