Northwest New Jersey
Beekeepers Association

Candidate Biographies

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Eleanor Tessier for President

Eleanor Tessier is president of NWNJBA, chair of the Warren County Farmers Fair committee, and a member of the Honey Show Committee. Eleanor has fifteen hives, and is finishing her tenth season as a beekeeper and member of the NWNJBA. She recently became a Cornell Certified Master Beekeeper. Eleanor supports her beekeeping habit working as a senior managing director for Santander Bank working in commercial real estate finance, and also works as a beekeeping assistant on a local farm. She holds a B.A in English from the University of Baltimore, and an M.S. in Real Estate from The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Eleanor is a member of the Carey Business School Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board, where she chairs the Development Committee, and is past Board President of Family Promise of Hunterdon County. Eleanor is a former Boy Scout leader for Troop 112 in Alexandria, where she was fundraising chair, but she will always be an Eagle Scout Mom.

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Doug Atkinson for First Vice President

Doug Atkinson has been an active beekeeper since 2016 and a dedicated member of the NWNJBA since 2019. He currently maintains eight thriving colonies, with plans to expand further in the coming seasons. He recently became a Cornell Certified Master Beekeeper. 

As a key member of the club’s Outreach team, Doug participates in nearly a dozen events annually, enthusiastically sharing his knowledge and passion for honey bees with the community. Mentorship and education are at the heart of his beekeeping journey, and he is actively enhancing his skills through Cornell’s prestigious Master Beekeeping program.

Outside of beekeeping, Doug works in IT, combining technical expertise with a love for lifelong learning. A classically trained chef and graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, Doug also brings creativity to everything he does. When not tending to his bees, he enjoys cycling local trails and indulging in his favorite comic strips, Calvin & Hobbes and Peanuts.

Doug has also been deeply involved in the Phillipsburg High School marching band alongside his wife, Dana, where he managed fundraisers and chaperoned events to support band camps and student trips.
 

James Zdepski for Second Vice President:

James Zdepski resides in Holland Township, Hunterdon County where he has kept bees, along with his wife Deborah, since 2018. James is a fourth-generation New Jersey beekeeper. His family has kept bees in New Jersey since 1913 and in Holland Township since 1918. James and his wife Deborah have been members of NWNJBA since 2018. He recently became an EAS Certified Master Beekeeper. This is the second generation of bees for James. In the mid 1970s and 1980s, he and his brothers maintained 12 hives with their father. Currently, he cares for over 50 hives and is raising and selling overwintered nucleus colonies, along with spring nucs and award-winning honey.

In addition to the bees, he has successfully maintained a career as a full-time cabinet and furniture maker for nearly 40 years, as well as performed historic and restoration carpentry. Prior to running his own business, he served as a shop manager/production manager in four different large high-end cabinet and millwork shops, supervising more than 20 employees. All of these shops serviced high-end residential and commercial NYC clients and surrounding markets. He has supervised and installed millwork in some of the city’s most prestigious homes.
 

Still actively working full-time, James carves some time to devote to raising hardy, healthy, local honey bees. Through volunteering with NWNJBA, local honey sales to the public, and his many social media posts, it is his hope to promote awareness of bees and the importance of these fascinating creatures, as well as the people dedicated to their care. 
 

Claudia Loomis for Third Vice President

Claudia Loomis is a business owner, entrepreneur, and enthusiastic beekeeper in Warren County, New Jersey.

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Claudia is the owner of CB Pet Market, an award-winning chain of independent pet supply stores and grooming salons, and has over 20 years of experience in the pet industry. She also serves on the Board of Directors of IndiePet, a national organization dedicated to supporting independent pet retailers.

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Claudia’s beekeeping journey began with an interest in environmental stewardship, along with a healthy dose of financial stewardship! The opportunity to qualify her property for New Jersey’s Farmland Assessment Program, and the resulting property tax savings, first sparked her curiosity about beekeeping. She enrolled in the Northwest NJ Beekeepers Association’s Short Course and jumped into beekeeping the very next season. What began as a practical endeavor quickly blossomed into a genuine passion for these fascinating and industrious little creatures. Her enthusiasm proved contagious, and it wasn’t long before her husband Roy decided to join her in the bee yard.

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Claudia enjoys the continuous learning, challenges, and rewards of beekeeping, as well as the opportunity to connect with others who share her enthusiasm. She enjoys volunteering with the club, contributing her business experience and organizational skills, and helping introduce more people to the wonderful world of beekeeping through shifts at the Warren County Fair and outreach events.

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When she’s not tending her bees or managing her businesses, Claudia enjoys spending time with her family and competing in dog sports with her Samoyeds, Apollo and Juno.

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Vanessa Preston for Secretary

Vanessa has lived in Clinton Township since 2014. She completed the club’s beekeeping short course with Jean Miller in September 2023. She currently has six hives and participated in the Managed Mentoring program in 2024. 

 

She works in workforce development for a private government services agency. Over the last fifteen years she has held positions such as trainer, career advisor, director of culture, and now Executive Vice President. She finds immense fulfillment in helping people find or reconnect with meaningful careers. Vanessa is married with one daughter and three dogs. She is currently on the Clinton Township Board of Education, serves as the treasurer for Girl Scout Service Unit 81, and is a member of the Clinton Township historical preservation society. 
 

When not beekeeping, Vanessa enjoys listening to audio books, baking, and traveling. She has visited 37 countries and is always scheming to take another vacation.
 

Rick Knecht for Treasurer

Rick Knecht has been a member of NWNJBA since 2013 after being convinced at the Warren County Farmers Fair’s bee booth of how important bees are for our food and pollination in general. Using his background in graphics, email and web design, events planning, and database management, Rick has helped NWNJBA throughout the organization, assisting with meeting A/V, being on the Warren County Fair committee, setting up and taking down the booth at both Warren and Hunterdon fairs, volunteering at both fairs, and helping redesign the club’s booth space at the WCFF. He is joined in the club with his wife Idria and child Alex, with whom he keeps four to fifteen hives depending on weather, bears, swarms, traps, and the success of splits. ​