STEM Career Panel – Luray-Page County Center, Jenkins Hall

Emma Rusnak
Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission & Page County, VA
GIS Coordinator

Emma Rusnak is a Warren County native, currently residing in Frederick County. She has a bachelor’s degree in Geography and a minor in Wildlife Conservation from George Mason University & SMSC (Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation).  She has 6 years of GIS and local government experience from working for Warren County and has been with Page County and NSVRC for 3 years. Emma assists local governments within the region with their GIS needs and carries out mapping and data analysis for internal regional projects. She is very passionate about Geography & GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and loves to teach others about its versatility and the ability to do this type of job within your local community. In her free time, she enjoys doing yoga, hiking, gardening and spending time with friends and family.

Nathaniel C. Burke, MS., DVM
Rose Hill Veterinary Clinic
Large Animal Veterinarian

Dr. Burke is a native of Page County Virginia, where he grew up on the family farm raising swine and beef cattle.  After graduating from Page County High School, he became a life-long Hokie, earning his B.S., M.S., and DVM from Virginia Tech in 2011.  As a veterinarian, Nathaniel has worked as an ambulatory large animal clinician in PA, a mixed animal veterinarian in the Shenandoah Valley and as a field veterinarian for the VA Department of Agriculture.  he is married to Dr. Sarah Krall (VMRCVM ’10), who he met in veterinary school, and has a son, Grayson and a daughter, Anna Mae.   Nathaniel enjoys good music, travel, and cuisine, especially when combined with family and friends.  He is a devoted fan of Virginia Tech athletics and has enjoyed seeing his young son bloom into a football fanatic, even in a down year.  He also relishes the chance to spend time fishing and can be found casting a line somewhere on The Shenandoah River or along The Outer Banks whenever time permits.

Dr. William Halling
Valley Eye Clinic
Optometrist

Will Halling grew up in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Brigham Young University, where he discovered his passion for optometry. He went on to graduate with his Doctorate in Optometry and Masters in Vision Science from The Ohio State University in 2025. He moved to Luray, Virginia with his wife, Halie, in November 2025 to work with Dr. Deibert at The Valley Eye Clinic.

Joye Gibson
Shimadzu
Strategic Customer Advocate and Sales Professional

Joey is an experienced Analytical Scientist with a demonstrated history of applying analytical skill set in various industries including toxicology, food science, and sales. He is skilled in method development, troubleshooting analytical instrumentation, and bridging the gap between technical solutions and customer needs.

James “Manie” Whiteside
Racey Engineering
Survey Department Manager

Mr. Whiteside is the Survey Department Manager/Field Services Coordinator for Racey Engineering.  He has engineering and surveying experience dating to 2007 when he accepted a permanent position as a Survey Technician with the Company.  Mr. Whiteside specializes in the management of our construction survey services and also supports functions for surveying and preliminary engineering design projects. His primary focus is on Public and Private Development and Infrastructure Projects throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.