BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Shawn Smith – Chair

State Director for the Virginia SMP Program – Virginia Association for Area Agencies on Aging
Shawn Smith has spent the better part of his career serving underserved communities through his work in full-time ministry and the nonprofit sector. He has a passion for advocating for those who can’t advocate for themselves and empowering those same individuals to become self-advocates. He’s had the opportunity to work with immigrants and refugees, at-risk youth, formerly incarcerated citizens, the LGBTQ population, and individuals in low-income communities. In his current role at the Virginia Association for Area Agencies on Aging, Shawn serves seniors as the State Director of the SMP program.

Shawn got connected with Virginia Ability when he worked as the Director of Vocational Services at Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia. There he led a team of employment specialists, career advisors and skills trainers charged with helping individuals with disabilities find and maintain employment. While in that role, he was also appointed by the Virginia State Senate to the Employment Services Organizations Steering Committee, which advised the DARS commission on how to spend state and federal funding in support of disability employment.

Shawn is a Leadership Metro Richmond alumnus and currently serves on Randolph Macon College’s EDGE Strategic Advisory Council. He holds a BS degree in Biology from Longwood University and has been appointed by the Governor to serve on Longwood’s Board of Visitors.

Mark Creason – Vice Chair

Financial Success at Work Manager – Virginia Credit Union
Mark has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He’s spent the last 5 at Virginia Credit Union where he works with HR managers and employees of different industries around the state help them improve their financial wellness. Through facilitating financial wellness seminars and working with individuals one on one, he’s helped countless people get on the right path to financial stability and wellness.

For the past 25 years, Mark has spent many hours volunteering and serving on the boards for different nonprofits and organizations. When he’s not doing financial wellness seminars for companies, he’s often volunteering after hours to do them for local non-profit groups. He and his family are also involved with volunteering with CARITAS, The Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia, and numerous other groups.

Mark grew up in western Kentucky (go Wildcats) where he attended Murray State University (go Racers) before moving to South Carolina. He and his family moved to Virginia and have made Richmond their home since 2001.

Marcus Miller – Secretary

RPA Business Analyst – DLA Aviation Richmond
Marc is an analyst with the Federal government with 25 years of experience in Logistics. He works with clients on identifying issues and provides information and support to help them find solutions and streamline processes. The work he does is ultimately in support of the Unites States Military. He has been a trainer throughout his career and served as a Co-chair of the Disabled Employee Advisory Committee which was established to remove physical and intellectual barriers in the workplace.
Marc attended John Tyer Community College and in his first year had an automobile accident leaving him permanently paralyzed and in a wheelchair. He returned to school later that year and completed his degree in Architectural Engineering Technology. He has often volunteered his time to speak to groups about disability and disability related issues to raise awareness and understanding. He enjoys teaching and public speaking.
He enjoys hand cycling and wheelchair tennis and is an active member of Sportable. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren, pursuing his passion for grilling and smoking, and volunteering at church.

Michelle Bellinger – Treasurer

Strategy & Planning Advisor in the Treasury Services Division at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
She holds a master’s degree in Business Information Technology from Walsh College. Over the past 10 years, she has been an active member of the Bank’s ABLe (Ability Beyond the Label) Employee Resource Group and has served in several leadership roles including Chair and Communication Liaison. Michelle led a team to form the Federal Reserve’s Disability Affinity Community which now includes participants from all 12 Districts and the Board of Governors.

Her daughter is on the autism spectrum with Asperger syndrome and is a graduate of Northstar Academy. Michelle is a strong advocate for disability employment as she recognizes that everyone has unique talents to bring to an organization. She avidly supports efforts to help individuals with disabilities find satisfying careers, earn competitive wages, and become productive members in our community.

Jeff Katz

Jeff Katz is celebrating ten years as the voice of Central Virginia! His afternoon show on the legendary WRVA continues to attract guests across the political spectrum including Senator Ted Cruz, Professor Alan Dershowitz, Vice-President Mike Pence and Governor Doug Wilder. Jeff consistently dominates in ratings and revenue; on-air and digitally. He regularly guest hosts for nationally syndicated hosts Glenn Beck, Erick Erickson and Todd Starnes. He’s won “Best Afternoon Radio Show” since the Richmond Times-Dispatch introduced the category in their annual Best of Richmond competition. He’s raised record amounts of money for The Children’s Hospital of Richmond, The Friendship Circle of Virginia and The Relationship Foundation of Virginia. He is the recipient of the TALKERS Magazine Humanitarian of the Year award for 2022. He volunteers thousands of hours and he’s received the President’s Award for Public Service as well as the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award. A former police officer himself, Jeff regularly honors local law enforcement officers on air and delivers meals to roll calls throughout the region. These efforts have been saluted by Virginia’s Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Attorney General and House Speaker. A tribute to Jeff’s activities was offered on the floor of the House of Representatives in Washington, DC.

Allison Kube

.

Allison’s mission is to help people better their lives and live to their fullest potential. She works hard to accomplish this through her professional career and ongoing non-profit/fundraising work

Allison Kube is a part of the Supplier Diversity team at Capital One. She is responsible for sourcing diverse suppliers for Capital One’s procurement efforts and leads two of Capital One’s diverse supplier development programs, SAGE Advice and the Diverse Supplier Mentoring program. These programs provide tools, resources and mentoring to enable diverse businesses to become more competitive in the marketplace.

Allison joined Capital One in 2011 as a supplier manager. In this role, she supported a number of different categories including Tech, Digital and Bank. At her first opportunity, Allison began volunteering with the Supplier Diversity team in various manners and in October 2018 she joined the Supplier Diversity team permanently.

Prior to joining Capital One, Allison was in sales management for Paychex. She brought payroll and HR services to small and medium sized businesses. It was during this time that her passion for helping businesses was developed. The tenacity, drive and will that goes into running a business is unparalleled. She wants to do everything in her power to help them succeed.

Allison is a proud graduate of The University of Virginia. She is currently Special Advisor of the Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council Board of Directors and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Richmond YMCA for 18 years. In 2022 Allison started a chapter of FaithRXD which exists to unite and strengthen the fitness community to live for Christ, share His love, and serve the world.

Bob Lancaster

Disability Employment Advocate and Consultant
Bob’s passion is furthering opportunities for people with disabilities to discover their dream career through purposeful, inclusive employment. “In the final analysis, what people with disabilities want and need are services and supports that enable them to work” (NCD 2020 Progress Report). Bob previously served in a number of Information Technology and Business leadership positions during his 25-year career at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Most notably, Bob was deeply involved in diversity and inclusion efforts at the Bank. He founded the Ability Beyond the Label (ABLe) employee resource network in 2011. In 2012, Bob solicited support from several state agencies and led an ADA assessment of the Bank’s facilities, resulting in improvement opportunities to make the Bank more disability-friendly and accessible. He also led the development of the Bank’s first strategic plan for the Recruitment and Hiring of Persons with Disabilities, a collaborative effort with ABLe, Human Resources, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In 2016, the Bank earned the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) Capital District Champions Award in recognition of their efforts to promote an inclusive workplace.

Bob is a graduate of the Leadership Metro Richmond’s Quest Class of 2020. He also serves as Business Advisor on the Center on Transition Innovations (CTI) Advisory Council, Virginia Commonwealth University. He served on the Board of the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Richmond (DSAGR) Board of Directors from 1998 to 2006 as Treasurer. Bob and his wife, Terri, have two daughters. Sarah, who has Down syndrome, is a graduate of VCU’s Ace-IT in College program and employed at Discovery Village as a Dietary Aide.

Joy Lee

Manager Corporate Services – Performance Food Group
I get to wear many hats in my role at Performance Food Group, including associate engagement, safety and security, and building management.

In my current role, I have had the opportunity to be instrumental in a community outreach program supporting young adults with disabilities and helping them gain work experiences through mentorship. I aspire to educate other businesses about the benefits of investing in this compassionate and dedicated workforce. The greatest reward of being involved in bridging these communities is recognizing the value that talent, encouragement and time bring to the partnership.

Mechanicsville, Virginia is home to my husband and two of our three daughters. I love reading and always have a book in my purse. Little known fact, I have visited 57 places in the world thanks to being a proud Air Force Brat!

Daniel J. O’Brien

Director, Energy Projects – Dominion Energy
Daniel J. O’Brien is Director, Energy Projects for Dominion Energy in Richmond, VA. His team supports development and construction of a multi-billion dollar portfolio of energy infrastructure projects throughout Dominion’s service territory.

With over two decades of experience in strategic project management, financial analysis, business operations management, and building stakeholder relationships, Daniel brings to the VA Ability team a passion to broaden workforce diversity and representation of disabled workers in the greater Richmond, VA community. At Dominion, he supports DiverseAbility, a company sponsored Employee Resource Group dedicated to attracting and retaining top talent by strengthening and expanding opportunities for our peers with disabilities.

Daniel earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and his MBA from the University of Massachusetts. He holds a Professional Engineering (PE) License and Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. In his spare time, he enjoys home improvement projects, golfing, board games with his wife and his two elementary school age sons, and coaching youth sports.

Patrick Patrong

Chief Diversity Officer, Assistant Deputy Director Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Human Resources Strategic Initiatives – Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 

With over 25 years of experience as a public service leader, Patrick has a background in implementing organizational and employee development programs at several agencies, cities, and universities. Patrick is also the president of Patrong Enterprises, Inc., an organizational and employee development consulting firm.

Professionally, Patrick is a graduate of the Virginia Executive Institute and a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Academically, without a high school diploma or GED, Patrick attended Grambling State University on a basketball scholarship through an open admissions program to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Design Engineering. As a life-learner, Patrick has earned a Master in City and Regional Planning from Morgan State Unversity, a Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University, and 45 hours of postgraduate studies in child and youth studies. Currently, he is pursuing a doctorate in Strategic Leadership, which he plans to complete on August 2022 at 10:30 am.

Over the past 25 years, Patrick has enthralled audiences throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean with his keynote speeches, seminars, workshops, and lectures. His unique presentation style, “Magic with a Message,” translates poignant messages in a palatable form – challenging audiences to think and act differently, resulting in the transformation of organizations – one employee at a time. On a personal note, Patrick’s life and business partner is Kimora Porter. Together their union blends a family of six children and five grand-grandchildren.

Stephanie Schlesinger

Strategic Account Manager – Brandito
I was born and raised in Richmond, VA. I graduated from Virginia Tech in 2017 with a degree in Human Development and Psychology. My non-profit experience began at Virginia Tech serving on the Executive Board for Relay For Life. I’ve always had a strong passion for working in the community and rallying behind causes I am passionate about. After graduating college, I became involved with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I co-chaired the Richmond Out of the Darkness Walk for four years while also serving as a Board Member for the Virginia Chapter.

I began my career at the University of Richmond in the Development Office. In 2019, I joined the Brandito team and am currently a Strategic Account Manager. I strategize with our clients to curate branded merchandise experiences that align with their brand identity.

I look forward to the opportunity to help people with disabilities find meaningful employment opportunities and to help employers create more diverse workplaces. Outside of work, I love spending time outdoors – on walks with friends, hiking, or trying to learn golf with my husband. I have a very big family that lives here in Richmond and our Sunday dinners is one of my favorite traditions and highlights of my week.

Sara Stone

Director of Career Outreach – Commonwealth Senior Living
Sara Stone is a Richmond native with a Bachelor’s degree from Longwood University in Communication Studies and a concentration in Organizational Communication and Public Relations. She has over 10 years of experience working in higher education where she facilitated connections between non-traditional students and local employers looking to recruit new talent.

Sara currently works for Commonwealth Senior Living as the Director of Career Outreach, where she explores different avenues to recruit talent and bring brand awareness to Commonwealth Senior Living’s in demand career opportunities. She has built a new and growing relationship for the organization with the Dept. of Aging and Rehabilitative Services in an effort to provide more opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Tanza Westry

AVP, Hospital Operations at Sheltering Arms Institute
Tanza served in the US Army as a Helicopter Mechanic. She later earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration and just recently, she completed a Master of Healthcare Administration and is currently enrolled in the PhD program for Health Related Sciences both at VCU’s College of Health Professions. She served eight years as Chief Financial Officer for the Richmond VA Medical Center and currently holds the position of AVP, Hospital Operations at Sheltering Arms Institute.

Tanza is a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Richmond area and abroad and currently co-chairs her organization’s DEI efforts. She leads with compassion and commitment and honors the value of treating people with dignity and respect while always giving the benefit of the doubt.
Tanza is the proud mom of three adult children who have followed her lead in service to others and community.

Joe Williams

Senior Manager, Regulatory Engagement – Altria
Joe Williams serves as Senior Manager, Regulatory Engagement at Altria. In this role he engages with academia, public health, and the Food and Drug Administration to drive advancements in harm reduction strategies. He previously held roles within the Consumer & Marketplace Insights and Corporate Communications helping the firm navigate and monitor the external environment. Beyond his professional endeavors, Joe is deeply committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within Altria, having championed the creation of the company’s Neurodiversity Hiring Program in 2023.

Prior joining Altria in 2017, Joe gained extensive communications experience at Padilla where he worked with clients such as Bridgestone, Virginia Lottery, BASF. He also served in communication roles at Capital One and Genworth Financial.

Joe is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned both an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.