Preston is the founder of L.O.C.A.L. Adventures and president of the board. She started L.O.C.A.L. in 2021 in response to the rising anxiety and depression rates she witnessed among the teens she worked with in a post-Covid era. She has over a decade of experience working with youth in various capacities, from schools to community centers to outdoor education and water-based activities. She has worked as a SPED teacher, an art teacher, a yoga teacher, a coach and a mentor, among many other roles. She is trained in trauma yoga, kids yoga and is a certified Wilderness First Responder.

Preston is also the co-founder of AWAKEN Retreats, where she has hosted nine successful backcountry adventure retreats all over the country. She is passionate about pathways to healing and helping people access their most present, joyful selves. Learn more about Preston here!

The activities that light up Preston’s joy body (when she’s not having fun with her students) include photography, mindfulness meditation, yoga, hiking, biking, skiing, paddling, trail running, and basically anything outside!

Beth is the treasurer of the board. For over ten years, Beth was the Executive Director of the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation (VCTF), a 501(c)(3) organization partnering with the Virginia Department of Transportation in the development of the Virginia Capital Trail. After the Trail’s completion in 2015, she focused on enhancement and promotion of the 51.7-mile trail into an award-winning destination and one of the most visited attractions in the region. In 2016, the Trail won the Tourism Impact Award from Richmond Region Tourism, who recognized it as a major game-changer in the regional tourism landscape. It also captured the Urban Land Institute’s Best Community Impact Project as well as the Best Overall Project. Beth was recognized a Person of the Year honoree by the Richmond Times Dispatch for her success in guiding the Virginia Capital Trail project to completion.

Beth graduated from the University of Virginia, has two grown sons and lives with her husband in Richmond.

The activities that light up her joy body include being in the woods for all things—sleeping, walking, running, or riding a bike. She loves her dog, according to her family, more than her humans, and she likes kitchen dancing—a lot. 

Nenneya is the secretary of the board. She has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, concentrating on social enterprise management, finance and impact in emerging markets. She has a passion for culture and travel, having lived and worked in France, China, Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire and Uganda. Nenneya has focused her career on supporting entrepreneurship in emerging markets, promoting local ownership and community-driven innovation. Fluent in French and proficient in Mandarin and Spanish, Nenneya highly values communication and believes that strong relationships are at the core of successful ventures. She loves to use her skills of facilitation and strategic impact design to promote health, wellness and education for children and families. As the Impact Advisor to the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, Nenneya designed and advised scalable models of implementation to build expertise, promote innovation and measure impact for community-driven grants. Prior to that, Nenneya worked as the Director for Impact and Learning at Jibu, leading impact measurement and formalizing the training modules that support entrepreneurial advancement in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. She has also consulted for internationally-focused nonprofit organizations, helping them build and expand revenue-generating arms for increased sustainability. Nenneya finds her greatest joy in motherhood and spending time outdoors with her sons.

Their joy body activities as a family include soccer, rock climbing, hiking, biking, and anything on the water together.

Holly is a wellness educator, creative facilitator, and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience supporting mental health and well-being through mindfulness, art, and community-based programs. She is the founder of Connect Wellness and host of the podcast How the Wise One Grows, where she cultivates spaces for intentional living through meaningful conversations, creative exploration, and accessible wellness tools.

Holly brings extensive board experience with organizations that empower youth and advocate for mental health through creative practices. She has served on the Virginia Governor’s Board for Art Therapy, Art 180’s Programs Committee, and the Young Women’s Leadership Alliance of Richmond. Her approach to leadership is rooted in compassion, collaboration, and a commitment to fostering resilience and connection through creative and mindful practices. Learn more about Holly here.