2013 Board and Board Development Committee Bios
MELISSA BURROUGHS, Chair
Melissa Burroughs’ passion for small business has shaped her career and had a powerful impact in her bank’s market of
Hampton Roads, Virginia. For more than two decades, she has helped ensure access to credit for local small businesses that
have grown, generated more revenues in the region, and created jobs as a result.
Melissa is executive vice president / chief lending officer for Old Point National Bank, which she joined in 2005 as commercial
account manager. She oversees all of Old Point’s small business loan activity, as well as its entire loan portfolio of some $500
million. Early in her tenure at Old Point, she helped the bank establish a new small business lending position in its retail loan
division. She works closely with Old Point’s lending staff, guiding them as they proactively seek out potential small business
clients and go the extra mile to provide loans to them. Thanks to her leadership, Old Point was the first bank in Virginia to offer
loans through the Small Business Administration’s America’s Recovery Capital Loan Program (ARC). Old Point leads in the
number of ARC loans made by Virginia-based banks with over $500 million in assets.
In addition to her regular business duties, Melissa advocates for changes in the financial services industry and at the legislative
level that will help small business. This is fundamental to her service on the Virginia Bankers Association commercial lending
executive committee and the Tidewater Business Financing Corporation loan review committee.
Her board positions and memberships in a wide variety of community organizations put her in constant touch with the concerns
and needs of small businesses. These groups include the Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate; Hampton
Roads Financial Planners Association; Downtown Hampton Exchange Club (charter member); Virginia Wesleyan College
President’s Advisory Council; Old Dominion University Alumni Association; the Roosevelt Gardens Civic League; and the Girl
Scout Council of Colonial Coast, where she will be the board president for a second term. She is a graduate of LEAD Hampton
Roads ’07 and CIVIC Leadership Institute ’09. In 2010 Burroughs won the Virginia Financial Services Champion of the Year from
the SBA; in 2012 she won the Women in Business Achievement Award
She began her banking career in 1986 at Crestar Bank, where, as commercial account manager/assistant vice president, she
regularly assisted small business clients. She continued to serve small businesses and their financial needs in subsequent
positions as financial services officer at Centura Bank; relationship manager at First Union National Bank/Wachovia; and
business banking market manager for SouthTrust Bank. At the latter, she introduced the concept of a small business
calling/lending program to 22 financial center managers and to all local-market management. She was also recognized for
achieving 200% of the market loan goal for small business lending.
She received an MBA with an emphasis in finance and human resources from Old Dominion University and a bachelor of arts,
magna cum laude, in liberal arts management from Virginia Wesleyan College. She is a certified financial planner and holds
license series seven, 63, and 65 for life and health insurance.
CHERYLE MACK, Vice Chair
Cheryle Mack is a Vice President with BB&T and currently serves as the Regional Business Deposit Officer for Hampton Roads
Region and as a member of BB&T’s Hampton Roads Senior Leadership Team helping the region with strategic initiatives to grow
and retain deposits.
Cheryle has 25 years of banking experience concentrating on retail management, commercial lending and treasury management.
Her expertise over the past 15 years has been working directly with municipal and not-for profit clients in the Hampton Roads
area.
Cheryle is a graduate of The College of William and Mary and is currently working her Masters of Business Administration at
Regent University.
In addition to being a mother of two children; Cheryle currently serves as the Advisor of Executive Women International Hampton
Roads Chapter (previously served two terms as President), the Vice Chair of the Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast (previously served
as Finance Chair), and as an Advisory Board member of the YWCA. She also assists Skills USA in its High School
entrepreneurship programs as well as providing financial literacy to High School students. She is also the recipient of the Girl
Scout Appreciation Pin for her volunteer service to the Council. Cheryle is very passionate about community service and uses her
great communication skills to inspire others to serve.
CATHERINE MAGILL, Treasurer
Quan “Catherine” Magill received her Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature from Shangdong Teacher’s University
in China. She came to Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA in 1998 to pursue a Master of Science in Accounting degree. Upon
graduation in 2001, she went to work with a local public accounting firm doing audit and tax work. She went on to also complete
an MBA degree from ODU in 2005 by attending evening classes.
In July 2005 she started her own company, Great Bridge International, LLC, to help clients source products from China. The
company later added promotional products to its core business. The company has been growing steadily for the past five years. It
opened an office in China in 2008 to help better serve its clients.
Catherine currently serves as a consultant for the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance. In this role, she helps to
recruit Chinese businesses to the Hampton Roads area.
She holds board positions with several community and industry associations. These positions include: the Hampton Roads
Chamber of Commerce, Chesapeake Division; Women in International Business, HR Chapter; the Chesapeake Public Schools
Education Foundation; LEAD Hampton Roads; and Girls Scout Council of Colonial Coast (treasurer).
She graduated in 2010 from LEAD Hampton Roads. She is frequently called upon to speak on many issues including doing
business with China, and cultural differences between the USA and China.
DENISE FREY, Member–at-large
Denise has been involved in Girl Scouts most of her life. As a girl growing up in Philly, she joined her first troop; and to this day
keeps in touch with some of her grade school troop mates! As a young navy wife, she became a troop leader when her two
daughters joined the organization. Denise credits Girl Scouting for giving her family immediate roots in new communities during
their 13 military moves. Her fondest memories with her daughters were the experiences they shared while living in the
Philippines.
Denise graduated from Brandywine College. She married a young navy Ensign and their journey began. Duty station to duty
station, she was involved with American Red Cross as a lifeguard and water safety instructor. Upon moving to VA Beach in 1989,
Denise joined the staff of GSCCC where she worked for ten years as a Membership and Marketing Manager and ended her
professional Girl Scout career as the adult training director. She retired in 2000.
Her community involvement has been mostly related to her children’s activities; serving on PTA’s, team manager for travel soccer
squads, Troop Committee for her son’s Boy Scout troop and as a Eucharistic Minister at her church. In October 2012, Denise was
voted secretary on the board of her civic league.
She is the proud mom of two active duty daughters: LCDR Nicole A Frey, USN (a Naval Aviator) and LCDR Monica M Frey, USN (a
supply officer serving on board the USS BUSH). Son Zachary is a cadet at the Virginia Military Institute. Denise and Charlie live in
Va. Beach and will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary in 2014!
CAROLENE GOODWYN-HARRIS, Member-at-large
Carolene is a native Virginian. She was born and raised in Portsmouth and now lives in Suffolk with her husband, Clinton Harris.
Her priorities in this order are, GOD, family and service. Treasuring life’s special moments and occasions are very much a part of
Carolene, her spirit, her life purpose and calling.
She attended Averett University in Danville, VA where she received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and
Management/Marketing; she has also completed graduate courses at Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, VA.
Currently, Carolene is employed as the Director of Operations for Affinity Realty in Chesapeake, VA. She is a sales and marketing
professional with broad-based general management experience in soliciting new business and client experience development.
She has a background in corporate and field operations environments, with a focus on profitable business development,
corporate giving and fundraising, client value management, and service excellence.
In 2005, while planning her sister-in-laws wedding, Carolene decided to take her business interests to the next level, launching
Special Moments by Carolene Event Planning. During April, 2007, she joined forces with Premier Designs Jewelry as an
Independent Distributor. Creating the ‘WOW” effect for every event and enhancing the experience with unique jewelry pieces is
what sets Carolene apart among the best. Carolene is a Lifetime Member of the Girl Scouts USA. Currently serves on the Board,
Board Development Committee and is a National Delegate for Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast Council. She is also a member of The
Friends of Hampton Roads and serves as Treasury Secretary, Hospitality Chair and is active on many committees. As a member
of Executive Women International, she served as President of the Hampton Roads Chapter.
FRANCINA R. HARRISON, MSW, Member-at-large
Francina R. Harrison, MSW is the visionary behind The Career Engineer® (TCE) & the TCE Network, http://TCEnow.com/ a
nationally awarded and recognized Virginia based consulting firm that helps career seekers increase their “bottom-line” with
transitional career management, strategic networking, social media platform building and connections. Francina (retired Navy
Spouse) has more than 14 years of serving and managing transitional career, business and life programs. In addition, she also
holds a Masters Degree in Social Work, and an undergraduate “Summa Cum Laude” status from Norfolk State University.
As a retired military family owned business, Francina Harrison (aka The Career Engineer, TCE) is well versed in the transitional
lifestyle experienced by active duty services members. Francina’s strong internet/global culture brings a wealth of knowledge in
diverse cultures, customs and languages. Francina, has been featured in Black Enterprise Magazine as "One of Six Career
Experts to Follow on Twitter", received the 2012 Silver Star Award for Jobs/Entrepreneurship and the 2010 Women in Business
Achievement Award Honoree.
Francina is also a recurring expert on Fox43(Hampton Roads), Fox & ABC affiliates and major media across the USA and is
branded worldwide as a national expert in the areas of career, business and networking. Francina’s expertise has been featured
on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Tavis Smiley show, Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times and hundreds of websites on the Internet!
We have served over 5,000 individuals and helped them to re-engineer their careers, lives and business.
ASHLEY MCLEOD, Member-at-large
Ashley K. McLeod is an Indiana University Bloomington, IN alumnus: her undergraduate work was in Elementary Education and
graduate work in Parks and Recreation Administration. In 1992 Ashley began her work with GSCCC (1992-95) as Program
Specialist for Day and Adventure Camps. Camp name is “Bubbles”. She taught on the elementary level from 1992-1998. She is
a committed school and community volunteer. Her school volunteer work includes holding the post of PTA president for Old
Donation Center and serving as the vice-president for Plaza Middle School’s PTA. Ashley served as co-chairman of the school
division’s Long-Range School Facility Master Plan Steering Committee. In addition to Ashley’s volunteer work in the schools, her
community involvement is varied. She is an elder with Bayside Presbyterian Church and serves on the Leadership Team for Boy
Scout troop 364. She has served as a “Cookie Mom” for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop and was director of the Norfolk’s
International Azalea Festival in 2005 and 2006. Ashley is past president of the Northwest Beach Partnership and Campus East
Community Homeowners Association. In March of 2010, she was appointed to the Virginia Beach School Board, to fill a vacant
At-Large seat and elected in November 2010. Ashley McLeod has two children, Douglas and Allison and is married to Gregory
McLeod (US Navy Ret.), they live in the Bayside area of Virginia Beach.
MARISA PORTO, Member-at-large
Marisa Porto is an award-winning journalist who has worked as an editor at news organizations in Florida, Ohio and Delaware.
She was recently named director of content for the Daily Press Media Group. She oversees a staff of 70 employees who produce
The Daily Press newspaper, the dailypress.com, a mobile version of the Daily Press and a number of other websites including:
HRVarsity.com, Savvyshoppertoday.com, Roomandyard.com, HRMilitary.com and Move2Williamsburg.com.
Until her late teens, she was an active member of a Girl Scout troop in Lake Worth, Fla. Her cousin is currently the troop leader of
her daughters’ Girl Scout troop in Fairfax, Va. Marisa has previous experience with the Girl Scouts. She was named to the board
of directors of the Girl Scouts in Zanesville, Ohio, where she worked as the executive editor of the Zanesville Times-Recorder from
1999 to 2002.
Marisa holds a bachelor of journalism from the University of South Carolina, where she graduated as the top news editorial
graduate in 1987. In 2002, she was named one of the “Top 20 under 40” by the Newspaper Association of America for her work
as a community newspaper editor. She also served for several years as the co-chair of the Diversity Committee for the Associated
Press Managing Editors, a national organization of top newspaper editors from around the country.
SCOTT TAYLOR, Member-at-large
BOARD DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
JACQUELINE BONTEMPS
Dr. Jacqueline Bontemps, an Associate Professor of Art, is an educator and researcher, art critic, painter, photographer and
sculptor.
Nationally recognized for her scholarship and service in her field, her contributions as an artist, scholar, and educator have been
noted in over thirty publications, resource books, and textbooks. A distinguished record of research and scholarship in the
discipline of African American Art and Art History, she has completed the most comprehensive and interpretively significant
scholarship in the field of African American women in the arts. Though largely historical in nature, her research was presented in
an interpretive context designed to establish a meaningful theoretical framework for critical discussion and analysis. Trained as
an artist by Aaron Douglas and as an historian by David C. Driskell, she has emerged as a skilled administrative force in the Black
arts community. In the process she has been successful in identifying, encouraging, and supporting young and neglected artists.
She was the director and curator of “Choosing: An Exhibit of Changing Perspectives of Modern Art and Art Criticism by Black
Americans, 1925-1985” and “Forever Free: Art by African American 1862-1980”
Born in Savannah, Georgia, Jacqueline Bontemps earned her Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree from Fisk
University and her doctoral degree from Illinois State University.
She serves as curator, designer and art director for the Armstrong/Slater Gallery Exhibitions, at Hampton University. She is also is
an active exhibitor.
CAROLENE GOODWYN-HARRIS (Please see picture and bio above.)
FRANCINA HARRISON (Please see picture and bio above.)
Anne Pierce
Dr. Anne Pierce, Associate Professor of Fine Art, received her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration with an emphasis in the
use of technology in art education at The University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT; her MA in the History of American Decorative Art at
Parsons New School of Design, New York, NY in addition to her four other Masters degrees; and her BA in Psychology/Biology
from Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA.. As a NASA funded researcher, she demonstrated early visualization tools on the
Internet for classroom teachers. More recently she is increasing awareness of career opportunities available when computing and
graphic design skills are combined. Her undergraduate students create virtual exhibitions as study aids in art history and the
humanities. She has partnered with colleagues in biology, computer science, mathematics, and engineering to enhance graphic
design students’ understanding of the importance of various presentation images for scientific and mathematical data.
Artworks from Africa and the Middle East have interested Dr. Pierce since her National Endowment for the Humanities Summer
Fellowship in Islamic culture at Columbia University during the 1980s. She recently returned from a Fulbright-Hayes experience
in Senegal where she studied with contemporary photographers. Anne began her career in photography in Connecticut and has
exhibited widely. During the 2009-2010 academic year she exhibited in the Artists Who Teach and Virginia Artists shows at the
Charles Taylor Gallery in Hampton Virginia.