The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities is led by the State Board of Directors. This group provides legal and fiduciary oversight, approving the budget, setting the strategic direction, and providing supervision and direction for the executive. State Board committees include Development and Marketing, Finance, and Governance.
VCIC’s chapters are local advisory committees based in Lynchburg, Peninsula, Richmond, and Tidewater. Learn More …
STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The State Board of Directors provides primary oversight of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities. These individuals volunteer their time, talent and expertise to lead the organization. Current members are:
Chair
Lisa M. Hicks-Thomas
Dominion Energy
Vice Chair
Hadeel M. Abouhasira
William Mullen
Secretary
Ashby C. Kilgore
Newport News Public Schools, Retired
Treasurer
Joycelyn Spight Roache
Old Point Financial Corporation
Immediate Past Chair
J. Benjamin English
Hirschler
Members
Karla Almendarez-Ramos
City of Richmond
Charlie C. Boyd, Jr.
BWX Technologies, Inc.
M. Imad Damaj
Islamic Center of Virginia
Miriam R. Davidow
Community Volunteer
ReNeé S. Dunman
Old Dominion University, Retired
Mekbib L. Gemeda
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Jodi K. Gillette
Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation, Inc.
Douglas S. Jones
Fahrenheit Advisors
Jill A. McCormick
The Cabell Foundation & Jackson Foundation
Vivian M. Oden
Hampton Roads Community Foundation
Elizabeth M. Panilaitis
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Cameron D. Patterson
Robert Russa Moton Museum
Quan T. Schneider
Altria
Baljit S. Sidhu
Sikh Association of Central Virginia, Inc.
Aaron D. Smith
University of Lynchburg
Melvyn Smith, Jr.
Genworth
James R. Spencer
U.S. District Court, Retired
Kelly A. C. Stuart
Bon Secours Mercy Health System
Alexis N. Swann
TowneBank
Chris S. Zambas
Community Volunteer
Emeritus
David D. Burhans
University of Richmond, Retired
LOCAL CHAPTER MEMBERS
Local chapter members are the “eyes and ears” of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, identifying program opportunities, supporting the Humanitarian Awards Dinners by securing chairs, selecting honorees, and selling tables, and making sure that VCIC is well-connected in the communities we serve.
The Lynchburg Chapter of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities provides direction and support with a particular focus on the greater Lynchburg community. In addition to planning the annual Lynchburg Humanitarian Awards Dinner, the local chapter supports the organization’s programming and outreach efforts. Current officers and members are:
Chair
Jodi K. Gillette
Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation, Inc.
Vice Chair
Shanda K. Horner
Community Volunteer
Secretary
Gloria T. Witt
Define Success Coaching and Facilitation Services, LLC
Immediate Past Chair
James W. Wright
Genworth Financial
Members
Dori Baker
Author & Speaker
Charlie C. Boyd, Jr.
BWX Technologies, Inc.
Robert L. Canida, II
University of Lynchburg
Ally D. Davis
Liberty University
Bert Dodson, Jr.
Dodson Pest Control
Crystal M. Edwards
Lynchburg City Schools
Tina Garrett-Ragland
Pacific Life Insurance
Jacquie Glanz
Lynchburg Academy of Medicine
Ellen S. Gross
Central Virginia Community College, Retired
Hermina W. Hendricks
Randolph College
John H. Hughes, IV
City of Lynchburg
Sabita Manian
University of Lynchburg
Nathaniel X. Marshall
BWX Technologies, Inc.
Muriel B. Mickles
Central Virginia Community College
Jamille Moreland
Goodwill Industries of the Valley
John R. Nimon
Agudath Sholom Congregation
Kathryn M. Pumphrey
Centra Foundation, Retired
Dennis S. Roberts
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Lila A. Rosenthal
Community Volunteer
Marjette G. Upshur
City of Lynchburg Office of Economic Development
Charles B. White
Pettyjohn, Wood & White, Inc.
Sterling A. Wilder
Jubilee Family Development Center
Denise P. Woernle
Framatome Inc.
The Peninsula Chapter of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities provides direction and support with a particular focus on the greater Peninsula community. In addition to planning the annual Peninsula Humanitarian Awards Dinner, the local chapter supports the organization’s programming and outreach efforts. Current officers and members are:
Chair
Eugene M. Jordan, II
Old Point Trust
Vice Chair
Nhu Q. Yeargin
Yeargin Landscape Services, Inc.
Secretary
Tracy S. Brooks
Newport News Public Schools
Immediate Past Chair
Donna E. Woods
Hampton City Schools, Retired
Members
Marika E. Anthony
Educator, Retired
Hugh J. Barlow
Brown, Edwards & Company, L.L.P.
Golden H. Bethune-Hill
The Community Free Clinic of Newport News
Valerie C. Butler
Realtor
George Chioros
Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church
M. Denise Counce
TowneBank
W. Vidal Dickerson
Christopher Newport University
Lewis J. Fisher
Huntington Ingalls/Newport News Shipbuilding
W. Fanchon Glover
College of William & Mary
Norma B. Harvey
Hampton University
Patricia A. Heath
Patty Heath Insurance Agency
Naved A. Jafri
Mid-Atlantic Women’s Care
Wayne D. Lett
Newport News Public Schools, Retired
Guy G. Levy
Levy Dental Group
Kris Rarig
Thomas Nelson Community College
Don Roberts
WAVY-TV 10
Robert G. Saunders
Newport News General District Court
Ward Scull, III
Virginia Transfer & Storage Co.
David A. Seeley
Beth Moore & Associates, CPAs
Jeffery O. Smith
Hampton City Schools
Edith G. White
Hampton Roads Community Action Program
Chris S. Zambas
Community Volunteer
The Richmond Chapter of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities provides direction and support with a particular focus on the greater Richmond community. In addition to planning the annual Richmond Humanitarian Awards Dinner, the local chapter supports the organization’s programming and outreach efforts. Current officers and members are:
Chair
Dwight Jones
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Vice Chair
Lesley H. Bruno
Dominion Payroll
Secretary
Sharon Amoss
InnerWill Leadership Institute
Immediate Past Chair
Richard L. Thalhimer
Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer, Inc.
Members
George P. Braxton
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Lynn Clayton-Prince
Powhatan County Public Schools
Miriam R. Davidow
Community Volunteer
Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick
Department of Criminal Justice Services
Hollee R. Freeman
MathScience Innovation Center
Ghazala F. Hashmi
Community Volunteer
D. Mason Lecky
St. Christopher’s School
Claritza D. Leffel
CarMax
Erin Lessin Mahone
#IfYouCouldSeeMe: Stories for Change
Gary A. Mance
Wells Fargo Bank, Retired
Steven T. McCarther
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Jo S. Murphy
Virginia Commonwealth University
John G. Myers, Jr.
Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer, Inc., Retired
May Nivar
Altria
Ida M. Pierce
Markel Corporation
Patricia W. Plaisted
Community Volunteer
Thomas M. Prest
The Country Club of Virginia
Cristina Domínguez Ramírez
Henrico County Public Library
Thomas Rayner
Anthem Virginia HealthKeepers
Mona Hafeez Siddiqui
Virginia Office of the Attorney General
The Tidewater Chapter of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities provides direction and support with a particular focus on the South Hampton Roads community. In addition to planning the annual Tidewater Humanitarian Awards Dinner, the local chapter supports the organization’s programming and outreach efforts. Current officers and members are:
Chair
Sara Jo Rubin
Rubin Communications Group
Vice Chair
Melvin T. Blackwell
Little Zion Baptist Church
Secretary
Robin A. Mancoll
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
Members
Natalie Allen
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
Vonya P. Alleyne
Cox Communications
Yvonne T. Allmond
TowneBank
Valerie K. Brown
The Mount Global Fellowship of Churches
Albert G. Butzer, III
First Presbyterian Church, Retired
Esther M. Diskin
Norfolk Academy
Somya Dwivedi-Burks
Somya trains, LLC
Bernard I. Einhorn
Community Volunteer
S. Annette Finley-Croswhite
Old Dominion University
Christopher S. Garran
Cape Henry Collegiate
Delores “Dee-Dee” Gee
Real Estate Information Network, Inc.
Kelly T. Jackson
Virginia Wesleyan University
Mark A. Johnson
SunTrust Bank
Elsie Harold Lans
Baron Communications, Inc.
Barbara Hamm Lee
Sharing Info, LLC
Eleanor L. Lipkin
Community Volunteer
Jennifer L. Mangus
Dominion Energy
Saher Mirza
Community Volunteer
Jeanne B. Natali
Tidewater Community College
Rilley Alvin V. Ramos
Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C.
Philip C. Sherrill
Norfolk State University
Yuanjun E. Song
Community Volunteer
Cecelia T. Tucker
Old Dominion University
Cole Werkheiser
Pembroke Realty Group
Gregory S. Zittrain
Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management
Nominate a Board/Chapter Member
You may nominate a prospective member for VCIC’s State Board or one of the chapters at any time. Nominees are reviewed each spring by the officers of the Board and Chapters. Those who are invited to be new members serve 3-year terms beginning on July 1 of each year. Contact Jonathan Zur, President & CEO, with questions.
