Executive Committee
Laura McCue – President
President and CEO of White Oak Financial Management, Inc. Laura brings expertise in finance and investing; strong personal ties among our membership and donors; and bountiful enthusiasm for hard work on our behalf.
Jay Leutze – Vice President
Avid conservationist, trout fisherman, and author of the bestselling book Stand Up that Mountain, Jay is a nationally recognized advocate on behalf of public funding to help conserve special places in the Southern Appalachians.
Rick Manske – Secretary
Rick serves as CEO of Parsec Financial, a wealth management firm in Asheville. His is an active member of the Asheville Rotary Club and board member for Buncombe County Schools Foundation.
Nancy Edgerton – Treasurer
Nancy previously served on SAHC’s board, including a term as President, and has continued to volunteer on our Governance Committee. She and her husband Ron are dedicated participants in our hikes, outings and special events. Nancy is a talented photographer and cellist, and she serves on the Asheville Symphony board.
Jeff Needham – At-Large
Recently retired from Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, TN, Jeff is passionate about the environment and our mission. He brings SAHC strong analytical and strategic planning skills, plus close ties with community leaders in Kingsport.
David Erwin
Retired from a career in the Air Force, government and aerospace industry designing satellite systems, David is passionate about hiking, farmland preservation and woodworking.
Jim Houser
Jim is a commercial real estate developer and member of the Urban Land Institute. He was instrumental in securing our new office space and enthusiastic about helping SAHC manage our real estate assets.
Anne Kilgore
Anne recently retired as the Director of Global Sustainability for Eastman Chemical Company. Anne is a graduate of Leadership Kingsport and a Woman of Excellence honoree from Altrusa, the international volunteer service organization.
Popsie Lynch
Popsie lives in Fairview on farmland that has been in her family for several generations and worked with SAHC to protect her property through a conservation easement. She is a passionate gardener and has a career background in writing, editorial work, and graphic design.
John Mason
John is a partner at Roberts & Stevens and has been with the firm for nearly 38 years, focusing on trusts and estates, anti-trust and litigation. John is an avid hiker and has a wealth of knowledge about local plants.
Matt Moses
President and CEO of USA Raft, Matt focuses on helping others experience the beauty of our region by getting people out on the rivers and trails in the area. Mat spends his personal time on (and off) a stand-up paddle board on local rivers and you can often find him on his Onewheel.
Cynthia Poortenga
Cynthia lives in Kingsport and is a primary care doctor. Early in her career she had the please of meeting Judy Murray and learning about SAHC. Through her involvement with SAHC, she found an even greater love for the Appalachian Mountains and our conservation efforts.
Rich Preyer
Rich served two years as SAHC’s Americorps Member for Public Education and Outreach. He earned a Masters in Environmental Education from Antioch University in New Hampshire and is currently a Youth Education Associate with the NC Arboretum. Rich is enthusiastic about our Connecting People with Land program and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiative.
Chris Soto
Chris is senior editor and content manager with the Land Trust Alliance. She ensures that land conservation stories are shared among the different communications vehicles at the Alliance, in print and online. She manages the award- winning quarterly magazine, Saving Land. Before the Alliance, Chris managed publications at the Wildlife Habitat Council and American Farmland Trust. She and her husband are dedicated participants in SAHC events and outings and are active with the East Tennessee birding community.
Tom Williams
Tom recently retired from Duke Energy as its Director of Corporate Media and Executive Support. He and his wife Laurie especially appreciate the conservation easements SAHC holds on land in Fairview. Tom is enthusiastic about helping SAHC with communications, development and engagement.
