Courtney Carter Plaster
Executive Director
Courtney is a native Virginian whose experience in the non-profit world has spanned over 35 years working in four different non-profit museums. She has worked at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, Imagination Station Science Museum, the Science Museum of Western Virginia, and the Virginia Museum of Transportation in research, collections, publications, and education.
She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia. In 2020, Courtney brought her non-profit leadership experience to Clean Valley Council as Director of Education where she quickly moved into the role of Executive Director in October 2020.
She serves on several environmental stewardship committees including the Horton’s Branch Watershed Improvement Committee with the Roanoke Kiwanis Club, Resilient Roanoke Roundtable, Carilion’s Morningside Urban Farm Advisory Committee, Recycle Right! Committee, Roanoke STEAM Day Planning Committee and Earth Day Roanoke Planning Committee.
Courtney lives in Smith Mountain Lake with her husband, two daughters, two dogs and a 22-year-old salamander. When she is not working, you will find her hiking, dancing, practicing yoga, gardening, or attending music concerts and festivals.
Marc Lucht
Director of Programs and Environmental Educator
With an academic background in biology and philosophy, Dr. Marc Lucht worked as a professor and university administrator for 18 years. Before joining Clean Valley Council, he co-directed North Cross School’s first campus in China and led the development of additional high school campuses in Asia. Holding a PhD from Emory University, he has published widely on environmental philosophy, animal rights, and intercultural dialogue, and is strongly committed to the idea that it is incumbent upon humanity to find more responsible ways of acknowledging and living together with the creatures with whom we share the planet.
At CVC, Marc organizes events such as our Earth Summit and Green Film Festival, organizes our Star City Sustainability Series, offers a number of workshops (including on composting and making rain barrels), and partners with our environmental educator to ensure excellence in our delivery of educational programs. His favorite days are those during which he works with students.
Heidi Ketler
Director of Communications and Environmental Educator
Heidi is a veteran marketing-communications professional, writer, and editor. From 2020-2024, she gained public education experience teaching pre-K-12 in general ed and autism classrooms. She also earned Virginia Master Naturalist certification.
During Heidi's five-year stint as chair of the Roanoke Valley Chapter of Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway (FBRP), the chapter grew an active volunteer force, expanded its ability to support the National Park Service-Blue Ridge Parkway, and conducted well-attended work crews and community outreach events. In 2015, Heidi was voted Virginia's Cox Conserves Hero, winning $10,000 to support the park service mission.
Heidi has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. She graduated with an emphasis in journalism and public relations, and a minor in geology.
Heidi leads the Mt. Chestnut Neighbors Adopt-a-Highway program and Friends of Happy Hollow Gardens volunteer activities. She raises monarch butterflies in the summer, and she and husband, Steve, are "Super Hosts" of the Airbnb they call "Mountain Monarch."