To the Longwood University Community:
I am pleased to make several exciting announcements about Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW).
As of September 30, the founder and Executive Director of CVW, Katie Register, stepped down from her role as she prepares to semi-retire. On October 1, Zach Huntington ( who has been serving as CVW's Associate Director), became CVW's Executive Director. Katie will stay on for one year at 10 hours a week to serve in an advisory role and to complete on-going research projects.
As you may know, CVW, a statewide nonprofit, has been associated with Longwood since 1998. It is Virginia's premier organization working to reduce and mitigate plastic pollution and marine debris. Under Katie's leadership, CVW facilitates the largest volunteer cleanup effort in Virginia, the Virginia Waterways Cleanup, part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. Through these statewide cleanups, volunteers become citizen scientists by recording data about the litter they collect, which helps CVW identify trends in litter, most common types of litter, and solutions to reduce plastic pollution. Since Katie founded CVW, more than 130,000 volunteers have removed more than 5.3 million pounds of debris (mostly plastic) from our environment.
Katie also has pioneered research on cigarette butt litter, abandoned and derelict vessels, and balloon-related litter from intentional releases. Working closely the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, Katie wrote the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan (the first of its kind on the east coast) and co-founded the Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network (VPPPN), an organization that seeks to promote and facilitate coordination, collaboration, and communication among groups working to reduce plastic pollution throughout Virginia. CVW’s research is grounded in science and has been used by governor-appointed task forces and councils, businesses, university researchers, and policymakers.
Since 1999, Katie has also mentored several dozen Longwood students through CVW’s internship program which offers meaningful hands-on and real world experiences. She is proud of CVW’s former interns who have gone on to make major contributions through their work at aquariums, environmental nonprofits, businesses and media outlets.
Zach Huntington, CVW’s incoming Executive Director, is an experienced environmental researcher and analyst with a background in communicating the impact of plastic pollution on people and the planet. Previously, he worked for Clean Fairfax and LitterFreeVA.org. His work focuses on using data and graphical analysis to identify environmentally and economically sustainable strategies to address waste-related challenges. Zach has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Sustainability and Environmental Compliance and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Conservation.
Zach was born and raised in Virginia and spent two decades living in and traveling across the Southeast and Northern Rockies before returning to his home state. His passion for and knowledge of environmental issues stem from a lifetime spent outdoors and years as a fishing guide. When he’s not working, you can find Zach paddling or hiking with his wife, daughter, and trail dog, Johnny Utah.
Please join me in congratulating Katie in her semi-retirement, and also welcoming Zach as the new leader of CVW.
Brent Roberts
Assistant Provost for Academic Outreach