Melissa has served with the John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District (John Marshall SWCD) for several years, transitioning from Conservation Specialist to District Manager in June 2021. Her professional background includes multiple years as a Conservation Specialist with John Marshall SWCD and eight years as a Soil Conservationist with NRCS in several field offices.
She earned her M.S. in wildlife science as a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech. Her research focused on assessing North Carolina hunters’ opinions about Sunday hunting. During this time, she also served as the lead researcher on a National Park Service project evaluating the impacts of hunting at New River Gorge National River in West Virginia.
Melissa enjoys exploring Fauquier County with her husband, Joe, and their three children – Sarah, Mattie, and Will. In the rare moments she finds free time (she laughs at the very idea), she enjoys spending time with her family, raising chickens, and knitting.
Quote:
“I am honored to be part of the VALOR Class VIII. I look forward to building new relationships, strengthening my problem-solving abilities, and further developing my leadership skills so I can more effectively contribute to soil and water conservation and agriculture policy development in Virginia. I am deeply grateful for the support of John Marshall SWCD, my colleagues, and especially my family as I begin this two-year leadership journey.”
