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.
Staff and Board Listing
For general inquiries email [email protected] or call our headquarters office at 540-347-2334.
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.
Kenny, Hugh
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.
Kendra Atkins
Advancement Assistant
(540) 347-2334 ext. 7005
[email protected]
Kendra Corbin was hired in December of 2019 as an Advancement Assistant for PEC. Kendra attended Shenandoah University, where she graduated in 2014 with a degree in Mass Communications. Prior to joining PEC, Kendra worked as a marketing coordinator. She also volunteered as a board member and social media chairwoman for the Virginia Chapter of Women in Cable Telecommunications. She is excited to join an energetic team to help preserve the environment and make a difference in the world.
Kendra resides in her hometown of Front Royal with her fiancé, their energetic chocolate lab, and their 3-legged cat. In her free time, she enjoys painting, listening to audiobooks, and kayaking in the Shenandoah River, located just a short walk from her home.
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.
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.
Sabato, Cindy
Co-Director of Outreach & Communications
Warrenton Office
(540) 347-2334 ext. 7021
[email protected]
Cindy Sabato joined the PEC staff in fall 2019, eager to tell the stories of the people and the work that help preserve and honor the environmental beauty and character of the Virginia Piedmont. Prior to joining PEC, she led the communications team at Save The Bay – Narragansett Bay™ and served as a board member and outreach volunteer for the South Kingstown Land Trust in Rhode Island.
She holds a communications degree from James Madison University and some 20+ years in public relations and communications leadership for public education and nonprofit organizations. Upon rediscovering her passion and love for all things outdoors, she decided to refocus her career on the environment. The Piedmont Environmental Council’s mission and vision are perfectly aligned with her interests in caring for our water, land, and natural resources.
Cindy was born and raised in mid-Maryland, hails from a dairy-farming family, and grew up camping and fishing. She lives in Fauquier County with her husband and cat (just one, until she starts volunteering at the local animal shelter), and loves hiking, SCUBA diving, dancing and homebrewing.
Ross, Leigh
Leigh joined PEC in the spring of 2019. Her focus is on records management and implementing best practices for a healthy, efficient and productive nonprofit organization.
Walton, Pete
Pete discovered his passion for working with soil while working with a community based non-profit called the New Community Project in Harrisonburg Virginia, as a student at James Madison University. From there, he went on to attend a semester with the National Outdoor Leadership School in Patagonia, and study natural building and homesteading in the mountains of Vermont and New York.
Dana Melby
Dana joined The Piedmont Environmental Council in October 2018. She is serving as the Gilberts Corner Farm & Land Manager, working at Roundabout Meadows Community Farm to create a more inclusive, equitable food system in Loudoun County.