Emily has been with Cedarfield since August 2022 and enthusiastically shares what makes the community the "Cadillac" of Richmond senior living. Before her time at Cedarfield, Emily worked in marketing for nonprofits in the creative arts, most notably Signature Theatre, a Tony Award-winning theater company in Washington, DC. Emily lives in Richmond with her husband, their dog Lolly and the seven chickens that came with their house.

Enjoy Veterans Day!

A native of a small historic courthouse town outside of Cleveland, Ohio, Julie Langan fell in love with Virginia while pursuing an MA degree in Architectural History at UVA. At the time of her graduation, preservation jobs were scarce, so she launched her career in Arkansas. As the only architectural historian in the state historic preservation office (SHPO), she was exposed to the full range of the state and federal preservation programs and was named Acting SHPO by then Governor Bill Clinton. After five years, an opportunity at the Department of Historic Resources (DHR) was too enticing to pass up and she returned to Virginia.

Julie’s 26 years at DHR was interrupted by a 10-year stint in Cleveland where she held leadership positions with a regional nonprofit and founded and directed a local organization. She returned to DHR in 2007 with the intent to finish out her career in Virginia. First appointed Director in 2014,  Julie has served four Governors.  She is passionate about historic architecture and the impact of preservation on the economy and a community’s sense of place.

Our Annual Fundraiser. This year we are raising funds for ChildSavers and Henrico CASA and join our Kiwanis members of the Tuckahoe Club.

Tom Barkin is the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. He has held this position since 2018.

Tom serves as a voting member on the Fed’s chief monetary policy body, the Federal Open Market Committee, and is also responsible for the Richmond Fed’s bank supervision and the Federal Reserve’s technology organization. He is “on the ground” continually in the Fed’s Fifth District, which covers South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, D.C., West Virginia and Maryland. His engagement in the region has brought real attention to areas facing economic challenges.

 Prior to joining the Richmond Fed, Tom was a senior partner and CFO at McKinsey & Company, a worldwide management consulting firm, where he also oversaw McKinsey’s offices in the southern United States.

Tom earned his bachelor’s, MBA and law degrees from Harvard University.

Jeff E. Schapiro, politics columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, has covered campaigns and government in Virginia for nearly 45 years.

He was the State Capitol reporter for United Press International and Virginia Business magazine before joining the Times-Dispatch in 1987.

His column appears in the Times-Dispatch and many of its sibling newspapers across the state twice a week. Schapiro’s video column is posted Tuesdays on the Times-Dispatch website, timesdispatch.com. He can be followed on X, formerly Twitter, and Facebook.

A native of New York City – and the husband of Clare Osdene Schapiro, food columnist for the Times-Dispatch lifestyles magazine, En Forme  – Schapiro has been honored by the Virginia Press Association for his coverage of politics and policy.

 Schapiro, who was graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor’s degree in history, is also an inductee of the Virginia Commonwealth University Mass Communications Hall of Fame and the Virginia Capitol Correspondents Association Hall of Fame.

Jason Kamras currently serves as the Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools (RPS). Mr. Kamras views public education as a means of promoting equity and justice for all children in the United States. In his various roles, he has advocated for policies to eliminate the “opportunity gap” that disadvantages many low-income children and children of color, and he has led efforts to dismantle institutionalized racism in public schools. 

Before coming to RPS in 2018, Mr. Kamras served in numerous senior leadership roles at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). In these roles, he led the design and implementation of a number of key initiatives focused on ensuring excellent instruction in every classroom across the district.

Mr. Kamras began his career in education in 1996 as a mathematics teacher at John Philip Sousa Middle School in Washington DC. In 2005, he was named the United States National Teacher of the Year.

Mr. Kamras earned his bachelor's degree from Princeton University and his master's in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

His wife Miwa also works in the field of public education, and he has two sons, both of whom attend RPS.

Dr. John O’Bannon is a lifelong Virginian who has dedicated himself to caring for others. As a child growing up on a farm in Rappahannock County, John helped his family by selling apples at the family fruit stand near Skyline Drive. John O’Bannon’s leadership abilities became apparent during his schooling.  A graduate of Hargrave Military Academy and the University of Richmond, John attended medical school at the Medical College of Virginia (MCV), where he was elected President of the Student Body.  Later, as a resident at MCV, he was elected President of the Housestaff Council, served as Chairman of the Dean’s Advisory Committee, and was named Chief Resident in Neurology.

A well-regarded physician, John O’Bannon is a partner in Neurological Associates, a leading Richmond medical practice.  He has served as Chief of Staff of Henrico Doctors’ Hospital and has served on the Board of Trustees. He has also served 2 terms on the VCU Health System Authority Board, where he chaired the Quality Committee.  His peers have named him one of the “Outstanding Physicians of the Year” in Richmond Magazine’s annual poll.

John O’Bannon is a national leader in improving the medical profession.  A leader in the American Medical Association (AMA), John served on the AMA Delegation from the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) and served as a member of the AMA’s Council for Ethical and Judicial Affairs from 1997 through 2004.  Here in Virginia, John is a past Chairman of the Board of the Richmond Academy of Medicine.  He also served as Chairman of the MSV’s Legislative Committee, where he helped pass the Virginia Patients’ Bill of Rights.

John O’Bannon is a leader in our community.  He is a member of the West Richmond Rotary Club and has served on the Boards of several organizations including The Virginia Home, Virginia War Memorial Foundation, VPAP, Tuckahoe YMCA, Hargrave Military Academy, The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and the Advisory board at the Science Museum of Virginia.   A member of the Henrico County Republican Committee, John has been active in numerous federal, state, and local campaigns.

John served in the House of Delegates of the General Assembly of Virginia for 17 years, serving on JLARC and other commissions. He served on the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, Appropriations Committee and Privileges and Elections Committee. He is currently Chairman of the State Board of Elections.

John and Pat O’Bannon have been married for 51 years and reside in Western Henrico.  Pat O’Bannon is a former public school teacher who served as Henrico County Supervisor for the Tuckahoe District for 28 years, retiring in 2023. The O’Bannon family attends River Road Church, Baptist.  John and Pat have three children, John, Virginia, and Andy, all of whom are graduates of Henrico County Public Schools. They have 5 grandchildren.

September 17 is national Constitution Day, marking 237 years since the Constitution was finalized and sent to the states for ratification. It is little known that America’s founding document could have floundered right here in Richmond, Virginia, during its ratification rounds among the 13 states. “Anti- Rats” and “Pro-Rats” descended on the state capital in June of 1788 for a raucous debate, led by chief “Anti-Rat” Patrick Henry.

Our speaker, Kiwanis member Suzanne Munson Jernigan, has written about the Virginia Ratifying Convention in two of her books--the George Wythe biography, “Jefferson’s Godfather,” and her new book, “First in Law, First in Leadership.”

How “up” are you on the Constitution and American history? Check your recall by taking the test required of all new naturalized citizens via the link below. Bring your score to the meeting on September 16.

Let’s see how well you do. Take one or more practice tests here.

John Reid is the acclaimed host of the morning-drive news talk show on NewsRadio WRVA in Richmond. He is engaged in national politics as a conservative political communications consultant. John has had the privilege of working alongside notable conservative leaders. His roles have included serving as an intern and communications staff assistant in President Reagan's Los Angeles office, communications director for U.S. Senator George Allen, editorial communications chief at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and partner and director of international development at Qorvis Communications.

Enjoy Labor Day!

Claiborne brings over 30 years of experience in business management to Virginia Home for Boys and Girls and has extensive experience as a marketing consultant to for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

She has served on a number of local nonprofit boards including The Children’s Museum of Richmond, The Powell Foundation for Economic Literacy, and Gateway Homes and served as interim CEO of United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg.

Claiborne currently serves on the board of Hanover County’s Community Policy and Management Team (CPMT). She is a member of the Virginia Nonprofit Leadership Council and the Virginia Association of Independent Specialized Education Facilities (VAISEF).

She is Vice President of the Virginia Coalition of Private Provider Associations (VCOPPA) whose mission is to serve as the unified voice for private providers to advocate for a quality system of services for children and families with special needs and challenges. She holds a BA in Economics from Davidson College.

Josie started as READ’s Education Program Manager in March 2023.  She is an experienced educator and program coordinator with a passion for adult education.  She has spent almost 10 years coordinating and teaching ABE, GED®, ESOL, and workforce development courses for students in the metro Richmond area.  She is motivated by connecting with adults and by creating engaging and diverse programs within the community. 

Leadership Training will be conducted in lieu of our regular meeting. Lunch served.

Shelly Barrick Parsons is the Executive Director for Capital Trees.  Shelly is a graduate of Meredith College (Raleigh, NC) and Union Presbyterian Seminary (Richmond, VA).  She was drawn to Capital Trees because of her own love of getting outside to walk,  to reflect, and to connect with neighbors and nature. For Shelly, green spaces build and sustain communities, teach us about our responsibility to be careful stewards of the natural world, and provide space for renewal and wellbeing. 

Before taking over the leadership of Metropolitan Business League, a nonprofit association that supports small, women- and minority-owned businesses in Richmond, Miller worked in human services, education and criminal justice and spent 17 years as director of urban programs for Special Olympics Virginia.

Those seemingly diverse jobs shared one commonality: They all gave him the chance to give back.  “I’ve always wanted to be in a role with the opportunity to serve,” says Miller, a New Kent County native who earned degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia State University. 

Since 2017, Miller has overseen major growth at the MBL, with membership swelling from 150 businesses to more than 900. The league’s operating budget also has grown by 50%, which maximizes its ability to help small businesses, he says. During the pandemic, MBL distributed more than $1 million in critical grants and microloans that helped many local businesses remain afloat.

Kim is a nationally known promoter of social justice who leads Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy’s advocacy, outreach, and development work. She literally wrote the book on faith-based organizing. Kim joined Virginia Interfaith Center in 2016, where she mobilized a historic faith advocacy campaign and played a leadership role in the statewide Healthcare for All Virginians coalition advocating Medicaid expansion, which passed in 2018. Kim moved to Virginia from Chicago, where she founded and served as executive director of Interfaith Worker Justice, the nation’s largest network of people of faith engaging in local and national actions to improve wages, benefits, and conditions for workers. Prior to that, Kim was national organizing director for Bread for the World and an instructor at the Midwest Academy. Born in Cincinnati, Kim has a B.A. in religion from Barnard College and an M.A. in economics from the New School for Social Research.  She was married for 31 years to Stephen Coats, who died unexpectedly in 2013. Their twin sons, Benjamin and Eric, are organizing for economic justice. Kim married David Duvall Orr, a long-time Chicago reform politician in 2017. She is a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, where she sings in the choir. Kim served as the choir director at her previous church for 25 years.

Douglas “Doug” Pick joined Feed More as President and Chief Executive Officer in November 2012. Prior to this role, he spent 12 years as an executive with Capital One in Richmond, where he was highly regarded for his ability to drive complex, corporate-wide change.

Prior to joining Capital One, Pick was a Senior Vice President and Chief Business Information Officer at Central Fidelity. Doug began his career at IBM holding numerous sales, marketing and consulting managerial positions for more than 19 years.

Doug currently serves as the Co-Chair for the VCU Health Equity Steering Committee. Dedicated to the community, Pick has served on numerous local boards, state committees and national task forces including the Chesterfield Public Education Foundation, EduLead (a joint venture between U of R and VCU), Richmond’s Center Stage, Governor McAuliffe’s Council for Bridging the Nutritional Divide and two national task forces for Feeding America – Collaborating for Clients and Innovative Development Practices. Doug received his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing/Management at the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.

Nick LeReche grew up in Northern Virginia and attended Virginia Commonwealth University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism in the spring of 2001.  He began working as an instructional assistant and then a special education teacher in Henrico County Public Schools.   He completed his Master’s of Education at VCU in the spring of 2005.  For the next 6 years, he worked with the Virginia Department of Correctional Education as a special education teacher in one of Virginia’s juvenile correctional facilities.  During this time, he completed his Post Master’s Certificate in Educational Leadership at VCU in 2010.  In 2011, he began his administrative career in Louisa County as an assistant principal at Louisa County Middle School.  From 2015-2021, he worked for Richmond City Public Schools as assistant principal at Martin Luther King Jr Middle School, Albert Hill Middle School, and Thomas Jefferson High School.  From 2021 to 2023 He served as Principal of Colonial Height Middle School before returning to Richmond City Public Schools to become the Interim Principal of Lois Harrison-Jones Elementary School and, in May became Principal.

Sylvia Buffington-Lester, a native of Richmond, Va., is a forensic scientist section supervisor at the Central Laboratory of the Virginia Department of Forensic Science in Richmond, Va. She has been employed there for nearly 30 years in the discipline of friction skin analysis. Prior to tenure of 16.5 years as a fingerprint examiner for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C., where she received her initial training, she majored in vocal education at Virginia State College (now University) in Petersburg, Va.

In addition to her current career as a forensic scientist, Buffington-Lester is an affiliate adjunct faculty member of Virginia Commonwealth University, where she has served for more than 10 years. In 2015, she received the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences Distinguished Adjunct Award.

Throughout her career, Buffington-Lester has been interviewed by and appeared in several news media, including Discovery Channel and the Associated Press and in an article on forensic science in the July 2016 issue of National Geographic Magazine.

Buffington-Lester is a member of the International Association for Identification; she serves on the editorial board of its publication, Journal of Forensic Identification and the Chesapeake Bay Division, a regional division where she has held several leadership positions. In 2005, she was elected as its first Black president and served in 2006 as chairman of the Board of Directors.

Read more about her here.

Join us as we celebrate with our Key Club Scholarship Recipients!

Dr. Teresa K. Anderson has devoted her career to enhancing student achievement, especially in urban areas. She has worked alongside teachers, parents, students, and district leaders to improve student outcomes in rural and urban school systems. She was raised in a small agricultural town in North Carolina by a parent who was an educator. Her educational philosophy emphasizes offering opportunities that inspire students to pursue academic and professional goals beyond high school and their local communities.

Dr. Anderson has served as a Principal in North Carolina (Hoke County, Alamance-Burlington, and Bertie County), Chicago Public Schools, Waukegan Public Schools, and Richmond Public Schools. She has also worked as an Assistant Principal in North Carolina and Minnesota. From 2021-2023, Dr. Anderson was the Director of Employee Relations for Richmond Public Schools, where she supervised a team that conducted investigations into employee claims and built consultative relationships across the district's 44 schools and 5,000 employees. She rewrote 20 outdated administrative procedures and facilitated successful policy implementation.

Most recently, Dr. Anderson has been the Principal at George Washington Carver Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia, since July 2023. In this role, she has led initiatives such as partnering with community organizations to provide literacy tutoring, strategically allocating budgets, and leading professional development to improve teaching practices. Under her guidance, the school has witnessed a 10% increase in student performance on district assessments.

Dr. Anderson has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, a Master of Education from Barat College at DePaul University, a Master of School Administration from East Carolina University, and a Doctor of Educational Leadership from Fayetteville State University. She holds superintendent and principal licensure in multiple states.

Read about Sean Miller in the WTVR Local News Article dated February 24, 2023 here.

Josh grew up in rural Loudoun County VA, pursuing simultaneous fascinations with the outside world of rivers, streams, and woods and the inside world of amplifiers and drum sets. In 2000, he began his career in education with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), moving into the world of formal education in 2012 (after a 6 year hiatus as a touring bluegrass musician), teaching middle school science for Richmond Public Schools (RPS). Josh moved to the VDOE as a Science Curriculum Specialist in 2018, returning to RPS in 2019 as the K-12 Science Curriculum and Instructional Specialist, helping to systemize a constructivist approach to science education.

Josh holds a Bachelors in Geology from Brown University, a M.Sc from the VA Institute of Marine Science, and a M.Ed from VCU. Josh plays music on a regular basis, and lives and frolics near the river in Richmond with his partner who designs and builds custom upholstered furniture and a precocious daughter who is obsessed with spiders and ukuleles.

Focus on Membership. We will have our election of officers and focus on our members and the future of our Club.

Speaking on "Virginia in an Age of Dinosaurs: New Discoveries from Hanover County and Beyond."

Adam Pritchard is the Assistant Curator of Paleontology for the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville. He researches the early history of reptiles and dinosaurs, working primarily on fossil sites in Virginia. 

Dr. Pritchard received a Ph.D. at Stony Brook University in Anatomical Sciences before working as a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University and the Smithsonian. He is passionate about science and science education, and regularly presents about the fossil history of Virginia.

Experience - George McGovern became the Scout Executive for the Heart of Virginia Council on September 1, 2018. Prior to that, he served as the Deputy Regional Director for the Southern Region, Boy Scouts of America from October 2015 – September 2018, Scout Executive/Executive Director of the Gulf Ridge Council in Tampa, FL from October 2008 – October 2015, and as the Scout Executive of the Flint River Council in Griffin, GA from June 2002 – October 2008. He started his career in the Scouting profession in the Middle Tennessee Council based in Nashville, TN. He served as a District Executive, District Director, Field Director in 2 service areas, the Development Director and as the Director of Field Service/COO from 1985 to 2002.

Background - He was born in Philadelphia, PA, but grew up in Raleigh, NC. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Randolph Macon College in Ashland, VA then he went on to receive his Master of Science Degree from Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, TN.

While at Randolph Macon he worked on two studies in the area of Herpetology (The Study of Reptiles and Amphibians) both of which were published. One study, done in Arizona, was published in the Journal of Herpetology. The other was published in a Virginia Journal for work he did locally. George played Division II Basketball for four years, served as a Resident Assistant for three years and as a lab assistant for three years.

While at Tennessee Tech University he served as a Teaching Assistant for 2 years and upon graduation he began working for the Boy Scouts of America and has remained in that profession for 39 years. George has taught Sunday school, been on the church finance committee, and helped as a leader in the AWANA Games program for 2 years. He had also been an active Scout leader for his sons in both Cub Scout and Boy Scouts. George is an Eagle Scout, OA Vigil Honor, St George Emblem recipient, a Paul Harris Fellow and has been a member of various Rotary Clubs throughout his career.

He is married to Karen, and they have 4 boys, Wesley, Blake, Garrett and Landon, all Eagle Scouts.

Hobbies include cycling, golf, swimming and shooting sports.

Known for being a results-driven arts executive with a focus on authentic audience engagement and community-focused programming, Richmond Symphony Executive Director Lacey Huszcza has more than 20 years of success in business development, organizational growth, strategic planning, and digital innovation.

Lacey moved to Richmond in 2020 to lead the Symphony’s administrative team. Named one of Musical America’s Top 30 Professionals of 2018, Lacey is celebrated for her commitment to expanding the diversity efforts of American orchestras as well as her ability to tailor an organization to respond to the ever-increasing need to build relationships and community presence.

As Executive Director, Lacey oversees the Symphony’s administrative operations; providing vision, leadership and direction for all fundraising, marketing, and human capital needs; and works with the Board of Directors and Music Director Valentina Peleggi to chart the Richmond Symphony’s growth both artistically and financially.

“Elk Hill enables children and families to transform overwhelming challenges into successful futures. Through specialized education, community-based services and residential treatment programs, children and families can discover the academic, vocational, behavioral, and relationship skills they need to be successful.”

Ron Spears has been with Elk Hill since 1984. He has served as a Team Leader, Admissions and Aftercare Coordinator, Director of Community Services, Director of Programs, and Chief Operations Officer. He knows every Elk Hill program from the ground up and has helped them evolve as the needs of our young men and women change. Mr. Spears has served as President of the Virginia Association of Specialized Educational Facilities (VAISEF) and served on their Board for over 25 years. He is currently on the Board of the Virginia Coalition of Private Provider Associations (VCOPPA), and has been recognized by the Central Virginia Partnership on Youth as the 2012 Outstanding Private Partner of the Year for actively demonstrating community collaboration and service to youth and families.

Ron has also served as an adjunct professor at John Tyler Community College since 2012. He holds a bachelor's degree from Wilberforce University in Ohio and a master’s in Youth and Child Care Administration from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Ron resides in rural Powhatan County, where he serves on the board of the Free Clinic and spends his free time playing 50 and over basketball locally and nationally. He is married to his best friend, Linda; and they have two adult children, and four grandchildren.

“The James River in Richmond—Your New Guide to Enjoying America’s Best Urban Waterway”

John Bryan’s writings have been featured in a variety of publications including Sports Illustrated, Delta SKY, Arts Link and others. His books have addressed subjects ranging from religion to art to fly-fishing and have had introductions written by such notables as The New York Times Executive Editor Howell Raines, The Conference Board CEO Jonathan Spector, and President Jimmy Carter. John’s career includes 20+ years at VCU and 6 years at CultureWorks. He has degrees from Davidson, Vanderbilt and City College of New York.

Learn more about John Bryan’s new book here.