Our Officers & Directors
We believe these members to be well skilled in our work, and observant of the noble precepts of our Order, and have no doubt that they will discharge the important duties of their offices with fidelity.
Rachel Brobst
President
Rachel Brobst was a former member of Jefferson Grange from 2009-2012 having served as Chaplain. She lives in New Ringgold with her husband and their daughters. Rachel is a pre-school teacher who enjoys creating hands-on learning opportunities for "her kids" and designing the learning space to inspire young minds. She loves art and singing, especially songs from the 60s and 70s. She previously served as a State Grange officer from 2022-24.
The role of the president is to conduct meetings efficiently and with neutrality. A large responsibility of the president when members are addressing issues is to maintain a civil environment and not allow partisanship as part of the discussion. They agree as part of their installation that they "will not take advantage of the position to bias in any way, either directly or indirectly, the political or religious opinions of any member of the Order."
"You may encounter difficulties. Overcome them, remembering that difficulties are but opportunities to test our abilities."
Jamie Bainbridge
Assistant Steward
Jamie is a CAD technologist with Alfred Benesch & Co. by day and active volunteer by night. He recently became a member of the Orwigsburg Fire Company, and he revived the Fisher's Dam Children's Fishing Rodeo in Orwigsburg in 2021. He and his wife have three children, all in the youth/young adult age range.
The Assistant Steward of Jefferson Grange will serve as the director of our Youth (14-22) and Young Adult Program (23-35), ensuring they have a variety of opportunities to make a difference in their communities, for their peers, and grow in the process of doing.
Along with the Junior Assistant Steward, these officers will assist with member and guest recognition and special events.
Amy Burke
Lecturer
Amy is a ball of energy that throws herself into community work and her friendships. She is an avid Penn State fan and can be found in State College at the field for home games. She is a caregiver and community advocate, helping often with the Schuylkill Haven Community Garden, Blue Mountain Greenhouse, Pottsville Community Garden, and of course, Jefferson Grange events and projects. She is a plant enthusiast and mother of two daughters.
The Lecturer, also known as the Program Director, sees that "information for the Good of the Order [is] promptly laid before the Grange." This officer designs and presents a program of educational or entertainment value at each meeting or provides programming through other events that are open to the community at large. While this officer coordinates such activities, they need not always be the one to present the program but may instead have outside speakers or other members expert in the area lead for that period.
Finally, this officer serves as our Community Service director, helping to coordinate with other members of our Grange on our outreach. They serve as our POC to the State and National Grange in these efforts.
"Especially urge and encourage the young and the diffident to become writers, readers and speakers in Grange meetings, and thus develop and direct to greater usefulness the latent abilities of your fellow members."
Abigail "Abbie" Konkus
Junior Assistant Steward
Abby attends Shippensburg University where she is majoring in sociology. She is a member of the marching band and has volunteered at Hillside SPCA. She is creative and loves expressing herself through various art projects. She is a third-generation Grange member that lives in New Ringgold and Cressona.
The Junior Assistant Steward of Jefferson Grange will serve as the director of our Junior program for children ages 5-13. They will ensure our youngest members have ample opportunity to learn and grow, encourage them to learn about the needs of our community and their peers that are meaningful to them and carry out service projects.
Barbara "Babs" Malewski
Chaplain
Babs worked as a health professional for many years. She serves as a member of the volunteer board of the Suicide Prevention Task Force of Schuylkill County. She lives in Orwigsburg.
During Grange meetings and events, the Chaplain offers a nonsectarian prayer or inspirational reflection and provides comfort to members and those in our community who find themselves in time of need.
Victoria "Torie" Konkus
Civic Engagement Director
Torie is an honor student who also participates in several extracurricular activities and sports including band and softball. She is a third-generation Grange member who attends Kutztown University and is a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Gaurd. She was the 2022 recipient of the Lehigh Valley West Point Society's Dwight D. Eisenhower Award, recognizing her for "outstanding leadership and character." She has coordinated several Quilts of Valor presentations for our Grange to honor local veterans and was the primary author of an op-ed submitted by the Grange that was published in the Republican-Herald commending students who stood up for seniors in 2021 who sought to wear military stoles for graduation.
Our Civic Engagement Director presents the flag at all official Grange events and leads our membership in activities related to an informed and engaged citizenship. This officer encourages patriotism, honoring service members and veterans, and members' involvement in advocacy and the democratic process.
When the Grange was founded, the offices of Ceres, Pomona and Flora were created to honor various parts of agriculture. These officers were charged with helping to refine the work of our meetings and serve as a symbol of our respect for women, who have been given equal voice and vote in the organization since its inception. As a way to honor this history, the Civic Engagement Director was established, a nod to the role of Ceres who was the flag-bearer. This officer also performs the functions of Legislative Director for our Grange.
Hannah Burke
Food and Agriculture Director
Hannah Burke attended Penn State University in State College, majoring in Community Environment Development with a focus in Social Environmental Responsibility with minors in International Agriculture and Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She founded the Schuylkill Haven Community Garden, restarted the Blue Mountain High School greenhouse and founded the 4-H Eagles Nest Club while in high school. She worked with VISION of Schuylkill County. She was a Borlaug Scholar and recipient of the 2021 Young Woman of Conservation Leadership award from PennFuture.
Our Food and Agriculture Director helps to link our present and past. The Grange, founded as a fraternity for farm families, has always had at its core an interest in agriculture. Today this interest is for both the producer and consumer sides. At Jefferson Grange, this officer helps to promote a greater understanding of our local food system and encourages us to support or grow food security programs in our community. They also help to coordinate potlucks and refreshments among our membership at meetings and events.
This directorship honors the original ceremonial office of Pomona, one which promoted growth and improvement with a keen eye to the cultivation of fruits and vegetables.
Marybeth "Beth" Southworth
Personal Development and Family Activities Director
Marybeth is a world traveler, avid quilter and dedicated volunteer who loves to take advantage of all life has to offer. She has attended a number of Grange activities since joining in 2021 that have fueled her passion for the organization, including the Eastern Regional Conference in 2022 and PA Family Festival with her grandsons. She was selected for the competitive Communication Fellows Program at the 156th Annual National Grange Convention in Sparks, Nevada, and is excited to bring more opportunities back along with skills to help our members grow to their greatest potential. She lives in Lake Wynonah.
Our Personal Development and Family Activities Director seeks to introduce members to various life skills, home management and handicrafts that can provide members with knowledge to encourage personal sustainability and possible creative outlets.
As a nod to the traditional office of Flora, whose job it was to encourage members to maintain personal tranquility and a cheerful home, this director works to provide knowledge that will improve our members' homes and lives. This office also performs the functions of Family Activities Director for our Grange.
At Jefferson Grange #1384, this officer, along with the Advocacy and Citizenship Director and the Food and Agriculture Director, consistently allow us to fulfill one of our core objectives: to build a more sustainable and resilient membership and community.