Leeah Sutton

Leeah grew up in the valleys of East Tennessee. As a first-generation student, she graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology. While at university, she participated in multiple sustainability organizations, minored in Environmental Health, and conducted undergraduate research on Roan Mountain, TN/NC as an honor’s student. During summer breaks, she served as an intern for the Kingsport Water Department and the University of Tennessee’s Extension Program, where she learned about water quality, stream anatomy, riparian buffers, water infrastructure, and best management practices for protecting water resources. 

After graduation, she held a brief position in the private sector of environmental science but felt that nonprofit organizations, specifically AmeriCorps’ American Conservation Experience, were more in line with her personal values. The hands-on conservation service was rewarding, and she quickly realized she wanted to continue working for AmeriCorps. She jumped at the opportunity to serve with AmeriCorps’ Conserving Carolina host site, RiverLink.

The Appalachian mountains have been the backdrop to Leeah’s life from kayaking down the Holston river to hiking up Chimney Rock, and she couldn’t imagine a better place to serve or a better community to be a part of. She is extremely grateful for the opportunity to positively impact the French Broad watershed communities through RiverLink’s equitable education programs and to learn more about the region.