Blue Ridge Discovery Center is made up of a passionate contingent of staff and volunteers who are dedicated to exploring, discovering and sharing the Blue Ridge. The common thread that ties us all together is the belief that everyone should have a chance to experience the treasures of these mountains. In our midst you'll find the likes of wildlife biologists, writers, artists, birders, fly anglers, and more.
Lisa Benish - EXecutive Director
Originally from the piedmont region of North Carolina, Lisa has called the Blue Ridge her home for over 32 years. Since joining the BRDC team in 2014, she utilizes her years of volunteer experience with youth programs, extensive outdoor skills, leadership qualities, and strength in business administration, to masterfully develop, implement and manage BRDC facilities and operations, personnel, participants, and budgets.
In her free time, she is likely fly fishing, seeking a particular species of butterfly or bird, or enjoying her time in an off-the-grid walled tent. She loves to travel and has a great sense of adventure and eagerly shares her passion for nature and natural history.
Lisa employs her natural history knowledge, outdoor skill-set, and passion and enthusiasm for the Blue Ridge to inspire both BRDC and our youth.
Olivia Jackson - Naturalist Educator
Olivia grew up just outside Shenandoah National Park, and spent most of her childhood exploring the great outdoors. This love of the outdoors inspired her to attend James Madison University and earn a Bachelors of Science in Biology with a concentration in ecology and environmental biology. During her time there she took field classes like herpetology, ornithology, and field botany that sparked her interest in naturalist education.
Post-graduation and mid-COVID, Olivia joined the Massachusetts Conservation Corp (MACC) where she spent seven months camping all over Massachusetts improving trails. After this, Olivia switched to developing her skills in naturalist education at the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center just outside Albany, New York. During her time there, her passion for teaching people about the wonders of the outdoors flourished. She became involved in citizen science projects, native animal care, and lead children’s programs like field trips, summer camps, and in-school programs. She believes that every day is an opportunity to learn something new! Olivia’s experience, enthusiasm, and passion bring new ideas and excitement to our programs at BRDC.
In her free time, Olivia enjoys baking, bird watching, crafting, and hiking.
Brendan murphy - Naturalist Educator
Growing up, Brendan split his time exploring the town of Vienna in northern Virginia and his family’s property in Greene county on the border of Shenandoah National Park. The Blue Ridge mountains harbored his love for the outdoors from a young age.
Brendan graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor's Degree of Biology. In his studies, he delved into his interests by taking classes in ecology, entomology, and environmental science. He had the opportunity to participate in projects as an undergrad research assistant, most of which involved assessing contaminated streams.
After graduating college, Brendan completed his dream of thru hiking the Appalachian Trail. He took five months to hike the 2,200 mile trail and loved (almost) every step of it. After experiencing so much of what these mountains have to offer, he is so excited to share his passion with others.
Cade Campbell - Naturalist educator
Annabelle Muriano - Naturalist Educator
Annabelle spent most of her childhood in Virginia Beach, just a few minutes walk from First Landing State Park and steps away from the Chesapeake Bay. Growing up by the shore, she gained an appreciation for the complexity of ecological systems, and she saw firsthand the importance of sharing respect for the environment with beachgoers.
From there, she attended Virginia Tech, graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Fish and Wildlife Conservation. At Virginia Tech, she assisted in a number of research projects – camera trapping for large predators, comparing conservation work on private and public lands, and measuring salamander growth. As a student, Annabelle worked as a technician sampling Chronic Wasting Disease for Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources. She also completed student projects involving trapping small mammals and documenting edible and medicinal plants in areas of Southwest Virginia. Outside of school, she volunteered as a wildlife rehabilitator and as part of a student conservation group that helped to carve trails, clean trash, remove invasive species, and aid in ecology oriented field trips.
During her time in Blacksburg, she worked as a lifeguard, stablehand, and baker. She also worked at SEEDS Price House Nature Center, where she cared for reptiles, fish, and insects native to Southwest Virginia and guided guests towards moments of wonder for our natural world. Annabelle’s time spent at SEEDS sparked a passion for naturalist education and discovery based learning that she carried with her to BRDC.
