We Are Growing

Our team is growing. Take a few to learn about the newest members of our board, their thoughts on what would make the world more awesome, why they joined the On the Road team, and what gifts they plan to share with the organization and community.

Tell us about yourself…
I was born and raised in Las Cruces, NM by Mexican immigrant parents. After attending and graduating with a degree in dietetics from New Mexico State University, I moved to San Diego, CA and received a Master in Public Health (Health Promotion) from San Diego State University. I also became a registered dietitian during that time. I’ve worked for over 20 years in the fields of health, nutrition and education in a variety of setting and locales. These have included health clinics, hospitals, universities, and schools in Las Cruces, NM, San Diego, CA, Washington, DC, Twenty-nine Palms, CA and now here in Harrisonburg, VA. My husband Tom Little, a retired Marine Corps officer, is a program director working for a local company. I have two daughters. Sydney graduated from Harrisonburg High School last year and is a first year student at UVA. Samantha is an 8th grade student at Skyline Middle School. I like staying active by running, walking my dog Canela and doing strength training. I also like to cook, read, and spend time with friends.

The world would be a more awesome place if… We treated each other just a little bit kinder. I try to live by a kindness quote that Colin Powell related in a news article I read a few years back. “Always show more kindness than seems necessary, because the person receiving it needs it more than you will ever know.”

What is something about yourself that you can’t tell by looking at you?
I like watching sports, in particular March Madness basketball games, professional football playoff games, World Cup soccer matches, U.S. Open tennis.

What inspires you about the vision and mission of On the Road Collaborative?
I’m most inspired by On The Road’s desire to empower youth to achieve their potential regardless of their socio-economic circumstances (or other challenges) and its utilization of community stakeholders to achieve its goals.

What is your favorite part of Harrisonburg?
I love the James Madison University Arboretum. I’ve taken countless wondrous walks and runs along the trails in snowy, rainy and sunny weather, always admiring the different plants and animal that I encounter. I love the herb garden, meditation path, pond, suspension bridge, trilliums, art shows, plant sales, Ernst Tree Terrace, plant/tree identifier markers, daffodils, and so many, many other things!

Tell us about yourself…
I was born in Martinsville, Virginia, and first moved to Harrisonburg to attend JMU, where I met my wife Shannon. In 2005, we moved to the D.C. area, where I attended law school and practiced law. In 2012, we had our first child, John. In 2014, we fulfilled a long-standing dream by moving back to Harrisonburg, where I currently run my own law firm, Wilson Law PLC.

On the Road Collaborative brings together a network of caring adults who believe in every child, advocate for them, and insist they be the best they can possibly be.
Who has been a champion (aka mentor) for you in your life? My father. When I am faced with a tough decision, I ask myself what he would do.

What inspires you most about the vision and mission of On the Road Collaborative?
The focus on intensive involvement with students over the course of multiple school years. With this approach, students can maintain advances they have made, and build on them to foster even greater success.

What gifts are you excited to bring to the On the Road Collaborative team?
My business experience, legal training, and love of learning.

What is something about yourself that you can’t tell by looking at you?
I am a voracious reader of comic books, science fiction, and fantasy.

What’s your favorite quote?
“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”
-Edmund Burke

The world would be a more awesome place if…
Chocolate . . the answer is always chocolate.