Forest Botanicals Region Living Monument

Leadership Team & Contributors

Shannon E. Bell, Professor of Sociology, Virginia Tech (Monument Project Director; Lead Author, Editor, and Graphic Designer for the Storywalk Trail, online exhibit, and website).

Katie Commender, Agroforestry Director, Appalachian Sustainable Development (Leadership Team and Lead of the Event Organizing Team)

Robin Suggs, Procurement Manager, Appalachian Sustainable Development (Leadership Team and Lead of the Forest Garden Team)

John Munsell, Professor and Forest Management Extension Specialist, Virginia Tech (Leadership Team)

Ruby Daniels, Afrolachian herbalist and forest farmer, Owner of Creasy Jane’s Herbal Remedies (Contributing Author for Storywalk Trail and Online Exhibit )

Victoria Persinger Ferguson, Monacan Indian Nation and Virginia Tech (Contributing Author for Storywalk Trail and Online Exhibit )

Ryan Huish, Associate Professor of Ethnobotany, University of Virginia-Wise (Contributing Author for Storywalk Trail and Online Exhibit, Advisory Board Member)

Katie Dunn, Tourism Director, City of Norton (Advisory Board Member)

Shayne Fields, Trails Coordinator, City of Norton (Advisory Board Member, Trail Sculptor, Storywalk Sign Installer, and all-around problem-solver)

Beth Walker, High Knob Master Naturalists (Advisory Board Member)

Nathan Wachacha David Bush, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Program Coordinator for the Oconaluftee Indian Village (Sculpture artist and Contributing Author for Storywalk Trail and Online Exhibit).

William Rogers, Rogers Metals (Sculpture artist)

Shannon Joyce, Herb Hub Associate, Appalachian Sustainable Development (Project team member)

Sean Bemis, Geoscientist, Virginia Tech (Cartographer and Geological consultant for Storywalk Trail and Online Exhibit)

Onita Bush, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (Cherokee language advisor for Storywalk Trail and Online Exhibit) 

Mariam Ismail, Digital Projects Coordinator, Virginia Tech Publishing and Virginia Tech Libraries (Online Exhibit technical support and website development)

Dina Cyrus, Vacker Sign (Layout and fabrication of Storywalk Trail interpretive signs)

Zoe Brooks, Research Assistant, Virginia Tech

Erin Boyle, Research Assistant, Virginia Tech

Rachel Poteet, Research Assistant and Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia Intern, Virginia Tech

Elly Loyd, Research Assistant, Virginia Tech

Lily Mohr, Research Assistant, Virginia Tech

Sophia Silis, Research Assistant, Virginia Tech

Sophia Spraker, Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia Intern