Our Team
Lisa Aikins-Afful
Outreach and Engagement Coordinator
Lisa, originally from Fairfax County, is a Hermitage High School and Longwood University graduate. She now lives near Forest Hill on Richmond's Southside with her husband, son and teagle (beagle/terrier mix.) As a homeschool Mom, she has enjoyed getting out exploring, learning and teaching about nature with Hike It Baby and Sycamore Homeschoolers. She is proud to be honored as a River Hero homeowner saving and utilizing rainwater, and minimizing fertilizer usage to protect our watershed. Lisa is so thankful and excited to be part of an organization that has a mission of creating green spaces and lobbying for people-centered policy for residents of Richmond's Southside.
Sheri Shannon
Co-Founder
Sheri is an award-winning communications strategist and owner of Shannon Strategies, a communications firm specializing in policy, advocacy, and progressive politics. As the co-founder of Southside ReLeaf and host of WRIR’s Women and Politics, she advocates for environmental justice and provides a platform for women, femmes, and nonbinary individuals to talk about their work in the community.
Sheri is a Richmond Tree Steward and serves on the board for BridgePark RVA, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and Sierra Club Fall of the James group. She was also featured as an “Eco Hero” by Glamour magazine.
Melissa Spencer
Administrative and Operations Coordinator
Melissa spent her professional career working in the Social Security Administration issues facing disabled citizens. She retired from the federal government's Senior Executive Service (SES) in 2019 after leading the Administration's national disability policy organization.
To be closer to family, Melissa and her husband Art relocated to Richmond in 2020 (yes, during the height of COVID-19) from Delaware. After settling in, Melissa now volunteers with Southside ReLeaf as an administrative coordinator, affording her the opportunity to continue to advocate for citizens. Melissa holds a bachelor of science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Amy Wentz
Co-Founder
Amy is a United States Army Veteran and proud mother of two who serves in her community advocating to improve the public education system, working to promote safe and healthy neighborhoods, and striving to achieve equitable outcomes for the residents throughout the City of Richmond. She is the founder of Positively Black Richmond, co-founder of Richmond Black Restaurant Experience, and is on the action team for BLK RVA, all with goals of uplifting black faces and spaces throughout the City.
In addition, Amy serves on boards for Nolef Turns, Stay RVA, Unbound RVA, and the Alternatives to Incarceration and Richmond Children’s Cabinet Commissions here in the City. Amy has received numerous accolades over the years for her continued service in her community. She was recognized as Style Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2013 and honored with a Community Service Award from Richmond City Council for her extensive volunteerism in the 8th District. Amy currently works full-time as the Director of Outreach and Engagement at The Commonwealth Institute and is a proud graduate of Richmond Public Schools.
Tara Warman Wiley
Grant Writer
Originally from Pennsylvania, Tara has called Richmond home since 2009 and became invested in local environmental justice and health equity work through her role as grant writer for the City of Richmond and Richmond and Henrico Health Districts. A Southside resident, Tara lives in Westover Hills with her husband and children and loves running on the Buttermilk Trail and native plant gardening. In addition to working with Southside ReLeaf, she is the Associate Director of Grants and Foundation Relations at the University of Richmond.
Sarah Wilkinson
Communications Coordinator
Following a growing interest in environmental justice, Sarah began volunteering with Southside ReLeaf in 2021 by providing communications support to the organization. Through a scholarship provided by Southside ReLeaf, Sarah earned her Tree Steward certification in May 2022 through the Richmond Tree Stewards, enabling her to provide structural maintenance to trees across Richmond to help protect and expand the tree canopy. In March 2023, Sarah joined the team at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden as the Director of Adult Learning. Her goal is to expand access to plant-based learning opportunities to more members of the Richmond community, and by extension, encourage more people to get involved in conservation efforts both in their own backyards as well as their broader community.
Maya Basnyat
Intern
Maya is an undergraduate student at the University of Richmond studying Environmental Studies and Physics. On campus, she serves as a Rethink Waste representative for Environmental and Custodial Services to help divert waste from landfills through composting and special recycling programs. The university placed #1 in the national Campus Race to Zero Waste Competition this spring. Maya also helped start a community garden at the Spider Exchange, a free thrift store where anyone can donate or take anything for free to help promote a circular economy.
This summer, she is super excited to work with Southside Releaf to help improve air quality as well as overall quality of life for southside residents and help make the changes that they want to see in our communities.
Destiny Brown
Intern
Destiny is a graduate student at VCU’s Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs studying urban and regional planning. As a graduate student, her topics of interest include community development and revitalization, engagement and outreach, environmental justice, and public health.
Board Members
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Meredith Byrd
Southside Resident
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Rodney "Mookie" Gaines
Virginia Community Voice
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Callie Houghland
VCU Student, Master of Urban & Regional Planning
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Andrew Murray
Arborist, City of Richmond
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Derick Winn
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality