As you learned in our fall 2023 newsletter, we can’t and wouldn’t try to do our work alone, so we are pleased to welcome new staff at our longtime partner Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. Alliance’s Kim Woodwell recently met with Laura Bennett who came on board in April as the nonprofit’s executive director.

Laura Bennett, new executive director of Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.
Since 2020, Laura has been a member of the citizen committee working on the update of the Shenandoah County Comprehensive Plan and has participated in several forums to hear from county residents their vision for Shenandoah’s future. In the comments gathered in these forums, the North Fork of the Shenandoah River was one of the most frequently mentioned words. Laura recalls that it seemed everyone had a personal connection to the river whether as a recreational asset, key to their livelihood or source of water. In the new plan, water resources is a separate chapter and “Water is Life” is one of the plan’s six “big ideas” or underlying themes.
As the new executive director for the Friends, Laura finds this shared pride in the river very encouraging, and she acknowledges this support is critical to Friends’ efforts to ensure the North Fork remains a resource for the next generations.
In the coming months Laura is excited to get out and hear from residents, adjacent landowners, river users and admirers about their special attachment to the North Fork and all that it has to offer. Growing up with the river as a part of her backyard, Laura reflects the river has always been there, just like the mountains to the east and the west, and for her, the river is a real source of comfort.
We’re excited to work together with Laura and Friends towards a healthy North Fork that will always be there.