Saying Goodbye... and Welcome!
A strong Board of Directors is essential to the success of every nonprofit organization.
Over the years, On the Road Collaborative has been blessed with a profoundly talented and selfless group of directors. These generous community members have given a great deal of their time, talents and treasure in support of the mission of empowering youth. Many of them have stayed on for multiple terms, providing a high level of continuity over the years which has enabled the organization to grow in meaningful ways.
This June, we said farewell to several long-serving board members, and said hello to just as many new members!
First, a few words about the incredible Chris Orem, Jonathan Coddington, Nicolette Myers, and Connie Hess, whose terms came to an end this summer.
Chris Orem joined the board in June 2018, serving two terms during which he had perfect board meeting attendance for 4 years! He helped to form the organizations’ Strategic Planning Committee in 2021 and has served as its chair since its formation. This committee has overseen some really critical initiatives, including our Expansion Planning and ultimately the decision to expand to Waynesboro, as well as our Co-CEO succession plan last year.
As an expert in data evaluation, Chris has also worked with staff to design and implement our Evaluation Plan over the years and is now passing the torch on this important initiative to one of our new board members (which we will introduce shortly).
Jonathan Coddington joined in June 2016, serving 8 years, Jonathan is the longest tenured board member in our history to-date. Jonathan brought his expertise in insurance and finance to the board and chaired the finance committee from 2017 to 2020. As an employee of LD&B Insurance and Financial Services, he helped to foster this important relationship with one of our longest running corporate sponsors, contributing more than $21,400.
In 2022, when the organization took on providing its own transportation in Harrisonburg, Jonathan was one of the very first people to step up to volunteer as a van driver. He believes his weekly trips driving youth home from program was one of the most meaningful contributions he made to the organization.
Nicolette Myers or as we affectionately call her, the “Queen of Quickbooks”, joined in June 2017, serving 6 1/2 years before stepping down earlier this year. She performed a crucial service to the organization helping us reconcile our finances, take care of all of our payroll taxes, and other essential financial matters.
Her volunteering in this way was invaluable by adding capacity and allowing the organization to dedicate more resources directly towards programming. She also served as Secretary her entire 6-year tenure! A skilled and selfless board member throughout her entire tenure.
Connie Hess has served on the board since June 2019. Connie served on the Strategic Planning Committee from 2021-2023, providing an important voice as we considered expansion and succession planning. Connie’s decision to join the board helped us grow our reach and credibility with the business community in Harrisonburg.
Valley Engineering was an awesome partner during the time she was with the company, serving as a Community Teacher and providing nearly $10K in sponsorships to support our work. Connie was a passionate supporter of On the Road, often sharing about our work on social media, serving as a mock trial juror and even stepped up to drive a van when we first provided transportation with vans.
On the Road Collaborative would not be the organization it is today without the profound service of these 4 incredible individuals. They will all be dearly missed.
And now, introducing our new board members!
As we said farewell to our outgoing board members, we also welcomed in a new slate of directors to carry on the important work they started.
Fernando Sagastume is a former participant in On the Road’s programming, spending several pivotal years with us in middle school. Fernando is now a student at Blue Ridge Community College, and works as the Chief Administrative Officer at Highest Roofing.
As an alumni, and current college student Fernando brings important insights and perspective to our Board of Directors.
Adam Savanick works as a Financial Advisor with LD&B, and is a well-known and servant hearted community member. He brings a wealth of knowledge in the financial industry, and a strong understanding of the needs of nonprofit organizations.
We’re thrilled that Adam will also be serving as our treasurer going forward!
Jessica Blythe has already been connected to On the Road for a couple of years, serving as a Community Teacher and Academic tutor to our youth. She’s a deeply caring member of the Waynesboro community, where she works for Mathers Construction.
Jessica’s passion for youth development and commitment to her community make her the perfect board member for On the Road. She will be leading Board Development efforts over the course of her term.
Madison Holzman comes to On the Road from the Staunton area where she lives with her partner, Casey. Casey Tucker, of Vivid Earth Adventures, has already been an outstanding Community Teacher for On the Road in Waynesboro, and Madison has been connected to On the Road for a couple of years already.
With a PhD in assessment and measurement, Madison will support our continued efforts in evaluating the impact of On the Roads programs.
We couldn’t be more excited for this new group of board members. These new faces joining the On the Road Collaborative family takes away some of the sorrow that comes with saying goodbye to our outgoing members.