Montana Lanier Ruffner joined The Piedmont Environmental Council as the Meeting & Events Coordinator in May 2022.
PEC Staff
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.
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.
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.
James Bussells
James Bussells joined PEC in August 2021 as part of the development team. He attended James Madison University from which he graduated in 2020 with a degree in Public Policy & Administration.
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.