Walter joined J.W. Townsend Landscapes in 2025 as our Human Resources Manager, bringing over eight years of combined experience in human resources and retail management. He has a strong background in team leadership, employee development, training, employee relations, and conflict resolution. Walter holds an associate degree in Business Administration and plans to complete his bachelor’s degree within the next two years.
His professional certifications include SHRM-CP, ServSafe Manager, CLIA Drug Testing, Forklift Safety, ADP Certified Payroll Professional, OSHA 10, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Workplace—demonstrating a well-rounded and proactive approach to HR.
For Walter, it’s always been about the people. He’s passionate about building strong workplace culture, supporting teams, and helping individuals and businesses grow. The green industry gives him the opportunity to work alongside people who are equally passionate about what they do.
Outside of work, Walter enjoys fish keeping but is an all-around animal lover. He has also helped organize the Richmond OCD Walk and hopes to stay involved in the years ahead. His favorite garden is the Japanese Garden at Maymont, where he volunteered while studying Japanese.
Jay is the Founder and former President of J. W. Townsend Landscapes and holds a B.S. degree in accounting from Virginia Tech. With over three decades of industry experience, Jay is a Virginia Certified Horticulturist with the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association. Jay enjoys the outdoors, especially sailing and fishing with his sons and wife.
Leigh joined J. W. Townsend, Inc. in July 2010. He has a B. S. degree from Clemson University in Construction Science and Management. He is also a VNLA Certified Horticulturist, VA Pesticide Technician, and LEED accredited professional. Leigh enjoys spending time with his wife, working in his yard, hunting, fishing, and Clemson football – Go Tigers!
Steve is our Vice President and Garden Maintenance Manager. Steve was raised on his family’s farm in Orange, Virginia and studied horticulture at Piedmont Virginia Community College. He has more than 20 years of experience in the industry and is an Advanced Virginia Certified Horticulturist with the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association as well as a Certified Arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture. Steve is a true leader; he has an infectious personality, a great attitude and truly enjoys what he does for a living. In 2016 he was awarded Young Professional of the Year by the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association. He lives in Louisa, Virginia with his wife and three children. They enjoy gardening, hiking and traveling.
Lynn has been with JWT since 2010.
Geoff hails from Maine and holds a degree in Agribusiness and Resource Management from the University of Maine in Orono. Since moving to Charlottesville in 2004, he has worked on and managed fine properties and estates throughout Albemarle county. Geoff has a class A CDL, is a VNLA certified horticulturist and holds a pesticide applicator certification. When not at J.W. Townsend, he enjoys traveling and exploring new places.
Todd is a Landscape Architect and Sales Associate. He has a B.A. degree from Gettysburg College in Environmental Studies and a Bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture from the University of Maryland College Park. He is also a Pesticide Technician and a registered Landscape Architect in Maryland and Virginia. Before joining J.W. Townsend Landscapes in 2016, Todd worked in the Baltimore area as a registered Landscape Architect and managed the Installation Team at a local landscape nursery. Todd enjoys working outside in his garden and having fun with his wife Kristen and two daughters Kendall and Meghan.
Sharon joined our team in the fall of 2022 and has always been fascinated by the world's biology in her work. She maintained a vivarium and its irrigation system in the biology department of UVA and is currently working towards a VNLA certification. In her free time, she enjoys gardening or researching about gardening. Fun fact: while in lab research she successfully performed in vitro on a zebrafish and created a hybrid fish by natural spawn.
Danielle holds a B. S. in Psychology from JMU and a certificate in Landscape Design from University of Richmond. She is a VNLA Certified Horticulturist as well as a Registered Technician for pesticide application. Danielle joined J. W. Townsend, Inc. in April 2010 after working in sales and landscape design at a local garden center. She enjoys many outdoor activities including gardening and being on the river but she mostly enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys.
Ernesto rejoined our group in June 2013 after working for J.W. Townsend 2005-2010 as an installation project manager. He has over 10 years experience in the field, and has been certified by both the VLNA and ISA and holds a Class A CDL. Ernesto loves to spend time with his family and coaches his son's soccer team. His hobbies include permaculture and organic gardening. He spent a few years traveling, surfing, and working at organic farms.
Amanda has been a part of the JWT team since March of 2016, and has been a vital part of our accounting team. She loves to craft, travel, and watch her favorite Broadway musicals like RENT, Les Misérables, and Beetlejuice.
Tim joined the J.W. Townsend Landscapes installation team in December 2024, bringing with him five years of hardscaping experience. He holds both ICPI and Segmental Wall certifications, and takes pride in his technical skills and attention to detail on every project.
Tim's interest in the green industry began early, inspired by time spent gardening with his grandmother when he was just 10 years old. Today, he enjoys the variety of being outdoors and exploring new job sites—no two days are ever the same.
One of Tim’s favorite projects so far has been the Davis job, and when it comes to tools of the trade, nothing beats a good dead blow mallet. Outside of work, he loves spending time with his daughter and hitting the Bear Fence Trail for a short but rewarding hike.
Michael joined J.W. Townsend Landscapes in October 2023, bringing valuable hands-on experience in construction, carpentry, and masonry to the Installation team. His background gives him a solid foundation for the physical and creative demands of landscaping.
Michael enjoys the active nature of the work—being outside, staying fit, and seeing the results of a job well done.
Outside of work, he keeps the energy high by racing motorcycles and playing drums. His favorite plant is the hydrangea.
Vladimir joined J.W. Townsend Landscapes in August 2023 and brings strong skills and dedication to the Installation team. He has completed hardscape training and takes pride in delivering quality craftsmanship alongside his crew.
For Vladimir, the best part of working in landscaping is being out in nature and doing great work as a team. He finds satisfaction in completing each job with care and precision, striving to make every project the best it can be.
Tanner has been with J.W. Townsend Landscapes since March 2021 and now serves as a Supervisor in the Installation Department. Before stepping into the green industry, he worked as an assistant manager at GameStop and spent time in a T-shirt factory—experiences that taught him the value of teamwork and adaptability.
His journey into landscaping was sparked by memories of the garden he tended with his father growing up. Today, Tanner finds fulfillment in creating something beautiful each day and enjoys the lasting impact of his work on the landscape.
A few of his personal favorites include the High Meadow Manor project, bouldering as a hobby, and the uniquely striking ginkgo tree.
Phil is Vice President and Installation Manager. He attended the University of South Carolina and Virginia Tech. Before joining J.W. Townsend in 1991, Phil worked in the nursery industry assisting with the production of field grown shade trees and ornamentals. Phil is a Certified Horticulturist with the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association, a Licensed Commercial Pesticide Applicator and a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. Phil enjoys hunting, fishing and competitive shooting.
Dakota grew up in the beautiful hills of Earlysville Virginia. A graduate of Albemarle High School, Dakota joined JWT in 2011 as a planting assistant. Since then, Dakota has thrived as a member of the meadow installation team as well as many other garden installation projects and recently became a VNLA certified horticulturist. In his spare time, Dakota enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his beautiful wife.
Brian has been bringing expert knowledge to our Meadows department since February of 2020. With a Masters of Natural Resources from Virginia Tech, Permaculture Design Certification, and Commercial Applicator Certification he is an indispensable part of the JWT team! Fun fact: he was also a CH-47 helicopter pilot in the Army.
Marcus joined J.W. Townsend in 2006 and has been a Foreman for nearly that long. When he is not installing beautiful landscapes enjoys fishing, hunting, raising hunting dogs, and spending time with his family.
Sally was born in New York, raised in Connecticut, and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her passion for gardening led her to become a Master Gardener, and she has since achieved my Advanced Master Gardener certification at UConn.
Sally’s passion for event design is deeply intertwined with her love for gardening. She enjoys creating beautiful "decor'scapes" both indoors and outdoors, using a variety of elements such as trees, perennials, shrubs, annuals, and houseplants. The combination of these elements allows her to craft unique environments that reflect the beauty of nature while enhancing the overall aesthetic of any event or space. It’s truly a joy for her to transform spaces into lush, inviting areas where people can connect and enjoy.
Mike joined JWT in 2001 after studying horticulture at Piedmont Community College. In addition to his years of experience working at JWT, he is a Virginia Certified Horticulturalist, Certified Pesticide Applicator and holds a Virginia CDL class license. When he's not installing award winning landscapes, Mike enjoys hiking, target shooting and cooking BBQ.
Luke Puglia manages the Garden Maintenance department at JW Townsend Landscapes. He is originally from the Philadelphia area and is a Penn State graduate with a B. S. in Horticulture. He has over 20 years of experience in the green industry working as a garden center assistant, grower, plant buyer, and landscaper. He is a VNLA certified horticulturist, commercial pesticide applicator, and a certified arborist. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, hiking, and cooking with his wife and two children. Luke has been with company since 2014.
Sarah joined our team in the summer of 2020 and brought with her an Associates Degree of Science from PVCC. She is a registered pesticides applicator and VNLA Certified Horticulturalist.
William (Todd) has a B. S. degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech. He is a VNLA Certified Horticulturist and is a pesticide applicator. He joined J. W. Townsend, Inc. in March 2006. Earlier in his career, he owned a nursery as well as a landscape construction company that specialized in patios, walkways, and water features. He is a great cook, and also enjoys spending time with his family, running, hiking, and woodworking.
Trevor joined our team in March of 2017. He studied at PVCC, is a registered pesticides technician, and a VNLA certified horticulturist. Since joining J.W.T., he's held positions as Head Gardener in our HotPots and Residential divisions.
Rollin was born and raised in Indiana. He joined J.W. Townsend in 2013 and quickly became a VNLA certified horticulturist. Outside of work, he enjoys watching sports with friends and playing music. He also loves to travel and has a goal of visiting all 50 states!
Thomas joined J.W.T. in the fall of 2016. He studied horticulture and landscape design at PVCC, has over 20 years of landscaping experience, is a VNLA certified horticulturalist, registered pesticide technician, and received a certificate in the principles of turfgrass management from the University of Georgia.
Todd joined J. W. Townsend Landscapes in November 2018. He has a B. S. degree from Concord University and is a Registered Pesticide Technician. He has been installing landscapes since 2014 and has a background in design and nursery management. Todd enjoys listening to music and going to concerts when he's not creating beautiful landscapes.
Kevin has been working with JWT since 2019, bringing his Associate's Degree in Science from PVCC, VNLA, and registered pesticide technician status to our team!
Sierra started on with our Fine Gardening team in June of 2022. She graduated from Randolph-Macon with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies & Environmental Studies, and spent two summers out west living and working in national parks. She now holds a VNLA and Pesticide Applicator License.
Kelso joined our team in 2019 with an associate's degree from PVCC and has since gained his VNLA and 6 years of hands-on landscaping experience. He is a registered pesticide technician and applicator. In his free time, he collects and restores tools ranging from chainsaws to hand drills and everything in between.
Julia joined J.W. Townsend Landscapes in April 2024 after earning her B.S. in Landscape Horticulture and Design from Virginia Tech in 2023. She also holds minors in Viticulture and Urban Forestry and gained hands-on experience maintaining historic gardens with Colonial Williamsburg.
Her love for the outdoors began early—when she was a little girl, her parents often took her to Maymont, where the Italian and Japanese gardens sparked a fascination that still shapes her work today. Those gardens "enchanted me,” she says, “and I'm still enchanted... well into my twenties!”
Julia is a certified Pesticide Applicator Technician and enjoys both the immediate and long-term rewards of landscaping. She’s passionate about continually learning and creating beautiful outdoor spaces for others to enjoy.
Fun fact: Julia spent her college summers as a whitewater raft guide on the Ocoee River.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking—her favorite trail is Rock Castle Gorge Loop near her alma mater in Southwest Virginia. Her favorite plants include bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) and American elm (Ulmus americana).
Sarah joined JWT in May 2022, bringing with her a lifelong love of plants and hands-on experience from working in a garden center. She's a certified pesticide technician and a VNLA Certified Horticulturalist. She credits her plant-loving sister—who studied at Virginia Tech—as the spark that led her into the green industry.
As Head Gardener, Sarah’s favorite part of the job is the joy of bringing home extra cut flowers and getting to work on some truly stunning properties. When she’s not gardening, you might find her by the river, out in the rain, or enjoying a horror movie.
Katie grew up in Staunton, Virginia, and traveled to Ecuador, Australia, and Thailand after graduating high school. She worked at Crosby Crest Farm for the past six years, where she developed her passion for all things plants. She is currently working on her VNLA certification and expects to have it within the year.
A graduate of Charlottesville High School, Donnell has been working with JW Townsend Landscape since May of 2017 with a Certified Petisides license. He also makes the best cheesecake at JWT!
Jen joined our team in the summer of 2021 as a lifetime gardener and nurturer of nature. She holds both a pesticides certification and the VNLA certification, and hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2014!
Tate started with us in the summer of 2017 and is a VNLA-VCH certified horticulturalist, ISA certified arborist, and licensed pesticide & fertilizer applicator, and passionate home gardener.
Gerard was raised in Poland before moving to the U.S. in the late 80's. Having the privilege to see both sides of the world allowed him much insight into how beautiful it is outdoors. Gerard found his true passion when he joined JWT as a horticulturalist in 2012. He enjoys the seemingly endless task of garden planning and loves inspiring people to get outdoors and enjoy nature!