Literacy for Life, a local organization dedicated to increasing traditional literacy skills as well as computer and health literacy in the Historic Triangle area, recently appointed four new members to its Board of Directors for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
Tom Spong is the current Director of Resort Sales for Colonial Williamsburg Hotels, and he has worked in various capacities for the living history museum for more than 20 years.
He previously served on the boards of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance and the Virginia Society of Association Executives, and is the current secretary for the Williamsburg German Club. He was a 2013 recipient of the John R. Dufour Lifetime Professional Achievement Award.
Kelly Ann Kelly has been a teacher with Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools for 25 years, and she was named WJCC Teacher of the Year in 2008. She is also a member of the William & Mary clinical faculty and the Williamsburg Area Reading Council, the latter of which she also currently serves on the board.
Paula Mooradian is the head of the Economics Department at Thomas Nelson Community College and the former director of alumni services at William & Mary. She is also the co-founder of the Council for Alumni Marketing and Membership Professionals.
Terry Murphy is heavily involved in several volunteer organizations in which she has held various leadership positions, including volunteer Director of Development for the Embassy Series in Washington, DC and member of the Leadership Council of the Capital Area Salvation Army.
In addition to the new members, current board member Bob Hershberger has moved into the Board President position for the coming year.
New Provost of TNCC Historic Triangle Campus Appointed
Gregory McLeod has been selected as the new provost for Thomas Nelson Community College’s Historic Triangle campus.
McLeod, a North Carolina native, received his undergraduate degree in mathematics education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He then went on to attain his master’s in training and development with a technology specialization from North Carolina State University. He rounded out his formal education at Barry University with a doctoral degree in higher education administration.
Before being appointed to his position at TNCC, McLeod served as the provost at St. Johns River State College’s St. Augustine campus in Florida. Prior to that he held several different administrative positions over the course of seven years at St. Petersburg College, also in Florida. He has experience teaching at both the K-12 and college levels.
In his new position, McLeod plans to focus on “collaborating with K-12 and college leaders to enhance access for students transitioning from high school to college and beyond,” according to a news release from TNCC.
“My first and main priority is to learn about all of the great things going on at Thomas Nelson and see how I can best support and strengthen those efforts for the benefit of our students and the communities that we serve,” McLeod said.
Additionally, McLeod is expected to focus on partnering with local business and civic leaders to work on developing internships and work experiences as well as workforce training programs designed to ensure TNCC students are able to meet the needs of the community.
McLeod will assume his new role July 1.
Williamsburg Landing Course Teaches Techniques for Dealing with Dementia
Williamsburg Landing recently completed a dementia seminar designed for law enforcement and first responders from local police departments.
The lecture was designed to keep these specialized groups of professionals informed of the best techniques for dealing with dementia on the job.
Tina Thomas, the Landing’s dementia services educator, led the seminar, in addition to running a concurrent Dementia Practitioner program that recently graduated a class of Landing staff members.
Staff from all departments took part in the course, which has now led to the certification of more than 75 employees. The impetus behind the course is a desire among staff to provide a higher level of care for residents suffering from dementia.
