Partner Profile

I work closely with agriculture producers and private landowners to implement conservation practices on their properties that help improve water quality, soil health, and biodiversity.

I enjoy working alongside different landowners and helping them implement conservation practices that best suit their property and goals. Learning the backstory of projects and discussing the landowner’s vision for their property is always a joy!

Growing up in Staunton, Virginia, I spent most of my time outdoors and was quickly amazed by nature at an early age. I graduated from James Madison University in 2014 with a degree in Biology. After graduating, I relocated to Asheville, North Carolina, where I spent a term working trail maintenance at Pisgah National Forest, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. I later moved back to Harrisonburg and worked as an integrated pest management worker at JMU, where I began cataloging each tree on campus and was one of the founding committee members of JMU Tree Campus USA. My career shifted to focus more on reforestation, afforestation, forest management, and buffer implementation in 2018 when I started working for a hardwood establishment company. I began by helping coordinate tree-planting crews and later led the company’s Invasive Species Management Department. In 2020, I left the company and worked as a Conservation Technician for Headwaters SWCD before joining the Alliance as the Virginia Agriculture Projects Manager in 2021.

Hands down, it’s the people and partnerships! Everyone’s drive to create a long-lasting positive impact on the James River Watershed is invigorating! The Consortium’s drive to educate landowners and help them establish healthy buffers through implementation and long-term maintenance is momentum that has positively impacted work across the Bay watershed!