OUR TEAM

Marjorie Mayfield Jackson is the founding Executive Director. She left a dozen-year career as a newspaper writer to co-found the Elizabeth River Project around a kitchen table and has led the organization since its incorporation in 1993. “I did not want to accept a community that would abandon its home river as dead,” recalls Jackson of the founding. “Today I am tremendously proud of how far we’ve come as a community to bring the Elizabeth River to life.” Jackson holds a masters from Loyola University, trained extensively with the US Environmental Protection Agency in environmental risk management and in her previous career was nominated for a Pulitzer by the Virginian-Pilot. She lives on the Lafayette branch of the Elizabeth with her husband, Bob.

Pamela Boatwright is the River Star Businesses Program Manager and Deputy Director Administration with Elizabeth River Project. She has a BS in business administration with concentration in marketing and minor in international business from Old Dominion University. Pam has been with The Elizabeth River Project since 1994 and has been managing the River Star Businesses program since 2001. Pam works with industrial and organizational partners to carry out pollution prevention and/or habitat projects. Pam also provides administrative support to the organization. When she is not working, Pam is an avid boater and loves being out on the water.

Joe Rieger has worked for the non-profit, Elizabeth River Project, for 20 years and is the Deputy Director of Restoration. Joe has managed numerous wetland, oyster, and sediment restorations projects in the Elizabeth and Lafayette Rivers. Joe was the project manager for the remediation of Money Point which was the first nationally recognized community-led cleanup of contaminated sediments. He was also the project manager for oyster restoration in the Lafayette River, which became the first river in Virginia to meet Chesapeake Bay Program restoration goals in 2018. His position involves working directly with federal and state governments, waterfront industries, universities and the community members of Hampton Roads, Virginia. Joe received his Bachelor’s of Science from Ohio University in 1998, and received a master’s degree in Aquatic Ecology from Old Dominion University in 2002. Joe and his wife KC live in Norfolk on the Lafayette River. They have two sons, Walter and Lucas who both enjoy baseball and fishing on the river.

Robin’s career path reflects the marriage of art and science, finding solutions to roadblocks and implementing one-of-a-kind projects. She has a thirty-year history in community education, is an Old Dominion University graduate and joined The Elizabeth River Project in 2000. Her new favorite spot on the river is A Kid’s Paradise Playground she designed for Paradise Creek Nature Park.

Former Virginian Pilot reporter and Executive Director with the March of Dimes, Susan now champions the restoration of the Elizabeth River and urban waterways.

Casey graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2009 and is a certified Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional.  As a Norfolk native, Casey grew up fishing and actively participates in the VIMS Game Fish Tagging Program. She is excited to work with the Elizabeth River Project and the greater Hampton Roads community to restore our home river.  

Barbara received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health from Old Dominion University in 2016 and is a certified Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional. As a native of Franklin, she grew up on the Blackwater River and Nottoway River, learning to love and respect our waterways. She is excited to promote environmental stewardship among homeowners throughout the Elizabeth River watershed.

Luísa Black is an artist, educator, and ecologist who has called the shores of the Elizabeth River home for over 10 years. She is a first generation Brazilian-American, and she draws great inspiration from the rich coastal ecology of both Virginia and Rio de Janeiro, where her family still lives. She believes that the work of change-making is only sustainable if it sparks joy, so she is moved to seek opportunities for collective play, creativity, and celebration in the critical work of healing the river.

After completing a 26 year Navy career, Larry completed his bachelor’s degree in Park and Recreation Management from Old Dominion University in 2018.  A certified Executive Chef and a Tidewater Master Naturalist, Larry combines his passion for outdoor recreation with his expertise in Culinary Arts to provide a unique insight into the connection we have to food and nature. When he is not working, Larry can be found paddling his kayak on Pretty Lake, taking pictures and picking up trash.

Summer began as a Seasonal Deckhand Educator in fall 2017. She graduated from Old Dominion University in May 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and an emphasis on Marine Biology. 

Mckenzie graduated from Appalachian State University in 2018 where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration – Management, and minored in Sustainable Development. She enjoys gardening and hiking with her partner and husky in her free time.

Mary is a field ecologist with a background in conservation work. She completed her Master’s in Wildlife Science from Auburn University. At Auburn, she studied resource selection of the southeastern pocket gopher and explored new ways to locate them.  Prior to her time in Alabama, she completed her Bachelor of Science degree in the fields of Biology and Ecology from SUNY Plattsburgh, managed invasive plants with Florida State Parks AmeriCorps, and conducted prescribed fire-based research in North Carolina. Mary is excited to start her career with the Elizabeth River Project’s River Star Homes by helping homeowners to restore backyard habitat and implement river friendly practices on their property.

Yolima is a highly experienced horticulturist and landscape curator who has been one of our partners for many years.  She has over 25 years of experience working as a horticulturist and curator including garden design, living shorelines, wetlands restoration, and conservation of habitat with emphasis in the use of native plants. Yolima received her bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Bogota, Colombia and her Associate in Public Garden from the School of Gardening in Zaragoza, Spain. Since moving from Spain to Norfolk in 1993, Yolima has been fortunate to work at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, the Virginia Zoological Park, the Hermitage Museum and Gardens, and now at the Elizabeth River Project. “I am honored by the opportunity to lead a ‘horticulture-programing’ at such an amazing site and to further ERP and Paradise Creek Nature Park goals to connect the community especially the youth to nature, plants and conservation values of an urban park.”

 Jaye is a lifelong Virginia resident who graduated from Old Dominion University with a master’s degree in business administration in 2022. With a background in and passion for working with others, she loves all human-centered aspects of the workforce and helping people achieve their goals. Jaye is excited to further serve the community by being involved in ERP’s mission.

Kayla graduated from Old Dominion University in 2018 with a B.S in Biology and an Interdisciplinary Minor in Conservation Leadership. She began working for the Elizabeth River Project in Fall 2018 as an educator on the Learning Barge. Now as the Volunteer Coordinator, she’s excited to engage with our community and help those looking to get their hands dirty with one of our volunteer programs!

Sarah has a M.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology from Old Dominion University. She worked as an environmental consultant for 10 years before staying home to raise two daughters. She has thoroughly enjoyed volunteering with their schools as the Green Team/Outdoor Classroom leader, and now that they are older and back in school, she is very excited to share her passion for our local environment with many other school children in the region. Feel free to contact her about environmental action projects for schools or field trips at Paradise Creek Nature Park!

Samantha received her Master’s in Environmental Policy and Management in 2019 and her Bachelor’s in Fish and Wildlife Management in 2013 from American Military University. Prior to working for ERP, she spent 5 ½ years in the Navy where she fell in love with the ocean, leading to pursuing a career in environmental management. Samantha has traveled the world witnessing many different ecosystems and how each have distinctive attributes. She has volunteered for invasive species removal and native planting with the Ko’olou Mountains Watershed Partnership, helping preserve the Hawaiian native forest. While working with the ERP she hopes to promote a sustainable way of life through educating the public and restoring the Elizabeth River.

Gabriella received her bachelor’s degree in Sustainability Management from Virginia Wesleyan University in 2021. She is a Nuyorican who has called Hampton Roads home for over a decade. Her combined experiences in forests and coastal wonders of Puerto Rico and Virginia deepened her appreciation for nature. This was a catalyst for pivoting her career and pursuing an environmentally conscious education. She looks forward to restoring natural resources for generations to come, one waterway at a time.

Katie is a 2020 Old Dominion University Graduate who received her bachelor’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology and a minor in Environmental Health Science. She has previous experience interning at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and working with organizations such as Keep Norfolk Beautiful. Katie is passionate about environmental education, and excited to teach young minds the importance of keeping the river healthy for generations to come!

Passionate for the environment from a young age, Jessica is thrilled to have found her niche at the Elizabeth River Project. She has called Hampton Roads home for twenty years and is honored to put her efforts into assisting ERP’s mission. Jessica is also a playwright, director, and actor, and studied theatre at TCC and Virginia Western with a focus in performance. She’s appeared in productions around the state and manages a local theatre company geared towards young audiences. She lives with her partner in Willoughby, where she can often be seen chasing birds with her camera and picking up litter on the beaches.

Katie Hunt is a Norfolk native who has been passionate about environmental stewardship from a young age. She started volunteering on living shorelines with the Elizabeth River Project in the summer of 2022, and fell in love with the people and the process. When not working in the mud of the Elizabeth River, Katie can be found selling macramé at local art markets and hiking in Shenandoah. She is so excited to be a part of the Elizabeth River Project team, and to be bringing natural habitats back to our shores, one native plant at a time.

Katie is a 2015 Old Dominion University Graduate who received her bachelor’s degree in Biology and a 2022 Virginia Wesleyan University Graduate who received a second bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies. She previously worked in the veterinary field before switching her career path to work on the environment. She now works with ERP and the city of Portsmouth at Paradise Creek Nature Park working to maintain the park as well educating during field trips and Saturday programs. She hopes that everyone knows Nature is there for everyone but we all must do our part to keep it from declining.