Board of Directors

James Arnhold

Current Board Member,
Chairman Capital Campaign

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Professional Experience: 

• Land Development

• Commercial/Residential Construction

• Real Estate Brokerage

Associations:

• National Association of Homebuilders

• National Association of Realtors

• Local and State Member of Homebuilders and Realtors

Christina C. Balaban

Professonal Experience:

• Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorney, Susan I. Jean & Associates, LLC

Associations:

• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
• Virginia Guardianship Association
• Virginia Bar Association
  North Carolina Bar Association
• York-Poquoson Bar Association

Other Information:

• Qualified Guardian Ad Litem for Adults in Virginia
• Past Treasurer of the York-Poquoson Bar Association

Nancy Hall

Professonal Experience:

• Shareholder of Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, PC (Certified Public Accountants)

Associations:

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants
• Tidewater Builders Association

Other Information:

• The Beach Fund (segment of The Virginia Beach Foundation) Steering Committee Co-Chairman
• Member of Kings Grant Presbyterian Church, currently teaching Middle School Sunday School and previously serving as an elder and chairman/member of various committees.

John R. Lockard

Professonal Experience:

• Partner of Vandeventer Black LLP
• Concentration in Public Contracts, Construction Law and Litigation and Commercial Litigation
• Received his B.A. from the University of Virginia and his J.D. from The College of William & Mary School of Law.

Associations:

• Virginia Beach Bar Association
• Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association

Other Information:

• He served in the U.S. Navy from 1986 – 1991 completing his active duty at the rank of Lieutenant
• He is a frequent columnist in the Builders & Contractors Exchange Weekly Bulletin
• John is married to Tammy and has two sons, Tyler and Harrison

Ruth McCotter

• Board member since 2004
• Serves on the Farm Tour Committee
• State Director for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Leukemia Society
• Has been involved with Operation Smile and the Cavalier Golf and Yacht Club
• Organized the 1996 Kings Daughter’s Circle for Birdneck Point

She has ridden and shown horses for over 30 years and just recently retired.  In her spare time she enjoys playing competition level tennis.

Jack R. Mellon

• 1991 – Present - President & CEO Providence Group Corporation, Richmond, Virginia
• CFO/Managing Director - Meridian Financial Group, Columbia, Missouri
• Former Senior Vice President, Voyager Group, Jacksonville, Florida
• Graduate of University of Florida – BS in Accounting

Organizations:

• 1973 - Scholarship Chairman, ATO, Alpha Omega Chapter
• Former Orland JC Knights of Columbus, Capital Campaign development team for Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School (Gold Circle), Active in Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters’ (CHKD) and Operation Smile.
• Member Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club as Rear Commodore. Serves on the Membership, Social and Finance Committee’s and is a recent addition to the EQUI-KIDS Board jumping right in as Title Sponsor and Committee member for the Annual Golf Open.
• A Virginia Beach resident since 1981, he is married to Debra for 31 years and they have three children ages 21, 24 and 27.

Dick Nottingham

Professional:

• Registered representative for over twenty-five years, most currently with Cape Financial, Inc.
• Earned professional designations of Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant and Accredited Estate Planner
• Has been an instructor for the Life Underwriters Training Council and the Society of Financial Services Professionals

Education:

• B.S. in Business Administration from Old Dominion University

Other:

• Life & Qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table
• Active with many business, charitable and civic organizations such as the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Hampton Roads Real Estate Planning Council, the Virginia Beach Foundation, the Robin Hoods of Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads YMCA

Dick and his wife Leetsa have three children and live in Virginia Beach.

Don O'Brian

President

Professional Experience:

• Retired Assistant Vice President - Public Affairs, Norfolk Southern Corp.

Activities at EQUI-KIDS:

• Coordinating and chairing Capital and Endowment Fund Campaign
• By-Laws Committee
• Investment Policy Committee
• Lesson volunteer
• Assist in general farm work

Other Information:

• Served as a mentor in the Norfolk Jaycee's Young Adult Mentoring Program
• Served on the Board of Directors of Operation Smile of South Hampton Roads
• Served on various other community and neighborhood committees and boards
• Currently on the Board of the Hampton Roads chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Hampton Roads

John Panneton

• Retired as a Lieutenant Colonel with over twenty years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps.
• He has served as president and owner of a manufacturing company.
• Past National President of the Navy League of the United States, the only civilian organization dedicated to supporting the sea services of the United States – the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S. Flag Merchant Marine.

• Served as a member of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission chaired by Congressman Owen Pickett.
• Current member of the National Navy League and the Hampton Roads League board of directors.
• Former member of the USO board of directors, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Armed Service Committees and a member of the Armed Services YMCA.
• Founding member of the USS Wisconsin Board of Directors.
• Received numerous military awards and letters of recognition including the Secretary of the Navy’s Distinguish Public Service Award, Superior Public Service Award, the General Douglas MacArthur Combined Military Service Award, and the Coast Guard Distinguish Award.
• Inducted into his High School Hall of Fame for his performance on the gridiron as a quarterback and for his community service.

John is married to Alice, his wife for the past 28 years. They now reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He enjoys family activities with their children and grandchildren. His hobbies include family activities, physical fitness, and golf--golf being his most favored outside activity. He is active in other non-profit organizations throughout his community. John and Alice have three daughters, one son and five grandchildren.

Taunia Reed

Professional:

Owner Window World

Established Wellington Farm in 2005 in Virginia Beach

Associations:

• EQUI-KIDS Board member and is on the Relocation/Facility Use Committee
• Taunia is involved in many other charities including Operation Smile, American Diabetes Association, Make-A-Wish and the Red Cross

Other Information:

Taunia was born in Pennsylvania
Former experience includes being the Executive Assistant to the President of a major department store chain
She has managed fine dining restaurants in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. In 1995 she opened a gift and jewelry store in Carolina Beach, North Carolina. Taunia is also a 4-H Booster member.

Taunia is married to Dave and has two grown sons, Justin who works for Window World and Josh was has a chiropractic practice in Chesapeake.

Jim Reeve

• Joined the EQUI-KIDS Board of Directors in 2006
• Served from 2002-2006 as a Virginia Beach City Councilman
• President/Owner of Eco-Systems, Inc. and Back Bay Getaways, Inc.
• General Manager of Baja Restaurant in Virginia Beach
• Member of the Adopt A Waterway Program
• Board member of A Dolphin’s Promise
• State Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator

Jim is married to the former Sally Drescher and has two sons, Mathew and Charlie.

Jerry Sutphin

• President and Co-Owner of Integrity Telecom, Inc.
• Retired Health Care CEO.  Having served in the capacity of CEO for hospitals in Virginia, Florida, West Virginia and Kentucky.
• Member of EQUI-KIDS Golf Committee
• Member of Haygood United Methodist Church, having chaired and served on various committees
  

Robert F. Thorndike Jr.

Professional Experience:

• Senior Vice President – Investments
  Davenport & Company LLC
  

Education:

• Bachelors Degree Finance, Virginia Tech 1984
  

Other Information:

• Served on the Board, Junior Achievement of Hampton Roads
• Project Business Coordinator for 10 years with Junior Achievement
• Past president Virginia Tech Alumni Association, Tidewater Chapter
• Past President Indian River Ruritan Club
• Advisory Board Virginia Tech Student Investment BASIS Program
• Stock market Game Consultant, Virginia Council of Economic Education

Robert is married to Tracie, his wife for the past 20 years. They reside in Smithfield, VA with their three daughters, Morgan, Allie and Carlyne.

Dabney Twohy Napolitano

• Dabney grew up in Norfolk and now resides on the family farm, Cedar Cove Farm, in Virginia Beach.
• Obtained BS from Old Dominion University in Early Childhood
• Worked in the family business, Capital Concrete, for fifteen years and has done everything from driving a concrete truck to bookkeeping/credit manager.

Dabney is a devoted horsewoman and has been a riding instructor for over twenty years. She recently began showing again in the Adult Amature Older Division.

Her love of children and horses led her to become part of the EQUI-KIDS Board in 2007. She has witnessed first-hand the difference horses can make in the life of a child since her niece is one of the EQUI-KIDS riders who smiles, laughs and really enjoys her time at the farm.

Dabney hopes that her experience in both the business and equestrian worlds will help EQUI-KIDS expansion efforts to offer special needs children new opportunities to grow during their time at the farm.

Dabney is married to Fred Napolitano and has three children.

Sandra Warden

Vice President

Golf Tournament Committee

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Professional Experience:

• Former volunteer with the Court Appointed Special Advocate Organization for five years

Associations:

• Virginia Beach Medical Society Alliance, Inc. – Treasurer
• Advisory Board of the Child Abuse Center at CHKD
• Elder at Presbyterian Church

Susan Watkins

Vice President

Chairman Development Committee

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Professional Experience: 

• Retired from the banking industry in 2007 after 29 years

• Most recent as Vice President Gateway Bank & Trust

A resident of Virginia Beach, Susan has been involved with EQUI-KIDS for eight years. She has been a horse enthusiast for over 20 years and currently owns two horses and competes in Dressage. Susan is married to Bobby and has two children, one grandchild, and another on the way.