We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Virginia Master Naturalist 2024 awards for:
You also can watch the video at video.vt.edu.
- VMN New Volunteer of the Year
- VMN Chapter Advisor of the Year
- VMN Chapter Leader of the Year
- VMN Most Impactful Project of the Year
- VMN Volunteer of the Year
- VMN Diversity and Inclusion Award
You also can watch the video at video.vt.edu.

VMN New Volunteer of the Year: Ajani Simmons, Arlington Regional Chapter
Ajani Simmons possesses a rare combination of enthusiasm, competence, and dedication to environmental stewardship. Since joining the program in 2024, Ajani has been a Basic Training cohort leader, led environmental education programs for youth, helped at local nature center events, done invasive plant pulls, and even done unglamourous work like posting events on the chapter’s calendar. Ajani’s fellow Basic Training cohort leaders have emphasized his “wide-ranging curiosity and deep personal investment in promoting wildlife habitat,” and have said that Ajani “represents the future” of the VMN.
When asked about his time with our chapter, Ajani said, “The Master Naturalist program changed me from a silent nature admirer to a passionate educator. Time in nature has grounded me, bringing a sense of calm and connection I never expected. Understanding nature's interconnectedness creates an irresistible desire to share that knowledge. Now, my mission is curing Nature Deficit Disorder by helping others discover the wonders that surround them every day.”
Ajani Simmons possesses a rare combination of enthusiasm, competence, and dedication to environmental stewardship. Since joining the program in 2024, Ajani has been a Basic Training cohort leader, led environmental education programs for youth, helped at local nature center events, done invasive plant pulls, and even done unglamourous work like posting events on the chapter’s calendar. Ajani’s fellow Basic Training cohort leaders have emphasized his “wide-ranging curiosity and deep personal investment in promoting wildlife habitat,” and have said that Ajani “represents the future” of the VMN.
When asked about his time with our chapter, Ajani said, “The Master Naturalist program changed me from a silent nature admirer to a passionate educator. Time in nature has grounded me, bringing a sense of calm and connection I never expected. Understanding nature's interconnectedness creates an irresistible desire to share that knowledge. Now, my mission is curing Nature Deficit Disorder by helping others discover the wonders that surround them every day.”

VMN Chapter Advisor of the Year: Meagan Thomas, Watchable Wildlife Biologist, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
From the very beginning, Meagan has been very visible and active in the Historic Rivers Chapter, coming to the social events in addition to attending meetings and helping with activities. She is always smiling and positive and shares her enthusiasm of nature with us. She teaches the chapter’s herpetology class for basic training and gives freely of her time to help out whenever she can. She also has engaged the chapter in three new projects, including Diamondback Dash, a kayak-based survey of diamondback terrapins. To quote her chapter members, “Meagan’s enthusiasm is contagious. She not only supports and encourages our efforts, she has made us a more effective chapter.”
From the very beginning, Meagan has been very visible and active in the Historic Rivers Chapter, coming to the social events in addition to attending meetings and helping with activities. She is always smiling and positive and shares her enthusiasm of nature with us. She teaches the chapter’s herpetology class for basic training and gives freely of her time to help out whenever she can. She also has engaged the chapter in three new projects, including Diamondback Dash, a kayak-based survey of diamondback terrapins. To quote her chapter members, “Meagan’s enthusiasm is contagious. She not only supports and encourages our efforts, she has made us a more effective chapter.”

VMN Chapter Leader of the Year: Judy Jones, Historic Rivers Chapter
Judy Jones is a leader in every sense of the word. Her enthusiastic personality and pleasant manner are welcoming to everyone, and she has served as an effective chapter historian, president, past president, and membership chair, just to name a few of her board roles. Along other accomplishments, she collaborated with other leaders to develop a comprehensive program to welcome transferring members to the chapter that has helped new members feel included and to get involved more quickly. She also coordinates the bluebird monitoring project for the chapter, the chapter’s Nature Camp Scholarship program that honors the memory of Nancy Norton, and the chapter’s annual photo contest. Other leaders in the chapter express that Judy is an excellent mentor for them.
Judy Jones is a leader in every sense of the word. Her enthusiastic personality and pleasant manner are welcoming to everyone, and she has served as an effective chapter historian, president, past president, and membership chair, just to name a few of her board roles. Along other accomplishments, she collaborated with other leaders to develop a comprehensive program to welcome transferring members to the chapter that has helped new members feel included and to get involved more quickly. She also coordinates the bluebird monitoring project for the chapter, the chapter’s Nature Camp Scholarship program that honors the memory of Nancy Norton, and the chapter’s annual photo contest. Other leaders in the chapter express that Judy is an excellent mentor for them.

VMN Most Impactful Project Award: Virginia Beach Toy Recycling Project, Tidewater Chapter
Abandoned beach toys become litter that contributes to plastic pollution in our ocean and waterways that is harmful to wildlife. Tidewater Master Naturalist Laura Traylor approached her chapter’s leadership with a proposal of a toy recycling project. She coordinated with Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service, the Virginia Beach Ambassadors Program, Lynnhaven River Now, Virginia Beach Oceanfront Enhancement Committee, and Clean Virginia Waterway’s Keep it Beacky Clean program. Boxes were built, decorated, and placed at four beach walkways from late May through September. Other chapter volunteers checked the boxes and shared pictures to show that the toys were being used and even returned most of the time. In 2025, the project team plans to incorporate more volunteer beach walks to look for abandoned toys and to do more marketing to inform families about the project. Along with helping to reduce plastic pollution and networking with the local community, the project helped get chapter members involved in a shared project and promoted the Virginia Master Naturalist program through information on each box. Congratulations to Laura for championing this great idea and to the many collaborators who made it come to fruition.
Abandoned beach toys become litter that contributes to plastic pollution in our ocean and waterways that is harmful to wildlife. Tidewater Master Naturalist Laura Traylor approached her chapter’s leadership with a proposal of a toy recycling project. She coordinated with Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service, the Virginia Beach Ambassadors Program, Lynnhaven River Now, Virginia Beach Oceanfront Enhancement Committee, and Clean Virginia Waterway’s Keep it Beacky Clean program. Boxes were built, decorated, and placed at four beach walkways from late May through September. Other chapter volunteers checked the boxes and shared pictures to show that the toys were being used and even returned most of the time. In 2025, the project team plans to incorporate more volunteer beach walks to look for abandoned toys and to do more marketing to inform families about the project. Along with helping to reduce plastic pollution and networking with the local community, the project helped get chapter members involved in a shared project and promoted the Virginia Master Naturalist program through information on each box. Congratulations to Laura for championing this great idea and to the many collaborators who made it come to fruition.
VMN Volunteer of the Year Nominees
Each year, we invite everyone in the program to nominate a VMN Volunteer of the Year, someone whose story of volunteer service and impact really stands out. And, each year, we recognize all the nominees, because we think being nominated by one of your fellow volunteers is very special. This year’s nominees include:
Each of these individuals has made incredible contributions to their chapter and to Virginia's natural resources through their volunteer service!
Each year, we invite everyone in the program to nominate a VMN Volunteer of the Year, someone whose story of volunteer service and impact really stands out. And, each year, we recognize all the nominees, because we think being nominated by one of your fellow volunteers is very special. This year’s nominees include:
- Becky Kyle, Riverine Chapter
- Susan Laume, Fairfax Chapter
- David Lauthers, Tidewater Chapter
- Carolyn Smith, Old Rag Chapter
- Sheryl Smith, Riverine Chapter
- Claire White, Historic Rivers Chapter.
Each of these individuals has made incredible contributions to their chapter and to Virginia's natural resources through their volunteer service!

VMN Volunteer of the Year: Susan Laume, Fairfax Chapter
Within her 350-plus hours of volunteer service over the last two years, Susan organized and led weekly Park Volunteer teams and Invasive Management Area work sessions in Fairfax County’s Laurel Hill Park, involving more than 324 signups by other volunteers in 2023 and 2024. She led tree plantings, tree rescues through invasive vine removal, pollinator garden maintenance, trash pickup, and participatory science projects focused on monarch butterflies, soils, and insect counts. She also organized a project to construct and install three osprey nesting platforms in the park, coordinating with multiple parts of the county government, as well as other volunteers. Susan’s enthusiasm for environmental restoration also led her to organize a project to remove invasive plants in her neighborhood common area and transform it to a meadow. Not stopping there, she led learning sessions for youth about the meadow project and its purpose. Susan also wrote dozens of articles on conservation for local newspapers and newsletters. Other volunteers state that Susan’s “lead-by-example” style is inspirational for them. Thank you, Susan, for the extraordinary difference you are making through your service!
Within her 350-plus hours of volunteer service over the last two years, Susan organized and led weekly Park Volunteer teams and Invasive Management Area work sessions in Fairfax County’s Laurel Hill Park, involving more than 324 signups by other volunteers in 2023 and 2024. She led tree plantings, tree rescues through invasive vine removal, pollinator garden maintenance, trash pickup, and participatory science projects focused on monarch butterflies, soils, and insect counts. She also organized a project to construct and install three osprey nesting platforms in the park, coordinating with multiple parts of the county government, as well as other volunteers. Susan’s enthusiasm for environmental restoration also led her to organize a project to remove invasive plants in her neighborhood common area and transform it to a meadow. Not stopping there, she led learning sessions for youth about the meadow project and its purpose. Susan also wrote dozens of articles on conservation for local newspapers and newsletters. Other volunteers state that Susan’s “lead-by-example” style is inspirational for them. Thank you, Susan, for the extraordinary difference you are making through your service!
VMN Diversity and Inclusion Award: Riverine Chapter - Incorporation of DEI into Basic Training
We want to ensure that everyone feels welcome and included in the Virginia Master Naturalist program, no matter their background. Even beyond that, we want Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers to be engaging diverse populations through their education and outreach programming, communicating the message that nature is for everyone and helping to facilitate natural resource learning experiences for people who may face barriers to spending time in nature. This year, we recognize the Riverine Chapter for their incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion into their basic training course curriculum for new volunteers.
The Riverine chapter’s Basic Training Course has always included a module on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), but, in 2024, two members of its training committee took the initiative to expand and connect DEI to the other training lessons and better demonstrate its applicability to our work as Master Naturalists. Riverines Cheryn Rapp and Cal Meadows developed and taught brief DEI-centric lessons at the beginning of class, each with a tie-in to the week’s topic. The presentations generally consisted of three slides: one on a relevant topic (e.g., Environmental Justice was presented in the Ecology class; Black History month and Black botanists in the botany class; queer ecology and gender inclusivity in the ornithology class) plus two more slides with suggestions on projects that would let Master Naturalists interact directly with these issues along with further reading recommendations and resources. These presentations were met with curiosity, empathy, and a high degree of engagement from Trainees and guest speakers alike.
Rapp and Meadows have given permission for their work to be used by any chapters seeking to deepen their connection to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and hope it will serve as socially-conscious inspiration for Trainees to embark on their journey of learning, growing, and creating positive change as Master Naturalists.
“I would like to find opportunities to learn from indigenous land managers and help increase recognition of their knowledge of land management strategies.” – VMN trainee
"I also appreciated the interactive discussion surrounding equity vs equality. I plan to keep this in mind when thinking about how to make events accessible for everyone." – VMN trainee
"It is important that everyone feels safe and supported in a learning environment because it enhances learning and it may encourage a lifelong interest in the topic if learners are allowed to thrive."
– VMN trainee
"I'm taking that idea back to my own office!”
- Virginia State Parks Visitor Experience Specialist
We want to ensure that everyone feels welcome and included in the Virginia Master Naturalist program, no matter their background. Even beyond that, we want Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers to be engaging diverse populations through their education and outreach programming, communicating the message that nature is for everyone and helping to facilitate natural resource learning experiences for people who may face barriers to spending time in nature. This year, we recognize the Riverine Chapter for their incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion into their basic training course curriculum for new volunteers.
The Riverine chapter’s Basic Training Course has always included a module on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), but, in 2024, two members of its training committee took the initiative to expand and connect DEI to the other training lessons and better demonstrate its applicability to our work as Master Naturalists. Riverines Cheryn Rapp and Cal Meadows developed and taught brief DEI-centric lessons at the beginning of class, each with a tie-in to the week’s topic. The presentations generally consisted of three slides: one on a relevant topic (e.g., Environmental Justice was presented in the Ecology class; Black History month and Black botanists in the botany class; queer ecology and gender inclusivity in the ornithology class) plus two more slides with suggestions on projects that would let Master Naturalists interact directly with these issues along with further reading recommendations and resources. These presentations were met with curiosity, empathy, and a high degree of engagement from Trainees and guest speakers alike.
Rapp and Meadows have given permission for their work to be used by any chapters seeking to deepen their connection to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and hope it will serve as socially-conscious inspiration for Trainees to embark on their journey of learning, growing, and creating positive change as Master Naturalists.
“I would like to find opportunities to learn from indigenous land managers and help increase recognition of their knowledge of land management strategies.” – VMN trainee
"I also appreciated the interactive discussion surrounding equity vs equality. I plan to keep this in mind when thinking about how to make events accessible for everyone." – VMN trainee
"It is important that everyone feels safe and supported in a learning environment because it enhances learning and it may encourage a lifelong interest in the topic if learners are allowed to thrive."
– VMN trainee
"I'm taking that idea back to my own office!”
- Virginia State Parks Visitor Experience Specialist