Our Team

Travis Staton is a Founding Member, President, and CEO of EO Companies (EO), a newly launched 501c3 non-profit organization based in Virginia. EO was successfully launched in January 2024 with a portfolio worth millions of dollars to enhance economic opportunities in some of Virginia's most challenged communities.

Today, he is managing a public/private partnership to redevelop an 87,000-square-foot former K-Mart building into a Regional Workforce and Child Development Hub in Abingdon, Virginia. The Hub, a $26+ million investment, will provide high-quality child care for 300 children, back-office services, and support for a network of 200+ childcare operators and offer career exploration and hands-on learning to 30,000 K-12 students annually in partnership with area employers. This effort is expected to address workforce development, attraction, and retention challenges essential to Southwest Virginia's economic prosperity.

Before establishing EO, he served as President and CEO of the United Way of Southwest Virginia for nearly two decades. During his tenure, he repositioned the organization from being a premier fundraiser and distributor to utilizing a community impact model to improve the region's health, education, and financial stability. Under his leadership, the organization developed numerous new support systems to bridge the gap between employers and the educational system. He also led the organization through ten mergers and acquisitions, overseeing the geographic operations of 17 counties and 4 cities, nearly 20% of the Commonwealth.

National organizations have recognized and supported his work, including the Appalachian Regional Commission, Aspen Institute, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. He has also received accolades such as Virginia Business Magazine's Top 100 People to Meet in 2020 and Virginia's 50 Most Powerful and Influential Executives in 2022 and 2023.

Mary Anne Holbrook is Vice President of Development at EO and is renowned for her track record of delivering tangible results and driving revenue growth within the organization's grant portfolio. With a reputation as a woman who gets things done, Mary Anne has consistently demonstrated her ability to translate vision into action, leading to measurable outcomes that positively impact EO's mission.

Central to Mary Anne's contributions is her adeptness in cultivating relationships and leveraging them to secure vital resources for EO's community impact work. Through her strategic leadership, she has spearheaded initiatives that have led to significant expansion in grant funding, fueling the organization's efforts to drive economic growth and investment in communities.

Mary Anne's proficiency in navigating complex funding landscapes and her knack for identifying opportunities has been instrumental in leading EO toward sustainable growth. Her leadership in optimizing grant portfolio management has not only enhanced the organization's financial stability but has also bolstered its capacity to effect meaningful change in the communities it serves.

Beyond her accomplishments in revenue growth, Mary Anne's reputation is as a dynamic leader who delivers. Known for her ability to inspire and mobilize teams towards shared goals, she fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation within EO. Her unwavering dedication to excellence and her commitment to driving positive change have earned her respect and admiration both within the organization and across the broader community. In addition to her professional achievements, Mary Anne's active involvement in various community boards and non-profit organizations underscores her deep-rooted commitment to making a difference. Her relentless pursuit of excellence, coupled with her genuine passion for community service, embodies the values that define EO's mission-driven approach to creating lasting impact.

As EO continues to chart a course toward a future of inclusive growth and prosperity, Mary Anne's leadership remains integral to realizing this vision. Through her relentless drive, strategic acumen, and unwavering commitment to making a difference, she continues to inspire those around her and leave an indelible mark on the communities EO serves. She is an alumna of the inaugural class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute, an intensive program of the Appalachian Regional Commission in partnership with Collective Impact, University of Tennessee Howard Baker Center for Public Policy, and Tuskegee University. A graduate of Radford University, Mary Anne holds a Master’s Degree in English with concentrations in Appalachian Studies and Business and Technical Writing. Mary Anne lives in Washington County, Virginia with her husband, Jon, and their children.

Mark Seamon joined the team in 2015 as the Director of Finance. Prior to his role at EO, Mark served as the Director of Budget and Finance for Washington County, Virginia for a total of 33 years.

During his career with the county, Mark was called upon to serve as Acting County Administrator on various occasions. In the role of Director of Budget and Finance, Mark had the opportunity to work with United Way of Southwest Virginia along with many other charitable organizations.

Mark is a graduate of Virginia Tech where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1980. He has lived most of his life in Washington County and is a graduate of Abingdon High School. He and his wife reside in Bristol, Virginia.

Beth McConkey brings nearly 16 years of marketing and communications experience to the team, including eight years of fundraising and business development. Beth has held leadership roles at organizations large and small, including a mid-sized liberal arts university and most recently, a community foundation with nearly $500 million under management. Beth has guided corporate rebranding initiatives, transformed communications departments, and managed organizational risk through crisis communications and media training.

Beth is excited to lock arms with the communities of SWVA and discover what stories need to be told. Beth, her husband, and their two dogs have recently relocated to the tri-city region from Colorado to be closer to family. She is looking forward to spending time in the beautiful outdoors and learning about the rich cultural heritage of our region.

Rodney is a 35-year veteran of the United States Army, having deployed multiple times to support a variety of operations, including combat, humanitarian, and peacekeeping missions in Iraq, Kuwait, Haiti, and Somalia. Rising to the rank of Major General, he took on leadership roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in his position as the Deputy Chief for Operations (G3) at the Headquarters of the U.S. Army Materiel Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.

Rodney holds a bachelor's degree from King University in Bristol, Tennessee, in History, a Master's degree in Logistics Management from the Florida Institute of Technology, and a Master's degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.

After retiring from the Army, Rodney served as a 2023 Executive Fellow with the Institute for Defense and Business (IDB) and founded a consulting firm that offers strategic planning, supply chain management, and government contracting support.

An active member of his community, Rodney serves on the King University Board of Trustees, engages with the local military community, acts as an elder at Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church, and supports various volunteer efforts. Originally from Castlewood, Virginia, he has returned to his roots in the Appalachian Mountains and now resides in Abingdon, Virginia, with his wife of 35 years.

Joining the team in 2020 as the Interim Director of Childhood Success, Dr. Susan Patrick is a Southwest Virginia native with over 25 years experience working in the field of early care and education as a classroom teacher, an administrator, a teacher trainer, and a university professor.

She is the co-author of the book Being with Infants and Toddlers: A Curriculum that Works for Caregivers, and has studied responsive caregiving in high quality infant/toddler group care environments for many years.

Susan’s work has led her to Germany, Oklahoma, Singapore, and China, but she is thrilled to be back in Virginia and become part of the amazing work being done with children and families at United Way of Southwest Virginia!

A member of the team since 2015, Kristy Worley serves as the Director of Community Impact, overseeing all investments in the Community Impact portfolio ensuring accounting accuracy and compliance with grant contracts. Kristy works closely with program staff and senior leaders to strengthen the back-office collaborations among departments for the administration of grants as well as work plan implementation and quality.

A key leader, Kristy has held multiple organizational roles during her time with United Way of Southwest Virginia. Most of her time has been spent in the Childhood Success Department where she oversaw the implementation of the Virginia Quality grant, and was the Secondary Lead for Ready Region Southwest. Kristy also oversaw all Childhood Success budgets and grant contracts and collaborated with the Director of Childhood Success to grow departmental programs and services.

Kristy is passionate about being part of initiatives and programs that allow growth and opportunities for all who live in Southwest Virginia. She grew up in Lee County, Va, and graduated in 2011 from Emory and Henry College. Kristy resides in Bristol with her husband, Kevin, their son Rhett and two puppies.

Originally from West Virginia, Mandi graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from West Virginia University. Following, she was employed at Johns Hopkins University in which she worked in multiple research labs and served on a number of committees seeking to better the local community. She went on to receive her Masters in Developmental Psychology from the University of Rochester and continued her commitment to community education and well-being. In addition to her extensive research background, she also has experience in grant writing, research dissemination, and has work published as journal articles and book chapters. She is excited to return to Appalachia with her skillsets to help to promote a better quality of life for the region.

Crystal joined the United Way of Southwest Virginia team in 2012. She holds a Masters of Arts in Education with a concentration in Organizational Training and Education from Tusculum College, as well as, a Master of Business Administration from King College.

She also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management. She has completed specific coursework in credit counseling with the National Association of Certified Credit Counselors. Her background before coming to United Way of Southwest Virginia was in business development.

This included business loans for small businesses, developing and administering business training, business plan development with clients and technical assistance. Prior to this role, Crystal managed a local physician practice.

She currently serves as the Youth Success Coordinator in the Ignite Program, partnering with school systems throughout the region to work on barriers that influence youth success, as well as, what resource partnerships can be made to assist the overall success of the student.

This includes working with key school personnel, area businesses and agencies throughout the region to make the assistance as specific to the student/school as possible. The collaboration she has developed within the community has been remarkable and assisted with full placement of the Ignite Program in 16 school systems after only piloting the program in three schools the year before. This has included developing program material, organizing meetings, events and site visits with each of the schools.

In her leadership, she has successfully launched the Educators in Industry tours taking teachers into the workplace to learn more of what the local employers need from their future workforce. She also created and developed the Careers Expo for Youth for 7th grade students in Southwest Virginia.

In its first year, over 4,000 students visited to participate in hands on learning activities to learn more about careers in Southwest Virginia. In this capacity, she oversees over 80 Ignite Coordinators within the program. These individuals are school personnel who were designated to assist in the implementation of the Ignite Program at their school.

Tina Camper, currently serving as the Director of Finance, supports the financial operating procedures to ensure the financial strength of the organization. With a background in non-profit administration and small business development, Tina brings over 20 years of experience in the areas of finance & administration, small business operations, marketing and communications, and human resources.

Throughout her 18-year tenure at United Way of Southwest Virginia, she has committed to serving and nurturing the growth of this United Way and the families served by its programs and initiatives. In 2017, Tina was a recipient of the YWCA Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia’s Tribute to Women award.

In addition, she graduated summa cum laude from Liberty University’s School of Business in 2020 with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Accounting, is a member of and serves on the YWCA Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginias’ Tribute to Women Steering Committee, and assists with her husbands two outdoor recreation companies located in Abingdon and Damascus, VA.

Tina enjoys spending time outdoors, photography, cooking, and spending time with her family. She lives in Meadowview, Virginia with her husband, Jerry, and son, Cole.

Leann Vernon, the Director of Operations, oversees the organization’s daily business activities, including IT, Human Resources, and managing the facilities, ensuring that procedures are carried out properly.

She evaluates organizational efficiency and make necessary changes to maximize staff productivity. She assesses the needs of the company and finds ways to contribute to the big picture by ensuring daily operations run as smoothly and as efficiently as possible.

Before joining United Way, she served as the Director of Foundation Relations for a medical ministry, BethanyKids. She managed all aspects of the grant funding, direct mail appeals, newsletters, company website and social media presence for BethanyKids.

Prior to her work for BethanyKids, she secured grant funding for Emory & Henry College, including grants for the college’s radio station, a research-quality greenhouse, a program for young women in science, an outdoor leadership program, the Literary Festival, and other infrastructure projects.

Leann also worked for Washington County Schools as the After School Project Coordinator, managing a US Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. She supervised more than 40 staff members and coordinated services with four principals at four project sites.

Leann graduated from Mary Washington College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and art history. She has worked in various nonprofits during her more than twenty-year career, with experience in program development, planning, management, and evaluation; marketing and communications; and fundraising.

Leann is a member of Abingdon Bible Church where she serves as a Sunday School teacher, Awana leader, and Bible study leader. She is the proud aunt of Chloe, Ian, Emmy, Tyler and Abbey.

Originally from Alabama, Lindsey made Abingdon her home in 2002 and fell in love with Southwest Virginia. Since then she has worked as an educator, program director, and child care center/school leader, focusing on programs that serve the educational needs of the community.

Lindsey holds a B.A. in Geography from Auburn University, a M.S. in Geography from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Montessori Elementary Teaching credential from the International Montessori Foundation.

She is passionate about the importance of early childhood education, broadening opportunities for families in our region, and supporting the providers of these crucial services. Lindsey has served on the boards of the Abingdon Farmers Market, Abingdon Main Street, and was a founding member of Abingdon’s First Thursdays. She is also a mixed-media artist whose work has been shown in galleries and museums throughout the region.

Lindsey lives in Abingdon with her two children.

Shauna Tilson brings a wealth of expertise and a proven record of accomplishment in the nonprofit sector to her role as Director of Development at EO.

Shauna has demonstrated exceptional leadership in spearheading comprehensive fundraising efforts across various program areas in her previous role at the Birthplace of Country Music, including the museum, music festival, radio, and television. Under her guidance, the organization experienced significant financial milestones. Shauna’s impact is also evident in her previous role at United Way of Southwest Virginia, where she directly managed critical programs, led community outreach events, and planned successful fundraising initiatives. Throughout her career, Shauna has demonstrated not only the ability to develop comprehensive fundraising strategies but also to actively engage in their execution alongside her team.

With a Master of Public Administration from Old Dominion University and a Bachelor of Arts from Emory & Henry College, with a double major in Political Science & History, Shauna brings a strong academic foundation to her work. Her blend of strategic vision, leadership, and dedication to mission-driven outcomes make her an invaluable asset to the EO team.

Carolyn joined the UWSWVA team in 2016 as a Smart Beginnings Coordinator, but soon transitioned into the role of Childhood Success Coordinator, supporting child-care providers across the region. She has led many regional coalitions and work groups such as WIC, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, and early literacy, and served as Virginia’s state lead for the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.

Carolyn spent a good portion of her life in Cleveland, Ohio before moving to Abingdon in 2011. She has worked in nonprofit, mostly through the creative arts and education. She served as the Director of Education for Barter Theatre, and previously taught art in the schools with William King Museum of Art. Carolyn has extensive experience with collaboration and process improvement, creative thinking, problem solving, project management, and team leadership.

In July 2021, Carolyn was promoted to Manager of Childhood Success, overseeing the implementation of Virginia’s Quality Measurement and Improvement System, which directly supports all publicly-funded early childhood educators in the 21 localities, focusing on curriculum implementation and improving the quality of teacher-child interactions. She is a certified CLASS trainer and observer, and loves being able to make a difference in the lives of children, teachers, and their families through the work she and her team do every day here in Southwest Virginia. Carolyn lives in Abingdon with her husband, Nick, and their daughter, Calliope, who attends William and Mary.

Jeff was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, and attended King University. He was a golf team member and graduated in May 2023 with his Bachelor of Arts with an accounting concentration.

He met his wife Grace while he attended King University and they recently got married in June. His family keeps growing, first, they adopted a dog and a cat then had their first baby (Joseph) in early April.

Jeff likes to spend time with his wife and child watching movies in his free time. If they're not watching movies they're probably playing golf.

Ryan is excited to be part of the EO team. The South Dakota native has spent over a decade living in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia. He brings with him more than 15 years of experience in education, theatre, and working with youth.

Ryan first made his way to Southwest Virginia to perform as a Barter Player at the historic Barter Theatre. After a three-year stint living and pursuing theatre in Minneapolis, MN, Ryan spent seven years with Barter Theatre’s award-winning education program, Project REAL.

While with the program, Ryan worked with students in grades K-12 in multiple states (Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia, and South Dakota) to teach the social and emotional skills necessary for success in school, the workforce, and beyond.

Ryan would eventually create his own education program, Project Polaris, before joining EO. He is grateful to be part of such a passionate team!

Crystal is excited about her opportunity to be a part of the United Way team. She is a lifelong resident of Washington County, VA and graduated from the Washington County leadership program in 2020. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Human Services from Bluefield College. Crystal previously worked for 8 years at a non-profit in early childhood education. During her 8 years, she worked as a Family Advocate, ERSEA/Transition Specialist, and Mental Health/Disabilities Specialist. She also contributed to a 5 year strategic plan, a data analysis team and was on an employee engagement council. Crystal also serves on the Washington County Prevention Coalition along with other local committees. Crystal resides in Abingdon with her husband and two sons ages 13 and 5. She is actively involved at her church, Fletcher’s Chapel, where she is a Sunday school teacher. She enjoys spending time with her family which includes hunting, fishing, and being a band mom.

Taylor joined the United Way team in 2019 as an Administrative Assistant for Childhood and Youth Success. She quickly found a niche in grant budget tracking, record keeping, and an eye for details. These skill sets expanded her position into Finance Coordinator for Childhood Success. Taylor has played an integral role in Childhood Success's growth and capacity building for taking on larger grants for the department.

With this experience, Taylor will now become the Community Impact Grants Manager where she will oversee all grant budget tracking, record keeping, expense reports, and reconciliation for all of the programs and initiatives under Community Impact including all of Childhood Success, Youth Success, and Resilience as well as any future Disaster Relief. This role is vital for grant compliance, fiscal management and projections, as well as accurate reporting to funders.

Taylor is a 2018 graduate of the University of Virginia where she received a Bachelor's Degree in English with a minor in Religious Studies. She is a Dickenson County, VA native but now lives in Bristol with her husband Tyler where they enjoy spending time outdoors and being with family.

Melvena Counts serves as the Executive Assistant to the President and CEO of EO. In this role, she brings a wide array of expertise to the administrative department. A native of Maui, Hawaii, she moved to Virginia in 2010.

Counts has a diverse administrative and operations background that includes working as an office manager for a security alarm company; an administrative assistant, executive assistant in operations, and facilities coordinator for Hawaii’s oldest Hawaiian heirloom jewelry manufacturer; human resources administrative assistant for a large church body of 4000+; and an executive assistant supporting three to six hospital executives at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon.

Most recently, Counts is leading the disaster services coordination for several counties since 2021. She works closely with Department of Social Services case managers in the counties that have suffered from flooding. Having seen the devastation in Hurley, Whitewood, Dickenson, and Wise counties, she is keenly aware of the need for counties to have a disaster plan in place before it happens.

Counts resides in Bristol, Virginia with her husband Mathew and their two fur babies.

Whitney Caton joined the organization in 2019 and now serves as the Community Impact Manager. In this leadership role, Whitney oversees operations, community impact activities, and coordination of partners in the New River Valley office.

Whitney's career in non-profit and early childhood education includes a decade as an administrator and coach as well as management of professional development across multiple initiatives.

Whitney received her Bachelor's from Bluefield State College. Originally from southern West Virginia, she values the rich culture of the local community and landscape within this region. Whitney relocated to the New River Valley in 2015 where she resides with her husband, Daniel, and two boys.

Born in the heart of Appalachia, Ryan grew up in Richlands, Virginia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts & Science in Multimedia Journalism with a minor in Music Technology from Virginia Tech, as well as an Associate of Arts & Science with a specialization in Music from Southwest Virginia Community College.

Ryan comes to EO after working to help tell the stories of Appalachia while keeping the region informed as a producer at WCYB in Bristol. Whether traveling the region watching local high school sports, finding those “off-the-beaten-path” Mom ‘n Pop restaurants, or just taking a Sunday cruise, Ryan has developed a love of our corner of God’s country that has fostered a deep knowledge base of the communities from Ewing to Radford. Ryan is excited to continue advocating for the people of the Appalachian Highlands who helped mold him while working to grow the region through his work with EO.

Ryan lives in Bristol, Virginia with his loving wife of five years, Jennifer, his son (JP) and stepson (James), and their dog Chelsea. When not telling the stories of these mountains, Ryan enjoys driving on the iRacing simulator, attending NASCAR races, bowling, Marvel movies, live music, and attending games of his favorite sports teams: the Virginia Tech Hokies, Charlotte FC, Carolina Panthers, and Charlotte Hornets.

Monica Lewis is the Executive Assistant to the President and CEO of EO. She is excited to be with EO and part of the team helping communities.

She is a graduate of Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Communications. As an Executive Assistant in healthcare, credit reporting, and international travel, work has not only provided a diverse background of content but has also given Monica access to helping people directly.

As an Executive Assistant at a leading hospital corporation, she volunteered to join the Disaster Recovery team in Houston following Hurricane Harvey to help fellow employees coordinate recovery services. Monica also volunteered for 14 years in the Adopt-a-Grandparent program in Atlanta.

Monica and her husband enjoy hiking, kayaking, and biking with their dog. Monica has also recently become certified as a yoga instructor. Meaningful work, intentional health, helping others, family and friends bring joy to her life.

Danielle first joined United Way of Southwest Virginia in May 2012. She helped initiate and grow the original Smart Beginnings Program which now has evolved into the Childhood Success Department. She grew up in Kingsport, TN and went on to obtain her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Athletic Training from Emory & Henry College.

Danielle also attended Lincoln Memorial University where she earned both an additional Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary Education and her Master’s Degree in Curriculum & Instruction.

Danielle fell in love with Southwest Virginia during her time at Emory. Danielle has come back to United Way of Southwest Virginia as a Resilience Coordinator.

She will be working to share education around the importance of Developmental Screenings, continuing moving the work forward around Systems Building (formerly Smart Beginnings), as well as the impact that trauma can play in a child’s life.

Prior to her role with United Way, she helped implement the first Population Health Department for Ballad Health. Her role as Community Engagement Specialist allowed her to work with organizations, hospitals, and non-profits throughout Southwest Virginia and work to enhance a better quality of life for the citizens in our region.

Danielle has experience as an educator as well as in strategic planning and program development. Danielle recently got married to her best friend & husband, Chance. They reside in Bristol, VA where they love on their fur baby, a Labradoodle, named Rudy.

Lori was born and raised in Southwest Virginia. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from Bridgewater College. Upon graduating from Bridgewater, she worked as an Admissions Counselor for Virginia Intermont College. While working full-time at VIC, Lori also completed courses for her teaching license. She then taught for several years at a private school in Bristol.

Before coming to United Way, Lori worked as an executive legal assistant at UPM Pharmaceuticals for 3.5 years. Lori currently lives in Abingdon, VA. She is a member of the Junior League of Bristol, a board member of the Bridgewater College Alumni Association, and a volunteer with Serving Orphans Worldwide.

Cathy Chapman joined the team in 2020 as a Childhood Success Coordinator. Cathy was born in South Bend, Indiana, and grew up in Washington County, Virginia. Cathy now lives in Saltville with her fiancé, Michael, and two fur babies, Abbie and Lucy. She has two adult sons, Jeffery and Marcus, and a beautiful granddaughter, Marissa.

Prior to joining the team, Cathy worked in the local sewing factory industry until going back to college in 2000. She attended Virginia Highlands Community College and earned her Associates Degree in Administrative Support Technologies, Medical Office Specialist. She worked in a pediatric office until deciding several years later to pursue her passion of teaching.

In 2009, Cathy attended Virginia Intermont College and obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies PreK-6th grade with a Special Education Concentration. She did this while working as a Special Education Teacher’s Assistant in Smyth County Public Schools. In 2010, Cathy obtained a teacher position with Clinch Valley Community Action (CVCA).

After obtaining her teaching position, Cathy decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education in 2013. Cathy then worked with CVCA as Head Start Teacher/Center Director and was most recently working as CVCA’s School Readiness/Instructional Coach.

Amanda studied history, with a focus on Women's History, at The University of Virginia's College at Wise. She is currently completing her Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education at Southwest Virginia Community College and she has plans to complete her Bachelor's Degree. Amanda held the position of Director at Blue Mountain Childcare, is currently a member of the Ready Region Southern Leadership Council, and serves as a member of the VPI steering committee.

Laura joined the team in August of 2020. Graduating from Northeast State Technology Community College in 2004, Laura holds an Associate’s Degree in Education. Laura has over 20 years in customer service and financial/banking experience. She brings plenty of knowledge of working with children at daycare, teaching Sunday school and helping in other children’s ministries. Laura loves encouraging people and giving a helping hand.

Laura has been on several mission trips to Jamaica, where she taught vacation bible school and was a part of the drama team through her church. In her free time, she loves journaling, writing poetry, scrapbooking and painting. Laura enjoys traveling to visit her family that lives in Charleston, SC and Shallotte, NC near the beach, where she spends most of her summer vacations. Laura is a single mother of two girls ages 10 and 12, who she loves to make memories and experiences with.

Teresa joined the team on April 1st, 2021 as a Childhood Success Coordinator. Ms. Finch is a native of upstate South Carolina and moved to the Lowcountry of South Carolina while obtaining her Associates in Science. She then moved to Bristol, Tennessee where she completed her Bachelors of Science in Child and Family Studies at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN.

She brings almost 19 years of experience in Early Childhood Education working at the ETSU Child Study Center as Lead classroom teacher.

In her prior position, she had a variety of responsibilities including overseeing classes of developing young children and instruction of University students. In this setting she contributed to the advancement of the whole child: physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially as they matured into lifelong learners.

As a lead teacher, she also worked with and supervised University students. Identifying their strengths and areas for improvement provided opportunities for her to develop training and mentoring competencies as well. She is a committed educator with a drive to help people of all ages learn.

That commitment and passion is also seen in her love and faith in God. She also has a dachshund named Madi and 4 adorable great-nephews and nieces who are recipients of her love. She enjoys being outdoors where you’ll find her walking, biking, or working in her yard.

Eboni has worked in childcare for over 20 years as a Teacher, Assistant, and Director. She is from West Virginia but has lived in Virginia for 13 years with her awesome husband of 21 years and their three children. Their family moved to Radford, VA in 2018 and they enjoy church, football, and spending family time together.

Currently she and her husband are Pastors over the Music Ministry at their local church as well as leading the children’s choir. She is very blessed to have had the journey of music and raising a family with her husband.

She was afforded the opportunity to be a stay at home mom while her children were younger which she believes has made the difference in their success in education as well as their development to be better individuals.

Once she entered back into the workforce, Early Childhood was always where the path led her. She is so thankful for the opportunity to work with such a wonderful program.

Audrey holds a Masters of Arts Degree in Education with specializations in Curriculum Instruction and Adult Education. She also holds eight different technology certifications. She has held the position of Information Systems Director for American National University and for over 5 years she has been Kirk’s Blessings, LLC (Daycare and Preschool) Center Director.

Her early career centered on Computer Technology, including Geographical Information Systems, and Database Management which later grew into a career of educating adults in the technology field. Her passion has always been education and helping children.

Her center has been voted The Best of the Best by the local readers of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph for a total of 4 years. She shares her passion as a devoted volunteer for her church youth programs and in the past for the local high school band.

Christine comes to United Way after 19 years as a director, most recently at Rainbow Riders Childcare Center in Blacksburg, Va. You may have also seen her visiting schools as a Virginia Quality Rater. She has undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and in Microbiology from Virginia Tech and a Masters certificate from ETSU in ECE focused on Emergent Curriculum.

Christine is the mother of 5 boys, now grown men in the USAF and the Space Force. She enjoys traveling to visit them wherever they are stationed and whenever possible. She is passionate about working with teachers while they navigate their individual journeys and is excited to help them see the value of remaining in the field. Her hobbies include cooking, gardening, and anything involving the outdoors.

Leslie has obtained a certificate from New River Community College in Early Childhood Development, holds a Child Development Associate® (CDA) Infant/Toddler credential and will complete her Associates in Early Childhood Development within the next year.

She has many years of experience working with children as a preschool teacher in various child care centers and worked with infants and toddlers in an Early Head Start classroom. She also worked as a center director for 4 years.

She has a passion for educating young children and finds joy in seeing each child develop to their fullest potential. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her family.

Tim is the GO TEC Training Coordinator for Southwest Virginia. In this role, he will manage the GO TEC training lab, and work with educators across the region and in school GO TEC labs.

Tim attended Emory and Henry College and graduated with a degree in teaching Prek-8th Grade. He has taught Kindergarten for one year, 4th/5th Grade for 10 years, and recently taught Technology Education (6th-8th) for 4 years.

He is married to his wife, Lauren, and has a two-year-old daughter named Willow, who are the loves of his life. In addition, he has a corgi named Penny and two cats named Brumley and Tyrion. For fun, he enjoys playing and writing music in his band, Annabelle’s Curse. He also plays the guitar, piano, banjo, and accordion and enjoys playing disc golf and biking.

Meri studied Marketing at Appalachian State University. She has over 5 years of experience working in non-profit and volunteer development/volunteer support.

Meri is excited to serve SWVA as she grew up in this community and is raising her 2 kids here with her husband Adam.

Patricia obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Behavioral Science from King College and a Master of Science Degree in Counseling and
Human Development from Radford University. She has over 25 years of early childhood experience and family engagement and currently holds an endorsement in Infant Mental Health.

Over the years, Patricia has advocated at the local level as well as the federal level for a stronger mental health alliance for children within our community and nationally. She strongly believes investing in our children’s mental well-being today is an investment in a healthy future for tomorrow, both in our local communities and across the nation.

Debra graduated from Plymouth State University with a bachelor’s in early childhood education in 2004 and began her career working with children. She has worked with children in many different capacities and has enjoyed every moment. She has experience working with infant to pre-k as an educator and has 5 years of experience working in the special needs field. She has also been an administrator and provided coaching to educators in early childhood.

Being in the field of early childhood has been her dream since she was a young girl. She looks forward to continuing her career working with the United Way of Southwest Virginia.

Zac graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with degrees in Family Science and Strategic Communications. He has a deep passion for non-profit work as well as addressing the needs of communities to promote resilience.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Zac resides in Marion, Virginia.

A native of Abingdon, VA, Katie graduated in May of 2024 from Emory & Henry College with a B.A. in Media & Communications, along with a B.F.A. in Theater and a minor in English. While in school, she took on leadership positions in clubs and organizations, including being a Recruit/Community Service Chair for Greek Life and working as an Editor for the campus newspaper.

In June of 2023, she began working as a Research Intern at United Way of Southwest Virginia and has continued working with the organization through their shift into becoming EO. Prior to this internship, she also worked as a Marketing Intern at Barter Theatre and a Stage Manager at Emory & Henry’s Music Department.

In her free time, Katie enjoys music, singing, spending time with her friends and family (including her cat), and traveling whenever she gets the opportunity. She is beyond excited to officially join the EO team as a full-time employee and cannot wait to help her community in a new way by beginning her role as Volunteer Coordinator for Career Commons!

Andrea has worn quite a few hats in her work with early care and education. Having served the region as a teacher, director, interventionist, and an early childhood coach, providing training and technical assistance to childcare providers throughout Southwest Virginia.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Studies and a Master of Early Childhood Education degree from East Tennessee State University.

She feels blessed to have been part of some amazing programs and met great friends along the way. These relationships are why she is so passionate about improving the quality of care and being a resource for families and providers in our region.

Matt has nearly 20 years of experience in IT Heldesk.

Jennifer Dye joined the team in August of 2024 as the Front Desk Administrative Assistant. She received her Associate's Degree in Human Services with a Specialization in Early Childhood Education from Highlands Community College in 2017. She worked with a non-profit organization for 4 and a half years as an Early Head Start Teacher and a Family Engagement Specialist. She has a passion for building relationships with her community, meeting new people, and striving to be helpful to everyone around her.

Jennifer currently resides in Bristol, VA with her Husband of 7 years, Ryan, two children; James and J.P., their dog Chelsea, and their cat Malley. She loves all things owls and yarn. In her free time, she loves playing SIMs4, crocheting/knitting, watching Food Network, and hanging out with family and friends.

Amanda graduated from East Tennessee State University with a bachelor's in Music Education. After completing her education, she worked as an English teacher and grader for Kumon, and then as a Scoring Director and Supervisor in English testing for Pearson. From there, Amanda worked for a year as an Administrative Assistant for Counseling Services at Emory & Henry.

Amanda is passionate about education and community-based work.