VCC's Board of Directors

Valley Conservation Council is governed by a board of directors elected by our members. We have been fortunate over the years to have many talented, caring, and knowledgable people who can serve as directors from the many different communities in our region. Directors may serve two consecutive terms of three years.

Meet VCC's 2008 Directors

Carole G. Baker has over 15 years of diverse fundraising experience in corporate and foundation relations, major gifts, planned gifts, annual giving and program development. Her vast experience includes development and public relations at the University of Virginia, Rice University in Houston, TX, Sweet Briar College and Longwood University. She holds a masters degree from the University of Virginia’s Woodrow Wilson School of Government and Foreign Affairs, and a bachelor’s degree from Longwood University. Since redirecting her time and energy from the professional world in October 2000, she has discovered and cultivated interests in many areas, including a strong interest in open space preservation. A Rockbridge County native, Carole divides her time between Virginia, Wyoming, and Texas.

Robert Eggleston, MD has practiced ophthalmology in Harrisonburg since 1968 and has been interested in the environment all his life. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, his MD from Harvard and trained at the University of Chicago and Case/Western Reserve. He is also a member of the Nature Conservancy and is a lifelong birdwatcher.

Henley Gabeau, a native of Norfolk, retired from her career in nonprofit management in September 2001. In May 2002 she moved into a pre-Civil War house in Middlebrook and soon after joined the VCC, hoping to contribute to the preservation of the lovely Shenandoah Valley that she now calls home.

Keith Holland is both a farmer and builder based in Rockbridge County. In recent years he and his wife Penny have placed a number of farms under easement. Keith shares the concern of many in VCC: how to balance land protection and still provide affordable housing options for local working people. Keith represents the Buffalo District on Rockbridge County’s Growth Planning Committee.

Mark Daniel Hollberg, currently works with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation as the Conservation District Coordinator, working within Soil and Water conservation. Holding a Masters Degree from Duke University in Forestry, he has previously worked with the Virginia Department of Forestry as a Forester and Regional Resource Forester. Mark was a co-founder and past board member of the Valley Conservation Council. He resides in Staunton with his wife and three kids.

Roger Houser is a 5 th generation Page County farmer. Roger and his wife Debbie also run Luray Homes, a development and building firm. Last year they placed an easement on 100 acres of the family farm and plan to do more in the future.

Diane Kearnes is a native of Winchester, Virginia and holds a Bachelors Degree in Physics and Anthropology from Wake Forest University, as well as a Masters in Physics from Boston University. She works with Fruit Hill Orchard, owned by her family, which owns and operates just under 3000 acres of apple and peach orchards in Frederick and Shenandoah counties in Virginia, and Berkeley County in West Virginia. Diane is the past president of the Frederick County Fruit Growers Association, and serves on the Board of Directors for Virginia Apple Storage and Winchester Warehousing. Additionally, she serves on the steering committee of the Community Consensus Coalition, a group working toward a long-term vision for the Winchester, Frederick and Clarke County areas. She is also Co-owner of Mountain Trails L.C., a backpacking and climbing outfitter in Winchester.

Tom Lockhart is an attorney practicing in suburban Maryland. His roots in Warren County go back many generations and he is in the process of conserving his family farm there. Tom has been very active with Scenic 340 and their efforts to conserve important historic and natural heritage lands along the South Fork of the Shenandoah river.

Nick MacNeil lives in Staunton and was named VCC Volunteer of the Year in 2001. He has been active with the Augusta Community Partnership, serving as its secretary and coordinating several community forums. Prior to moving to Staunton in 2000 with his wife Linda, Nick worked on the Coalition for a Sensible Bridge in Alexandria. During his career with the U.S. State Department, Nick’s work included three years in the Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science and several overseas posts in countries beset by environmental problems. Nick holds a history degree from Princeton University.

Matt Morgan is a VMI graduate who manages print sales for Colonial Printing in Richmond, where he lives with his wife and young children. Matt joined VCC last year and carries on his late father John’s strong interest in conserving the Valley’s land and heritage. John was a Buena Vista native and Matt spent much of his childhood enjoying Rockbridge County. Their family’s 286-acre Rockbridge farm, “Big Hill,” was placed under easement in 2004.

Michael Pelton, PhD is Professor Emeritus in Wildlife Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Before retiring, Michael conducted research on a variety of wild mammals, particularly black bears. Mike previously served on the boards of the Foothills Land Conservancy and the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association in eastern Tennessee. He and his wife Tamra live on Little North Mountain on the Augusta-Rockbridge County line. They have been VCC members since 1999 and placed their mountain farm in a conservation easement in 2003. Michael spends most of his time working around the farm and consulting on wildlife issues.

W. Cullen Sherwood, Ph.D. of Harrisonburg is a Professor of Geology at James Madison University. His research interests involve trends in the geochemistry of natural fresh waters and the origin and development of fluvial landscapes and soils. A long-time member of VCC, Cullen also has a strong interest in how soils have shaped history, including their role in pivotal events of the Civil War.

Rick Shiflet is a current Member of the Board of Directors of the Augusta County Farm Bureau Federation and Past President. He is past Director of Headwaters Soil & Water Conservation District, as well as is a Member of Augusta County Partnership and Member of the Virginia Poultry Federation. Highly involved with the Virginia Young Farmer’s Association, he has served as President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. He has also participated in VCC's riparian easement program and established a forested buffer along a segment of Edison Creek. A member of Calvary Baptist Church, and coach of Little League Football for the past ten years, Rick owns and operates a family farm near Swoope where he raises poultry and beef.

Ray "Buff" Showalter and his family have a poultry and cattle farm west of Dayton in Rockingham County. He and Debbie are both lifelong residents of that area. They recently placed an easement on 114 acres of land that incorporates practices providing significant watershed protection for the Dry River. Buff is vice-president of Poultry Specialties, an equipment supplier. His interests include hunting, fishing, hiking and playing music.

Charlotte Stephenson brings years of professional and civic experience in Highland County to the VCC Board. She is a licensed real estate broker in Virginia and is currently co-owner of United Country Shamrock & Stephenson Realty, with offices in Monterey and Staunton. Charlotte is the President of Highlanders for Responsible Development, a nonprofit group in Highland, and Vice-President of the Highland County Chamber of Commerce. In the past she served as president of the Highland Chamber of Commerce, as Deputy Treasurer of Highland County, as Clerk-Treasurer of the town of Monterey, and as a member of the Monterey Town Council.

Rosemary Wallinger has lived in Shenandoah County all but 11 years of her life. She and her husband Bruce and their three daughters moved to Springmeadow, her family home on Mill Creek, in 1982. They have begun the process of restoring their 26 acres of pasture and meadow to native wildlife habitat, participating in both the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). She is also co-founder and member of Shenandoah Forum, a group of concerned citizens in Shenandoah County.

William T. Wilson received an undergraduate degree from Hampden-Sydney College and went on to receive a law degree from the University of Virginia. He then was a sergeant in the Virginia air national guard before beginning his law career. He has been chairman of countless boards and committees and served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1974-1989. He now works for Wilson, Updike, and Nicely Law Firm in Covington, Virginia.

W. Denman Zirkle lives on his family’s farm in Shenandoah County. Most recently Denman served as chief executive officer of Carret and Company, a New York-based investment advisory firm. He is a board member of the Civil War Preservation Trust and a founder of the Zirkle Mill Foundation.

	VCC's Board of Directors Valley Conservation Council is governed by a board of directors elected by our members. We have been fortunate over the years to have many talented, caring, and knowledgable people who can serve as directors from the many different communities in our region. Directors may serve two consecutive terms of three years. Meet VCC's 2008 Directors Carole G. Baker has over 15 years of diverse fundraising experience in corporate and foundation relations, major gifts, planned gifts, annual giving and program development. Her vast experience includes development and public relations at the University of Virginia, Rice University in Houston, TX, Sweet Briar College and Longwood University. She holds a masters degree from the University of Virginia’s Woodrow Wilson School of Government and Foreign Affairs, and a bachelor’s degree from Longwood University. Since redirecting her time and energy from the professional world in October 2000, she has discovered and cultivated interests in many areas, including a strong interest in open space preservation. A Rockbridge County native, Carole divides her time between Virginia, Wyoming, and Texas. Robert Eggleston, MD has practiced ophthalmology in Harrisonburg since 1968 and has been interested in the environment all his life. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, his MD from Harvard and trained at the University of Chicago and Case/Western Reserve. He is also a member of the Nature Conservancy and is a lifelong birdwatcher. Henley Gabeau, a native of Norfolk, retired from her career in nonprofit management in September 2001. In May 2002 she moved into a pre-Civil War house in Middlebrook and soon after joined the VCC, hoping to contribute to the preservation of the lovely Shenandoah Valley that she now calls home. Keith Holland is both a farmer and builder based in Rockbridge County. In recent years he and his wife Penny have placed a number of farms under easement. Keith shares the concern of many in VCC: how to balance land protection and still provide affordable housing options for local working people. Keith represents the Buffalo District on Rockbridge County’s Growth Planning Committee. Mark Daniel Hollberg, currently works with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation as the Conservation District Coordinator, working within Soil and Water conservation. Holding a Masters Degree from Duke University in Forestry, he has previously worked with the Virginia Department of Forestry as a Forester and Regional Resource Forester. Mark was a co-founder and past board member of the Valley Conservation Council. He resides in Staunton with his wife and three kids. Roger Houser is a 5 th generation Page County farmer. Roger and his wife Debbie also run Luray Homes, a development and building firm. Last year they placed an easement on 100 acres of the family farm and plan to do more in the future. Diane Kearnes is a native of Winchester, Virginia and holds a Bachelors Degree in Physics and Anthropology from Wake Forest University, as well as a Masters in Physics from Boston University. She works with Fruit Hill Orchard, owned by her family, which owns and operates just under 3000 acres of apple and peach orchards in Frederick and Shenandoah counties in Virginia, and Berkeley County in West Virginia. Diane is the past president of the Frederick County Fruit Growers Association, and serves on the Board of Directors for Virginia Apple Storage and Winchester Warehousing. Additionally, she serves on the steering committee of the Community Consensus Coalition, a group working toward a long-term vision for the Winchester, Frederick and Clarke County areas. She is also Co-owner of Mountain Trails L.C., a backpacking and climbing outfitter in Winchester. Tom Lockhart is an attorney practicing in suburban Maryland. His roots in Warren County go back many generations and he is in the process of conserving his family farm there. Tom has been very active with Scenic 340 and their efforts to conserve important historic and natural heritage lands along the South Fork of the Shenandoah river. Nick MacNeil lives in Staunton and was named VCC Volunteer of the Year in 2001. He has been active with the Augusta Community Partnership, serving as its secretary and coordinating several community forums. Prior to moving to Staunton in 2000 with his wife Linda, Nick worked on the Coalition for a Sensible Bridge in Alexandria. During his career with the U.S. State Department, Nick’s work included three years in the Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science and several overseas posts in countries beset by environmental problems. Nick holds a history degree from Princeton University. Matt Morgan is a VMI graduate who manages print sales for Colonial Printing in Richmond, where he lives with his wife and young children. Matt joined VCC last year and carries on his late father John’s strong interest in conserving the Valley’s land and heritage. John was a Buena Vista native and Matt spent much of his childhood enjoying Rockbridge County. Their family’s 286-acre Rockbridge farm, “Big Hill,” was placed under easement in 2004. Michael Pelton, PhD is Professor Emeritus in Wildlife Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Before retiring, Michael conducted research on a variety of wild mammals, particularly black bears. Mike previously served on the boards of the Foothills Land Conservancy and the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association in eastern Tennessee. He and his wife Tamra live on Little North Mountain on the Augusta-Rockbridge County line. They have been VCC members since 1999 and placed their mountain farm in a conservation easement in 2003. Michael spends most of his time working around the farm and consulting on wildlife issues. W. Cullen Sherwood, Ph.D. of Harrisonburg is a Professor of Geology at James Madison University. His research interests involve trends in the geochemistry of natural fresh waters and the origin and development of fluvial landscapes and soils. A long-time member of VCC, Cullen also has a strong interest in how soils have shaped history, including their role in pivotal events of the Civil War. Rick Shiflet is a current Member of the Board of Directors of the Augusta County Farm Bureau Federation and Past President. He is past Director of Headwaters Soil & Water Conservation District, as well as is a Member of Augusta County Partnership and Member of the Virginia Poultry Federation. Highly involved with the Virginia Young Farmer’s Association, he has served as President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. He has also participated in VCC's riparian easement program and established a forested buffer along a segment of Edison Creek. A member of Calvary Baptist Church, and coach of Little League Football for the past ten years, Rick owns and operates a family farm near Swoope where he raises poultry and beef. Ray "Buff" Showalter and his family have a poultry and cattle farm west of Dayton in Rockingham County. He and Debbie are both lifelong residents of that area. They recently placed an easement on 114 acres of land that incorporates practices providing significant watershed protection for the Dry River. Buff is vice-president of Poultry Specialties, an equipment supplier. His interests include hunting, fishing, hiking and playing music. Charlotte Stephenson brings years of professional and civic experience in Highland County to the VCC Board. She is a licensed real estate broker in Virginia and is currently co-owner of United Country Shamrock & Stephenson Realty, with offices in Monterey and Staunton. Charlotte is the President of Highlanders for Responsible Development, a nonprofit group in Highland, and Vice-President of the Highland County Chamber of Commerce. In the past she served as president of the Highland Chamber of Commerce, as Deputy Treasurer of Highland County, as Clerk-Treasurer of the town of Monterey, and as a member of the Monterey Town Council. Rosemary Wallinger has lived in Shenandoah County all but 11 years of her life. She and her husband Bruce and their three daughters moved to Springmeadow, her family home on Mill Creek, in 1982. They have begun the process of restoring their 26 acres of pasture and meadow to native wildlife habitat, participating in both the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). She is also co-founder and member of Shenandoah Forum, a group of concerned citizens in Shenandoah County. William T. Wilson received an undergraduate degree from Hampden-Sydney College and went on to receive a law degree from the University of Virginia. He then was a sergeant in the Virginia air national guard before beginning his law career. He has been chairman of countless boards and committees and served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1974-1989. He now works for Wilson, Updike, and Nicely Law Firm in Covington, Virginia. W. Denman Zirkle lives on his family’s farm in Shenandoah County. Most recently Denman served as chief executive officer of Carret and Company, a New York-based investment advisory firm. He is a board member of the Civil War Preservation Trust and a founder of the Zirkle Mill Foundation.
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