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 2010 Directors

Faye Crawford Cooper began her conservation career in the 1980s, serving as Director of Stewardship with the Virginia office of The Nature Conservancy. In 1990 she spearheaded the
founding of VCC and later became executive director. She then became the first Valley regional manager for the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, helping landowners in the region conserve thousands of acres. Today she is the Virginia liaison to EPA’s Highlands Action Program and consults with landowners and organizations through her business, Cooper Conservation Advisors. An Augusta County native, Faye lives in Staunton with her husband Peter.

Greg Faust has a BS from the University of Michigan and an MS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both in Computer Science. He has served as a member of the executive committee and on the board of directors of two high-tech start-up companies and most recently as an executive of Microsoft Corporation. Although relatively new to Virginia, Greg owns and operates a horse business on 200+ acres of conserved land in Augusta County and is passionate about the further conservation of open land in the Valley.

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 Sara and three children.

Roger Houser is a fifth generation Page County farmer. Roger and his wife Debbie also run Luray Homes, a development and building firm. In 2007 they placed an easement on 100 acres of the family farm and plan to do more in the future.

Kurt Kunze of Botetourt County grew up on a dairy farm in northern Illinois. With a graduate degree in hand from Northern Illinois University he spent 10 years on active duty in the Air Force. In 1977, Kurt joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) where, over a 20-year career he managed regional offices of the AID Inspector General in Panama, Kenya, and Egypt as well as serving at the headquarters office in Rosslyn, Virginia. Upon retirement in 1997, Kurt and his wife, Amparo, purchased their 150 acre farm in Botetourt County. They have since devoted their time to renovating their historic home and improving the farm. In 2002, they placed the farm in a conservation easement to protect its historic character, extensive woodlands, and wetlands.

Jim Lawrence of Winchester is the immediate past chair of the Shenandoah Resource Conservation and Development Council where he represents the board of the Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation District. Lawrence serves on the Frederick County Easement Authority.
He works as project coordinator for the Winchester Green Circle, a biking and walking trail along
Town Run and Abrams Creek. He also coordinates tree planting and other projects for Opequon Watershed, Inc. and has done significant restoration work in support of trout habitat on Red Bud Run on the north end of Winchester. Jim graduated in 2001 from the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute. His work experience includes restoration contracting, farming, and woodlot management. In his free time, Jim enjoys all outdoor activities, especially fishing and hiking.

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.

Ann Morse has recently returned to Staunton, her hometown, and has lived in Botetourt and Shenandoah counties. She is a former VCC Board Member who served while residing in Botetourt
County. While a VCC Board Member, she served briefly on the Board of the Virginia Conservation
Network. In the town of Fincastle, she and her husband restored a 200-year-old log home, and
Ann served on the Board of Historic Fincastle, Inc. Before that, Ann lived in Massachusetts and
served on a Conservation Commission which administered the State’s Wetlands Protection Act.
She also worked as a Regional Planner in Floodplain Management for the State Department of
Environmental Management. She has worked most of her career for the National Park Service in
Yellowstone and Shenandoah national parks as a ranger. She has a degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resource Management.

Tom Sadler of Augusta County runs The Middle River Group, a strategic and tactical marketing, communications and advocacy firm focusing on conservation issues at the federal level, especially
when those issues affect fish, wildlife, and natural resources. His jobs in Washington,
D.C., include Director of Program Development for the Trust for Public Land, five years with the Izaak Walton League of America, President of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Warren B. Rudman. A lifelong fly fisherman, guide and instructor, Tom serves on the boards of the Federation of Fly Fishers, Project Healing Waters, and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. He spent twelve years as a public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Tom and his wife Beth live in Verona.

Bill Noack and his family have owned two historic farms in the Valley region, Meadow Mills in Page County and more recently, Brandenberg, a conserved farm in the Middlebrook area. Bill had a 37-year career with General Motors and from 1989 until his retirement from GM in 2002, he was the company’s director of public policy communications, based in Washington, D.C. In that capacity, Bill was responsible for developing GM positions on a wide range of public issues including energy, the environment, vehicle safety and international trade. He also was instrumental in creating auto and industry coalitions that generated greater public understanding of a number of environmental and technology issues. Today Bill has a consulting business, Noack and Associates. He and his wife Lois now live on a 40 acre farm south of Annapolis.

W. Cullen Sherwood, Ph.D. of Harrisonburg is a Professor of Geology at James Madison University. He holds both a BA and MA from University of Virginia and his PhD from Lehigh 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. Pursuing his Civil War interest, Cullen has authored two books in the Virginia Regimental History series.

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.

W. Denman Zirkle lives on his family’s farm in Shenandoah County and works out of New Market as the Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation. Denman served previously 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 2010 Directors Faye Crawford Cooper began her conservation career in the 1980s, serving as Director of Stewardship with the Virginia office of The Nature Conservancy. In 1990 she spearheaded the founding of VCC and later became executive director. She then became the first Valley regional manager for the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, helping landowners in the region conserve thousands of acres. Today she is the Virginia liaison to EPA’s Highlands Action Program and consults with landowners and organizations through her business, Cooper Conservation Advisors. An Augusta County native, Faye lives in Staunton with her husband Peter. Greg Faust has a BS from the University of Michigan and an MS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both in Computer Science. He has served as a member of the executive committee and on the board of directors of two high-tech start-up companies and most recently as an executive of Microsoft Corporation. Although relatively new to Virginia, Greg owns and operates a horse business on 200+ acres of conserved land in Augusta County and is passionate about the further conservation of open land in the Valley. 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 Sara and three children. Roger Houser is a fifth generation Page County farmer. Roger and his wife Debbie also run Luray Homes, a development and building firm. In 2007 they placed an easement on 100 acres of the family farm and plan to do more in the future. Kurt Kunze of Botetourt County grew up on a dairy farm in northern Illinois. With a graduate degree in hand from Northern Illinois University he spent 10 years on active duty in the Air Force. In 1977, Kurt joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) where, over a 20-year career he managed regional offices of the AID Inspector General in Panama, Kenya, and Egypt as well as serving at the headquarters office in Rosslyn, Virginia. Upon retirement in 1997, Kurt and his wife, Amparo, purchased their 150 acre farm in Botetourt County. They have since devoted their time to renovating their historic home and improving the farm. In 2002, they placed the farm in a conservation easement to protect its historic character, extensive woodlands, and wetlands. Jim Lawrence of Winchester is the immediate past chair of the Shenandoah Resource Conservation and Development Council where he represents the board of the Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation District. Lawrence serves on the Frederick County Easement Authority. He works as project coordinator for the Winchester Green Circle, a biking and walking trail along Town Run and Abrams Creek. He also coordinates tree planting and other projects for Opequon Watershed, Inc. and has done significant restoration work in support of trout habitat on Red Bud Run on the north end of Winchester. Jim graduated in 2001 from the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute. His work experience includes restoration contracting, farming, and woodlot management. In his free time, Jim enjoys all outdoor activities, especially fishing and hiking. 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. Ann Morse has recently returned to Staunton, her hometown, and has lived in Botetourt and Shenandoah counties. She is a former VCC Board Member who served while residing in Botetourt County. While a VCC Board Member, she served briefly on the Board of the Virginia Conservation Network. In the town of Fincastle, she and her husband restored a 200-year-old log home, and Ann served on the Board of Historic Fincastle, Inc. Before that, Ann lived in Massachusetts and served on a Conservation Commission which administered the State’s Wetlands Protection Act. She also worked as a Regional Planner in Floodplain Management for the State Department of Environmental Management. She has worked most of her career for the National Park Service in Yellowstone and Shenandoah national parks as a ranger. She has a degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resource Management. Tom Sadler of Augusta County runs The Middle River Group, a strategic and tactical marketing, communications and advocacy firm focusing on conservation issues at the federal level, especially when those issues affect fish, wildlife, and natural resources. His jobs in Washington, D.C., include Director of Program Development for the Trust for Public Land, five years with the Izaak Walton League of America, President of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Warren B. Rudman. A lifelong fly fisherman, guide and instructor, Tom serves on the boards of the Federation of Fly Fishers, Project Healing Waters, and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. He spent twelve years as a public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Tom and his wife Beth live in Verona. Bill Noack and his family have owned two historic farms in the Valley region, Meadow Mills in Page County and more recently, Brandenberg, a conserved farm in the Middlebrook area. Bill had a 37-year career with General Motors and from 1989 until his retirement from GM in 2002, he was the company’s director of public policy communications, based in Washington, D.C. In that capacity, Bill was responsible for developing GM positions on a wide range of public issues including energy, the environment, vehicle safety and international trade. He also was instrumental in creating auto and industry coalitions that generated greater public understanding of a number of environmental and technology issues. Today Bill has a consulting business, Noack and Associates. He and his wife Lois now live on a 40 acre farm south of Annapolis. W. Cullen Sherwood, Ph.D. of Harrisonburg is a Professor of Geology at James Madison University. He holds both a BA and MA from University of Virginia and his PhD from Lehigh 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. Pursuing his Civil War interest, Cullen has authored two books in the Virginia Regimental History series. 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. W. Denman Zirkle lives on his family’s farm in Shenandoah County and works out of New Market as the Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation. Denman served previously 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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