What is the PW Soil & Water Conservation District?

Across the United States, nearly 3000 conservation districts - almost one in every county-are helping local people to conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and related natural resources.

Known in various parts of the country as "soil and water conservation districts," "resource conservation districts," "natural resource districts," "land conservation committees" and similar names, they share a single mission: to coordinate assistance from all available sources - public and private, local, state, and federal - in an effort to develop locally driven solutions to natural resource concerns.

More than 15,000 volunteers serve in elected or appointed to positions on conservation districts' governing boards. They work directly with more than 2.3 million cooperating land managers nationwide, and their efforts touch more than 778 million acres of private land.

Learn more about how and why Soil and Water Conservation Districts were created.

Review our 2009 Annual Report
Review our 2008 Annual Report.
Review our 2007 Annual Report
Review our 2006 Annual Report

District Staff

Kate Norris, District Manager
Kate Norris has been employed by the Prince William Soil & Water Conservation District since 1999. She began working with the District as a Conservation Specialist. Combining her expertise in horse farm management with an interest in natural resource conservation she subsequently led a very successful outreach program in the horse community.

In November 2002 she was promoted to District Manager where she continues her work in the agricultural community while ensuring the District meets its broader mission. In December 2002 the Virginia Association of Conservation District Employees recognized her innovation and leadership by awarding her the employee of the year award. Kate lives with her husband Pete on a small, environmentally friendly, horse property in Gainesville.

Jeannie Heflin, Office Manager
Jeannie joined the staff in June, 2005 as Administrative Assistant. Jeannie's extensive experience in office management, with an emphasis on finance, has brought an increased level of expertise to the District.

Jeannie is responsible for budget and financial management, overall office management, web site development/maintenance and supports all staff members.

Jeannie has been a Northern Virginia resident for most of her life. She and her husband, Carl, live on their 125 acre family farm in Haymarket where they raise beef cattle and operate a small-scale fresh vegetable market garden and have a dozen laying hens to round out their produce. Jeannie enjoys gardening, the great outdoors, and the ocean. She is a Master Gardener with Virginia Cooperative Extension, a former Girl Scout leader, 4-H leader, Treasurer of her church, Youth Group leader, member of the Haymarket Historical Foundation, and Haymarket Woman's Club.

Meg Doppee, Education Specialist
Meg joined the staff in December 2009. Meg has earned a B.S. in Bio/Zoo from San Jose State Univ. in California and an M.S. in Environmental Education/Curriculum Design from California State Univ. Hayward. She has always loved being outdoors and has been lucky to find jobs that support her love for teaching and being outside. She has taught Marine Ecology on a boat in the middle of San Francisco Bay, with Marine Science Institute in Redwood City Ca, and then moved to Curator of Science Education for the Palo Alto Jr. Museum and Zoo, where she worked alongside the naturalists and park rangers presenting interpretive programs.

Meg and her husband moved to Virginia so that she could be a stay at home mom. Now that her four kids are a bit older she wanted to get back to working and sharing her love for the environment with children again. Meg lives in Gainesville with her husband, Vic, and their four children James, twins Summer and Emily, and Logan. As a family they enjoy games, sports, movies and discovering Virginia's open spaces.

Kelly Jimenez, Outreach and Education Specialist
Kelly joined the District in March 2008 as Outreach and Education Specialist and coordinator for the Adopt-A-Stream program. She has a B.S. degree in Recreation and Park Management (Environmental Education emphasis) from the University of Oregon and a K-6 Teaching Certification from Cal Poly Pomona. Her background in Environmental Education includes working as a naturalist in Glacier National Park, MT and nature centers in California and Pennsylvania. She has also worked for the National Wildlife Federation and the Wildlife Rescue League.

Kelly and husband, Bo, have two daughters in college. Kelly and Bo enjoy recycling everything they possibly can and visualize living “off the grid” and riding their bikes across the USA.

Beata Coss, Conservation Specialist II
Beata joined the District in March, 2005 as a Conservation Specialist. Her educational background covers a M. S. degree from Hungary in the area of Agribusiness and Economy specializing in Foreign Trade and Marketing.

Living in Virginia horse country, she was interested in knowing more about the local agriculture and environment that led her, in 2002, to volunteer for the District and work as a Conservation Specialist Aide. During this time she recognized the challenges and the beauty in this area and became deeply inspired to join the group. Beata is a horse enthusiast, rider and carriage driver in her free time. She is also a big fan of dogs and cats. Other hobbies include crafting, designing, and horse archery.

Nicole Ethier, Conservation Specialist I
Nicole joined the District in September, 2006. Nicole earned her Bachelor of Science in Integrated Science and Technology from James Madison University. Her work with the District includes technical assistance to local farmers and horse owners by providing them with environmentally sensitive, efficient, affordable and practical methods in managing their operations. She also organizes educational seminars on topics such as Rain Barrel Workshops, Healthy Horses and a Healthier Chesapeake Bay, Guide to Setting up a Horse Farm, and other horse related seminars, and events including the Tree Seedling Sale and Family Nature Adventure for county and area residents.

Nicole is a certified Erosion and Sediment Control Combined Administrator, has extensive training in land management issues, and experience in wetland delineations and stream analysis.

District Board of Directors

Steve Danziger, Chairman
Steve is a Senior Program Manager of Technology Diversification for BAE Systems in Manassas and the former Director of Operations for Micron Technology in Manassas. Steve has a BS in Physics from Queens College, City University of New York and a MS in Physics from Pennsylvania State University.

Steve is a member of Virginia Joint Commission Science and Technology (Nanotechnology), the Prince William Service Authority Board of Directors, Didlake Foundation Executive Board, and the IEEE Science/Technology Public Policy Subcommittee. He was a former member of the Prince William Park Authority, member of United Way of American's Public Policy Board, President of United Way of Virginia, Chairman of Prince William United Way Executive Board.

Steve holds over thirty patents and co-authored publications on technical and management topics. He enjoys swimming, tennis, reading and travel.

Matt Brooks, Secretary

Matt has a BS from Old Dominion University and a MS from Virginia TECH. Matt is an Environmental Engineer, working in the Water Treatment and Reuse field for the Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA). Before joining UOSA, Matt was employed by the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Lab in Manassas.

Matt is a member of the American Water Works Association, Water Environment Association, Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Ducks Unlimited.

Matt is married, has three children and enjoys backpacking, camping, fishing and golfing.

Paige Thacker, Director

Paige is the Horticulture Agent for Virginia Cooperative Extension in Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park. She has a BS in Ornamental Horticulture and a MS in Career and Technical Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Her work experience includes 11 years as Propagation Manager for a large wholesale perennial nursery in Southwest Virginia. She has been with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) since 2002 and in the Prince William Unit since 2003.

The Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) program at VCE-Prince William provides environmental and pesticide safety education for homeowners, volunteers and the green industry. Over 150 Master Gardener volunteers assist ENR program staff with providing sustainable landscape management practices that homeowners can implement in their landscape. Paige grew up in Prince William County. She enjoys gardening and time with friends and family.

Austin B. Haynes, Jr., Treasurer

Austin is a student at Grand Canyon University, and the owner of Christopher Real Estate in Manassas. He is an Eagle Scout and has served the local community with the Boys and Girls Clubs and Boy Scouts. He has chaired the City of Manassas Recreation and Parks Committee and is a former Planning Commissioner.

Austin lives in Nokesville, is married with two children and they enjoy their horses and goats.

L. Ben Thompson, Vice Chairman

L. Ben Thompson was nominated to fill the vacated position of Alexander P. Lucas, III on the Board of Directors of the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District on October 16, 2008. The nomination was approved by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board on November 21, 2008. His term will expire on January 1, 2012.

Mr. Thompson served as the Brentsville District Supervisor for the Prince William County Board of Supervisors for eight years. Mr. Thompson is a member of the American Legion, Masonic Lodge, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Loyal Order of Moose the Dairy Shrine Club, Friends of Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, Nokesville Volunteer Fire Department and the Committee of 100. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Prince William Boys and Girls Club, Prince William County representative to the Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Committee, Committee on Noise Abatement for National and Dulles Airports, Virginia Municipal League General Laws Steering Committee and the Virginia Association of Counties Finance Steering Committee.

Mr. Thompson received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Illinois and later attended the University of Maryland for Graduate Studies in Agriculture/Economics.

Mr. Thompson is a veteran of the United States Navy, a graduate of the Reserve Naval Academy at Columbia University, New York, and served in the South Pacific.

Mr. Thompson has a distinguished federal career as Agricultural Attaché in the domestic and foreign agricultural services with American Embassies in Mexico City and New Zealand. Since retiring from the federal government, Mr. Thompson has been self-employed as a Realtor.

Mr. Thompson lives in Dunbarton.