Leadership
The Nansemond River Preservation Alliance (NRPA) is a certified 501 (c) 3 created in 2009 by group of fourteen concerned city of Suffolk residents. Today, NRPA has 300 citizens who joined NRPA by making a donation. We are grateful for the over 1,000 citizens (children through seasoned adults) who have volunteered for our programs, projects and activities.
The NRPA mission is to raise public awareness and encourage environmental stewardship of the Nansemond River, Chuckatuck Creek, Bennett’s Creek and their tributaries and wetlands by developing and implementing programs and initiating collaborative actions with individuals, businesses, civic organizations and governmental agencies.
NRPA has four main action points:
Develop a strategy and implementation plan to restore Suffolk’s waterways to full health. Activities include monthly sampling of the Nansemond River and analysis, plus bi-annually releasing the State of the Nansemond River Report and Report Card.
Develop environmental educational resources and implement programs throughout Suffolk.
Promote actions and programs to preserve and conserve the region’s water quality, wetlands, wildlife refuges, and viewsheds.
Work with the city to to improve public access to the waterways for recreational purposes.
NRPA Officers, Directors and Committees
2022-2023 Board of Directors
OFFICERS
Edward L. Munson, Jr., Chairman
John Wass, Vice President/Treasurer
James Winters, Vice President
Lorraine McGovern, Secretary
Beth Cross, NRPA President/CEO
DIRECTORS
Tonya Bangley, Teacher, Kings Fork High School, prior Chemist several corporations
Captain Steven Barnum, NOAA, Director, Office of Coastal Survey (Retired)
George Y. Birdsong, CEO, Birdsong Corporation and Birdsong Peanuts
Darius Davenport, Managing Director, Crenshaw, Martin
Dana Dickens, Real Estate Broker, Former Mayor, City of Suffolk
David Eberwine, Executive, Newport News Shipbuilding(Retired)
John D. Eure, NRPA Attorney, (Retired)
Clifton Harrell, President, Suffolk Iron Works
Thomas Hazelwood, President, Hazelwood Oyster Farms Inc., Commission of the Revenue, City of Suffolk. (Retired)
Lemuel Lewis, CFO Landmark Media Enterprises (Retired)
Lorraine McGovern, Human Resources Management Consultant
Edward L. Munson, Jr., Co-President, LIN Television Corporation (Retired)
Geoffrey Payne, Executive, BASF Corporation (Retired)
Cindy Pinell, NRPA K-12 Environmental Education Manager
Dwight Schaubach, President & CEO, Schaubach Companies of Virginia
Dan Schuette, Director, Department of Environmental Quality – Missouri (Retired)
Karla Smith, Author, Middle School History Teacher (Retired)
Beth Cross., NRPA President/CEO
Joseph Verdirame, MD, Internist (Retired)
John Wass, High School Chemistry Teacher and Adjunct Chemistry Professor (Retired)
James Winters, US Army Officer - 27 years active duty; Army Civilian - 19 years (Retired)
Emeritus/Founders
Richard F. Barry III, Vice Chairman, Landmark Media Enterprises (Retired)
Captain Robert Crocker, Manager, Laboratory and Technicians, VolvoPenta
Paul E. Fisher, Executive Director, Richmond Regional Planning Commission (Retired)
Brian Martin. Owner, Gates Custom Milling (Retired)
Howard W. Martin, Jr., Attorney, Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, PLC (Retired)
John Newhard, Attorney (Retired)
Nicholas E. Worth, Vice President of Engineering, TeleCable Corporation (Retired)
2022-2023 Committees (New members are always welcomed to join a committee)
MARKETING COMMITTEE
Ed Munson — Chair, Brian Martin, Lorraine McGovern, Kendi Moore, John Newhard, Geoff Payne, Dan Schuette, John Wass, Jim Winters, Joe Verdirame, MD
SHORELINE COMMITTEE
Beth Cross- Chair, Thomas Allan, Capt. Steve Barnum, Dick Barry, Byron Carmean, Dana Dickens, Jack Eure, Dwight Farmer, Carl Farris, Paul Fisher, Kelly Hengler, Mike Lane, Lorraine McGovern, Ed Milley, Mary Milley, John Newhard, Bill Old, MD, Andi Parodi, RN, PhD, Stella Payne, Cindy Pinell, Don Porter, Leora Porter, Karla Smith, John Wass, Scott Wilson, Jim Winters
WATER QUALITY AND RESEARCH COMMITTEE
Geoff Payne — Chair, David Basnett, Capt. Steve Barnum, Barbara Cummings, Neecole Brown, Ken Dugan, Reece Etiemble, Bob Foley, John Gladden, PhD, Janet Gray, Kelly Hengler, Steven Kirkpatrick, Julie Johnson, Brian Martin, Ed Milley, Mary Milley, Bill Old, MD, Adam Pinell, Cindy Pinell, Don Porter, Leora Porter, Robert Rhodes, Dan Schuette, Jack Van Straten, Joe Verdirame, MD, Neil Wilson, Scott Wilson, John Wass
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Karla Smith — Chair, Tonya Bangley, Byron Carmean, Cindy Mears, Stella Payne, Cindy Pinell, Mike Reiss, Cathy Roberts, Jaime Holloway, Sherry Lee Mathews, John Wass, GFWC Junto Woman’s Club.
PUBLIC ACCESS COMMITTEE
John Wass — Chair, Byron Carmean, Jean Carmean, Mike Kelly, Ursula Lemanski - National Park Service, Kendi Moore, Karla Smith
OYSTER RESTORATION COMMITTEE
Cindy Pinell, Chair, Tonya Bangley, Alex Pinell, Karla Smith, Kings Fork High School Ecology Club, GFWC Woman's Club, Nansemond Nation.