John Zaktansky is a Lycoming College alumni. He started as a biology major and then switched to journalism where he found his passion. Zaktansky is a man of many talents working in many different fields before he found himself working as the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper in 2020.
He was initially scared to take the leap into the unknown as the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper but he felt a heartwarming connection to the animals near home. It was when he looked at the eagles that he realized that there was no one to act as the voice for these animals.
After taking on the position, Zaktansky worked hard to be the voice for these animals. This is where he put his college education to work. On the organization’s website, he keeps a blog with information on all the work that they do. When going in depth about his experiences, Zaktansky explained that they are “helping change the conversation of clean water.”
He went in-depth about the many beneficial tasks his company does including water testing and working with companies to help with conservation. “Every day is different” Zaktansy expressed when asked what his normal day is like before going into some of the hardships of working in this area. “Around here is a very conservative world,” he explained while emphasizing that “it takes a lot more education.” The example that Zaktansky gave was the large number of Amish families that are very closed off to people telling them how to run their farms.
With no two days alike, it is no surprise that Zaktansky is a very busy man. He is always running around in search of new information that could come up anywhere. The most recent is TCE (a cancer-causing substrate) being found where they want to build the Wawa in Williamsport. You can hear more about this experience at minute 37 in the below recording of the full interview.
At the end of the interview, the topic of opportunities for students became the topic of conversation. It was then that Zaktansky explained that they “will take help in any way possible. We do summer internships.” He also explained that there are many events and programs that the community could get involved in.
Overall, the work being done by the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeepers is something that people should pay attention to. With their current fight to help the Hellbender, Pennsylvania’s state amphibian the riverkeepers are making strides to make the waterways safe for all.