Our Board of Directors

Ms. Sharon Quillen Adams

Sharon Adams is the Executive Director of the Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (VB SPCA). Previously, she worked in public service management positions in community redevelopment and crime prevention. She has a BA from The College of William & Mary and a Master of Public Administration from Old Dominion University.??Adams was the founding board president of The Elizabeth River Project, a co-founder of the Tidewater Women’s Roundtable, co-founder of the first Battered Women’s Shelter in Tidewater, founder of the Friends of Norfolk City Jail, co-founder of the Tidewater Assessment Group for Handicapped Citizens, chair of the Second District Women’s Political Caucus and a founding member of the Southeastern Association for Virginia’s Environment. She is presently on the board of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.


Mr. Chris Bonney

Chris Bonney has more than thirty years of experience as a marketing researcher. During college at the University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University, Chris worked for the Richmond News Leader. After college, he was assistant director of corporate research at Media General, then corporate research director at Lawler Ballard Advertising, followed by research director at the Earl Palmer Brown advertising agency.

In 1992, he opened Bonney and Company, an independent research consulting firm. His clients have included the AARP, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Agency for Health Care Research, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, The Virginian-Pilot, the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation and others. He facilitated discussions regarding the Virginia Beach Convention Center and for the Virginia Beach Citizen BRAC Committee. Throughout the years, he has been involved in a variety of initiatives related to community reconciliation, grassroots leadership development, transportation, healthcare and welfare services.

Ms. Cynthia (Cindy) E. Carlson

Cindy is a Principal Officer and Co-founder of Onsite Insights, a consulting firm that works with communities, organizations and local governments to incorporate citizens, especially youth, into decision-making roles and positive community life. She also delivers training programs nationally on youth civic engagement for Vision Training Associates.

Until her recent retirement, Cindy was Director of the Hampton Coalition for Youth.  As a department head within Hampton city government, she was she was responsible for long range and strategic planning for youth and families, as well as implementing the city’s youth development agenda including coordination of a professional/community/youth partnership. She is the author of several articles, training curricula, and guidebooks on youth engagement. Under Cindy’s leadership, Hampton's Youth Civic Engagement initiative was awarded the 2005 Innovations in American Government Award from the Ash Institute and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.


Ms. Minette Cooper

Minette Cooper has been President of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads, The Virginia Symphony, and Ohef Sholom Temple, the Chair of the Norfolk Commission on the Arts and Humanities and Vice President for Virginians for the Arts. She served as the President of Young Audiences of Virginia for three terms over a period of 40 years, and is a national board member for Young Audiences, Inc. and on the board of the Future of Hampton Roads. She also sings in the Virginia Symphony Chorus. She is currently a Trustee of Virginia Wesleyan College. She was a board member for the Institute for Southern Jewish Life in Jackson, Mississippi. She has been a Trustee of the Chrysler Museum, a board member of the Upward Bound Program at Norfolk State University, Director of the YWCA of South Hampton Roads and Director and Officer of the Jewish Community Center of Tidewater.


Dr. Quentin Kidd, Ph.D.

Quentin Kidd is an Associate Professor of Political Science in the Department of Government at Christopher Newport University. He received a B.A and a M.A. in Political Science from the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Texas Tech University. His academic concentration was American Politics.

Quentin Kidd is a frequent speaker and media commentator on politics and the author of multiple surveys organized by the University's political center, which he manages. His research areas of interest include American Politics, Citizenship/Civic Participation, American Political Behavior, Virginia Politics and Southern U. S. Politics.


Mr. Henry D. Light

Henry Light is Of Counsel to the law firm of Crenshaw, Ware and Martin, P.L.C. His present legal position follows a 32-year career with Norfolk Southern Corporation and its predecessor, Norfolk and Western Railway. At Norfolk Southern Corporation, he retired as Senior Vice President Law and Chief Legal Officer. He attended college at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on a Naval ROTC scholarship, graduated in engineering and was commissioned an officer in the Navy. He served in the Navy from 1962 to 1966 and then attended law school at the University of Virginia.

Light is on the Board of Directors of WHRO, Norfolk State University, the Southeastern Virginia Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Chrysler Museum.


Ms. Betsy McBride - Executive Director

Betsy McBride is the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement. She has been a practitioner and advocate for citizen involvement in public decision making since the early 1970s. She earned a B.A. in Political Science with a Minor in Economics from the University of Denver.

Prior to the founding of the HRCCE, Betsy served as the Media and Communications Coordinator in the Office of the City Manager of the City of Virginia Beach. Previously she served as the Assistant Executive Director for Search for Common Ground, USA in Washington, D.C,, as a Public Affairs Consultant and Director of Communications for the Colorado Center for Environmental Management in Denver, CO, and in Corporate Government Relations at The Pillsbury Company, in Minneapolis, MN


Mr. Michael Monteith

Mike Monteith has extensive experience in the management of government, not-for-profit and profit making organizations. His career has included working for the City of Hampton as the Assistant City Manager. He has served as a special consultant to Vice President Al Gore assisting the Federal Government to implement changes to improve performance and reduce costs. He has served as a Senior Fellow with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a large philanthropic organization focusing on the strengthening of youth and families in America. ??He was the Chief Executive Officer of a youth oriented retail organization until 2009. He currently is the President of the Corolla Company, a private consulting business focusing on capacity building in the areas of civic engagement and neighborhood redevelopment.

Mike Monteith serves on the Hampton Education Foundation Board of Directors and is currently functioning as the interim (volunteer) Executive Director. He is also a founding Director of the Peninsula Community Foundation of Virginia.


Mr. James B. Oliver, Jr.

Jim Oliver is the current Chairman of the Board for the Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement extending his long career in communications, senior government management and civic leadership. He received a B.A. in Communication Arts from the University of Notre Dame, a Masters Degree in Urban Services from Old Dominion University and attended Columbia University on a CBS Fellowship in Government. His early career was as a reporter and correspondent for newspaper, radio and television companies.

Jim Oliver started in government as a Public Information Officer for the City of Norfolk. He became Assistant City Manager for the City of Norfolk, County Administrator for James City County, City Manager for the City of Norfolk and later, the City of Portsmouth. He was a mediator for the Virginia Commission of Local Government, a consultant for the National Academy of Public Administration and a Coordinator of 'Crossroads' for the College of William & Mary and Vice President of CI Travel. He serves on multiple civic boards and is active in his church.


Mr. Robert J. O'Neill, Jr.

Bob O'Neill is the Executive Director of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), an organization founded in 1914 to create excellence in local government. He has a B.A. in Political Science from Old Dominion University and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University. Also, he graduated from the Executive Program of the Colgate Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia and received an honorary doctorate of Laws from Old Dominion University.

Bob O'Neill was the Virginia Director of Management Consulting Services for Coopers & Lybrand, regional manager for the Management Improvement Corporation of America, the City Manager of Hampton, VA, the Fairfax County Executive and President of the National Academy of Public Administration. He also had a temporary assignment at the U. S. Office of Management and Budget as a Counselor to the Director on management issues.

Ms. Vivian J. Paige

Vivian Paige is President of Vivian J. Paige, CPA, PC, a local accounting firm established in 1986 that serves clients throughout the country. She has a Masters in Business Administration and has been an Adjunct Instructor in Accounting at Old Dominion University. Her affiliations include; the American Institute of CPAs, the Virginia Society of CPAs, the League of Women Voters, the Urban League of Hampton Roads, the Economics Club of Hampton Roads, the NAACP, the National Association for Female Executives, NOW and the American Association of University Women.

Vivian Paige is currently a member of the YWCA of Hampton Roads Finance Committee and the ODU Department of Accounting Advisory Council. She is a former board member of the St. Columba Ecumenical Ministries, Inc. and the circuit court-appointed President of the Board of Review for Real Estate Assessments. She is a trained community facilitator and co-founder of Norfolk Facing Race, an organization that conducts small group dialogues on race, reconciliation and responsibility.


Ms. Anita Owings Poston

Anita Poston is a Partner in civil practice with Vandeventer Black LLP. Currently, she's on the Board of Visitors for the College of William and Mary, the General Counsel for the Norfolk Airport Authority, and on the boards of the Norfolk Division of TowneBank, the Norfolk Hospital Authority, the ACCESS Scholarship Foundation, the WHRO Foundation and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Anita Poston is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for the United Way of South Hampton Roads Foundation and on the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. In 2007, she received the Barron F. Black Community Builder Award from the Norfolk Foundation.


Ms. Suzanne Puryear

Suzanne Puryear is President of the Planning Council, a regional non-profit organization that plans, develops and manages human services. Prior to that, she was the Director of Human Services for the City of Norfolk. She has a B.A. and Masters Degree in Public Administration from Old Dominion University and is an alumnus of the Senior Executive Institute of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia and of the CIVIC Leadership Institute.

Suzanne Puryear currently serves on the Board of Trustees for St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children, the Board of Hospitality for the Homeless and on the boards for Future of Hampton Roads and Smart Beginnings South Hampton Roads. In 2005, she was appointed by the governor to the Council on Human Resources.

Dr. Roger Richman, PhD

Roger Richman is Professor Emeritus of Urban Studies and Public Administration at Old Dominion University where he served on the faculty full-time from 1976 until 2006. Prior to that, he was Chair of the Department of Public Administration at the University of Hartford.

Roger Richman is founder of Public Mediation Services, Inc. an organization that has worked for two decades, under the auspices of the Virginia Commission on Local Government, to mediate municipal annexation disputes in Virginia. He is the author of numerous papers and writings on alternative dispute resolution in public administration and policy.


Mr. John L. Rowe, Jr.

John Rowe recently stepped down as the Interim Town Manager of Windsor, Virginia where he served after retiring as Deputy City Manager of Portsmouth in April 2008. Before that he was Assistant City Manager and City Manager of Suffolk, Virginia; City Manager of Poquoson, Virginia; City Manager of Clifton Forge, Virginia and City Manager of Emporia, Virginia. As an ICMA Range Rider he assisted in recruiting the new Town Manager of Windsor.

John graduated from the Virginia Military Institute and took a Regular Army Commission upon graduation. He served in the Army’s Infantry from 1966 to 1971 and completed his Masters of Public Administration program during that period.


Dr. Alvin J. Schexnider, PhD.

Alvin J. Schexnider, Ph.D. is Interim President of Thomas Nelson Community College and also President of Schexnider & Associates, LLC. Previously is served as Executive Vice President, Acting President and Interim President of Norfolk State University and as Chancellor of Winston-Salem State University. He was elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in 1996 and is the co-author of Blacks and the Military, published by The Brookings Institution.

Schexnider is on the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Board of Governors of the Town Point Club and the boards of directors for; the Civic Leadership Institute, the United Way of South Hampton Roads, St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children and Smart Beginnings.


Mr. Bert Schmidt

Bert Schmidt is the President and Chief Executive of WHRO. He has a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Alfred University, a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law and an MBA from Syracuse University School of Management. He was the President and General Manager of WVPT in Harrisonburg, VA, Executive Vice President of WCNY-TV/FM in Syracuse, NY, Vice President of Mark R. Switz, Inc., and a tax attorney with Price Waterhouse.

Bert Schmidt is currently the Chair of the Virginia Association of Public Television Stations and a board member of the National Educational Telecommunications Association, the Virginia Network of Nonprofit Organizations, The Hampton Roads Partnership, the Greater Norfolk Council, Smart Beginnings South Hampton Roads, Future of Hampton Roads, and The Virginia Arts Festival. He is the past Chair of the Public Broadcasting Management Association.


Rear Admiral Raynor A. K. Taylor, USN (ret)

Ray Taylor completed 33 years of naval service retiring as a Rear Admiral. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering from the U. S. Naval Academy, Masters Degrees, as an Olmsted Scholar from l'Institute d'Etudes Politiques de l'Universite de Grenoble, France in Political Science and from the American University in Washington, DC in International Relations.

Admiral Taylor served as Commander, Naval Forces, U. S. Central Command and Commander, Middle East Forces during the Persian Gulf episodes. At sea, he commanded a destroyer, cruiser and battle groups. Ashore, he served as Director of Operations, U.S. European Command and as Commanding Officer of the Surface Warfare Officers School Command. After his naval service, Ray Taylor was Manager of the Innovation Center at Newport News Shipbuilding. Since his second retirement, he served as President of the World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads and is currently the President of the Future of Hampton Roads.


Mr. Sanford B. Wanner

Sandy Wanner recently retired as the County Administrator for James City County, Virginia, where he had served since 1996. Prior to that, he was the County’s Assistant County Administrator, the General Manager of the James City Service Authority, the Director of Finance for the Williamsburg-James City County Schools and the Director of Business Affairs for the Fredericksburg City Public School System. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Trenton State Teachers College and a Master’s Degree in Administration from George Washington University. Following graduation, he entered the Marine Corps and served for 21 years as a Marine Corps Infantry Officer.

Wanner has served as chairman of numerous public agency boards and is presently on the Board of Trustees for the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation and is Chairman of the First Colony District Colonial Virginia Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He was previously on boards for the; Greater Williamsburg United Way, Jamestown 4-H Center, Child Development Resources, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Williamsburg and the Colonial Chapter of the American Red Cross.