Virginia’s Buffer Summit

Maya Alexander is driven by a personal mission to help all people access nature and outdoor spaces, and to nurture their own relationships with the natural world. She earned a degree in Psychology from Salisbury University and spent several years as an environmental educator with organizations like the National Aquarium and Chesapeake Bay Foundation. She brings her experience as an educator to her current role as Director of Community Engagement at Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, connecting people with conservation efforts in the Valley. While a Maryland native, the mountains of Virginia have long called to her, and she’s grateful to call the Shenandoah Valley home. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with family.

Joseph Day is the Natural Areas Steward at the University of Richmond. Joseph has held a strong belief that nature should be available to all, and the quality of that nature is fundamental to quality of life. Joseph has spent his career working in public gardens. Joseph graduated from Radford University. Since then, he has held positions in public gardens like Monticello, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Mount Vernon. Most recently he was the Head of Horticulture and Maintenance at Agecroft Hall & Gardens. Joseph is passionate about green space and improving access. In his spare time, he likes to explore rivers and trails.

Maxwell Earle is the Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for the Smithsonian’s Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab (TCEL), a program within the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. TCEL is a Smithsonian research program with a focus on freshwater turtle conservation through scientific research, promotion of local and regional stewardship, and community engagement. Maxwell works with Smithsonian ecologists, state and regional partners, private landowners, and local communities to study populations of at-risk turtle species with the purpose of informing on the ground conservation practices. Maxwell received their B.A. in Environmental Studies and Conservation from George Mason University in 2021. Their professional experience has involved surveying various turtle species for long-term monitoring projects, educating K-12 and undergraduates, and leading conservation-focused outreach initiatives. When they’re not working, Maxwell loves searching for native reptiles, amphibians, and plants as well as gardening, woodworking, hiking, and fly fishing!

Amber Ellis is the Restoration Director for the James River Association where building diverse partnerships to get more projects on the ground is at the heart of her work. Amber serves as the convener for the Upper & Middle James Riparian Consortium and oversees the James River Buffer Program. She is also the owner of Find Your Nature, LLC where she holds restorative spaces for people to powerfully care for themselves, others, and the natural world. She earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Virginia Tech, is a Professional Landscape Architect in Virginia, a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional, and has a certificate in Ecotherapy through the EarthBody Institute.

Kathleen Fish is a Bay Watershed Specialist with the Virginia Department of Forestry, dedicated to protecting and restoring waterways across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. She works with landowners, community groups, and educators to establish riparian buffers, improve water quality, and inspire environmental stewardship. With a Master’s in Environmental Science from Prescott College and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science from George Mason University Kathleen blends scientific expertise with a passion for hands-on outreach. Whether she’s in the field planting trees or in the classroom leading workshops, she brings an approachable, collaborative spirit to every project—helping communities make a lasting difference for their local waterways and the Bay.

Christian Gehman started his Corps experience as an Americorps member in 2020 after graduating with a degree in environmental science from Goshen College. What he thought was going to be a single fun season on a conservation crew before he had to get a “real job” turned into eight seasons of trail maintenance, technical rock work, and forestry and NNIS work before he started as Forestry and Watersheds Program Coordinator at Appalachian Conservation Corps in 2023. In his off time, Christian can usually be found hiking, mountain biking, and playing board games.

Christine Gyovai is a professional facilitator, coach, and expert in building resilient communities. She also teaches yoga, meditation, and loves to be outside. Through her work as the Principal of Dialogue + Design Associates and host of the Yes! We Rise podcast, she guides civic leaders and community members to envision a more sustainable future and come together to make that vision a reality. A recipient of the Paul Dulaney Conservation Award, Christine has spent the last 20 years facilitating change nationally with a focus on Central Appalachia and the Chesapeake Bay. The granddaughter of a coal miner and a firefly scientist, she facilitates networks of change-makers and uses skills that include consensus-building, community planning, ecological design and mindfulness practices. Christine loves sailing, yoga and paddleboarding, and she lives at the base of the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia with her husband, two children, and an assortment of fruit trees and blueberry bushes.

Bryan Hofmann lives with his family in Orange County Virginia and is the Deputy Director at Friends of the Rappahannock where he has spent the last 12 years. He has bachelor’s degrees in political science and economics from Xavier University and a Masters of Environment from Miami University’s Institute for the Environment and Sustainability. He is the lead coordinator for the Rappahannock River Roundtable, a regional conservation partnership that works to accelerate land and water conservation and foster collaboration from the Blue Ridge to the Bay. Bryan serves on numerous boards and committees including the Virginia Agricultural Cost-share (VACS) and Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) technical advisory committees, and the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable board. Bryan is a Virginia Tree steward, certified Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) and now serves as a field liaison for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). His favorite tree is quercus phellos (willow oak) and his favorite fish is the eastern brook trout, which he enjoys chasing with his fly rod in the headwaters of the Rapidan River near Shenandoah National Park.

Dr. Iara Lacher is a landscape ecologist with expertise in plant ecology, ecosystem function, land use, and native plant propagation. She is the owner of Seven Bends Nursery, a native plant nursery located in Berryville, VA, offering landscape design, consultation, and long-term ecological management planning services. She focuses on projects that involve local communities, serving through education and outreach as well as through her role as board chair for the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, a wildlife hospital focused on rehabilitation, release, education, and research on wildlife and OneHealth.

Anna Stuart Lambert is a Project Manager at Resource Environmental Solutions (RES). She primarily manages 404 mitigation banks, permittee responsible mitigation projects, and TMDL projects for nutrient reduction. She is passionate about stream restoration projects in particular. A native of New Kent, Virginia, Anna Stuart lives on a hobby farm with her husband, two young boys, and a handful of animals. Outside of work, she enjoys riding horses, canoeing with her family, and coaching volleyball. The University of Richmond Eco-Corridor Project has been one of her favorite projects to work on because of the unique opportunity to collaborate with the University and the public.

Mary Larson has been a certified Virginia Master Naturalist with the Riverine chapter since 2023, and has been nature journaling since 2018. She recently became a certified Nature Journaling Educator through the Wild Wonder Foundation, and has taught a variety of nature journaling classes around the greater Richmond area, including at Maymont Park, Powhatan State Park, with Hanover Parks & Recreation and the Pamunkey Regional Library system.

Todd Lookingbill is a Professor of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability with a joint appointment in Biology at the University of Richmond, where he coordinates the Environmental Studies Program. He is a landscape ecologist whose work emphasizes inclusive, community-based approaches to environmental health. His projects examine how land use and climate change intensify urban heat and flooding in marginalized neighborhoods, alter old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, and underscore the conservation value of local battlefield parks. He has served on numerous planning and watershed committees and enjoys spending time on the James River.

J. Abraham Lopez Trejo is the Programs Director at Defensores de la Cuenca, where he leads initiatives to expand access to nature for the Latine/o community throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Originally from northern Mexico, Abraham moved to the United States as a teenager and has been dedicated to environmental education and community engagement since 2017. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. His professional background includes an internship with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and over five years of experience as an educator and community coordinator with the National Audubon Society in Baltimore, Maryland. Since joining Defensores de la Cuenca in 2024, Abraham has continued his work to connect Latine/o communities with meaningful outdoor experiences. He is passionate about using nature as a tool for community building and believes deeply in the restorative power of natural spaces.

Gavin Martin is Vice President at Conservation Services, Inc. Gavin started working with Conservation Services Inc, in February of 2020. Gavin’s planted trees from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast as well as from southern Texas to northern New York. As a project coordinator, Gavin is fortunate to work with a variety of landowners and organizations who are all working together to provide environmental reclamation efforts in a vast variety of locations across the US. Gavin graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S in Wildlife Conservation in the fall of 2019 and has carried through knowledge of wildlife sciences and best management practices to help provide landowners and organizations with technical assistance for their projects. Gavin is also an avid birder, hunter, angler, outdoorsman, and wildlife conservationist.

Jenny McGarvey is the Capacity Building Initiative Director and Virginia State Director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (the Alliance). The Alliance is a recognized leader in the Chesapeake Bay community for building organizational and technical capacity around efficient and effective implementation of on-the-ground projects. We offer programming that builds our audiences’ agency and awareness. Jenny and her team’s approach to capacity building focuses on educating through subject matter experts; creating spaces for learning that encompass the wide-range of individual perspectives and experiences of those living in the Chesapeake Bay watershed; providing unique and transformative experiences; and fostering individual connections. Jenny is based in Richmond, VA.

Kevin McLean serves as the Chesapeake Bay Program Manager for the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and is responsible for coordinating the state’s participation in the Chesapeake Bay Program. He previously served as the State Coordinator for the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) with the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (VASWCD). He holds a B.S. in Natural Resources Conservation and M.S. in Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation from Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and the Environment. Outside of work, he enjoys life on the family farm with his wife, two young sons, and an old hound dog and many of the hiking trails found throughout the Bay watershed and beyond!

Alison Menefee is the Quail Forever State Coordinator covering Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. She works in joint capacity with partner agencies at the local, state, and federal levels to coordinate and implement wildlife habitat-related conservation programs within bobwhite quail focal regions, while also promoting habitat programs and initiatives.

Meghan Mulroy-Goldman serves as the Eastern Region Watershed Stewardship Specialist with the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF). In this role, she works to improve water quality through forest management including riparian buffer establishment, afforestation, and urban tree planting. She has been with DOF since 2018. She has a Bachelor’s in Biology from William and Mary and a Master’s in Forest Biology from Purdue. She is also an ISA Certified Arborist.

Siobhan Nishida serves as the District Manager for the Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District, where she has dedicated the past 10 years to advancing conservation efforts in Southwest Virginia. Her professional background includes diverse roles such as landscape architect, wetland environmental consultant, and project manager for a sheep grazing livestock-based vegetation management company. She holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from North Carolina State University. Siobhan is passionate about environmental education and takes great pride in mentoring students as they explore core conservation principles. Outside of work, she enjoys kayaking, hiking, and visiting national parks with her husband and their two high school-aged children. She is proud of the impactful conservation initiatives the district has achieved in the local community.

Patti Nylander has worked for the Department of Forestry for almost 25 years, in several roles and areas throughout the state. Earlier this year, she accepted the position as Watershed Program Coordinator for DOF, where she continues to promote sustainable management of Virginia’s forest resources to provide clean water. One of Patti’s favorite things about forests are the many benefits they provide to people and society. In addition to providing habitat for a variety of wildlife species, trees provide clean air, clean water, materials for buildings, medicines, and places of refuge from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She enjoys hiking and backpacking when she has time, crocheting fun critters, and lives in the Shenandoah Valley with her husband Erik, and two children, Jake and Emma.

Claire Sanderson is the Director of Monitoring for the Rivanna Conservation Alliance (RCA), a non-profit watershed organization located in Charlottesville, VA. In this position, Claire oversees RCA’s water quality monitoring programs and manages the activities of more than 100 dedicated volunteers. Claire holds a Bachelor’s degree in Animal and Veterinary Biosciences and a PhD in Veterinary Science from the University of Sydney, as well as a Masters in Natural Resources from Virginia Tech.

Kevin Tate is Director of Conservation at Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley and he coordinates the Shenandoah Valley Conservation Collaborative, a partnership of more than 20 organizations and agencies working together to achieve shared goals in land and water conservation in the Shenandoah Valley. Kevin has worked at the intersection of conservation and agriculture throughout the Americas and now lives on and manages his family’s century farm in Page County, VA.

David Wise is the Watershed Restoration Manager for Stroud Water Research Center in Avondale, PA. Most of Dave’s work focuses on providing farmers and other rural landowners with the technical and financial assistance needed to implement agricultural conservation practices and forested stream buffers in southeastern Pennsylvania. Dave also conducts research projects to improve buffer restoration methods. Dave has degrees in natural resources management from the University of Wisconsin (MS) and Penn State’s College of Agriculture (BS), and lives in Lancaster County.

Linnea Sherman first joined the Piedmont Environmental Council team in March 2022 as the Headwater Stream Initiative Planting Coordinator, where she worked to organize and facilitate tree planting projects in riparian areas throughout the Potomac and Rappahannock watersheds. She then supported the Land Conservation Department in increasing the pace and scale of riparian buffer plantings and fulfilling annual monitoring requirements on PEC-held conservation easements and fee-owned properties. Linnea now serves as PEC’s Plantings for the Piedmont Coordinator and is responsible for administering PEC’s riparian and upland tree planting program and supports land management efforts at the Piedmont Memorial Overlook.

Before starting with PEC, Linnea pursued various volunteer and professional opportunities related to her interests in land management and biodiversity conservation. She volunteered and interned at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, VA. After graduate school, Linnea worked as an Appalachian Conservation Corps Individual Placement for the National Capital Area Invasive Plant Management Team (National Park Service). Linnea then joined the Fairfax County Park Authority as an Ecological Technician in December 2021 where she supported the Park Authority’s Invasive Management Area program. She also currently works part-time as the Regional Trails Coordinator for the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, where she supports numerous projects throughout the Northern Virginia region.

Lauria McShane joined Piedmont Environmental Council in October 2023 as an assistant to the Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative. Prior to joining PEC, Lauria graduated from Sweet Briar College in May of 2023 with her B.S. in Biology. Lauria also studied in the Conservation, Biodiversity and Society program at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation in the fall of 2022.

Shortly after graduation, Lauria worked with the James River Association as a riparian buffer steward where she completed site visits and reports to help landowners fund and maintain their CREP sites.  Lauria also studied and worked in sustainable agriculture productions at her campus greenhouse, garden and apiary where she discovered a passion for producing food in a way that respects the environment and the community. Lauria also works for Seven Bends Native Plant Nursery as part of their marketing team.  In her spare time, she can be found gardening, horseback riding, beekeeping, hiking or reading.

October Greenfield joined Piedmont Environmental Council in September 2021 as our wildlife habitat program manager. Her work includes executing a diverse portfolio of wildlife habitat restoration projects, leading community-based conservation efforts, and promoting landowner engagement.

With a passion for avian conservation, October has worked on a variety of research projects, studying species such as peregrine falcons, red-headed woodpeckers, American kestrels, barn owls, and more. She has extensive experience in environmental education for all ages. Prior to joining PEC, she worked with regional partners including Friends of the Rappahannock, Smithsonian’s Virginia Working Landscapes and Shenandoah National Park. October is also an avid conservation photographer, with work published in several magazines and featured on the Smithsonian Institution website.

October grew up in southeastern South Dakota and graduated from South Dakota State University with a B.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences. She completed a Master’s degree in Global Sustainability from Virginia Tech in 2021. In her spare time, October enjoys hiking, camping, reading, and horseback riding.