Supervisors:
Don Markie, Co-Chair. Don served for over 30 years as a school teacher/school counselor/administrator at Mill River Union High School, located in North Clarendon and continues to work part time in the Mill River school as the Drop Out Prevention Coordinator. Don lives in West Haven, Vermont and raises grass fed, natural beef on his farm. In addition to his farming operation, Don operates JAMY Farm Property Management which aims to provide housing needs for previously homeless adults and at-risk adults.
Katy Crumley, Treasurer. Katy is the former Bennington County Conservation District Manager. She joined the board in September 2021 and has a background in water quality, forest and wildlife management.
Darryl Keuhne, Supervisor. Darryl lives in Benson where he and his wife raise sheep. Darryl is recently retired from Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets. He continues to assist local auction houses with data management and regulatory oversight.
Rene Navarrete, Supervisor. Rene has a background in horticulture and owns and operates a landscaping business, Evergreen Designs. Rene resides in Pawlet VT.
Empty Board Seat
Staff:
Hilary Solomon, MEM, Manager, Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District
hilary@pmnrcd.org, or (802) 558-3515
Hilary graduated from Duke University with a Master’s Degree in Water Resources and worked for the Ohio EPA and Ross County SWCD for three years, before moving to Vermont. She worked as the watershed coordinator for the Poultney Mettowee Watershed Partnership from 2004-2008, and returned to the District in 2012 as the Water Quality Specialist. In 2014, Hilary became the District Manager for PMNRCD.
Jennifer Durham Alexander, Agronomy Outreach Professional
jennifer@pmnrcd.org, or (802) 558-6470
Jennifer grew up on a small dairy farm in Hampton, NY. She graduated from Castleton State with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Natural Science and a minor in Business. In addition to twelve years of experience working with agricultural producers, she has 15 years of experience in customer service and eight years of experience in the horticultural industry. Jennifer has also worked for the Agency of Natural Resources in the Water Quality Division. Through the District, she has worked with landowners engaged in agricultural pursuits since 2005.
Sadie Brown, Nursery Manager and Environmental Planner
sadie@pmnrcd.org, or (802) 287-0710
Sadie is a local resident and grew up on a small farm and vineyard in Poultney, VT. She graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with Bachelors of Science degrees in Ecology and Environmental Science and a Bachelors of Arts degree in Environmental Planning & Management. Sadie utilizes her experience in horticulture, agriculture and science based planning in her position at PMNRCD.
Whitney Burgess, Agricultural Outreach Specialist
whitney@pmnrcd.org, or (802) 779-4521
Whitney graduated from St Michael’s College with an Environmental Science degree. She is an avid hunter and lives in Hubbardton, where she manages her land for wildlife. Whitney worked for seven years at a local sheep farm and joins us to assist farms with nutrient management planning, grant writing, and other agricultural endeavors.
Averie Noble, Nursery Co-manager; Project Technician
averie@pmnrcd.org, or (802) 779-7094
Averie is back in Vermont, after a stint out west at Oregon State University. She lives on a beef farm in Benson. At the District, she helps manage nursery-related projects, runs the water quality monitoring program, and provides support to all staff positions with focus on the agricultural programs.
Jaden Groff, Project and Community Outreach Specialist
jaden@pmnrcd.org, or (402) 890-6002
Jaden grew up working on her family’s farm in Nebraska and holds bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Sciences and Spanish from South Dakota State University. Prior to her current role, she served as a conservation technician for Nebraska’s Natural Resource Districts, collaborating with agricultural producers to improve groundwater quality and quantity. Jaden moved to West Pawlet in the spring of 2024 and is excited to apply her agricultural experience to protect and restore Vermont’s watersheds.
Vicki Pattison-Willits, Ph.D., Project Manager and Community Outreach Officer
vicki@pmnrcd.org, or (603) 299-9096
Vicki grew up in the beautiful farm and woodlands of the Chiltern Hills of England and has spent the last two decades working in the environmental and conservation sectors in both the UK and USA. She holds a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science, a Master’s in Wildlife Management and Conservation (University of Reading, UK), and a PhD in Ecology (University of Birmingham, UK), where she studied how urbanization and climate change impact breeding in backyard birds. With extensive experience in environmental education and community outreach, particularly in underserved communities, Vicki is passionate about engaging people in conservation. She moved to Vermont in 2021 and is thrilled to join the PMNRCD team, where she looks forward to supporting various projects, especially community outreach efforts to protect and restore Vermont’s watersheds.
Staff retreat, June 2025 at Whaleback Winery. From left: Hilary, Jennifer, Sadie, Vicki, Whitney, Jaden, and Averie.