Board of Directors

Tom lives on Porterfield Run, his watershed address on a small tributary to the South River in Augusta County. He is Professor Emeritus at James Madison University’s School of Integrated Sciences and serves as a trustee on the board of the Virginia Museum of Natural History. He enjoys fishing, hiking, and traveling.

Stephanie lives and works in the South River Watershed. She is currently the Project Manager for Parks and Recreation where she works to create and improve recreational spaces and programming within the City of Waynesboro. When she’s not working she enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, and recreating in the area’s many parks and waterways.

Max grew up and still lives near Sherando Lake, in the upper reaches of the South River Watershed. He works at Waynesboro Nurseries, a third generation family business nestled along the South River just upstream from the City of Waynesboro. He loves trail running with his dog and paddle boarding, as well as local theater and live music.

Lori is a retired public school educator and is currently working as a park ranger at Grand Caverns. She enjoys running, hiking, kayaking and caving.

Bradley works in the South River Watershed. An Old Dominion University alumnus and professional geologist, he is currently the Environmental Compliance Leader for The LYCRA Company in Waynesboro, VA. When he’s not working, he enjoys soccer, outdoor activities, and spending time with family and friends.

Tommy has lived in the watershed since moving here 20 years ago, 9 years in Waynesboro and 11 years ago he moved to the banks of the South River in Crimora, VA. He has worked 17 years at Blue Ridge Beverage in Waynesboro. He enjoys his family and the outdoors.

Mary Katharine lives and works in the South River watershed. Her bookstore, Stone Soup Books, is located on the banks of the South River and focuses on books about the natural world and regenerative farming. Growing up in Iowa on the Mississippi river, she has a passion for spending time with rivers whether on foot, raft, or kayak.

Sean has been a Waynesboro resident for 14 years. Sean works with local businesses to help promote a healthy community across multiple aspects. An avid outdoor recreational enthusiast, Sean splits his time between local headwaters as well as their tidal regions.

Jim is a family physician and owns a farm on Christian’s Creek, on which, with the help of the USDA, he has done decades of work to remove invasive species and replant native trees and shrubs to better nurture the waterways and the wildlife. He lives with his family in Waynesboro on the South River where it joins Back Creek.

Austin has lived in the watershed for over 25 years. After pursuing a career in ecotourism management across the US, he returned to his hometown in service as the Parks & Tourism Director for the Town of Grottoes. If he had spare time, it would be spent in nature, doing much of the same things he’s been paid to do.

Nancy has spent most of her life near Pine Run in the southern headwaters of the South River watershed. She is a freelance writer, historian, and a former Augusta County Board of Supervisors member representing the Riverheads District. She enjoys travel, hiking, and outdoor photography.

Mac Swortzel lives on his family’s 400 acre Virginia Century Farm, originally purchased by his great grandfather in 1904, which straddles the South River near Greenville. He and his family raise purebred Angus cattle and Suffolk sheep, utilizing fenced streams and practicing intensive rotational grazing. When not farming, Mac enjoys volunteering with his church and spending time with family.

Elena is new to working and living within the South River Watershed. Coming from Texas, Elena is currently working at Hershey in Stuarts Draft, VA as the Environmental and PSM Specialist to help Hershey fortify their environmental program. In her free time, Elena likes to explore the outdoors, plan vacations, and tend to her indoor plants.

Tim is a Research and Development Assistant at Benger Labs with The Lycra Company in Waynesboro, and relishes time spent in the mountains with family and friends – particularly on a bicycle.

Catie has lived in the watershed for 22 years, raising three children in Waynesboro. She currently resides along the South River with her husband, three dogs, and a backyard full of wildlife. She works in commercial property management and interior decorating. She enjoys the outdoors, art, road trips, and spending time with family and friends.