Sheila was born & raised in Chicago, IL. She is the 3rd oldest of 10 & one of 6 twins in the family – soon to be 8. Sheila started working for the Federal Government the day after she graduated high school & has not stopped since. She and her late husband moved to VA in 1983 for job transfers.
Sheila’s career was Human Resources Management. In 1985 she was asked to put a box on everyone’s desk. Took her 2 days to figure out the box was a computer. 39 ½ years later she retired after automating several HR lines of business around the world for DoD, USDA, Forest Service, and DEA. Her leadership in the Federal Government shaped her life skills. This career taught her loyalty, respect, protocol, the value of friend
ship, the value of volunteering, being humble, the value of life, the power of prayer, it’s ok to make a mistake, own it when you do it, teamwork, and more. During her career she received numerous honors, accolades, and awards.
Her late husband passed in 2004. She met her current husband in 2013 who introduced her to the Rotary Club of Vienna. Since joining the club, Sheila has held several positions including President. She began working at the District level in 2019 for then DG Jonathan Lucus.
Sheila joined Rotary to make a difference. It is what we do, who we are, the impact we have in our communities, around the Globe, and in ourselves. Sheila is “THAT” Rotarian who believes & lives the Four-Way Test 24/7/365. She will be a Rotarian the rest of her life!
Dr. Taylor is a native Washingtonian and graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. He grew up in a single-parent household, where he recalls how many of his teachers served as co-parents in his upbringing. The support that Dr. Taylor received from influential teachers inspired him to pursue public education as a career. Dr. Taylor has always wanted to become a teacher to give other kids the same support and opportunities that he received. Consequently, Dr. Taylor has built his career on the belief that every child deserves access to high quality learning opportunities – not by chance, but by design.
After a distinguished tenure of raising student performance as a social studies teacher in Hampton Roads, Dr. Taylor expanded his impact through school leadership. In 2008, Dr. Taylor became the principal of Charlottesville High School (Charlottesville, Va.) and in 2012 was named the University of Virginia’s Outstanding Alumni Principal for his focus on equity and his work dramatically reducing the school’s dropout rate. He was subsequently appointed Superintendent of Middlesex County Public Schools in the same year, earning recognition as Virginia’s Region III Superintendent of the Year in 2016 for his work in college and career readiness and for leading the first successful 1:1 computing initiative in rural Eastern Virginia. Stafford County is also part of the Virginia Department of Education’s Region III.
In 2016, Dr. Taylor served Chesterfield County Public Schools as the Executive Director of School Administration/Chief of Schools, Chief Academic Officer, Acting Chief Financial Officer, Acting Chief Operating Officer, and now as Deputy Superintendent. Dr. Taylor’s leadership has led to student academic performance improvements, narrowing of gaps in student access and opportunity, and increases in student support services. In addition to leading the development of the division’s strategic plan “Imagine Tomorrow” and numerous other instructional innovations in the areas of literacy, technology, and serving English language learners, Dr. Taylor is the architect of the district’s proposed bond referendum and FY 2021 Operating Budget ($720M), where he created a differentiated staffing and school funding model to target support for schools with the highest needs. Of his tenure in Chesterfield, Dr. Taylor is proudest of his efforts supervising the school division’s equity work and of a culture emphasizing support and innovation that he helped to create.
In 2018, Dr. Taylor was recognized by the Chesterfield Association of Educational Office Professionals as the county-wide Administrator of the Year for the reorganization and cultural shift he led in the central office to improve morale. In 2020, Dr. Taylor was recognized by the University Council for Educational Administration with the National Excellence in Educational Leadership Award for his work in building a principal pipeline and talent management system. Carrying forward the impact of the teachers who inspired him, Dr. Taylor was once again recognized by the University of Virginia in 2021, this time for his work as an adjunct professor of school finance with the Lasting Legacy Outstanding Faculty Award in the School of Education and Human Development.
Dr. Taylor holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and a doctorate in education policy studies from the University of Virginia’s School of Education & Human Development and also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the College of William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business. Dr. Taylor has been an adjunct professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Virginia for the past eleven years and has been a featured speaker at several national and state meetings for various professional organizations. Dr. Taylor is married to Susan Winslow, a civil engineer who specializes in airport design. They have five children, three of which are school-age and attend high school.
Dr. Taylor presented an overview of the school district and its goals and values.staffordcountyschoolspresentation
June 15 Meeting, Stafford Rotary President-Elect Cherice TaylorClub President Elect Cherice Taylor presented her vision for our club in the coming Rotary year.
Michael McLaughlin joined the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) as its Chief Operating Officer (COO) in April of 2021. This followed the conclusion of successful negotiations between the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), CSX, Amtrak, and VRE on the $3.7 billion Transforming Rail in Virginia Program. As COO of the newly created VPRA, McLaughlin oversees the Planning, Programming, and Design & Construction of rail activities.
Previously, McLaughlin was the Chief of Rail at DRPT, where he oversaw statewide rail planning and passenger and freight programs. Prior to joining DRPT, Mclaughlin was the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Chicago Transit Authority, overseeing Planning, Infrastructure, Finance, and Government Relations for the nation’s second-largest transit agency. He also worked on Capitol Hill for over 12 years as a senior transportation aide to Authorizing and Appropriations committee members in both the House and Senate.
McLaughlin resides in Mechanicsville, Virginia, with his wife Sarah and their five children. He holds his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and his Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Indiana University.
Follow VPRA on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/VAPassengerRail
Chris Seeby lives in Lexington, SC and is a graduate of Clemson University, and a pastor. He is also a husband and a father who tries to live out what scripture teaches which is to love God and people. In March 2020 as COVID19 locked down his community, and the nation, he sought out an innovative way to love and serve his community by bringing local farm products directly to the local people. As a pastor in his community for the last 10 years, he sought to combine a few skills into an experimental project. He explored the possibility of connecting the people in his local community with the good hardworking men and women who provided food through their fresh products essentially “farm to table” while providing them better wages, and while selling them under retail prices. This would help both the American farmer and the consumer, and as a farmer himself, he had long seen the space between what family farms are paid versus what grocery stores charge to purchase. Thus, the advent of Groceries On the Go.
Groceries On The Go is quite simple. When you buy groceries through Groceries On The Go, you do good in the process. They bring their best local farm products directly to your community at reasonable prices. The community is also given the opportunity to be generous in the process. If their pantry is full, they can still make a purchase, and at time of purchase choose to automatically donate those products to a local food pantry to serve those who are less fortunate. Groceries On The Go will connects the hosting organization with a local food pantry. Chris joins us today to explain the fundraising aspect of Groceries on the Go and how Rotary may partner with them in our community.
Michael Arietti, District 7610 Paul Harris Society Coordinator
Our speaker for February 9 was Michael Arietti from the McLean Rotary Club. He and PDG Sandy Duckworth presented PHS wings to two new PHS members, presented pins to two new Paul Harris Fellows and awarded PHF + 7 and PHF +8 pins to our club president and sergeant-at-arms. Michael presented an overview of the Rotary Foundation.
https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:2524d089-95ad-3156-b74d-c1d025a0baaf
Our speaker for December was Bill Cawley from the Rotary e-Club for Global Peacebuilders. Bill and his wife PDG Juanita Cawley have long been interested in Rotary’s role in building peace.
Mr. Neil J. Hornung is a Supervisory Investigator/Branch Chief with the Department of Energy’s Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence. He has been with DOE for over 10 years. He serves as Branch Chief, Technology Protection Branch, Threat Assessments Division. He leads a team responsible for supply chain risk analysis and committee for foreign investment in the United States and Counterintelligence reviews of research grants and awards to academia and industry.
Previously he served as the Senior Counterintelligence Officer of the Washington Field Office, Department of Energy. He led a team of analysts and counterintelligence agents supporting the Department of Energy Headquarters. Mr. Hornung served in the Marine Corps from 1982 until his retirement from the Marine Corps Reserve in 2008. During his last assignment he served as Branch Chief, Homeland Defense Branch, Headquarters Marine Corps, where he was responsible for oversight of all Marine Corps Embassy Security Guard policy and budgets, Marine Corps Security Forces and Critical Infrastructure Program for the Marine Corps. Mr. Hornung was a Special Agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for over ten years working criminal and counterintelligence operations and investigations.
Mr. Hornung has been awarded the Legion of Merit Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and numerous Navy/Marine Corps awards. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Marquette University, a Master’s in Public Policy from George Mason University, a Masters in Science with a concentration in Defense Resource Management, Supply Chain Risk Management from National Defense University’s Eisenhower School, and a Diploma from the Naval War College, College of Naval Command and Staff.
FOP Brief to Stafford Rotatory
Our speaker on November 10 was PDG Chuck Davidson: Zone 33 End Polio Now Zone 33; Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator 2015-18; Zone Institute Executive Committee 2011, 2013, General Chair 2014; District Governor 2008-2009; District Rotary Foundation Chair 2011-2015, District 7610 Coordinator 2018-23
Chuck Davidson has been a Rotarian for 50 years, serving as club president in both El Paso, Texas, and Springfield, Virginia. He has 47 years of perfect attendance, is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a Benefactor, a Sustaining Member of the Rotary Foundation, a Paul Harris Society member, and a level 2 major donor.
At the district level, Chuck completed four years as District Rotary Foundation Chair, three years as Assistant Governor, two years as District Trainer, and chaired a number of district committees. In 2008-09, Chuck served as Governor of Rotary District 7610’s 52 clubs.
At the zone level, Chuck is currently the Zone 33 End Polio Now Coordinator, and edits the Zone 33 Foundation Newsletter. He previously served three years as a Zone 33 Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator. He has also served three terms on the Zones 33/34 Executive Committee, including as its chair in 2014.
At the international level, Chuck was a member of the Host Organizing Committee for the 2017 Atlanta RI Convention. He also has served as Roundtable Discussion Facilitator for the Rotary Reunion (International Institute) at the 2011 New Orleans RI Convention. He was a member of the 2019 Council on Legislation.
Chuck graduated from The Citadel with a B.S. in Chemistry, and from Florida State University with a Ph.D. in Nuclear Chemistry. Including two years as an Army officer, he spent 42 years in Government service, culminating as Director of the U.S. Army Nuclear and Chemical Agency. Chuck was a charter member of the Senior Executive Service.
His many awards include Scouting’s Silver Beaver, the Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank, the Department of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service, The Rotary Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award, and Rotary International’s Service Above Self award.
Chuck resides with his wife Nita, also a Paul Harris Fellow and Major Donor, in Springfield, Virginia. They have three sons—one a Rotarian and past club president—and two grandsons, all Paul Harris Fellows.
PDG Chuck gave a concise overview of the Rotary Foundation.
PDG Sandy Duckworth gave a comprehensive presentation on the Rotary Foundation
General PPT TRF presentation (Stafford-2-W-O ANMATIONS-reduced) 9.1.21 2021-22 (1)
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John M. Brown III is a retired lieutenant general of the United States Army. He served as Commander of United States Army Pacific, headquartered at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, from August 25, 2004 to February 1, 2008. He enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in 1969 and became an officer upon completion of Infantry Officer Candidate School in 1971 where he was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry.
Brown holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from West Georgia College and a Master’s Degree in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer’s Advance Course, Army Command and General Staff College, and the National War College.
He was born in Atlanta, Georgia, graduated from Avondale High School in 1965, and is the oldest of five. He has a wife and two daughters.
His command experience includes Commander, Combat Support Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division in Germany; Commander, Headquarters and Special Troops Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Operation Golden Pheasant, Honduras; Commander, 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 3rd Armored Division, in Germany and the Gulf War, Saudi Arabia; Commander, 1st Brigade, 24th Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia, and Operation Vigilant Warrior, Kuwait; and Commander, United States Army Alaska.
Additional assignments include Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea; Professor of Military Science, Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, Arkansas; Chief of Staff, 1st Armored Division, United States Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany and Task Force Eagle, Operation Joint Endeavor, Bosnia; Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Washington D.C.; Assistant Division Commander (Forward), 10th Mountain Division, Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia; Director of Integration, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, United States Army, Washington D.C.; Deputy Chief of Staff for Training, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia; and Deputy Commanding General for Transformation, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Lewis, Washington.
John is an active member of the Rotary Club of Pisgah Forest, North Carolina.
November 4, 2020
EVA SCOTT, FINANCIAL COACH/ ENTERPRENEUR/ INSURANCE BROKER
Eva Scott of Integrity Financial Solutions shared 10 Financial Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs with the Rotary Club of Stafford. The information was valuable for entrepreneurs and individuals of all ages. To find out more about your financial health, you can contact Eva at eva@ifsga.net.
Eva Scott has been in the Financial Services industry for over a decade. Beginning in the Mortgage and private loans sector and transitioning into insurances, investments and retirement planning in 2009. Born in Spain; Eva holds a degree in International Law by the University Magna Hispalensis in Sevilla Spain and graduated
Cum laude from the University of North Carolina with a Bachelors degree in Political Science and International Relations.
Eva lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia with her husband Douglas and their four children.
Eva’s experience as a producer began at Primerica, New England Financial and other firms. Soon realizing that working for big Financial companies she could not really do what she was passionate about, she decided to partner with her mentor Rob Stewart in 2012 and open the Virginia branch of Integrity Financial Solutions.
IFS is small fiduciary, non captive firm that allows us to focus on truly providing real solutions for our client’s specific needs. Helping business owners and individuals wherever they are in their financial journey and designing a path to achieve their goals. IFS specializes in budgeting, debt elimination, college savings, retirement and benefit planning, risk management, estate planning, and tax free retirement.
STAFFORD SPEAKER, NOVEMBER 13
Sue Carter. Rotary Club of Farmville, Virginia, District 7600
An immigrant from Bosnia & Herzegovina, this Longwood University Alumna (B.S. 2006, M.S. 2010) is employed with Hampden-Sydney College as Director of Human Resources. She has also recently served as Adjunct Professor of Sociology at her Alma Mater. Since 2013, Sue has been a committed Rotarian on local, district, and international levels. Locally, she held multiple board positions with Rotary Club of Farmville, was the club’s President in 2017/18, and has received many awards for her service to the community. Upon conclusion of her Presidential term, Sue became a Paul Harris Fellow, and has since joined the Paul Harris Society too. On July 1, 2019, Sue became Rotary District 7600 Assistant Governor for Area 8, and shortly thereafter, she signed up for a humanitarian trip to Ghana to deliver a Global Grant to build a Junior High School in Adadease on behalf of Rotary International and District 7600. Sue is a member of Chamber of Commerce, Associate Member of Hampden-Sydney Volunteer Fire Department, and an avid supporter of many other local charities, non-profits, causes, and volunteer opportunities. When not working or volunteering, Sue is more than likely training for Marine Corps Marathon, travelling, or reading her favorite authors, all alongside her exceptionally supportive husband Nat and dog Merrily!
The speaker for the August 7 meeting was Doug Gately. 
Doug is the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Mary Washington. Each year, the UMW Jazz Ensemble, under Doug’s direction, and Legal Aid Works ®, formerly known as Rappahannock Legal Services, team up for an extraordinary event called Jazz 4 Justice to benefit our community. Legal Aid Works ® is a non-profit corporation that provides free, high-quality, civil legal assistance to low income individuals and families. Doug is the Artistic Director for Jazz 4 Justice, and his professional experience has contributed to the event’s success as an annual fund-raiser for
Legal Aid Works ®. Doug is the conductor and director of the UMW Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Flute Ensemble and various Chamber Groups. He is the principle instructor of applied studies in flute, clarinet, saxophone, and jazz piano. He has toured and performed throughout the United States, South America, and Europe. Credits include performances with numerous ‘name artists” including Doc Severinsen, Arturo Sandoval, Dizzy Gillespie, Henry Mancini, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, Manhattan Transfer, the Temptations, Mathew Morrison, Seth McFarlane, Patti Labelle, Gregory Porter, Michael Feinstein and many other Jazz Artists. Doug was also a former member of the U.S Air Force’s Premier Jazz Ensemble, the Airmen of Note. He is currently an adjunct with the National Symphony Orchestra, an MITP Artist/Clinician, an Artist/Clinician for KHS America (Jupiter Flutes). Doug is an active jazz pianist, composer, arranger and leads his own Trio. For several years Doug’s talent, professional experience and hard work have helped Legal Aid Works ® raise funds to ensure providing legal services for the Fredericksburg community.
Speaker for November 6, Wayne Chiles, ShelterBox USA
Wayne Chiles joined the Rotary Club of Springfield in April 1984, representing his employer Bell Atlantic (later renamed Verizon Communications.) Over the years he has held every office in the Club, some several times, and served as President in RY1994-95. He served as an Assistant Governor for five clubs during RY2007-10.
In late 2005 Springfield Rotary agreed to get involved with promoting the ShelterBox project in Rotary District 7610, an effort to which Wayne now devotes as much time as possible. Over the years, Wayne has presented ShelterBox to most of the Rotary Clubs in District 7610, displayed the package at many District events, community activities, some schools- all levels, Scout groups, and many industry events. Wayne is happy to speak to any group, wherever they may be, for as long as they will listen- with no obligation on their part- just to share the good news about ShelterBox.
He
retired from Verizon in 2002 and lives in Burke, VA with his wife. Their children and grandchildren live in Philadelphia, Omaha and Charleston, SC.
October 16 Speaker: R Board Director Joe Buchanan
Personal: Joe and Sharal Buchanan are empty nesters currently living in Richmond, Virginia. Sharal retired in January 2019 after 35 years as a clinical manager for one of the largest NICU units in the country. They have a married son who is a practicing dentist, and their married daughter is working as a clinical pharmacists. Joe and Sharal have one grandchild. They love to travel and hike throughout the United States.
Professional: Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Joe has a BBA from Georgia State and has been in the waste disposal and recycling industry for over 30 years. Joe also had a landfill manager certification from the Commonwealth of Kentucky and has a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
He was a managing partner of a 450-acre landfill and waste hauling business in Kentucky from 2007 to 2018 until the business was sold. The Kentucky business had 74 employees with six different locations including the landfill, 4 transfer stations and hauling operations, in
addition to the corporate office. The business collected and disposed of 1.5 million pounds of residential and commercial waste per day. Joe was responsible for all daily operations and with State regulatory agencies.
Rich Larochelle, Speaker, October 9
Rich is currently an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Mary Washington (UMW) where he co-teaches a course on Cooperative Business. He is Chair of the Cooperative Development Foundation, a national c (3) organization that supports the creation of cooperatives as a way of positively impacting economic and social problems.
Rich worked for cooperatives for 40 years prior to moving to Fredericksburg in 2014 with his wife Linda who is an accomplished artist, retired art teacher and member of Art First, a co-op art gallery on Caroline Street in Downtown Fredericksburg. Rich was Senior Vice President at the Cooperative Finance Corporation until retiring from there at the end of 2013, and Legislative Director at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association where he worked for 12 years. He began his coop career in 1974 with the Rural Electrification Administration (now RUS). Rich was inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame in 2017. Rich is active in volunteer activities and is a founding director of the Fredericksburg Food Cooperative.
Rich and Linda have two sons, including Jeremy who is a professor at UMW and David who lives in California. They are the proud grandparents of a wonderful 7 year old.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t7c7OrTbkLXtUqErzP2NBtatHE9vhfYk/edit#slide=id.p1
The speaker for the August 21 meeting was Cathleen Pessolano, the Executive Director at Mental Health America of Fredericksburg. She has a background in Developmental Psychology, Substance Abuse Prevention practices, Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy, and Domestic Violence Intervention services. She and her husband are long-time local residents and have three college-age children.
Before starting as Executive Director in July, Cathleen spent five years in secondary education and nineteen years in human services program management. After a successful career in helping individuals and families exposed to trauma, Cathleen is eager to advance the mission of Mental Health America of Fredericksburg: to improve people’s mental health and wellness through advocacy, education and supportive services. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1seIQZJJ19d-soREzux9kX45ZJLMNKD1NkWK4VlwXaIA/edit?ts=5d61f581#slide=id.p1
John P. Holden, Director, Stafford County Economic Development and Tourism
John joined the Stafford team in May 2018 after spending 25 years in Maine. There, his experience encompassed community and economic development; tourism development and marketing; and international business development and attraction. He helped institute and managed a number of economic development organizations. He also led the expansion of Maine’s entrepreneurship environment into communities he worked.
John was born in Columbus, Ohio. He earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree in regional economics from the University of Maine. He enjoys cooking and golf.
The speaker for our July 24 meeting was Sarah Chiles, Director of Fredericksburg SPCA
As Shelter Programs Director, Sarah oversees the staff that runs the foster, intake, transfer, volunteer, social media and outreach programs. With a constantly changing population of animals, Sarah enables the SPCA to scale, while keeping animals, foster and volunteer families, shelter partners, adopters, and staff supported. When Sarah is not saving lives, she is spending time with children, husband, and 4 dogs while binge-watching the latest releases on Netflix and Hulu.