Executive Director
Hali moved to the Eastern Shore in 2012 with her husband, a native of Onancock. She has a Master of Urban and Regional Planning and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Virginia Tech. Between getting her degrees, Hali worked in marketing and communications. She joined the VES Land Trust staff in 2012 as Stewardship Manager and has been the Executive Director since 2017. Hali is a Fellow of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute. She serves on the Board of the Virginia United Land Trusts.
Stewardship Manager
Arthur is a native of the Eastern Shore. He has a background in business working in a variety of corporate roles around the world. For the last ten years he has been a full-time farmer running the Copper Cricket Farm in Machipongo. In addition, Arthur has been supporting Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore (CBES) and is currently the president of CBES. He brings a background in sustainability and land planning from both his farming and CBES experience.
Community Outreach Coordinator
Sam moved to the Eastern Shore in 2020 with her husband, Ben, to continue land management on his family farm. Nickawampus Farm was placed under an easement with the Land Trust in the early 2000's. She attended Longwood University and graduated with a degree in Liberal Studies, majoring in Early Childhood Education PK-6, minor in Special Education K-12. Sam spends most of her time working on the farm, on the water, in the woods, or traveling with her husband. She is excited to use her education expertise to grow and expand programs within the local schools and community!
President
Susan Harris is a native Virginian who got back to VA by way of NC, SC, FL, NM, and TX. She holds a BS from Medical University of South Carolina, a Master's degree in Environmental Science from TCU, and is all but dissertation for her PhD in Science Education. Her careers have included work as a dental hygienist, the oil and gas industry, science field education, YMCA programming, and for the last 17 years, she worked at the university level with elementary education majors and classroom teacher professional development. Susan is blessed to have a very patient husband, four children, and 2 precious grandsons. Susan and Phil have lived on the Shore since 2012 and can't believe their good fortunate to have found such a wonderful place to call home.
Vice President
David Turner was born and raised on the Eastern Shore where he has been a wildlife sculptor for 30 years. His studio, foundry and gallery are all located at Turner Sculpture. He received the Ward Museum Living Legend Award in 2018. His favorite subjects are the diverse and numerous creatures native to this area. David and his family have protected several properties on the Shore with VES Land Trust.
Secretary
Robin moved to the Eastern Shore in 1980 from the Shenandoah Valley. She lives on Folly Creek in Accomack County in an historic house that she and her late husband, Nick, restored while raising their two daughters. Robin and Nick protected the 600-acre property by donating a conservation easement with VES Land Trust in 2007. “I believe in preserving and protecting open space and waterfront property in general and on the Eastern Shore particularly,” shared Robin. Robin also serves on the Eastern Shore Community Foundation Board, the Mid Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, Virginians for the Arts and is a Trustee of Grace United Methodist Church.
Treasurer
Karen is a native of Newport News and is delighted to volunteer with VESLT as a board member. Her early experiences with the Eastern Shore were visits to Chincoteague in connection with her NASA father’s work trips at Wallops Island. She and her husband bought a home in Cape Charles in 2007 as a getaway place while they were living in downtown Norfolk. She was working in New York City when the pandemic hit and Cape Charles has been their full-time residence since 2020. She has lived in Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and New Jersey but is grateful to return to her Virginia roots. Karen currently works from home for HPS Investment Partners as an investment transactions attorney. Her previous employers include Guardian Life Insurance, McGuire Woods, and the American Baseball Coaches Association. She holds a BBA from William & Mary, an MA from UMass-Amherst and a JD from the University of Richmond School of Law.
Ben is a native of the Eastern Shore of Virginia. He is a 2018 graduate of Virginia Tech with a degree in Agribusiness Management. He is currently a real estate title and settlement agent. Having grown up with an active family farming business, Ben has witnessed firsthand the importance of preserving our Eastern Shore farmland.
An Eastern Shore resident for 35 years, Jim McGowan retired in 2022 after a long career in conservation and land use planning. After earning his B.A. from the State University of New York, he spent seven years with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. He holds a Master’s Degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, and was Director of Planning at the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission and Director of Planning for Accomack County. Before retiring in 2022 he worked as the Land Protection Manager at The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Coast Reserve. Jim also serves on the Eastern Shore Rail Trail Foundation and Town of Onancock Planning Commission. He loves sailing, gardening, hiking, traveling and living in Onancock with his wife Laura.
As an Eastern Shore native, Mary McKenna, is a Financial Advisor in the Accomac office of Wells Fargo Advisors. She is dedicated to helping individuals, families and businesses plan and reach their financial and retirement goals. For years, Mary's primary goal has been to make a powerful difference in the lives of clients and to support clients in making personal and family dreams become tangible realities.
Mary received her Bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech in 1993. After years in the Banking and Financial Services industry, she joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2011 and moved her practice to Wells Fargo Advisors in 2019. Mary resides in Accomack County and she enjoys working with community organizations.
Richard Snyder Ph.D. is an educator, scientist, and academic administrator with 45 years of experience across a broad array of scientific adventures encompassing microbe, plant, and animal ecology, water quality and pollution issues in ground water, surface streams and rivers, estuaries, and oceanic waters. He was director of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Laboratory in Wachapreague 2015-2025, working on shellfish aquaculture, stream water quality, ecological restoration, and general marine ecology. He has a B.S. degree in Biology from study at Washington College in Chestertown, MD and at the College of Charleston, SC, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Zoology from the University of Maryland. As a native of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, he grew up on a vegetable and grain farm developing a keen understanding of the Delmarva landscape and its management, and is currently working with his small 30 acre farm near Craddockville growing vegetables, grain and wildlife.
David Tyler is a graduate of Onancock High School, Virginia Military Institute, and a retired Navy Captain. His interests include military history, physical fitness, and gardening.