Nick Williams was born May 6, 1969, in Chatom, Alabama, where he has made his home. He graduated from Washington County High School in 1987 and served in the U.S, Navy from 1987-1995, during which time he was stationed in Kamisya, Japan; Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico; and Pensacola, Florida.

Nick spent well over 20 years in the Information Technology field and served in the Alabama House of Representatives, representing District 65 from 2005-2006. Nick was elected Washington County Probate Judge in 2012 and was re-elected in 2018.

Nick is the Chairman of the Ala-Tom RC&D Council, based in Thomasville, which serves nine Southwest Alabama counties, Chairman of the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of RC&D Councils.

Nick earned a Bachelor’s in Theology from Southwestern Assemblies of God University, a MBA from Liberty University and an Executive Certificate in Business Administration from Liberty University.

Katie Conner is the Executive Director for the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils. She began working for RC&D in 2013 as the Office Manager for the Tombigbee RC&D Council and was hired as the Operations Manager for the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils in 2015. She was hired as the Executive Director in the spring of 2022.

Katie is from Trussville, Alabama, and graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Alabama in 2012. It was there that she completed her degree in Communication with a concentration in Media Production and a minor in General Business. She went on to receive her Undergraduate Certificate in Accountancy in 2017, and her Master’s Degree in Accountancy in 2020 from Auburn University. She has aspirations of one day completing a Doctoral Degree.

Katie serves as the Secretary-Treasurer and workshop facilitator for Your Town Alabama. She is also involved in the Junior League of Montgomery where she is the Co-Treasurer for Market 1926, a fundraiser within the Junior League.

Katie and her husband Caleb live in Montgomery with their two sweet dogs, Maggie and Bailey. She loves spending time with friends and family and finding outlets for creativity.

Craig Sizemore serves as the President of the Southeastern Association of RC&D Councils, a board member for Alabama Association of RC&D Councils, and the Vice Chairman for the Tombigbee RC&D Council. He has been influential and a major player in leading RC&D.

Craig has been a steadfast volunteer in his home community, county and the state of Alabama for over twenty years. He attends all RC&D meetings and trainings and readily shares his knowledge of the RC&D program.  He is a proven leader and works tirelessly to promote the benefits of RC&D and in cultivating partnerships with legislators and other organizations that are an integral part of what RC&D programs are all about.

Craig owns and operates Fairview Farms, a successful registered Angus farm.  He is the managing partner of Sizemore and Sizemore Farms, a 720 acre timber operation that has been owned and operated by his family since the early 1800’s. The farm has been the site of several forestry events over the years, including Forestry Field Day. The partnership has been a TREASURE Forest Landowner since 1987, and has been awarded the Helene Mosley Memorial Treasure Forest Award in District 1 in 1993. Craig also owns and operates Sizemore Insurance Agency, located in Sulligent, Alabama, which was begun in 1913 by his grandfather.

Craig and his wife, Beverly have two daughters, April and Autumn. 

William A. Hodge serves as the current president of the National Association of RC&D Councils. He also serves on the Executive Board for the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils and is a member of the Mid-South RC&D Council in Montgomery, Alabama.

He is the Directory of County Operations for Federal and State Resources for the Cooperative Extension Program at Tuskegee University. He is currently a member of the National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP) Leadership Team, Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Alabama Food and Agriculture Council, State Emergency Board (Alabama) and the Southern Region Leadership for Middle Managers in Cooperative Extension.

William is also the chair of the Union Springs Housing Authority and is the chair of the Bullock County Healthcare Authority. He is a member of the St. John AME Church where he serves on the Board of Trustees.

Noopie Cosby was born in Selma, Alabama, and graduated from Albert G. Parish High School. After graduation, Noopie attended Marion Military Institute Junior College, where he played football and acquired his associate’s degree. He then went on to further his education at Livingston University, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Education. Noopie applied his degree at Thomasville High School, where he was a social studies teacher and football coach from 1974-1976. In 1978, at the age of 29, Noopie was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives and served there until 1994. While serving in the legislature, he also owned and operated Cosby Ice Company from 1989-2014. Currently, Noopie serves as president of the Cosby Company, dealing with Government Affairs and Public Relations, a position he has held since 1994.

Noopie is married to the former Susan Maddox from Enterprise. They are the parents of five children and seven grandchildren. The Cosbys attend First Baptist Church and Noopie likes Alabama football, visiting “The Country”, and Quail hunting, which he admits to being an awful shot.

Chris Langley grew up 12 miles northwest of LaFayette, AL On his family farm in Chambers County. He is a fifth-generation farmer. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have been married for 29 years and have four children and three grandchildren who also live on the farm.

Chris and his family attend Rock Spring Baptist Church where he serves as a deacon.

Chris has been self-employed for 44 years. He owns and operates Chris Langley Timer & Management, Inc. and also runs a cattle business consisting of commercial and Angus cows.

Chris is a lifetime member of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association where he served as president in 2019 and was named into the Livestock Hall of Fame and ACA “Personality of the Year” in 2020. His family was named “Outstanding Young Farm Family” in 1996 along with “Farm of Distinction” in 2017 by Alfa. In that same year, the Langley family was named Alabama Angus Family of the Year.

Chis has served on the Chambers County Farmers Federation for more than 25 years where he also served as president in 2021 and 2022.

Chris was named Alabama’s 2017 “Outstanding Logger of the Year” by the Alabama Loggers Council and has been a member of the Alabama Forestry Association and the American Loggers Council for many years. His timber has been certified as an American Tree Farm since 2001.

In 2020, Chris was appointed to by Governor Kay Ivey to serve a five-year term on the Alabama Forestry Commission. Presently, he serves as Vice-Chairman of the Alabama Forestry Commissioners.

Chris served as past chairman of the Chambers County Soil and Water and continues to serve on its board. In addition, he served as past chairman of the Coosa Valley RC&D Council and is now serving as treasurer. In November 2022, he was elected president of the Alabama Association of Conservation Districts.

Dr. Puckett has more than three decades of experience in soil and water conservation. Puckett currently serves as the Executive Director of Alabama’s Soil and Water Conservation Committee (SWCC) where he leads 67 conservation districts in a statewide effort to implement locally-led conservation priorities. He also provides leadership for the Alabama Agricultural Conservation and Development Commission. The Commission provides cost-share for installation of conservation practices.

Prior to taking on this role with SWCC, he served as State Conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama for six years. Before coming to Alabama, Dr. Puckett was the NRCS Deputy Chief for Science and Technology and Soil Survey and Resource Assessment in Washington, D.C. He was also Director of the NRCS Soil Quality Institute. Dr. Puckett is known for his proactive approach, can-do attitude, and building effective partnerships with a host of organizations and agencies committed to soil and water conservation and the wise stewardship of Alabama’s natural resources.

Mike Roden has acquired thirty-three years of experience working in resource conservation and development. He was affiliated with Alabama’s Mountains, Rivers, and Valleys RC&D Council from 1989 to 2020, first serving twenty-two years as the Coordinator under the Natural Resources Conservation Service and then as the Executive Director for nine years. His involvement in RC&D does not end there. From 2011-2022, Mike served as the Executive Director of the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils.

During his tenure with RC&D, Mike has been involved at the national, regional, state, and local levels. Due to his passion and commitment, the RC&D program has grown and developed into the program it is today. He has introduced many innovative concepts that have spread across Alabama and surrounding states. A few of these include animal waste nutrient recycling, poultry litter relocation, on-site sewage wetlands for rural businesses, and small farmer rainwater collection. In addition, he played an integral part in establishing the WaterWorks Center for Environmental Education under the AMRV RC&D Council and is the author of three children’s environmental education coloring books.

Mike has received numerous awards including the National USDA-NRCS Civil Rights Award, the National Association of RC&D Councils Coordinator of the Year Award and has been inducted into the Hall of Fame for the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils and the Southeastern Association of RC&D Councils.

Mike currently serves as the At-Large Board Member and Non-Profit Specialist for the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils.

Vickie Watkins is retired from Wall Street Water Authority, a Public Utility where she was the Office manager for over 15 years and still maintains her Grade II ADEM Water operator certification.  She also worked with the Macon County Revenue Commissioner as an administrative assistant for over 11 years before leaving her job to raise her family.  She is a small business owner of Whippoorwill Vineyards among other things and was appointed to serve on the Alabama Small Business Council. Whippoorwill Vineyards is located in Notasulga, Alabama where she and her family work together to farm a 17-acre vineyard, produce wine from the vineyard and sale to the public at their tasting room.  She has worked tirelessly for years to improve the wine industry and Agritourism for the State of Alabama.   

She loves her farm community with the Tallapoosa County Farmers Federation and continues to serve as their Administrative Assistant and Farm City Co-Chair.  She serves as Vice-Chair on the Mid South Resource Conservation and Development Council as a Macon County Soil and Water representative to promote economic, natural and social resources in ways that improve the area’s economy, environment and quality of life.  She is a member of Liberty City Methodist Church and serves on the finance committee and is a member of the Women’s Committee for Macon and Tallapoosa Counties.  Vickie now continues her work in conservation and her passion to help small farmers and landowners in the position of Executive Director for the Alabama Association of Conservation Districts.