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Who We Are

Our Board

Our Board & Advisory Council

  • Richard grew up in Charlottesville and returned in 2013 after retiring from a career in city planning, residential real estate development and economic development in Fredericksburg. There he served on the Rappahannock Goodwill Industries board of directors for six years. He’s been a member of the Mid-Week Crew since 2017. Richard and his wife Susan have two grown sons, both living in Washington, DC.

  • Marilu Thomas has served as Associate Rector of Christ Church since 2014. She specializes in mission and service, leading trips to Honduras, participating in medical missions to Haiti and organizing the church’s local missions including the PACEM Shelter, Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen and their work with Habitat. Marilu and her husband Stuart have two daughters and two grandchildren, all of whom live in Charlottesville.

  • From 1994 through February 2016, Mr. Gernert served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board for totes»Isotoner Corporation, an international business engaged in the design, marketing and distribution of weather related and apparel accessories. Upon his retirement in 2016, Mr. Gernert was elected to continue to serve on totes Isotoner’s Board of Directors, and also to serve as a Special Advisor to the Board. From 1992 to 1994, Mr. Gernert was Senior Vice President of Robertson Ceco, an international producer of building products, and President of its Cupples Products Division. From 1988 to 1992, Mr. Gernert was Vice President at HMK Enterprises, Inc., a private equity firm, where he was responsible for the formation and execution of portfolio business unit strategies as well as managing the acquisition program. Mr. Gernert was a Manager for the international consulting firm Bain & Company, Inc. from 1984 to 1988, and from 1979 to 1982 worked in sales for Procter & Gamble in New York City.

    Currently, in addition to his Board position at totes Isotoner, Mr. Gernert serves as a Director on the boards of Travelpro Group, Simpson Performance Products, and aden + anais Holdings, Inc. Since 2010, he has served on the Board of Kid Pan Alley, a non-profit organization based in central Virginia dedicated to elementary and middle school education using music and song writing to foster creativity, teamwork and self confidence in children. He has lived in Charlottesville since 1989, and interests include cooking, travel and racquet sports. He has been a member of the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville’s Midweek Crew since the fall of 2016.

    Mr. Gernert holds a Bachelor’s Degree, cum laude, in Political Economics, from Williams College, and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business School.

  • Connor Childress is a partner in the Charlottesville law firm Scott|Kroner, PLC. He is a “Double Hoo,” having graduated from UVA’s College of Arts and Sciences (’06) and the School of Law (’09). He began practicing law with a large regional law firm in Charlotte, North Carolina, before returning to Charlottesville in 2014 to be closer to his family. Connor primarily represents clients in commercial real estate and business transactions.

  • Rob is the Executive Lecturer in Science, Technology and Society at UVA. He is the former owner of Arch’s Yogurt and several other start up endeavors. His career includes manufacturing and marketing for multinationals including AT&T and IBM. He is an engineer who received his MBA from the Darden School. Currently, he is part of the CODE Building Development team.

  • Pastor Cass is the Vicar of the Trinity Episcopal Church. He completed his undergraduate education at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts and graduated from the Berkeley Divinity School and Yale Divinity School. Prior to arriving in Charlottesville, he served at St. Christopher’s in Hawaii where he oversaw a doubling of the membership and the establishment of a homeless shelter program.

  • Yolunda is the CEO and Board Chair of the New Hill Development Corporation, an African American led social enterprise established to build a community that is prosperous, inclusive, diverse, and equitable. New Hill’s goal is to expand and strengthen Charlottesville’s African American middle class and improve access to affordable housing, expand financial literacy, and support economic, educational, and cultural development programs.

  • Joseph is the Chief Lending Officer at the UVA Community Credit Union. Former SVP at Wells Fargo. Chair of the PVCC Foundation Board and past Chair of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce.

  • John Raymond is the President and founder of the Carson Raymond Foundation helping children participate in youth sports. Vice President of the Charlottesville Tom Sox minor league baseball team. Outstanding connector in the community.

  • Rhonda is a Market Leader and Senior Commercial Lender for Fulton Bank. Former BB&T Market President. Rhonda is intimately familiar with Habitat’s business model as she handles the financial relationship between Fulton and Richmond Habitat. Additionally, she is on the grants committee for the United Way Women United in Philanthropy program and has volunteered for significant disaster relief work.

  • Kimberly is the Executive Director of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Foundation. In this role, she leads community engagement, fundraising, community health, and volunteer services. She has served in past executive roles at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Montpelier Foundation, the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, and the UVA Darden School of Business. Her areas of expertise include strategic planning, financial management, fundraising and communications. Kimberly also serves on the board of the Charlottesville Free Clinic and is a resident of western Albemarle County.

  • Brad is the Vice President of Business Development for Lee Construction Group. He has extensive experience in construction, financial oversight, scaling businesses, contract negotiations, multi-phase project planning and sales. Brad has experience with Habitat, having served on the board of a Habitat affiliate in North Carolina.

  • Billy is the Owner-operator of Grace Spring Farm in Louisa County. He is a former member of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors. For 39 years he has served as an organizational development consultant and as a faculty member at the Federal Executive Institute. Billy is the author of Martha Jefferson Randolph: Republican Daughter and Plantation Mistress and earned a Ph.D. in the Social Foundations of Education from UVA.

  • Josh is of Counsel at Woods Rogers Attorneys at Law. Josh practices in the firm’s Corporate, Tax and Trusts and Estates groups. Josh is an expert on Opportunity Zones and nonprofit governance. His practice includes drafting sensitive trusts and wills as well as preparing and reviewing income, gift and real estate tax returns. Josh was named one of Virginia Business magazine’s Legal Elite.

  • Alex is the CEO and Investment Advisor at Emergent Financial Services. Alex is also President of Forward Adelante Business alliance promoting entrepreneurship among the Latino Community in Virginia, educating the area on the contributions and achievements of Latino and diverse professionals and connecting Hispanic children, adults, professionals and entrepreneurs to local resources and clientele.


Advisory Council

The Advisory Council for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville provides a vehicle for individuals who are seriously interested in the goals of Habitat Charlottesville and have special skills, unique networks, and limited time to make important contributions to the organization’s advancement.

When requested, Advisory Council members are asked to:

  • Act as resource persons to members of the Habitat Board of Directors, President/CEO, and senior staff, providing counsel, guidance and informed perspectives on issues and questions related to their special skills or background;
  • Share information with the Board of Directors, President/CEO, and senior staff regarding the effectiveness of Habitat Charlottesville in meeting the needs of its constituencies and the greater Charlottesville area community; and, 
  • Provide access and introductions when appropriate to influential persons from corporate, foundation, philanthropic, or legislative spheres in the Habitat Charlottesville communities. 

Current Advisory Council Members:

  • Kathleen Bowman
  • Melba Campbell
  • Doug Cox
  • Matthew Crane
  • Jane Dittmar
  • Pam Edmonds
  • Joe Gieck
  • David Kudravetz
  • Larry Martin
  • Jeanne McCusker
  • Hunter Smith
  • Wade Tremblay
  • Reg Woods
  • Peter Wurzer
  • Kate Zirkle

 

  • 967 2nd Street SE
    Charlottesville, VA
    22902

    Hours:
    Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

  • 1221 Harris Street
    Charlottesville, VA
    22903

    Hours:
    Tues - Sat 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

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