Learn
Friends of the Verde River is proud to honor Anne Buzzard, Jennifer Diffley, and Marie Yamada-Low with the Boots on the Bank Heron Award for their individual contributions to our mission. Each of these remarkable women has brought unique skills, talents, and expertise to help keep the Verde River healthy for future generations.
About Anne Buzzard
Anne Buzzard is a recent resident of the Verde Valley, though she has been hiking and biking the area since 1974 when she moved to Flagstaff to attend NAU. Anne earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from NAU. After working for the City of Flagstaff as Recreation Superintendent, she returned to campus as an employee assuming administrative positions in distance education, marketing, and development.
She hopes to see Friends of the Verde River capitalize on the momentum it’s building to sustain the beautiful environments only flowing water can create. Friends of the Verde River has made huge impacts, but to continue moving forward, community support is essential. Anne hopes to see Friend’s philanthropic base increase every year.
Anne also serves on the Yavapai County Bicycle Advisory Committee. She and her husband Mark enjoy recreating in the Verde Valley with their five granddaughters. She likes to mountain bike, road bike, hike, and play her ukulele. Anne hopes to become a more proficient kayaker now that she lives close to the wild flows of the Verde River.
About Jennifer Diffley
Jennifer Diffley is a junior partner in Culp & Kelly, LLP, where she practices in the areas of water and natural resources law, providing support to a variety of nonprofit, government, and investment clients on environmental issues and water policy. Her work focuses on water scarcity issues in the Western United States, groundwater regulation, environmental impact investing, and providing legal support for conservation and ecosystem management projects.
About Marie Yamada-Low
Marie, a fourth-generation Japanese American and resident of Arizona since 2005, is married to Jeff Low. She actively engages with the Town of Camp Verde and supports community initiatives, attending Town Council meetings and events, emphasizing local involvement. Marie brings over 30 years of financial services experience, including banking, credit unions, investments, and collections. Past experience includes Executive Assistant and Business Owner. Currently, she is Client Relations for LPL Financial at Credit Union West.
Marie serves on the Board of Directors for Verde Cliffs HOA (The Views Community), holding roles such as Treasurer, Architectural Review Board Committee Member, and Landscaping Committee Chairman. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Kiwanis Club of Camp Verde as their Public Relations and Marketing Chairman.
Beyond work, Marie enjoys culinary arts, horticulture, outdoor adventures, motorcycling, Scottish Terrier companionship, and auction enthusiasm, especially silent and live auctions.
These three women exemplify dedication, expertise, and passion for the Verde River and the communities it sustains. Their service as members of our Board of Directors has been invaluable, and the Boots on the Bank Heron Award recognizes their extraordinary contributions.
The Heron Awards
Each Heron Award is a beautiful, glass-blown work of art crafted by local artists at The Melting Point. These one-of-a-kind pieces symbolize our deep appreciation for those who help Friends of the Verde River protect and restore one of the Southwest’s last free-flowing rivers. They embody creativity, dedication, and the river’s enduring resilience.
We also take great pride in recognizing our partners and supporters during our annual gala, Fiesta de la Garza, where the community comes together to celebrate the people who make our work possible.
