NORFOLK — After working in the arts community here for years, Cheryl White has been named the executive director of the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation.
She will lead the organization and oversee administration, finance, marketing, fundraising and master planning.
White is a Hampton Roads native who graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor’s degree in art history and a master’s in humanities. Her master’s thesis included the successful nomination of the Norfolk Botanical Garden to the National Register of Historic Places.
White has impacted the region’s most prominent art institutions including the Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries, Suffolk Art Gallery, Chrysler Museum of Art and most recently, as director of the Glass Wheel Studio in the NEON District, according to a news release from Elizabeth River Trail Foundation.
White is currently chairwoman of the Public Art Committee for the NEON Arts District — she said she’s an ardent supporter of historic preservation and public art.
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“The Elizabeth River Trail is a transformational amenity for our region,” White said. “I’m thrilled to be part of this organization and look forward to working with the board and our community partners on this project that benefits so many residents and visitors to Hampton Roads.”
Charles McPhillips, the Foundation’s chairman, said he is “thrilled to have an executive director in place to fulfill the vision of the Foundation.”
The Foundation’s mission is to promote, enhance and transform the Elizabeth River Trail into the most iconic riverfront trail in the country, according to the news release.
The Elizabeth River Trail runs 10.5 miles and connects businesses, historic attractions and 28 neighborhoods within a five-minute walk.
The multiuse trail is designed for walking, running and biking. It comprises 11 sections and 11 trailheads from Norfolk State University to Norfolk International Terminals along the Elizabeth River.
For information, visit Elizabeth River Trail’s website.
