MEET THE HAVRE DE GRACE DECOY MUSEUM STAFF
Mike Tarquini
Mike is a lifelong resident of Havre de Grace who joined the museum’s Board in 2016 and has served as Board President since 2019. He has served as acting Executive Director of the Decoy Museum since July 2020. Although his principle responsibility is to direct the strategic direction of the museum, Mike takes on more of a tactical role when acting Executive Director. Aside from his leadership positions, Mike serves as editor for the museum’s quarterly publication, the Canvasback. Mike and his wife Judy have raised four children and enjoy spoiling their seven grandchildren. Mike is an avid boater, mentors Eagle Scout candidates for Troop 238, and enjoys playing golf during his retirement from J.M. Huber Corporation after nearly thirty-eight years of service
Dena Cardwell
Dena came to the Decoy Museum in May 2021 as our membership and special events coordinator. She has been a Havre de Grace resident for over twenty years. She and her husband of twenty-five years, Ron, have raised three sons. Prior to joining the museum staff, Dena worked in day care for twenty-five years, retiring as an assistant director. Dena sits on two City of Havre de Grace commissions and is very active with Havre de Grace High School. She is also the team mom for the local high school’s football team. Dena loves working at the Decoy Museum and all the new things she has learned about the history of decoy making. She says that she has met some awesome people and thoroughly enjoys her co-workers that have become like family to her. Dena is not shy about tackling complicated projects and recently coordinated the renovation and operation of our museum store.
Nathaniel Heasley
Nathaniel (Nate) joined the Decoy Museum as a curatorial intern in the summer of 2021, Following his internship, Nate worked part-time while completing his undergraduate education at Towson University (2021-2022). Following the completion of his Bachelor of Science in history with a minor in museum studies in June 2022, Nate accepted a full-time position at the museum as a curatorial coordinator. He enjoys learning about the museum’s collection and brainstorming with others about ways to improve the offerings to our visitors.
Virginia “Ginny” Sanders
Ginny has served as the registrar of the Decoy Museum since 2009 and has coordinated all of our curatorial responsibilities. Ginny is a volunteer at the museum. She was raised on a dairy farm in Connecticut and has spent the last fifty years in the Harford and Cecil County area. Ginny and her husband Lloyd have become collectors of waterfowl art from the Susquehanna River / Upper Chesapeake Bay region. After earning a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston University and a Master of Science degree from the University of Illinois, she taught instrumental music for thirty-four years. Ginny has also performed with several musical ensembles. Ginny worked closely with Nate throughout his internship and part-time efforts and continues to be a mentor as he develops in his new curatorial coordinator role.
Susan Waring
Susan is a former New Jersey girl who moved to Havre de Grace in 2013 when her husband (Dave) began working at Aberdeen Proving Ground. She joined the museum as a part-time docent in 2017, and she now serves as our finance manager. Sharing the treasures of the Decoy Museum is a joy that dovetails with her twin passions of making art and preserving the natural beauty and diversity of our planet. Susan is a self-taught watercolor artist and a member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society. She also volunteers at the local community hospital. Susan and Dave have raised two energetic daughters who use their science backgrounds to champion our ecological world and health initiatives in developing countries. Susan’s favorite activities are hiking local nature trails and delighting in each eagle, turtle, and frog that crosses her path
Charlie Lawson
Charlie is a Havre de Grace resident and a retired career law enforcement officer serving the town of Aberdeen. He and wife Shalon owned and operated a Havre de Grace coffee shop (Java by the Bay) for fifteen and one-half years. Charlie is married with six children and eighteen grandchildren. He works part-time at the Decoy Museum in reception and staffing the museum store. Charlie thoroughly enjoys meeting new people and talking about where they are from and their interest in decoys. He is skilled in carpentry and often finds himself tackling museum projects.
Sandy Poughkeepsie
Sandy joined the museum in May 2021 as a part-time employee. Her duties include reception and staffing the museum store. Prior to joining the museum, Sandy had an extensive career in nursing at Upper Chesapeake Health System – Havre de Grace where she worked for over thirty years. Sandy was bestowed the honor of being Nurse ofthe Year in 1999 and 2008. Sandy has one son and two grandchildren.
Jade Vincenti
Jade is a lifelong resident of Havre de Grace. She is a full-time student at Towson University, majoring in speech language pathology & audiology (SPPA). Jade has worked part-time at the museum for the past two summers (2021-2022) and fills in during her college breaks. She enjoys greeting guests as they arrive at the museum and meeting all kinds of new people who visit us.
Anne Popowski
Anne is a resident of Abingdon and is retired. She is married and has 3 children, and 6 grandchildren. She enjoys card games and reading. She likes the Wizard of Oz and Disney villains. Halloween is her favorite holiday. Anne enjoys volunteering at the Decoy Museum and meeting new people from all over.
Josiah Scott
Josiah is a lifelong resident of Havre de Grace. He currently attends Harford Community College as a business major. Josiah plans on transferring to a four-year institution upon graduation. In his spare time, Josiah is a recreation league basketball coach. He enjoys leading his young players and pushing them to be all they can be. Josiah enjoys working at the Decoy Museum because it is such a big part of his hometown. He enjoys the knowledge and friends he has gained since working at the museum.
Vivian Miller
Vivian is a senior at Havre de Grace High School. She was initially hired to work on weekends but has worked regularly during the week throughout this past summer. As such, Vivian has quickly picked up all aspects of working reception and staffing the museum store. Vivian’s hobbies include equestrian competitions and collecting snakes. She currently has five pythons and a boa constrictor. Vivian is making plans for college after high school but hasn’t settled on a major area of study as of yet. Vivian loves learning new things.Waterfowl hunting and decoy making were relatively unknown to her before working at the Decoy Museum. She is soaking up the knowledge each and every day
Shane Cardwell
Shane is a sophomore at Havre de Grace High School. Shane plays volleyball for HHS, his favorite subject is foods class. Shane loves working in the museum shop, making displays and arranging new products. He loves learning new information pertaining to the museum and its history. He has 2 older brothers, he also has 2 dogs that he loves spending time with.
