Our Board

Woody is the owner of Crenshaw Lighting, a nationally-known custom chandelier studio; owner of the Floyd Country Store; and a restorer of historic buildings. For many years, he has been an advocate for the creative economy of Southwest Virginia. He is the current and founding president of ‘Round the Mountain, Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Network; vice-president of The Crooked Road, Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail; and vice-chairman of the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Commission.

A 24-year resident of Floyd County, he lives with his wife, Jackie, in a passive solar cabin he built near the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Luke Staengl – Vice President Alternative fuels and recycling expert

Luke is the world-wide president & CEO of PESCO-BEAM Pvt. Ltd. (India) and PESCO-BEAM Environmental Solutions Inc., an international Virginia-based company in the field of skid-mounted solvent recovery systems. PESCO systems are recycling everything from acetone to xylene to motor oil, in locations ranging from Virginia to Australia. He also co-founded the Bio-based Materials Center at Virginia Polytechnic Institute with Dr. Wolfgang Glasser. And he helped found and served as president of the Virginia Ethanol Association for eight years.

Billy Weitzenfeld – Treasurer Green construction and energy conservation expert

Billy is the executive director of the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals (AECP), a non-profit energy education and advocacy organization. He served as weatherization director for New River Community Action for 10 years, with extensive experience in weatherization, energy education, training, legislative advocacy, fundraising, non-profit management and program and policy development. Billy is also a certified home energy rater, and licensed as a master in heating, ventilation, and air -conditioning (HVAC).

Haden Polseno-Hensley – Secretary Writer, builder and coffee roaster

Haden co-owns and operates Red Rooster Coffee Roaster, a business dedicated to producing high quality coffee through sustainable practices in downtown Floyd. He holds a Masters degree in creative writing and teaches seasonal writing classes. Haden is also a professional builder, who was instrumental in the completion of The Station and the Floyd Community Market, two additions to downtown Floyd.

A native of Floyd, he currently lives in town with his wife, Rose McCutchan, and is dedicated to preserving the rich heritage and rural culture of his hometown while working towards a sustainable future.

Ricardo Brown Outdoor enthusiast and environmentalist

Ricardo’s passions run the gamut from cycling to organic gardening to climbing trees to playing his Spanish-built guitar. A former designer of electronic circuits/systems, he now focuses his attention on renewable energy as the owner of SolShine Energy Solutions, designing and building portable photovoltaic generators, and as the service engineer for Direct Connect Solar and Electric, a local installer of solar electric systems.

He and his wife, Christy Pugh, live in a 300 sq foot PV-powered home that they designed and built. One of the many reasons Rick and Christy moved to Floyd was to pursue living a radically simplified, rural life by developing a small footprint homestead. Rick’s larger goal is to promote, as author/educator Jim Merkel states, “Small footprints on a finite Earth.”

Jackie Crenshaw Environmentalist and entrepreneur

Jackie is co-owner, with her husband, Woody, of Crenshaw Lighting Company and The Floyd Country Store. She has been a long-time advocate of environmental stewardship, teaching environmental studies and serving with conservation organizations. Currently Jackie is a board member of The Community Foundation of the New River Valley and The Floyd Fund.

She lives with Woody in a passive solar cabin near the Blue Ridge Parkway where she delights in tending her flower garden.

Fred First Author, photographer and biologist

Fred gives voice to the beauty of Floyd. His two books, A Slow Road Home and What We Hold in Our Hands have received acclaim. He has aired more than 30 NPR radio essays and written regular columns for two local papers. His photographs appear widely in such publications as Blue Ridge Country, Appalachian Voice and his photo-blog, Fragments from Floyd. He is a past board member of the Jacksonville Center for the Arts and participates in a number of committees related to tourism and natural resource use in Floyd. He has also served as associate professor of biology at Wytheville Community College, then as a physical therapist before turning to a writing career.

Mike Maslaney

Electrical engineer, program manager and part-owner of Floyd Fitness

Mike is Floyd’s former Town Manager and a member of Floyd County’s Economic Development Authority, and he serves with the Partnership for Floyd. With interests in sustainable development, woodworking, and community involvement, he lives an active, semi-retired life in Floyd with his wife, Carol Agee, a native of Floyd County.

Jerry Moles Natural resource management and watershed specialist

Jerry has forty years of experience in community-based natural resources management. He introduced Landcare to the U.S. and to Virginia’s New River Valley to improve farm incomes, protect water resources, and conserve native biodiversity. He is a founding board member of New River Land Trust, Blue Ridge Forest Cooperative, and the New River Roundtable. Jerry holds a doctorate in anthropology (Cultural Ecology) from Stanford University and taught at the Davis and Berkeley campuses of the University of California, Stanford University, and Pomona College.

Andrew J. Morikawa Community activist and nonprofit leader

Andy served as executive director of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley, from 1997-2010, leaving a legacy focused on building the capacity of NRV nonprofits to respond to increasing and evolving needs. Upon his retirement from the CFNRV in 2010, he was awarded the designation of Executive Director Emeritus by the Board of Directors. He is a founding board member of the New Mountain Climbers Giving Circle, the NRV Change Network Giving Circle, Community Group, Free Clinic of the New River Valley, New River Valley Habitat for Humanity, Community Sentencing Program of the NRV, and World SHARE (Self Help And Resource Exchange), a self-funding nonprofit. He also served as CEO of New River Community Action and World SHARE.

Becky Bailey PomponioCommunicator, Journalist, Activist

As an award-winning news correspondent for the Mutual Broadcasting System, the NBC Radio Network and Voice of America, Becky was heard nationally for more than 20 years as a radio anchor, reporter and talk show host. She then took her media skills to Capitol Hill in Washington D.C, serving as Press Secretary to Congresswoman Louise Slaughter of New York and as Communications Director for Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. Later, as Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and then the United States Mint, Becky was responsible for the high media and public profile of these large Federal agencies. Retired now, Becky Bailey Pomponio has helped SustainFloyd develop its media outreach.  She also is an activist for Project Coyote, a national organization that educates communities on coexistence with America’s native “song dog.”

Gibby Waitzkin Artist, papermaker and photographer

Gibby works with natural fibers and botanical objects in a recently built “green gallery and studio,” creating pieces that express a deep commitment to the land and community. She is a board member of ‘Round the Mountain and Clean Air Cool Planet, an organization delivering solutions for climate change. She is also founder and president of Gibson Creative, an award-winning design and communications studio in Washington, D.C. Her work included campaigns for environmental, women, health care and arts organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund’s Climate Campaign; Gore for President 2000 identity; Pew Center on Climate Change; and AT&T Technology Center. She also has served as a consultant on housing, energy, food and health care with the White House Office of Consumer Affairs and served as Deputy Director for Consumer Affairs with USDA.

Jeff T. Walker Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS) & Advanced On-site Soil Evaluator (AOSE)

Jeff is principal of Blue Ridge Site & Soil, a Floyd County based LLC, licensed to engage in the evaluation, design, permitting and construction of on-site wastewater and ancillary systems. His professional goal is to enable people to understand the assets and limits of their ecosystems, integrating the need for development with the best use of the land. He represents Floyd County on the USDA’s New River Highlands Resource, Conservation and Development (RC&D) Counsel. Jeff is also active in Floyd’s Source Water Protection Program.

The Walkers are 25-year residents of Floyd County, residing in their home on Terry’s Creek; they are raising three children.