Board of Supervisors
Conservation District Supervisors are elected by registered voters in Jefferson County during general elections. Supervisors serve a 4 year term.
Sarah Beth Sammons
Chair
Sarah Beth Sammons is a registered Landscape Architect and LEED Accredited Professional with over 20 years of experience with master planning, park design, and civil projects such as courthouses, schools, and public spaces. She volunteers as a Jefferson County Master Gardener at the Farmington Historic Plantation's Anne Bruce Haldeman Formal Garden and the Outdoor Education Center. Sarah Beth's interests include native plant landscaping, conserving our natural resources, and low environmental impact construction practices.
Austin Clark
Vice Chair
Austin lives in the east end of the county and works day-to-day as a medical laboratory scientist. He is passionate about conservation and his community and appreciates that they’ve entrusted him with a seat on the board. Particular program focuses for Austin are heat island mitigation and tree canopy expansion to ensure a sustainable future for the working people of Jefferson County.
Leta Weedman
Sec / Treasurer
Leta Weedman’s affinity for nature began on her family’s farm where her parents nurtured her desire to live sustainably with the land and the natural environment. Leta earned a BS in Biology and enjoys lifelong learning in many subjects including entomology, populations biology and history. Ms. Weedman’s career spans over 35+ years in higher education. Her interests include preserving native habitat and biodiversity, protecting local wildlife particularly butterflies, native bees and other insects, encouraging backyard opossums, food preservation, medicinal botanicals, growing pawpaws and hops, rescue animals, and spending time in her pollinator garden.
David Kaelin
Supervisor
David owns and operates a 58-acre farm in the Jeffersontown area (Floyds Fork watershed). David’s interests are supporting environmental education programs for school children and teachers and promoting Best Management Practices on agricultural land that addresses and improves water quality.
Thomas Wayne Edison
Supervisor
Thomas Wayne Edison, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Spanish in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages at the University of Louisville. This two-time Fulbright Scholar and Afro-Caribbeanist is a multifaceted talent. He is the coordinator of Changó Gardens, a non-profit foundation with the mission of encouraging people in food swamps to use their backyard to grow fruits and vegetables. Edison served as President of The Louisville Community Grocery Store and is a part of the Urban Agriculture Group in the city of Louisville.
Tyler Lloyd
Supervisor
Tyler Lloyd is a long-time gardener and life-long environmentalist with dual master's degrees in Environmental Science (MSES) and Public Affairs (MPA). In his day job as a Senior Risk Manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Tyler helps to manage the potential risk to human health and the environment from chemicals new to the marketplace. Tyler’s interests include home gardening, native plants, and the preservation and restoration of biodiversity and natural habitats in Jefferson County.
Elizabeth Everhart
Supervisor
Liz Everhart lives in the Prestonia neighborhood and has a background in both science education and backyard gardening. She is passionate about expanding hands on environmental education and urban agriculture as a means of increasing climate resilience for the working class.
District Staff
Geri Johnson
Administrative Secretary
Geri joined the District as our Administrative Secretary in 2019, bringing over 20 years of administrative experience. Before coming to Louisville, she and her husband lived in the Chicago area where she worked as a program manager for Northwestern University. She enjoys the outdoors, exploring the local and state park systems and maintaining her garden at Blackacre Community Garden.
Dave Nichter
Soil Conservation Technician
Dave is a soil nerd, loving all things to do with the soil from photosynthesis to micro and macrobiology, aggregate, infiltration, respiration, and above all: People. When thinking about food sovereignty, food justice, and food as medicine, Dave believes his niche is in the health of the soil and the food it produces.
Dave follows the teachings of Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Dr. Didi Pershouse, Dr. Elaine Ingham, and many more for knowledge and philosophy on how to protect our water, soil, and health for ourselves and our next generations through mindful management, native habitat, and sustainable, regenerative, organic agriculture.
Holler at him for anything at all and he’ll be happy to visit your property, garden, farm, and community space.
Dave’s Favorite Quote: “We are a way for the Cosmos to know itself” - Carl Sagan