Staff
JOE LOVETT
Joe is the founder and Executive Director of Appalachian Headwaters. He is a native West Virginian who has been a catalyst for focusing local and national attention on the devastating ecological impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining and of burning coal for nearly twenty-five years. As the Executive Director and co-founder of the environmental public interest law firm Appalachian Mountain Advocates, Joe has litigated many precedent-setting cases to protect the region. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law in 1995.
MERRI COLLINS, PhD
Dr. Merri Collins is the Director of Ecology at Headwaters. She has a strong research background in Appalachian ecology. Merri is a wildlife ecologist who holds an environmental science PhD from the University of Maryland (2024) and a master’s degree in environmental studies from Ohio University (2017). She has a diverse background in wildlife conservation and ecology and has worked with a wide range of species on projects across the mid- and southeastern United States from dragonflies to dolphins. As a first generation college graduate, and native of the foothills of southeast Ohio, she is excited to bring her knowledge of wildlife ecology back home to Appalachia to serve the regional community.
KEVIN JOHNSON
Kevin Johnson is Headwaters’ Environmental Education Coordinator. He has a background in community-based education and program development, both at home and abroad. He holds BAs in environmental engineering sciences and history from Rice University. Kevin comes to Appalachian Headwaters from working as a service coordinator in low-income housing, and as program director for One Foundation focused on entrepreneurial ecosystem development in southern WV. Kevin enjoys spending part of each day with his herd of animals on Wolf Creek Mountain in Monroe County. Kevin is an Apprentice Beekeeper in the West Virginia Master Beekeeper program.
TOM SALADYGA, PhD
Dr. Tom Saladyga is the Director of Ecological Restoration at Headwaters. He has a background in fire ecology, forest history, and plant community assessment that informs his work in habitat restoration and invasive species management. Before joining Headwaters, Tom spent over a decade as a professor and researcher at Concord University, studying the impacts of climate and land use on wildfire and vegetation change in Appalachian forests. He holds a PhD in Geography from West Virginia University, a master’s degree from West Chester University, and an undergraduate degree from Penn State.
BELLA WALKER
Bella is Headwaters Park’s Native Plant Program Manager. She earned BAs in Environmental Studies and Spanish from Ursinus College. Her career as a Nursery Manager has been focused on growing native plants from local populations and getting them back out into the landscapes where they belong; everywhere from small urban gardens to large scale mine restorations. With Appalachian Headwaters, Bella is focused on engaging the community in native gardens and landscapes; offering educational greenhouse and garden workshops, botanical tours, and of course locally-collected seed-grown native plants.
ELIZABETH SUTTON
Elizabeth is Appalachian Headwaters’ Administrative Specialist. She lives with her family on a small farm in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. She earned bachelor’s degrees in Secondary English Education and Psychology from the University of Kentucky.
JONATHAN WALKER-VANKUREN
Jonathan is the Director of Camp Waldo. He has been in the camping industry since 2012 working in residential camps. He started as a bunk counselor instructing drama while obtaining his undergraduate degree. Jonathan then went on to obtain his Master’s Degree from Michigan State University in Voice Performance and his Artist Diploma in Opera from Texas Christian University. After graduating from MSU Jonathan worked professionally as an opera singer traveling all around the world singing all while still spending his summers at camp. During the off-season, Jonathan still performs throughout the United States and teaches Voice at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA, all while planning for camp.
DAVID AHAKINIAN
David is a propagator and native plant specialist at Appalachian Headwaters. He earned his BS in Plant Science from Penn State University, and loves playing a role in the recreation of wildlife habitat. Seeing wildflowers swarming with pollinators is the most gratifying part of his job.
EMMA MYERS
Emma is a propagator and plant conservation specialist at Appalachian Headwaters. She attended Delaware Valley University and earned her BS in biology. She loves planting natives and birdwatching.
HANNAH RUSSELL
Hannah is a habitat restoration technician. She earned a BS in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia as well as a BA in Music.