Meet the VOF Stewardship Staff

Melissa Collier, Stewardship Manager, Charlottesville

Melissa Collier recently joined us from The Nature Conservancy where she worked in their Charlottesville and Richmond offices over the past 4 years. At TNC she assisted landscape programs with baseline documentation reports, easement monitoring and other stewardship needs in the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula and Southeast areas. Melissa has a Master’s Degree in Biological Anthropology and conducted a study on wild chimpanzees in Uganda, East Africa for her thesis work. Originally from California, she is a huge admirer of the great outdoors and looks forward to helping with the protection of Virginia’s open spaces and farmlands. On the lighter side, she enjoys hiking, “being on the water” in any way, cooking, volleyball and yoga.

Erika Richardson, Stewardship Specialist, Warrenton

Erika Richardson has been a Stewardship Specialist with VOF since June 2006. She works in the Warrenton office and stewards Loudoun, Fauquier, Prince William, Fairfax, and Arlington counties. She thoroughly enjoys her time spent visiting easement properties and their owners. Prior to VOF, Erika worked for several years with the Piedmont Environmental Council as its Land Conservation Coordinator.  Erika has lived in Virginia since 2002 after moving from her hometown of New Orleans. She has a psychology degree from Louisiana State University and a biology degree from the University of New Orleans. She enjoys exploring Virginia, hiking, kayaking, backpacking, rockclimbing, traveling and spending time with her dog and cats.

Ryan Walker, Stewardship Specialist, Blacksburg

Ryan stewards properties in the southwest region. He grew up in Fairfax, Virginia but his family originally hails from Grayson and Smyth Counties in Southwest Virginia. Ryan did both his bachelors and masters studies in Urban and Regional Planning at Virginia Tech. He continues to live in Blacksburg and root on the Hokies. He enjoys almost all outdoor activities and is particularly fond of cool fall or winter days in the Mt. Rogers area. He always looks forward to traveling and discovering new places.

John Peters, Stewardship Specialist, Richmond

John Peters was born and raised in Lynchburg, VA. After moving to Christiansburg, VA, John attended Virginia Tech where he received a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy and Planning. After graduation, John interned as a Stewardship Assistant with Pacific Forest Trust in San Francisco, CA. John currently resides in Richmond where he enjoys traveling, hiking and music.

Andrea Reese, Stewardship Specialist, Warrenton

Andrea Reese joined the Warrenton office of VOF in August 2007 as a Stewardship Specialist.  She previously worked for the Connecticut Farmland Trust, aiding with stewardship of protected farms, writing grant applications, and creating outreach materials.  She holds master’s degrees in Public Policy and Environmental Management from Duke University and has additional experience in lobbying and program evaluation.  She interned with the Piedmont Environmental Council during graduate school, researching stewardship issues and helping monitor protected land in Fauquier County.  Andrea grew up in a small town in Idaho, so after living in Connecticut, the Research Triangle, and southern California, she’s glad to be back in a rural area.  She enjoys writing, hiking, and cooking.

Harry Hibbitts, Stewardship Specialist, Staunton

Harry Hibbitts joined the Staunton VOF office in September of 2007 as a Stewardship Specialist. He completed his graduate work at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia studying Urban & Environmental Planning and has an undergraduate degree in Geology from James Madison University of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Prior to graduate school Harry worked for the Virginia Division of Mineral Resources in Charlottesville, Virginia and has interned with the Center for Watershed Protection in Ellicott City, Maryland. Harry originates from Charlottesville, Virginia and is an avid cyclist who also enjoys building bicycles.

Joe Kuhn, Stewardship Specialist, Charlottesville

Joseph Kuhn recently joined us from an Environmental Engineering firm in Gainesville, Florida where he worked as a Wetland Scientist and Project Manager for the past 3 years.  At the firm Joe specialized in wetland creation and monitoring, wildlife studies, and gopher tortoise relocation.  Joe has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and a Master’s Degree in Outdoor Recreation Management from the University of Florida.  For his Master’s degree, Joe studied recreational boater conflicts in the Deschutes National Forest in Oregon.  He looks forward to assisting in the conservation and protection of open lands in Virginia.  He enjoys camping, disc golf, music, and and any activities on the water.  

Abbe Kennedy, Stewardship Assistant, Staunton

Abbe Kennedy holds a Bachelors of Landscape Architecture from Virginia Tech, and has worked in both private practices in design and engineering, and in local government planning at the town and county levels. While not working with VOF, Abbe serves as a planning commissioner in her county of Shenandoah. Mrs. Kennedy lives on a small farm with her husband and three children, who all enjoy the outdoor sports of hiking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. “While working with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, it is such a pleasure to work with landowners who share the values of protecting the rural character and conservation values of this beautiful region.”

George Sutton, Stewardship Assistant, Warrenton

George Sutton holds a bachelors degree from the University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture in Conservation and Resource Development. He retired from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in 2004. His last position with NRCS was District Conservationist in Fauquier Co. for 12 years where he worked closely with the John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District, landowners, and various other local, state and federal agencies. George has been doing stewardship work with VOF for two years. He enjoys fishing, hiking, skiing, travel and working on vehicles. He is married and has a son Timothy, a daughter Laura, and two granddaughters, Hannah and Hope.

Erin Wilson, Stewardship Assistant, Charlottesville

A native Virginian, Erin was born and raised in rural Southampton County.  She is a graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, VA, and holds a B.S. degree in Biology.  Since joining VOF, she has enjoyed meeting landowners from all walks of life while visiting the most beautiful places in the Commonwealth. In her free time, she attends classes in hopes of achieving a Master’s degree and explores the surrounding countryside on horseback or with her adopted Weimaraner, Luke.

Bill Wasserman, Stewardship Assistant, Abingdon

Mr. Wasserman has worked as a Conservation Easement Specialist for the Virginia Outdoors Foundation for four years, establishing VOF's easement program In Southwest Virginia before moving over to the Stewardship program.  Mr. Wasserman is a carpenter, a furniture-maker, and a forest landowner with 500 acres under conservation easement on Clinch Mountain in Russell County. He is also the founder and current President of the Land Trust for Southwest Virginia.