Montana Lanier Ruffner joined The Piedmont Environmental Council as the Meeting & Events Coordinator in May 2022.
Staff and Board Listing
For general inquiries email pec@pecva.org or call our headquarters office at 540-347-2334.
Rob McGinnis
Rob joined PEC as the Senior Land Use Field Representative for Albemarle and Green counties in June 2022.
Valerie Peterson
Valerie joined PEC as the Deputy Director of Conservation in January 2022 with over 20 years of experience in conservation and land use planning.
Don McCown
Don McCown joined PEC in January 2022 as the Land Use Field Representative for Orange County.
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.
Elizabeth DiGiulian
Elizabeth joined PEC in 2021 became the Director of Finance in February, 2023. Prior to joining PEC, Elizabeth spent 15 years working, in several positions, for an agency that raised money for nonprofits nationwide.
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.