SAHC Board of Trustees
Trustees are elected by the Conservancy’s general membership for a three-year term. After an initial term, a trustee may be re-elected to a second three-year term, but may serve no more than two consecutive terms. Current Board Members are:
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SAHC Staff
Carl Silverstein, Executive Director
Carl Silverstein joined the staff as Executive Director of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy in July 2000.
- Previously served as Campaign Coordinator of the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition.
- Received a Bachelor of Art Degree from Stanford University and graduated from the University of Alabama Law School.
- Practiced law in Seattle, Washington, before moving to Asheville, NC, in 1995.
- Carl, his wife, Bonnie, and their son, Will, and their daughters, Oona and Nora, enjoy hiking and camping in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
Kristy Urquhart, Associate Director
Kristy Urquhart has been Associate Director for the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy since 1997 and has served on the staff since 1991.
- Graduated from King College with a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Business/Economics.
- Engaged in orchard management work and had her own apple tree pruning business in Ithaca, New York.
Judy Murray, Stewardship Director
Judy Murray received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Florida State University in 1960 and relocated to Kingsport, Tennessee.
- Worked as an analytical chemist at Tennessee Eastman Company for eight years.
- Received a Masters of Science Degree in Ecology with an emphasis on wildland management.
- Founding Member of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.
- Served as volunteer Land Stewardship Coordinator. In 1980, she became a SAHC staff member as the Stewardship Director.
- Life Member of the Appalachian Trail Conference and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.
- Member of the National Areas Association, the Trout Unlimited, the Tennessee Ornithological Society and the Friends of Roan Mountain.
Cheryl Fowler, Membership Director
Cheryl Fowler joined our staff in 2001. She is from Waynesville, North Carolina.
- Completed an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Commercial Art and Advertising Design from Southwestern Community College of Sylva, NC.
- Worked in the printing and design industry for five years before deciding to start her own graphic design business.
- Cheryl and her dog, Zuko, enjoy exploring the beautiful North Carolina mountains and she is looking forward to helping preserve and maintain the area.
William Hamilton, Farmland Program Director
William joined our staff in 2005, and is focusing on farmland preservation efforts.
- Previously served as the Natural Resources Crew Field Supervisor at Warren Wilson College.
- Graduate of Warren Wilson College and North Carolina State College of Natural Resources.
- Owns and operates a portable sawmill, based on Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, NC.
- William enjoys life with his wife Molly, daughters Anne and Evva, and son Hythe. He also enjoys basketball, hiking, and the rural life that our region affords.
Michelle Pugliese, Land Protection Director
Michelle Pugliese joined Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy as its Land Protection Director in November 2007. Previously she:
- Worked as the Director of Land Protection for St. Simons Land Trust on St. Simons Island, Georgia from 2002 until moving to Asheville in 2007.
- Graduated from Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences with a Masters of Environmental Management in 2002.
- Worked as an environmental consultant for Clayton Group Services in Massachusetts from 1998 until 2000.
- Received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Lafayette College in 1997.
- Michelle loves to hike in the mountains with her dog, Lucy, and is thrilled to be working to preserve the spectacular landscapes of Western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.
Hanni Muerdter,
Stewardship and Conservation Planning Director
Hanni Muerdter joined SAHC as Stewardship and Conservation Planning Director in September, 2007. She is from Bethel in Haywood County, NC, and currently resides in Yancey County.
- In 2006-2007, Hanni worked in stewardship and land protection for High Country Conservancy in Boone, NC through AmeriCorps Project Conserve . Also through AmeriCorps, she wrote and oversaw the creation of Blue Ridge Forever's Conservation Vision, a regional conservation plan for the Southern Blue Ridge.
- Previously worked and/or interned at: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa, and for the Student Conservation Association.
- Received her bachelors in biology & environmental studies from Oberlin College, OH.
- Hanni likes to hike, swim, act in plays, and enjoy mountain life.
Angela Shepherd, Office Administrator
Angela joined the staff of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy in August 2010.
- Graduated with an undergraduate degree in Public Relations and a minor in Anthropology from the University of South Carolina.
- Worked in the graphic design business for many years.
- She also gained her Masters degree from Appalachian State University in Geography and Planning.
She is interested in folklore, mountain heritage, and sustainable communities. She enjoys playing with her kids, hiking and camping, painting, and making jewelry.
SAHC also hires a Seasonal Ecologist for three months (June through August) every year.
Chris Coxen, Seasonal Ecologist
Chris joined the staff of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy in September 2010.
- Graduated from the Fisheries and Wildlife Science program at North Carolina State University.
- Previously worked for an N.C. State graduate student on Cape Lookout, researching the American oystercatcher.
- He also spent the summer of 2007 in Sweden, studying how climate change has affected the Arctic.
Chris enjoys playing the guitar and keyboard, going to see live music, playing soccer, hiking, riding his bike, cooking, and trying new foods.
Allison Kiehl, Community Farm + Stream Restoration Manager
Allison joined the staff of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy in September 2010.
- Graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
- She previously worked for the The Nature Conservancy at the N.C. Mountains District Office.
- Worked as the Stewardship Associate for Marin Agricultural Land Trust in California for three years.
Allison enjoys hiking, ocean sports, gardening, biking, basketball, and softball. She is interested in ecology, agricultural conservation, composting, and music.
Lisa Fancher, Financial Compliant Specialist
Lisa has always had a deep connection to the mountains, having been raised in Charleston, West Virginia. She joins us with a successful accounting career and a year of experience with the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy. We are thrilled to add her enthusiasm, energy, and skills to our staff.
Jamie Ervin,
Americorps Stewardship Associate
Jamie's love of the outdoors came from countless hours spent hiking around Linville Gorge with his family. He studied Environmental Management and Policy at UNC Asheville and enjoys rock climbing & rocking-out on his banjo and bluegrass guitar in his spare time.
Margot Wallston, AmeriCorps
Stewardship Associate
Margot served as a GIS research intern for the National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center at UNC Asheville (NEMAC). As one of our stewardship members, Margot is most excited about having a “direct role in protecting the health of our beautiful mountains, forests, and farmlands.”
Rich Pryer, AmeriCorps PR & Outreach Associate
Rich's love for the mountains of WNC began as a camper at the Green River Preserve and while fly-fishing at an early age on the Cane River. In his spare time, Rich is an avid backpacker, frisbee player, fly-fisherman, and always enjoys watching the Tarheels or Demon Deacons.
Emily Bidgood, AmeriCorps
Land Protection Associate
Emily recently attained her master's degree from UNC, where she finished her final project on the Million Acre Initiative and conservation patterns in NC. Emily also works with a nonprofit called Green Interfaith Network Inc., that helps faith-based communities take action towards becoming more sustainable.
