Governor Spanberger Announces Board Appointments

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced the following board appointments to the Virginia Parole Board, Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments, and Virginia Racing Commission.

The Governor's appointment of highly qualified professionals will ensure these boards can uphold their missions and restore their intended function - making fair parole decisions that protect public safety and contribute to an effective justice system, reinvigorating the process by which potential appointees at Virginia's public institutions of higher education are reviewed and evaluated, and ensuring Virginia's horse racing industry operates with the highest integrity.

"Whether it is making timely, fair parole decisions, recommending quality board members, or providing appropriate oversight to Virginia's horse racing industry - the Virginians appointed today bring much needed skills, expertise, and passion to these roles," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "I know these Virginians will serve our neighbors with integrity, and I look forward to their service."

Virginia Parole Board

• Shannon Dion of Richmond, Director, Virginia Victims Fund (Nominated as Chair of the Parole Board)

Shannon Dion has served in Virginia's criminal justice system for nearly twenty-five years. She began her career as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in the City of Richmond and later served in the Virginia Office of the Attorney General as legal counsel to several public safety agencies, as a state prosecutor, and as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

In 2018, Governor Ralph Northam appointed Dion as Director of the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. Since 2023, Dion has served as Director of the Virginia Victims Fund, a program within the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission that provides financial assistance to victims of violent crime. She also serves as an instructor in the Master of Public Safety program at the University of Virginia's School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Ms. Dion is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Richmond School of Law.

• Valerie Boykin of Suffolk, President & CEO, Boykin and Associates, Consulting LLC

Valerie Boykin is the owner of Boykin and Associates Consulting LLC, where she consults on juvenile and criminal justice matters. She is the former Director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice where she oversaw the operations of Virginia's community-based, secure care, and provider programs. Boykin led a major transformation of the system that focused on reducing the use of youth incarceration and expanding the array of community-based, trauma informed, evidence-based, and equitable services across the Commonwealth

Boykin also previously served as a deputy director in Virginia and the Washington DC Youth Services Administration. She has extensive consultation and training experience in the areas of reentry, organizational change, leadership development, strategic planning, cross system collaboration, and program development. Ms. Boykin holds a master's degree in Public Administration from Old Dominion University and a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Afro-American Studies from the University of Virginia.

• Dr. Kecia N. Brothers Hayes of Chesapeake, Director of Reentry Services, Department of Juvenile Justice

Dr. Kecia N. Brothers Hayes is a distinguished public-sector leader with more than two decades of experience advancing programs and policies that support youth, families, and communities across local, state, and federal systems. Dr. Brothers Hayes currently serves as the Director of Reentry Services for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, where she provides statewide leadership for reentry initiatives designed to prepare youth involved with the juvenile justice system for successful reintegration into their families, communities, education systems, and the workforce.

Dr. Brothers Hayes holds a master's degree in Urban Affairs with a minor in Public Administration and has completed doctoral coursework toward a Ph.D., and in 2025 received an Honorary Doctorate in Humanitarianism recognizing her commitment to service and community impact. Throughout her career, Dr. Brothers Hayes has been recognized for collaborative leadership, strategic planning, and building partnerships that expand opportunities for young people and families.

• Reverend Tyrone Nelson of Henrico, Pastor, Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church

Reverend Tyrone E. Nelson is a pastor and public servant. A native of Richmond, Virginia, he is the seventh pastor of the historic Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church. Prior to his pastorate, he served as Director of Youth and Evangelism Ministries for the Baptist General Convention of Virginia. In November 2011, Rev. Nelson was elected to the Henrico County Board of Supervisors representing the Varina District. Now in his fourth term, he has served as Board Chair in 2016, 2019, and 2024, and as Vice Chair in 2018 and 2023.

Rev. Nelson is a product of Richmond Public Schools and earned an Associate of Science in Business Administration from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Master of Divinity from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University.

• Bishop Kevin White of Portsmouth, Pastor, Covenant Church

Bishop Kevin R. White has been a pastor in Chesapeake, Virginia since 1979 and is presently the senior pastor of the Covenant Fellowship Church. He is the establishmentarian and presiding prelate of Covenant Fellowship of Churches with local assemblies in Virginia, North Carolina, Delaware, and Maryland. Bishop White was employed with the Western Tidewater Community Services in Suffolk Virginia, where he developed and coordinated the Case Management Services department.

Bishop White is the vice president of the Virginia Baptist State Convention; president of the Chesapeake Coalition of Black Pastors; chairman of the Virginia Alliance of Pastors and member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Bishiop White is a graduate of Virginia State University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology Virginia Union University, School of Theology, receiving a Master of Divinity degree and Virginia University of Lynchburg, receiving a Doctor of Divinity degree.

Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments

• Robert Hardie of Charlottesville, Co-Chairman and CEO, H7 Holdings, LLC, and Level One Partners, LLC

Robert D. Hardie is co-chairman and CEO of H7 Holdings, LLC and Level One Partners, LLC, private family investment firms focused on public equities, private companies, and alternative assets. From 1999 to 2007, he served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. With Dr. John Colley, he co-created two enduring courses and co-authored Corporate Strategy and Principles of General Management.

Hardie is co-chairman of H7 Foundation, supporting educational and nonprofit initiatives, and served on Virginia's Governor's Advisory Council for Revenue Estimates under four governors. Appointed to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors in 2017 and reappointed in 2021, he served as Rector from 2023 to 2025. Mr. Hardie earned a B.A. from the University of Virginia (1987), an M.B.A. (1995), and a Ph.D. in Management (1999) from the Darden. As a student, he lived on the Lawn, served as managing editor of The Cavalier Daily, was president of the Raven Society (receiving the Raven Award), and led the Darden Student Government.

• Anne Holton of Richmond, Professor, George Mason University, former Secretary of Education

Anne Holton is an affiliate faculty member at the Schar School of Policy and Government and the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University, and a senior fellow at EdPolicyForward. A lifelong advocate for children and families in Virginia, she served as George Mason's interim president from 2019 to 2020 and has taught graduate courses in education policy and public sector leadership since 2017.

As Virginia's First Lady (2006-10), she championed foster care reform. As Secretary of Education (2014-16), she worked to expand investment in public education, promote innovation and excellence in teaching and learning, and strengthen pathways to success for all students-especially those in high-poverty communities. Her life's work has focused on advancing opportunity for children and families and ensuring education helps young people overcome poverty. Holton served on the Virginia Board of Education from 2017 to 2025 and currently serves as the School Board representative for the 6th District in Richmond. Holton earned an A.B. from Princeton University and a law degree from Harvard Law School.

• Lisa Roday of Henrico, Author

Lisa Roday recently authored Fingerprintz: One Woman's Journey Through Loss, Love and Very Little Babies, a memoir based on her experience as a working parent of two premature children. She practiced matrimonial law for over fifteen years. Among her accomplishments, she co-founded the Network for Women's Services, an organization that mentored lawyers who represented victims of domestic violence on a pro-bono basis. She was tapped to help develop the Commonwealth's curriculum for the Parent Education Network, a program designed to assist divorcing couples navigate the challenges of child custody.

Roday previously began the March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program at a busy neonatal intensive care unit in Central Virginia. She is also an entrepreneur and a small business owner with over four decades of board experience, including service on the board of Virginia Learns and as an eight-year member of the Board of Visitors of William & Mary. Roday earned a BA from the State University of New York at Binghamton and a JD at Brooklyn Law School.

• Todd Stottlemyer of Vienna, CEO, Acentra Health

Todd Stottlemyer is CEO of Acentra Health, a global healthcare technology solutions company headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Prior to Acentra Health, he served as CEO of the Inova Health System's Center for Personalized Health. Prior to Inova, Stottlemyer held multiple CEO, board, and other executive roles at privately held, private equity backed, and publicly traded companies. Stottlemyer is passionate about advancing economic growth and opportunity through education and humanitarian support. He serves on the executive committee of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, where he previously served as board chair.

Stottlemyer previously served two terms as a member of the William & Mary Board of Visitors, including five years as Rector. He also served on the Board of Visitors of the University of Mary Washington. He attended William & Mary, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A, and he received a Juris Doctor degree cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center. He also holds a Doctor of Public Service, Honoris Causa, from William & Mary.

• Dr. Dietra Trent of South Boston, Executive Director, VA HBCU Alliance for Innovation and Community Impact

Dr. Dietra Y. Trent is Executive Director of the Virginia HBCU Alliance, bringing more than 25 years of leadership advancing equity in education and public service She previously served in the Biden-Harris Administration as Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, strengthening federal support for HBCUs nationwide.

Before her federal role, she held senior leadership positions at George Mason University, including Chief of Staff and Interim Vice President for Compliance, Diversity, and Ethics. In 2016, she was appointed Virginia Secretary of Education by Terry McAuliffe, after serving as Deputy Secretary of Education under Governors McAuliffe and Tim Kaine. Her career also includes service under Governor Mark Warner and with Congressman Bobby Scott. Dr. Trent earned her bachelor's degree from Hampton University and her master's and doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has received five honorary doctorates recognizing her leadership and commitment to educational equity.

• Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins of Fairfax, President, Wins & Associates, LLC

Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins retired from the U.S. Army after more than 34 years of service, leading soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines in multiple command and staff roles. A combat veteran, he served in Afghanistan during NATO's training mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From 2020 to 2025, he served as the 15th Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute. Maj. Gen. Wins currently serves on the boards of Great Minds in STEM and the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute.

His final active-duty assignment was Commanding General of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, where he helped transition the organization into Army Futures Command. Over his career, Maj. Gen. Wins held numerous field artillery and senior leadership roles, including Director of Force Development. A 1985 economics graduate of Virginia Military Institute, he also holds master's degrees from Florida Institute of Technology and the National War College.

Virginia Racing Commission

• Martha Sedwick Mavredes of Midlothian, former Auditor of Public Accounts

Martha Sedwick Mavredes retired in December 2020 from her role as the Auditor of Public Accounts, the legislative auditor for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She previously served as the Deputy Auditor of Public Accounts and as an Audit Director. Prior to joining the APA in 1984, she worked at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG) on local government and banking audits. As Auditor, Mavredes was a member of the Commonwealth's Debt Capacity Advisory Committee, the State Compensation Board, and the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Advisory Committee.

Mavredes is active in her church, currently serving as Treasurer, and as a member of the Endowments and Scholarships Committee, Finance Committee, and Church Council. She also has served as Treasurer of the Clayborne Village HOA since July 2021. Ms. Mavredes graduated with a Bachelor Degree of Business Administration from The College of William and Mary and received her Master Degree of Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

• Nancy Love Williams of New Kent County, Partner, Real Estate & Finance, Kleinbard LLC

Nancy Love Williams focuses her practice in the fields of corporate and commercial law, with an emphasis on finance, commercial real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and equine law. She has represented financial institutions, security alarm companies, health care institutions, and other corporate clients, as well as entrepreneurs, in connection with their financing, real estate, and growth opportunities. Williams also represents individuals and businesses involved in the equine industry.

In the area of finance, Williams counsels corporate borrowers as well as international, national, and super-regional banks and their subsidiaries, private equity funds, and private investment companies. Her practice includes loan origination as well as debt restructuring and workouts. She routinely handles complex syndicated credits, intercreditor relationships, cross-border facilities, asset-based lending, letters of credit, and real estate finance. Williams is a graduate of The College of William and Mary and the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

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