Executive Director, RIVERE℠
Mikel Ann Manchester serves as the Executive Director at RIVERE℠. She has more than 20 years of experience managing people with multimillion-dollar retail establishments as well as large groups of volunteers. She also holds the position of Associate Extension Specialist for Water Quality and Community Development in the Agricultural Leadership, and Community Education department at Virginia Tech. She holds her level I and II certification as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional. She earned a BA in environmental studies from Virginia Wesleyan University, and a MS in agriculture and life science, plant science and pest management, from Virginia Tech. She has experience in environmental studies, plant and pest management, greenhouse management, landscape design as well as professorial duties at Virginia Wesleyan University and University of Mary Washington. She enjoys public engagement and is passionate about community gardens. Working with consultants, partners and stakeholders, Mikel has guided the team on development of the RIVERE℠ Business Plan. She is currently pursuing her PhD at Virginia Tech in the field of Life Science - Agricultural and Extension Education, with a focus on eco culture and Indigenous Tribes.
Intern
Founder, Board of DirectorsChair, RIVERE℠
Henry “Buck” Cox grew up in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he spent his younger years on the Rappahannock River developing a passion for the natural world. After earning his BS from Virginia Tech, Buck worked with Virginia’s State Water Control Board to monitor pollution sources entering rivers and streams of Northern Virginia. He earned a MS and PhD in Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech and started a career in environmental remediation. Over his 37-year career, he jointly owned/co-owned and operated three environmental clean-ups companies prior to starting his fourth business, Advanced Oxidation Technology (AOT) in 1998. His initial startup began in 1982 as Environmental Technology, Inc. (later HazWaste Industries) in Richmond, VA. It became one of the fastest growing small businesses in the US with annual revenue of over $50 million when it merged with EarthTech in 1993. His second company, BioSystems Technology, Inc., became a leader in petroleum soil remediation using a unique biological method, trademarked as Biological Enhanced Remediation. This concept resulted in treatment of millions of tons of contaminated soil in eleven biological treatment facilities around the country. Breakthroughs in his fourth start-up, AOT, in the early 2000’s, resulted in 26 patents for advancing treatment of hazardous waste in soil and groundwater as well as treatment of hydrogen sulfide in natural gas and wastewater. Buck is now focused on giving back to the community where he grew up by creating the RIVERE℠ Ecological Center to conserve the Rappahannock River and support the advancement of water quality monitoring, environmental education, and innovative research.
CPA/Owner, Commonwealth Business Services
John Coleman is a Certified Public Accountant with over 30 years of business experience in the areas of corporate, nonprofit, and individual taxation. Mr. Coleman is the current owner and President of Commonwealth Business Services (CBSI) which serves the tax and accounting needs of businesses and individuals throughout the world. Mr. Coleman has worked on speaking engagements with the Better Business Bureau on a variety of topics. He has also been the lead panelist for Podcasts by Smartvault and Powerfulaccounting.com. Mr. Coleman has worked in both public and private industry. For six years, he worked with both public and private firms with Deloitte & Touche in Washington DC. In 1999, he accepted a Tax Manager position with publishing giant Gannett Co. Inc. In 2004, Mr. Coleman formed his own company which merged with CBSI in 2006. Since then, CBSI has tripled in size in terms of client base. This is primarily due to Mr. Coleman’s commitment to Uncommon Service and Integrity which has been the company’s mantra since his leadership began in 2006. Mr. Coleman is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Virginia Society of CPAs, the National Association of Tax Preparers, and the National Society of Accountants. He has both a BS and MS degrees in accounting, with concentration in taxation, from Virginia Tech. Mr. Coleman currently lives with his family in Fredericksburg, Virginia and has served in various volunteer positions for Spotsylvania County Little League.
Cultural Resource Manager Naval Support Facility Dahlgren
Brad Hatch is a citizen of the Patawomeck tribe, serves on the tribal council, is a traditional knowledge keeper, and a trained archaeologist focused on material culture and historic preservation. He earned his BA in historic preservation from the University of Mary Washington, his MA in anthropology from the College of William and Mary, and his PhD in anthropology from the University of Tennessee. His research focuses on community, identity, and material culture in the Potomac River Valley, and he is one of two remaining master makers of the Patawomeck eel pot. He is employed by the Navy as the cultural resource manager for Naval Support Facility Dahlgren in King George County, Virginia, where he is responsible for the preservation and management of dozens of archaeological sites spanning thousands of years of human history in addition to over 100 historic buildings and cultural landscapes that tell the story of land use and occupation at Dahlgren over centuries. Brad also manages the National Environmental Policy Act program on the installation, which ensures that natural and cultural resources are fully considered in relation to any federal undertakings. Brad is a lifelong resident of White Oak, in Stafford County, Virginia, and, like most of his tribal community, lives fewer than 10 miles from the ancestral villages along Potomac Creek.
Executive Director, ExtensionCommittee on Organization andPolicy 4-H Leadership; Director Emeritus of Virginia Cooperative Extension
Edwin Jones is currently Executive Director of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy 4-H Leadership Committee and is director emeritus of Virginia Cooperative Extension and associate dean emeritus of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech. He served as associate dean and director from 2011 - 2022. Prior to service at Virginia Tech, he served as associate director and state program leader for Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Community and Rural Development; assistant department head and department extension leader in forestry; and as extension wildlife specialist and professor of forestry at North Carolina State University. He has also served as extension wildlife specialist at Mississippi State University. Jones has a BS degree in zoology from the University of Washington, and MS and a PhD from Virginia Tech in fisheries and wildlife sciences. He has held leadership positions in numerous Extension associations, including Chair of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy for the Cooperative Extension Section and Co-chair of the ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee. He is the 2021 recipient of the Distinguished Ruby Award of Epsilon Sigma Phi.
Vice President of Innovation andTechnology, ChemTreat
Wendy has 20+ years of experience in Industrial Water Treatment with application specialties in wastewater treatment, water reuse projects and membrane technologies. Her water treatment experience expands across a variety of types of water and industries, providing an in-depth understanding of various water quality parameters that are crucial for assessing the health of a river ecosystem and identifying potential pollution sources. She holds a BS degree in Chemistry from the University of Mary Washington. Currently, Wendy is the Vice President of Innovation and Technology at ChemTreat and oversees the research and development, analytical, equipment and technical services departments.
Owner, Virginia Outdoor Center
Bill and his wife Denise co-own and manage the river outfitting company, Virginia Outdoor Center (VOC), located on the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Bill is heavily involved in river safety education, environmental conservation, and helped to form the non-for-profit organization, Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) in 1985. The Micks’ have created a lasting legacy in Fredericksburg, providing support for scouts, YMCA programs, churches, and diverse groups seeking recreation on the river. Their work with teens and youth in the area, FOR, and all who engage with the Virginia Outdoor Center, continues to support community building. VOC is partnered with FOR to share space, resources, and passion for environmental stewardship. Together, they provide paddling and educational experiences throughout the Rappahannock watershed.
Retired Director, VirginiaDepartment ofEnvironmental Quality
David served as Director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) from 2006-2022 under Governor’s Kaine, McDonnell, McAuliffe, and Northam. From 2002-2006 he served as Governor Warner’s Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources, a cabinet position associated with all natural resource agencies. Paylor began his career in 1976 as an aquatic biologist with the State Water Control Board and served in many technical and administrative positions throughout his career. He is currently serving on the Board of the Environmental Research Institute of the States working with the EPA Office of Research and Development. David holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology from Duke University and a MS focusing on fish toxicology from Oregon State University.
Attorney, CowanPerry PC
Suzanne’s practice concentrates on business formation, governance and conversion, contract negotiation and drafting, mergers and acquisitions, and trademark filings and enforcement. She has developed specific expertise in working with intellectual property related issues, assisting businesses of all sizes in the technology sector. Suzanne also helps clients with data privacy issues and compliance, advising on data regulations such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). A large part of Suzanne’s recent practice has involved assisting clients as they navigate commercial real estate transactions, including, purchases, sales, leases, tax-free exchanges, and financings. Prior to focusing her practice on corporate matters, Suzanne worked on high value litigation on both sides of the Atlantic. Her commercial litigation experience includes international and regional mediations in the United Kingdom, breach of contract disputes in the Federal court in Washington State, and intellectual property disputes in the Southern District of New York (Suzanne was admitted into this court in early 2016). Beginning her practice in commercial litigation has greatly shaped her approach to her corporate practice, being aware of disputes that could occur in the future. Prior to joining CowanPerry, Suzanne worked as a qualified solicitor with Pinsent Masons LLP, a top 20 UK law firm, with offices across the world. Her U.S. experience also includes attending a U.S. university to complete a Certificate in American Business Practice and completing an internship at Capitol Hill. Suzanne was recently recognized by Best Lawyers®: Ones To Watch 2021 inaugural edition, recognizing extraordinary lawyers who have been in private practice for less than 10 years for her work in Corporate Law, and Super Lawyers as a Business/Corporate Virginia Rising Star [2019 – present]. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Southwest Virginia Agrarian Commons as Secretary and Board Member since May of 2020.
