Don McCown joined PEC in January 2022 as the Land Use Field Representative for Orange County.
Staff and Board Listing
For general inquiries email [email protected] or call our headquarters office at 540-347-2334.
Josh Press-Williams
Josh joined PEC’s staff in October of 2021 as a Conservation Research Fellow.
Victoria Garnett
Victoria has been working with PEC since July 2021 as the Digitization Intern. She is digitizing and
processing thousands of legal documents that pertain to the condemnation of private property in order to create the Shenandoah National Park in Madison County, Virginia.
October Greenfield
October Greenfield joined PEC’s staff in September 2021 as the Wildlife Habitat Program Manager. Her work includes executing a diverse portfolio of wildlife habitat restoration projects, leading community-based conservation efforts, and promoting landowner engagement.
In Memoriam: Margaret “Peggy” Richardson
After a long life of leadership, public service, and caring for others, Margaret “Peggy” Richardson, Piedmont Environmental Council board member and chair of PEC’s Nominations and Governance Committee, passed away July 13 at her Scuffleburg farm in Fauquier County. Peggy is survived by her husband John, a daughter and son-in-law, and three beloved grandchildren.
Hechl, Gertraud
Gertraud Hechl joined PEC staff in the summer of 2019. Gertraud has a broad background in the arts and business and serves on several non-profit boards. She holds a degree in strategic management from Wirtschaftsuniversität, Vienna, where she also studied modern languages.
Hugh Kenny
Multimedia Communications Specialist
(540) 347-2334 x7024
[email protected]
Hugh Kenny joined the communications team at PEC in September 2019. He graduated from Bates College earlier in 2019 with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in history. During college, he spent his summers guiding long-distance bike trips in the US, Canada, and Europe. His time pedaling across varied landscapes taught him the value of looking at places, even familiar ones, from new and novel viewpoints.
At PEC, Hugh creates photos and videos that highlight the staff’s work and the value of the landscapes that the organization protects. He uses video to give viewers a new perspective on places they may pass by every day, display the incredible beauty of the Piedmont, and build support for PEC’s initiatives.
Born and raised in New York City, Hugh lives in Warrenton, VA and spends his free time riding his bike on Fauquier County’s endless miles of beautiful gravel roads.
Maggi Blomstrom
Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Initiative Coordinator
(540) 347-2334 ext. 7067
[email protected]
Maggi Blomstrom rejoined PEC’s staff in November 2019 as the Rappahannock-Rapidan Conservation Initiative Coordinator — a multi-faceted initiative to promote land conservation, water quality improvements, natural habitat protection and restoration, and public access throughout the Upper Rappahannock watershed.
Maggi served previously as PEC’s field representative for southern Fauquier and Culpeper counties and as land conservation and stewardship coordinator. She brings years of experience and enthusiasm engaging with landowners, volunteers, communities, and partners to advance environmental stewardship and land management.
Maggi grew up in Fauquier County. She holds a B.A. in Geography and Urban and Regional Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University and a M.A. in Community Development and Planning from Clark University in Massachusetts.
Kendra Atkins
Advancement Specialist
(540) 347-2334 ext. 7005
[email protected]
Kendra Atkins joined The Piedmont Environmental Council’s advancement team in December 2019. Over the years, her love for Virginia’s beautiful landscapes and rivers has continued to grow. She resides in the Shenandoah Valley with her husband and young son, and in her free time, she enjoys painting, cooking, spending time with her family and relaxing with a good cup of coffee.
Kat Imhoff
Senior Conservation Fellow
[email protected]
Kat Imhoff rejoined PEC as Senior Conservation Fellow in December 2019. She previously worked for the organization in the 1980s and 1990s.
In the seven years prior, she has served as the President and CEO of James Madison’s Montpelier, where she oversaw all aspects of a national historic site, including the management of the historic house and grounds, its diverse education and museum programs, and the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution.
Before joining Montpelier in January 2013, Kat enjoyed a five-year tenure as State Director for The Nature Conservancy in Montana, where she led a successful $490 million effort to conserve an ecologically intact unit of 310,000 acres of land in the Northern Rockies that serves as an environmentally-protected migratory corridor extending from Wyoming across Montana to Canada.
Before her leadership role at The Nature Conservancy, Kat served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation (TJF) which owns and operates Monticello, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
She has served as the Executive Director of the Preservation Alliance of Virginia and the Executive Director of the Commission on Population Growth and Development, a 33-member legislative study commission established by the Virginia General Assembly to promote growth management legislation. Earlier in her career, Kat served as Vice President for Conservation and Development for PEC.
This continuing dedication to preservation has been recognized by the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Virginia Wildlife Federation, and the Piedmont Environmental Council. It also led to her gubernatorial appointment as chair of the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, the largest holder of easements in the United States. She also served on the national Land Trust Accreditation Commission.