The Rivanna River is often referred to as "Mr. Jefferson's River" because Thomas Jefferson grew up on the shores of the Rivanna and later built his Monticello home along its banks. Sharing Mr. Jefferson's appreciation for this historic river, a group of Fluvanna County residents established The Rivanna Conservation Society (RCS) in 1990.
Board Member
Leon Szeptycki
Associate Professor Leon Szeptycki leads the Environmental Practice Clinic, a course that offers students practical experience in environmental problem-solving. Szeptycki is a former general counsel and eastern conservation director of the national environmental organization Trout Unlimited. For several years he co-taught Environmental Lawyering, a Principles and Practice course at the Law School that used case simulations to develop students' environmental advocacy skills. After receiving his law degree from Yale, Szeptycki clerked for Judge Stephanie K. Seymour of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. He has also served as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Consumer Litigation and with McGuire, Woods, Battle and Boothe (now McGuireWoods) in Charlottesville, Va.