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
Ashby C. Kilgore
Newport News Public Schools, Retired
Secretary
Mekbib L. Gemeda
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Treasurer
Joycelyn Spight Roache
Old Point Financial Corporation
Immediate Past Chair
J. Benjamin English
Hirschler
Members
Karla Almendarez-Ramos
City of Richmond
Dana C. Beckton
Sentara Healthcare
Charlie C. Boyd, Jr.
BWX Technologies, Inc.
M. Imad Damaj
Islamic Center of Virginia
Miriam R. Davidow
Community Volunteer
Jodi K. Gillette
Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation, Inc.
Douglas S. Jones
Fahrenheit Advisors
Jill A. McCormick
The Jackson Foundation
Vivian M. Oden
Hampton Roads Community Foundation
Paula P. Pando
Reynolds Community College
Elizabeth M. Panilaitis
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Cameron D. Patterson
Robert Russa Moton Museum
Bimaljit S. Sandhu
Richmond Gastroenterology Associates
Quan T. Schneider
Altria
Baljit S. Sidhu
Sikh Association of Central Virginia, Inc.
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
Nhu Q. Yeargin
YLS Inc. Landscape Contractor
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
Shanda K. Horner
Community Volunteer
Vice Chair
Gloria T. Witt
Define Success Coaching and Facilitation Services, LLC
Secretary
Dennis S. Roberts
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Immediate Past Chair
Jodi K. Gillette
Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation, Inc.
Members
Dori Baker
Author & Speaker
Terre Balof
First Unitarian Church of Lynchburg
Robert L. Canida, II
University of Lynchburg
Ally D. Davis
Liberty University
Robert S. Dendy, Jr.
Community Volunteer
Bert Dodson, Jr.
Dodson Pest Control
Crystal M. Edwards
Lynchburg City Schools
Tina Garrett-Ragland
Pacific Life Insurance
Jacquie Glanz
Lynchburg Academy of Medicine
Hermina W. Hendricks
Randolph College
Jennifer B. Huffman
Atlantic Union Bank
John H. Hughes, IV
City of Lynchburg
Jennifer Light
Boonsboro Country Club
Sabita Manian
University of Lynchburg
Nathaniel X. Marshall
BWX Technologies, Inc.
Justin E. Mercer, Sr.
Aya Healthcare
Muriel B. Mickles
Danville Community College
Jamille Moreland
Community Volunteer
Kathryn M. Pumphrey
Centra Foundation, Retired
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.
James W. Wright
Community Volunteer
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
YLS Inc. Landscape Contractor
Secretary
Tracy S. Brooks
Newport News Public Schools
Immediate Past Chair
Donna E. Woods
Hampton City Schools, Retired
Members
Marika E. Anthony
Educator, Retired
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
Joshua M. David
David, Kamp & Frank, L.L.C.
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
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
Joseph Steele
The Shops at Carolina Furniture of Williamsburg
Edith G. White
Hampton Roads Community Action Program
Chris S. Zambas
Community Volunteer
Emeritus
Wayne D. Lett
Newport News Public Schools, Retired
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
Lesley H. Bruno
Dominion Payroll
Vice Chair
Sharon Amoss
InnerWill Leadership Institute
Secretary
Ida M. Pierce
Capital One
Immediate Past Chair
Dwight Jones
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Members
Candace A. Blydenburgh
McGuireWoods LLP
George P. Braxton
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Lynn Clayton-Prince
Powhatan County Public Schools
Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick
Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) of Virginia, Inc.
Hollee R. Freeman
MathScience Innovation Center
Ghazala F. Hashmi
Community Volunteer
D. Mason Lecky
St. Christopher’s School
Claritza D. Leffel
CarMax
Gary A. Mance
Wells Fargo Bank, Retired
Jennifer L. Mangus
Dominion Energy
Steven T. McCarther
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
John G. Myers, Jr.
Community Volunteer
May Nivar
Altria
Thomas M. Prest
Community Volunteer
Cristina Domínguez Ramírez
Henrico County Public Library
Thomas Rayner
Anthem Virginia HealthKeepers
Mona Hafeez Siddiqui
Community Volunteer
Richard L. Thalhimer
Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer, Inc.
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
Melvin T. Blackwell
Little Zion Baptist Church
Vice Chair
Robin A. Mancoll
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
Secretary
Delores D. (Gee) Teklu
Booz Allen Hamilton
Immediate Past Chair
Sara Jo Rubin
Rubin Communications Group
Members
Natalie Allen
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
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
S. Annette Finley-Croswhite
Old Dominion University
Christopher S. Garran
Cape Henry Collegiate
Matthew R. Hull
Pender & Coward, P.C.
Kelly T. Jackson
Virginia Wesleyan University
Travis T. Judkins
Team Judkins Enterprises LLC
Elsie Harold Lans
Cape Henry Collegiate
Barbara Hamm Lee
Sharing Info, LLC
Saher Mirza
Community Volunteer
Stacy E. K. Nixon
Norfolk Collegiate School
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
Emeritus
Bernard I. Einhorn
Community Volunteer
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.
Contact VCIC at contact@inclusiveVA.org if you encounter an issue with the form.


