Higher Education Advisory Team

HEAT’s membership consists of seventy-five members affiliated with forty institutions of higher education, having in common a desire to expand and accelerate the role of colleges and universities in preparing Virginia’s next generation of social entrepreneurs and in connecting the capacity of our universities to the most pressing needs of Virginia and her communities, especially her economically distressed communities.

Members help craft the curricula and pedagogy of the Phoenix Project’s statewide nonprofit leadership and social entrepreneurship programs, teach in those programs, exchange knowledge, strategies and best practices from their own research, teaching and service efforts, and collaborate on a statewide strategy for more effectively harnessing the power of universities to the fates of our communities.

We are very grateful to our HEAT members for their service to the Phoenix Project and to the Commonwealth:

Ms. Deborah Barfield Williamson, J.D., M.P.A.
Executive Director
Virginia Network of Nonprofit Organizations

Ms. Shalise Bates-Pratt
Director of Student Leadership
Student Leadership & Women's Resource Center
Randolph-Macon College

Mr. Evan Baum, M.S. Org. Dev, M.A. Ed. Leadership
Director, Undergraduate Academic Programs
George Mason University

Dr. Paul Bierly, III
Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship
College of Business
James Madison University

Ms. Celia Broadus
Comptroller
ChildSavers

Mr. Michael Caplin, J.D.
Chairman
Turtle Island Group

Dr. Russ Cargo
Director, Nonprofit and Civil Society Program
Institute for Policy and Governance
Virginia Tech

Pastor Dwayne Carson
Director of Leadership and Campus Pastor for Discipleship
Liberty University

Ms. Anne M. Casey
Assistant Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations
University of Virginia

Dr. Bernard Chirico
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
University of Mary Washington

Dr. Robert Colvin
Chair, Department of Leadership and American Studies and Associate Professor of Leadership Studies
Christopher Newport University

Dr. Nancy Cooley
Vice Provost for Distance Learning
Old Dominion University

Mr. Mark R. Cruise
Chair, Virginia Network of Nonprofit Organizations

Dr. Freddye Davy
Director, Honors College
Hampton University

Ms. Vanessa Diamond
Director, Hands on Greater Richmond

Ms. Teresa Dickens
Assistant Director for Service-Learning
Radford University

Dr. Bruce Dorries
Assistant Professor of Communications
Mary Baldwin College

Dr. L. Ray Drinkwater
Vice President of Academic and Student Services
John Tyler Community College

Ms. Deanna Durham, M.S.W.
Community Learning Coordinator
Eastern Mennonite University

Ms. Anne Edgerton
Director of Child Protection and Emergency Community Response
Christian Children's Fund

Mr. Tim Filbert
Assistant Director, Leadership Development
Virginia Tech

Dr. Nicole Footen
Director of Student Services, School of Social Work
Virginia Commonwealth University

Mr. Chris Gergen, M.B.A, M.P.P.
Visiting Professor, Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy
Duke University

Dr. Monica Griffin
Director, Sharpe Community Scholars Program
College of William and Mary

Dr. Melinda Harris
Assistant Professor, Entrepreneurship
Director, Hodge Center for Entrepreneurship
Norfolk State University

Dr. Renee A. Hill
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Co-Director, Institute for the Study of Race Relations
Virginia State University

Dr. Oliver W. Hill, Jr.
Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology
Virginia State University

Dr. Wesley Hogan
Department of History & Philosophy
Co-Director, Institute for the Study of Race Relations
Virginia State University

Dr. Amy Howard
Director, Center for Civic Engagement
University of Richmond

Dr. Catherine W. Howard
Vice Provost, Division of Community Engagement and Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Virginia Commonwealth University

Ms. Diane R. Howerton
Branch Center Director
Longwood University Crater Small Business Development Center

Mr. H. Martin Haley, Jr.
Principal
Capital Leadership Group

Ms. Michele James-Deramo
Director, Service-Learning Center
Virginia Tech

Dr. Alice Joyner
Director of Outreach
Virginia State University

Ms. Kristen Kaplan, M.P.A.
Associate Director
Connect Network

Ms. Susan Kaplan
Deputy Executive Director for Programs
Center for Nonprofit Advancement

Dr. Quentin Kidd
Christopher Newport University
Associate Professor of Political Science
Christopher Newport University
Faculty Chair, Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership College Leader’s Program

Dr. Vernon R. Lindquist
Provost and Dean of the Faculty
Richard Bland College

Ms. Kristin R. Lindsey
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
The Council on Foundations

Dr. Nance Lucas
Associate Dean and Associate Professor of New Century College
George Mason University

Dr. David Marion
Director, Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest
Hampden-Sydney College

Mr. Tom McGraw
Alumni/Career Development Director
Christendom College

Ms. Lisa McGuire
Assistant Dean of Students/Director of New Student Leadership Programs
Randolph College

Ms. Gail T. Merridew, M.P.A., N.M.C.
Consultant
Nonprofit Management Solutions, LLC

Ms. Karen Misencik
Director Experiential Learning
George Mason University

Lynell Mitchell
Program Director
The Young People's Project

Dr. John Moeser
Visiting Fellow, Bonner Center for Civic Engagement
University of Richmond
Professor emeritus of urban studies and planning
Virginia Commonwealth University

Mr. Nash D. Montgomery
Director of Career Services
Norfolk State University

Ms. Maureen Neal
CFRE Director of Development and External Affairs
Daily Planet, Inc.

Dr. Eric Patashnik
Associate Director of Public Policy Program
University of Virginia

Mr. Mark Petersen
Assistant Dean of Student Activities
Roanoke College

Dr. Sandra Peart
Dean, Jepson School of Leadership Studies
University of Richmond

Dr. John A. Provo
Senior Economic Development Specialist
Office of Economic Development
Virginia Tech

Ms. Megan Raymond
Acting Director of University Outreach
University of Virginia

Ms. Laurie J. Rogers
Independent Fundraising Counsel

Ms. Tina Rolen
Director of the Career Development Center
Hollins University

Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond
Professor and Coordinator
Service-Learning and Civic Engagement
Norfolk State University

Ms. Betsy Schmidt, J.D.
Adjunct Professor of Law
College of William and Mary

Mr. Gregory A. Schuckman
Chair of the Board
Northern Virginia Community College

Dr. Joel Schwartz
Director of the Charles Center
College of William and Mary

Ms. Joyce Scott
Coordinator of the Bonner Program
Ferrum College

Mr. Bill Shelton, M.U.P.
Director, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development

Dr. Thomas J. Shields
Director of the Center for Leadership in Education
The University of Richmond
Instructor, Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia

Dr. Chris Snyder
Professor of History, Director of the Honors Program
Marymount University

Dr. Kerstin Soderlund
Dean of Students
Longwood University

Ms. Jennifer Spataro
Director, Career Services
Shenandoah University

Dr. Tal Stanley
Assistant Professor and Chair, Department of Public Policy and Community Service Director, Appalachian Center for Community Service
Director, Bonner Scholars Program
Emory & Henry College

Dr. Drew Stelljes
Director of the Office of Volunteer Services
College of William and Mary

Dr. Nancy Stutts
Director of Connect Richmond

Ms. Sherry Talbott
Director of Career Services and Internships
Bridgewater College

Rev. David Taylor
Campus Minister
Bluefield College

Dr. Toni-Michelle C. Travis
Associate Professor, Department of Public and International Affairs
Program Director, African American Studies
George Mason University

Dr. Gary L. Whaley
Dean, School of Business
Norfolk State University

Ms. Lisa Whitaker
Associate Director, Center for Community Development & Social Justice
Director, Bonner Leader Program
Lynchburg College

Dr. Teresa Williams
Associate Dean, Student and External Affairs
Jepson School of Leadership Studies
University of Richmond

Dr. Darcy Wudel
Professor of Political Science; Director of Leadership Studies
Averett University