About Us

Lea Justice

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Buy Fresh Buy Local Assistant
540-347-2334 ext. 7027
[email protected]

Lea Justice joined The Piedmont Environmental Council as Buy Fresh Buy Local Assistant in the fall of 2024. She is honored to contribute to the mission of PEC as a resource-provider to the farming community and extended foodshed that sustains our region.

A vegetable farmer by trade, Lea has had her hands in the dirt for most of the last twenty years, on farms from Canada to Patagonia. Rooted more locally, Lea ran her own vegetable farm in the Shenandoah Valley since 2010. As a student and practitioner of sustainability, the importance of inter-locking support systems emerged as a core value. She spent time working and volunteering for non-profits in affordable housing, elder-care, equitable food access and outdoor education. Along the way, she learned invaluable lessons in not only how to grow food, but how to grow community. 

Lea enjoys fermenting flavorful concoctions from the garden and sharing them on picnic blankets with good folks and great views.

Keely Murphy

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Keely Murphy joins PEC as the Conservation Field Representative for the Potomac Watershed. Keely got her professional start in land conservation in Colorado where she worked for Colorado Open Lands as a Conservation Fellow. Prior to living in Colorado, she spent 10 years studying and working in Washington D.C. 

Amanda Aiyar

Amanda Aiyar

Posted on by PEC

HR & Payroll Specialist
540-347-2334 ext. 7013
[email protected]

Amanda joined The Piedmont Environmental Council team in August 2024 and serves as the HR & Payroll Specialist.

She attended Indiana University Bloomington, gaining a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Criminal Justice and Business Foundations Certificate, and later a M.S. in Communications from Purdue University. She spent 11 years in public service at a government agency before deciding she wanted to follow her passion for the outdoors.

This led to her to travel the United States for a past year and explore the country’s many beautiful parks and forests. She fell in love with Virginia while section hiking the Appalachian Trail and spending time in the multiple trail towns along the way.  In her spare time, Amanda loves to hike, climb, backcountry camp, read and spend time with her husband and dog.

Samantha Eley

Samantha Eley

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Samantha Eley joined The Piedmont Environmental Council team in July 2024 and serves as the Data Center Reform Campaign Coordinator. Based in our Warrenton headquarters, Samantha covers outreach and supports coordination of  our statewide data center advocacy campaign across.