Penelope Gorman (she/her) joined the Friends of James River Park after serving as a James River Park System employee for over a decade. While there, she founded and managed the City’s outdoor education team, leading partnership development efforts, creating new programs, and advancing policies to strengthen the Park’s role as a cornerstone of Richmond’s identity and a key to its natural resilience. She is an avid whitewater kayaker and mountain biker, and lives in the Forest Hill Neighborhood with her family.
Jake is an avid mountain biker and uses the JRPS 3-4 times a week, falling as much as he jumps rocks. The first time I did the “loop” (home in the Fan to Texas Beach entrance to Belle Isle to Buttermilk West to Dogwood Dell loop trail to Byrd Park to home) on a mountain bike, I was truly amazed at the solitude, the beauty, and the difficulty of the trails. This wonder of such nature in the City is what motivated me to learn more about and ultimately join the Friends of James River Park. Being involved in the Friends’ Group has been incredibly rewarding and I urge anyone who uses the Park to get involved in any of the many programs we support. Thanks also to the James River Park System’s staff for all the good work they do to keep the trails in great shape, building new trails, and protecting and growing the Park in the future with anticipated increased usage.
An architect by trade, Madge is a key member of our Invasive Plant Task Force in addition to being a Board Member. The Task Force works with the incredible volunteers for the James River Park System to reduce the negative impact of invasive plants and restore native plant communities. You can usually find her somewhere in the Park wrestling with an invasive vine.
Jean grew up swimming and kayaking in the James. Although she enjoys the solitude she feels while hiking the trails, she thinks of the park system as a place of community and the focal point of the city. She currently serves as the Associate Director of the Pace Center at VCU.
Matt has been the president and co-owner of Riverside Outfitters for the past 17 years. He and his wife, Stephanie, live in the Forest Hill Park neighborhood and spend as much time as possible in Richmond’s amazing urban forest and one of a kind river.
Mel Smith Jr. serves as Director or Diversity and Inclusion at Genworth. As Genworth’s chief diversity officer, Mel leads and coordinates efforts to create and sustain a diverse, inclusive, equitable and welcoming environment for all Genworth colleagues including consultants, suppliers, and of customers. Mel’s goal is making diversity, equity & inclusion Genworth’s way of doing business. His vision is to advance Genworth’s culture of belonging where open hearts and minds combine to unleash the potential of the brilliant mix of people, in every corner of Genworth. From the time a job seeker clicks on our website to when an employee retires.
Krista Weatherford has been in environmental education for 18 years. In addition to her tenure as Maymont’s Director of Programming and Community Engagement, she taught environmental education, and managed several programs in Virginia State Parks and at Georgia Southern University’s Center for Wildlife Education. In addition, Ms. Weatherford has animal care experience with non-releasable river otters, birds of prey, native reptiles, amphibians and mammals. She is a Virginia Master Naturalist with the Pocahontas Chapter. Ms. Weatherford is very passionate about wildlife and natural resources, and shares her passion through a variety of presentations, and digital stories. True to that passion she enjoys kayaking, hiking and wildlife viewing as she strives to share her passion with everyone around her.
Charlie is a West Virginia native who moved to Richmond in 2009. Charlie is most thankful for the park system as a place for his children to develop a love of the natural world. Charlie started his career as a teacher and school counselor and now works as a therapist.