Posts by Jenna Piersol, Gwendolyn Cassady, Teri Kent, Dana Schroeder, Ashley Roehrman, Micaela Morris, Michael T. Moore, Nicole Vargas & Emily Hatfield

Jenna Piersol, Gwendolyn Cassady, Teri Kent, Dana Schroeder, Ashley Roehrman, Micaela Morris, Michael T. Moore, Nicole Vargas & Emily Hatfield

Jenna Piersol, James Madison University (JMU). Jenna is the Coordinator of Community Partnership Development in Community Service-Learning at JMU. She also serves as a member of Sustainable Shenandoah Valley, a regional group dedicated to creating a more resilient future for residents of the Valley. Prior to joining JMU, she worked in the nonprofit sector on community initiatives related to the environment, food systems, and equitable access to health.

 

 

Gwendolyn Cassady is the founder and executive director of ManagingLove.org. Currently a graduate student in Harvard’s Creating Sustainable Cities and Communities Masters program, she recently helped create policy change at the global level while participating and speaking at the United Nations. Her Harvard capstone includes building the first net-positive, off grid, small home community in the state of Virginia.

 

 

Teri Kent is the Director of Programs and Communication for the Community Climate Collaborative. She lends her advocacy experience and creative storytelling to C3’s mission of elevating climate action to greater heights. Teri’s passion for sustainability started over a decade ago when she founded local nonprofit Better World Betty. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and being out in nature with her two sons.

 

 

Dana Schroeder, Outreach & Engagement Specialist in the UVA Sustainability Office. Dana supports outreach events, programs, committees, and partnerships with sustainability champions all across the University of Virginia & Charlottesville. In her free time, she enjoys swing dancing and exploring new places on foot.

 

 

           

Ashley Roehrman is an Environmental Studies and Sociology major at Virginia Wesleyan University, Treasure of Marlins Go Green, student representative on the VWU Environmental Sustainability Council, and a Virginia Wesleyan University Sustainability Leader.

Micaela Morris is the Assistant Director of Facilities Management at Virginia Wesleyan University.

 

 

Michael T. Moore is a 14 year employee with the City of Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Department. Currently, he serves as the Environmental Programs & Initiatives Lead for the Park Events, Programs and Special Use Unit. Michael graduated from Christopher Newport University with a Major in Biology and Minor in Anthropology. He serves on a number of professional environmental Committees and Boards and provides a number of programs focusing on litter and water quality throughout Virginia Beach. He and his family reside in Virginia Beach.

 

 

Nicole Vargas is a proud member of the environmental programming team for Virginia Beach. A New Jersey native has been happily enjoying the beautiful parks and natural areas the city offers since she moved here over a year ago. Nicole enjoys the endless adventure and fulfillment she gets from her work and in her free time, she seeks out snakes, writes poetry and lounges at the beach. Despite COVID-19 turning the world upside down, Nicole is vibrant and optimistic; pursuing her dreams and saving the world.

 

 

Emily Bodsford Hatfield is the Information Systems Coordinator at Lynnhaven River NOW. Emily is a passionate conservationist dedicated to protecting and restoring Virginia Beach waterways. She joined Lynnhaven River NOW in 2015 and worked closely with the organization’s Pearl Home, Pearl Faith and Outreach Programs. Emily assisted in the development of LRNow’s Water Quality Monitoring Program and had the pleasure of steering the Stewardship and Access Committee and its members who continue to work tirelessly to coordinate and carry out monthly waterway cleanups. Before Emily shifted her role to Development and Communications, she helped coordinate LRNow’s Annual Fall Festivals and enjoyed being able to work closely with many community partners. As the current Information Systems Coordinator for LRNow, much of Emily’s work takes place behind the scenes focusing mainly on website development, database management, collaborating with partner organizations and creating content to share across media platforms. Growing up, Emily spent her weekends sailing with her parents in the Chesapeake Bay and vacationing at Topsail Island, NC. She loves to surf fish, pick crabs, sit on the beach, swim, hike, kayak, build sand castles with her three-year-old son, and shuck and eat the tastiest oysters, harvested right out of the legendary Lynnhaven River.