Anne Coates

Anne Coates
(Executive Director)
705 Dale Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
B: 434-975-0224, Ext. 100
anne.coates [@] tjswcd.org

Anne has over twenty-five years of land use, management, and environmental planning experience on private land, as well as with local, state, and federal agencies. While she has spent about 19 years working in California, she is a Virginia native. She spent six years as Executive Director of the Resource Conservation District located in Santa Barbara, CA, serving over 1.9 million acres. Prior to that, Anne was the Conservation Director on a 14,000 acre working cattle ranch located along a 9-mile stretch of the Gaviota Coast in CA, and a Land Use Planner with the County of Santa Barbara. Before moving to CA, she was wrangler in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and a contract US EPA Clean Air Act Inspector and Auditor for Region 1 (Virginia to Maine). Anne received her Emergency Medical Technician training in Crozet, VA and volunteered as an EMT at Wintergreen and in Petersburg, Alaska. She graduated with a BA and Honors from UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) in Geography and is a member of Class 42 from the California Agricultural Leadership Program. Anne also attended Virginia Tech and Randolph Macon Women’s College. Anne’s coursework has included such diverse topics as Urban Planning, Animal Production, Conservation Ecology, Urban Sustainability, GIS, Environmental Planning, Environmental Law, and Watershed Policy.

Marie Abowd

Marie Abowd
(Conservation Technician)
705 Dale Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
B: 434-975-0224, Ext. 104
marie.abowd [@] tjswcd.org

After growing up in Southern California, Marie graduated from Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and double minor in Equine Studies and Biology. Her senior research focused on equine herd management of the Corolla wild horses, Assateague, and Chincoteague ponies. Marie worked with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Soil and Water Conservation, in Richmond as their equine specialist intern researching equine stocking rates and incentives for properties with horses on small lots. Marie spends her free time riding her Quarter horse and spoiling her Shetland pony. She also enjoys hiking and camping.

Matt Carroll (Louisa Office)
(Senior Conservation Specialist)
39 Industrial Drive
Louisa, VA 23093
P: 540-967-5940
matt.carroll [@] tjswcd.org

Matt attended Virginia Tech, earning a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Forest Resource Management.  He has worked for nonprofit organizations, the Virginia Department of Forestry and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.  Matt has over 14 years of conservation experience serving a variety of landowners, farmers and clients across Virginia. Matt, his wife and family reside at their family farm in Louisa County.

Courtney Harlow-Humphreys
(Environmental Programs Coordinator-Education Programs)
705 Dale Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
B: 434-975-0224, Ext. 107
courtney.harlow-humphreys [@] tjswcd.org

Courtney has worked in Environmental Education since 2012. Growing up in Nelson County fueled her love for wildlife and the outdoors, and after earning her B.S. in Anthropology from VCU, she pursued her passion for science-based public education. Courtney has worked at various locations, and has enjoyed a spectrum of experiences from coordinating citizen science efforts and leading canoe trips, to working with and training animal ambassadors. Courtney is a Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association for Interpretation and is also trained in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences. Courtney is thrilled to be working for the District where she can share her passion for stewardship with local communities.

Lisa Hyatt
(Outreach and Administrative Supervisor)
705 Dale Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
B: 434-975-0224, Ext. 110
lisa.hyatt [@] tjswcd.org

Lisa moved to Virginia in 2010 after growing up in snowy New Hampshire. After working in the professional horse industry for most of her adult life, Lisa graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 2015 with a BA in Sustainable Business. While at UMass she became increasingly interested in the vital role that agricultural producers play in communities and how the local food economy impacts rural areas. After graduation she worked for the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at Monticello where she became interested in the use of native plants in the landscape. She joined the TJSWCD team in 2016. When free time allows, Lisa enjoys hiking and kayaking with her husband and two dogs.

Luke Longanecker
(Conservation Programs Manager)
705 Dale Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
luke.longanecker [@] tjswcd.org

Luke graduated from Nelson County High School and went on to major in Fisheries Science and minor in Watershed Management at Virginia Tech. After graduation, Luke interned for USGS before getting a job with the Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District. After spending a year over in the valley, Luke moved back to Nelson County in 2013 and began working for the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District. Luke manages all of the agricultural programs for the TJSWCD, and his focus continues to be working with landowners and farmers to improve farm productivity, pasture quality, soil health, and water quality throughout the TJSWCD. He serves on the DCR Technical Advisory Committee, the Virginia Association of Conservation District Employees, and the James River Consortium. He also serves as a technical advisor on the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council Board. Luke lives with his wife in Nelson County.

Amy Moyer

Amy Moyer
(Management Analyst)
705 Dale Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
B: 434-975-0224, Ext.101
amy.moyer[@] tjswcd.org

Amy joined the TJSWCD as the management analyst in May 2018.  She previously worked as a municipal clerk, handling a variety of local government administrative tasks.  Amy is a graduate of Old Dominion University with a BSBA in Accounting.  She enjoys camping, music, and historical fiction.  Amy and her family live in Nelson County.

 

Jessica Shippen-Hansen
(Conservation Specialist)
705 Dale Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
B: 434-975-0224, Ext. 112
jessica.shippen [@] tjswcd.org

Jessica graduated from California State University, Chico with a B.S. in Environmental Science with a focus on Applied Ecology and a minor in Food Studies in 2019. After graduation she began working at an environmental consulting company where she partnered with private land owners as well as many local, state and federal agencies. While working she became increasingly interested in the role of agricultural conservation practices and the impact they can make on water quality and the local soils. She continued on to get her Master’s in Regenerative Agriculture at CSU, Chico in 2022 where she studied an experimental biophysical approach to enhancing rice seed germination. After graduating Jessica taught an Agroecology course at the College of Agriculture at CSU, Chico. Jessica made the move out to Charlottesville in 2022 and is excited to become part of the larger agricultural community in Virginia.

Tim Talley

Tim Talley (Louisa Office)
(Senior Conservation Specialist)
39 Industrial Drive
Louisa, VA 23093
B: 540-967-5940
tim.talley [@] tjswcd.org

Tim was raised on his grandfather’s farm in Spotsylvania County. Following his graduation from Spotsylvania High School, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Virginia Tech, majoring in in Crop and Soil Environmental Science. Prior to joining the District staff in June of 2016, Tim worked at Dominion Power as an electrician. Tim works out of the TJSWCD Office in Louisa County, providing agricultural conservation assistance throughout the County. He also manages dam maintenance for the flood control structures owned by the TJSWCD. He resides with his wife in Louisa County.

Mike Yager
(Conservation Specialist)
705 Dale Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
B: 434-975-0224, Ext.103
mike.yager [@] tjswcd.org

Mike graduated from Orange County High School then went on to Virginia Tech where he earned an Associates Degree in Agriculture Technology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resource Conservation. After his graduation in 2021 he went to work for the West Virginia Conservation Agency as a Conservation Specialist primarily working on administration of ag best management practices installation and septic improvement in Monroe and Greenbrier Counties in South-East West Virginia. Michael currently lives on his family’s farm in Orange.

Meghan Sobbott
(Environmental Programs Coordinator-Residential Programs)
705 Dale Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
B: 434-975-0224, Ext.102
meghan.sobbott [@] tjswcd.org

Meghan graduated from the University of Delaware in 2015 with a BA in Agriculture and Natural Resources as well as a BA in Plant Science.  After leaving Delaware she moved to Boston where she worked in horticulture for 3 years.  The cold got old after a while and she decided to move to sunny Australia for a year to explore the country and work on regenerative farms along the way.  Motivated to come back to the US in early 2020 because of the uncertainties of COVID-19, she moved to Rappahannock county VA to work on an organic vegetable farm before settling in Charlottesville a year later. She is excited to spread her enthusiasm for conservation landscaping and encouraging folks to become more acquainted to the natural communities in their own back yard.