ABRA Staff & Directors

STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/GIS ADMINISTRATOR – DAN SHAFFER was ABRA’s Geographic Information Systems consultant for 9 years. He was the principal architect of ABRA’s Compliance Surveillance Initiative (CSI) mapping system and has been responsible for the technical aspects of ABRA’s Conservation Hub. His goal as Executive Director is to grow the capabilities and sustainability of the organization by increasing ABRA’s visibility, deepening and expanding its partnerships, and creating a solid financial foundation for the future.

REGULATORY/LEGAL COORDINATOR – ANDREW YOUNG leads ABRA’s campaign to improve public accessibility of critical environmental information and works in close collaboration with partner organizations to hold regulatory agencies accountable using all tools from FOIA requests to litigation. He is a Board Member of the Cowpasture River Preservation Association and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy.

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR – OLIVIA MILLER is a writer and strategic communications professional. She is responsible for managing ABRA’s media communications, website development and maintenance, and newsletter production.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIR – ALLEN JOHNSON brings decades of grassroots advocacy experience with deep expertise in environmental justice and community organizing. As Coordinator of Christians for the Mountains, Allen mobilizes faith communities toward social justice and ecological stewardship. Formerly the Director of Pocahontas County Free Libraries and Chair of the Eight Rivers Council, he advocates tirelessly for clean water and fighting harmful pipelines and extraction projects. Allen’s comprehensive knowledge of regulatory systems and local governance greatly strengthens ABRA’s strategic advocacy.

VICE-CHAIR – DAVID SLIGH is an accomplished environmental attorney and serves as Conservation Chair for Wild Virginia. With degrees from the University f Virginia and Vermont Law School, David brings over 40 years of experience in advocacy and environmental litigation. Widely recognized for his strategic legal approach and expertise in navigating complex regulatory frameworks, David has successfully challenged numerous significant environmental threats in the region, thereby considerably enhancing ABRA’s capacity to protect Central Appalachia’s natural resources.

TREASURER – ROBERT BURNS  offers exceptional expertise in nonprofit management, fundraising, and community engagement developed through executive leadership roles, including Executive Director of the Tucker Community Foundation, where he oversaw endowment growth exceeding $10 million. Currently serving as Director of Nonprofits at Easter WV Community and Technical College, Robert excels in securing funding, fostering strategic partnerships, and leading community-driven initiatives, thereby significantly contributing to ABRA’s organizational sustainability and growth.  is Director of Non-Profits at Eastern WV Community and Technical College.

BEN LUCKETT is an accomplished environmental attorney whose groundbreaking litigation at Appalachian Mountain Advocates significantly reshaped pipeline regulatory law, particularly through the landmark D.C. Circuit decision, Allegheny Defense Project v. FERC. Ben’s advocacy fundamentally strengthened landowner rights and increased judicial oversight of pipeline projects nationally. A Lewis and Clark Law School gradate, Ben specializes in federal energy law, judicial advocacy, and environmental litigation strategies, providing ABRA invaluable legal acumen.

JUDY RODD is a seasoned nonprofit leader and environmental educator with more than three decades dedicated to Appalachian conservation. As Executive Director of Friends of Blackwater, she champions the protection and restoration of west Virginia’s iconic landscapes and biodiversity, particularly the Blackwater Canyon area. Judy holds an M.S. in Recreation and Parks from West Virginia University and leverages extensive state and federal relationships to advance ABRA’s policy advocacy and funding initiatives.

RANDY KIESLING, a distinguished conservation leader, retired form the U.S. Department of Energy and now serves as Conservation Chair of the West Virginia Chapter of Trout Unlimited and as Senior Vice President of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy. Randy’s extensive experience in environmental policy, regulatory advocacy, and grassroots organizing has positioned hi as a pivotal figure in nearly every major environmental campaign in the Central Appalachian Highlands for over two decades, significantly enhancing ABRA’s capacity for impactful advocacy.

RICK WEBB is a nationally recognized environmental scientist who retired as Senior Scientist from the University of Virginia’s Department of Environmental Sciences. Throughout his 25-year tenure, Rick led influential research including the Shenandoah Watershed Study and the Virginia Trout Streams Sensitivity Study, directly informing air and water quality policies at state and federal levels. Rick also served as ABRA’s Executive Director from 2022-2024. Rick’s scientific expertise and deep understanding of ecological integrity substantially enhance ABRA’s policy analysis and advocacy efforts.

OFFICERS

SECRETARY – OLIVIA MILLER