EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

Tracy McMillan '86

CHAIR

Tracy V. McMillan is originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned a degree in Commerce with a major in Accounting from the McIntire School of Commerce in 1986. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc as well as an alumnus of the INROADS organization. While in college, he served as Co-Chairman of University Union’s Minority Cultures and as an active member of the Alpha Kappa Psi National Professional Business Fraternity. After attending UVA, he pursued a career in Accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and in Corporate Finance with Kraft Foods. For the past 10+ years, he has built a career and business in the Executive Search realm, having formed The McMillan Group, Inc. in January of 2001. He was voted onto the Ridley Board in 1999 and, prior to being elected Chair effective July of 2006, he served as Fundraising and Nominating Committee Chairs, Treasurer and Vice Chair.

Ben Hankins '87 VICE-CHAIR Benjamin B. Hankins, Jr.is originally from Newport News, Virginia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia in 1987, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Baltimore in 1993. In addition to serving as the Vice Chair for the Ridley Fund, Ben is on the Board of Trustees of Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Virginia. Mr. Hankins is a partner in several mid-size consulting firms and restaurants in the Northern Virginia area.

Ed Rhodes '85

TREASURER

Edward T. Rhodes, Jr., (“Ed”) is a native and current resident of Silver Spring, Maryland. He earned a BA in History in 1985 and an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School in 1994. While at UVA, Ed was a Co-Chair of University Union’s Minority Cultures Committee and a member of the Dean’s Committee of Faculty/Student Concerns. In 1987, Ed pledged the Silver Spring, Maryland Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Since UVA, Ed has worked in the financial services industry as a banker, consultant and regulator. In 2000, Ed formed MCP Corporate Advisors, LLC, a full service consulting firm based in Silver Spring, Maryland that provides mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance advisory and strategic consulting services to middle market and small market companies located throughout the United States. Prior to founding MCP, Ed was an Investment Banker in New York for several years with JP Morgan Chase and Bank of Montreal. Prior to attending business school, Ed was a banking regulator with the Resolution Trust Corporation in Washington.

Sharon Ann Miller '87 SECRETARY Ms. Miller is owner of The Whistle Stop Company, a real estate investment firm based in Fairfield, CT. Prior to establishing the firm, Ms. Miller was the Global Managing Director of Trammell Crow Company's Global Services Group in New York. Prior to Trammell Crow, she was with Hart Advisers, Inc. (where she was a partner), J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc., J.W. O’Connor & Company, Inc., O’Connor Realty Advisors, Inc., and Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association. She is a full member of the Urban Land Institute (where she is the Vice Chair of Programs for the Urban Development/Mixed-Use Council -- Red Flight) and is a Counselor of Real Estate®. Ms. Miller received her undergraduate degree from the UVa in Architecture in 1986 and her M.S. from New York University with a focus on Construction Management and Real Estate Investment & Development in 1993.

Teresa Bryce '81 FORMER CHAIR Teresa A. Bryce, Esq. is originally from Chesapeake, Virginia. She earned her BA from UVA as an Interdisciplinary/Echols Scholar. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. While at college, she was on resident staff, the intersorority council, John B. Minor Pre-Law Society, a volunteer through Madison House and a member of the President’s Councils on African American Affairs and on University Union. After attending UVA, she received her JD from Columbia University. Currently, she is Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary and interim Chief Risk Officer of Radian Group, a global credit risk management company.

BOARD MEMBERS

Kevin Best '85

Kevin D. Best is a native of Richmond, VA and received his BA in Rhetoric and Communication Studies from the College in 1985. While at UVA, Kevin served as the Director of Community Service for Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and as Vice President in Alpha Kappa Psi, a National Business Fraternity. Kevin earned a Master’s Degree in communications from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1991, where he graduated summa cum laude and was inducted into the national collegiate academic honor societies of Phi Kappa Phi and Kappa Tau Alpha. Kevin is a 17-year veteran of the advertising business and currently works at Visionary Marketing Group in Baltimore, MD, a minority-owned strategic marketing and events agency, as Senior Vice President, Director of Account Services. Kevin lives in Owings Mills, MD with his wife Dani (CLAS ’87) and their two sons Devin and Dixon.

Robert Branson '80 Robert Branson is originally from Montross, Virginia. He earned a double major in History (Special Scholars program) and Afro-American Studies in 1980. While in college he worked at the Office of African-American Affairs, was a member of MUNTU, the Undergrad History Association and a variety of other organizations. Later he graduated from Harvard Law School in Boston. Currently, he is the State Public Policy Counsel with Verizon Wireless. He also was elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the Federal Communications Bar Association.

Tonja Custis Brickhouse '82

Tonja Custis Brickhouse is originally from Mt. Vernon, New York. She earned a degree in Economics & Psychology in 1982. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. While at The University, she was on resident staff, a member of The John B. Minor Pre-legal Society, AFROTC, Black Student Alliance, Madison House Volunteer and the NAACP. After attending UVA she enjoyed a career of service in the U. S. Air Force, rising to the rank of Colonel and culminating her career as the first African American to serve as the Chief, Air Transportation Division, Headquarters Air Mobility Command. She is also a graduate of Troy State University where she earned a masters degree in Public Administration. Currently, she is a member of the Senior Executive Team serving as the Director, Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management for the City of Tampa, Florida, a diverse city of 333,000+. She is the first African American woman to serve in this position.

Kevin Chavers '84

Kevin is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and currently resides in Bronxville, New York with his wife, Ginger, and daughter, Cameron. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School (1987) and received a Bachelors in City Planning from the University Of Virginia School Of Architecture (1984). Mr. Chavers served as President of the Government National Mortgage Association (GINNIE MAE) during the Clinton Administration. He also served as Chief of Staff of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, which regulated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, from 1993-1994, and he was a member of President-elect Clinton’s transition team. Mr. Chavers served as Counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs from 1989-1993. Currently, Mr. Chavers is a Managing Director of Morgan Stanley. He is the Co-Head of the firms U.S. Residential Mortgage Business and the Head of the European Residential Mortgage Businesses. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, he was a Vice President in the Principal Finance Group of the Mortgage Securities Department at Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Darryl Cobb '95 Darryl Cobb is originally from outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1995. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. While in college, he was president of the National Society of Black Engineers, a Senior Peer Advisor, and an INROADS intern. After graduating from UVA he has enjoyed a career in management consulting and education. He is a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Currently, he is the Chief Learning Officer at the KIPP Foundation.

Andra Gillespie '99 Andra Gillespie joined the Ridley Board in 2007. She earned her degree in Government & Foreign Affairs and African American Studies from the College in 1999. While at UVA, Andra was active in the Holland Scholars Program, Student Council, the International Relations Organization and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

Sonya Hairston '88

Hairston grew up in Connecticut, and she attended the University of Virginia graduating with a BS in Education. A Nashville resident, Hairston is a Financial Advisor of Citigroup Smith Barney. In addition, she is President and CEO of her own company, Classic Affairs, Inc. A skilled and seasoned executive with an MBA in Marketing, Hairston has a wealth of experience working with both non-profit and for-profit companies. Hairston is also very active in her community, spending time on the boards and committees of several organizations, including the Frist Center for Visual Arts, Marketing Council; Books from Birth of Middle Tennessee, Board of Directors and Co-Chair of the Communication and Outreach Committee; Williamson County Child Advocacy Center, Legacy Ball Chair of Entertainment Committee and Printing Committee; the Junior League of Nashville Strategic Planning Committee, Public Relations Chair-elect, Chair Diversity Awareness; Celebration of Women Event Chair; and the Ronald McDonald House. Hairston also has been a member of several civic groups, including the Senet Society of the United Way, the Nashville Downtown Rotary Club, Young Leaders and Andrea Walks.

Greg Jefferson '91

Gregory Jefferson currently serves as a legislative representative for the AFL-CIO’s Government Affairs Department. His areas of interest include the congressional budget, taxes, bankruptcy, tort reform, workforce training, and judicial nominations. Prior to his employment at the AFL-CIO, he served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Department of Labor Employment Standards Administration, Counsel on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee On Education and the Workforce and served as a Judicial Law Clerk at the District of Columbia Superior Court. He is a 1995 graduate of The Catholic University of America Columbus School Of Law and received a B.A. in American Government and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in 1991. He is married to Jana Woods-Jefferson (Class ’89) and has three children ages 8, 7, and 5.

Nicholas Jordan '08

Nicholas Jordan hails from West Bridgewater Massachusetts. He graduated the University of Virginia In May 2008, with a distinguished major in Political & Social Thought. While attending the university, Nicholas was involved with many activities including Student Council, serving as Executive Vice President and Chairman of the Board of Audit and Management, Madison House as a member of the Board of Directors, National Association of Black Accountants as Vice President, the Black Student Admissions Committee as President, member of Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity as Fundraising Chairman, and founding member of “Get on the Street, a non-profit mentoring organization designed to assist minority students in obtaining internships on Wall Street. Nicholas is also a Ridley Scholar, Casteen Scholar and member of the I.M.P. Society. Currently Nicholas is working at Citigroup in New York as an Investment Banking Analyst. Outside of work Nicholas is working closely with the Ridley New York chapter, the Board of Directors of the UVa Club of New York and The Harlem Children’s Store Front, a charter school in Harlem.

Linda Leftrict '83

Linda (Smith) Leftrict is originally from Washington, D.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies from the University of Virginia in 1982. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. After attending UVA, she began a career in marketing and public relations. She later attained her graduate degree in business from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in 1988. For 16 years, Ms. Leftrict had a career in consumer products marketing and business management with The Pepsi-Cola Company, Nestle, Johnson & Johnson, and Ogilvy Public Relations. Currently, Ms. Leftrict is Chief Marketing Officer for the Laureate Higher Education Group, a division of Laureate Education Inc. Laureate Education owns and operates over 35 universities around the world. She is on the executive leadership team for Walden University, Kendall College, and The NewSchool of Architecture and Design in the US, and the University of Liverpool Online in the UK.

Andrew Milisits '93 Andrew J. Milisits, Jr. is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1993, he earned a degree in Spanish with a minor in Economics. He is a member of the 100 Black Men of Greater Washington, DC. While in college, Andrew was on resident staff, a member of the Student Council and an INROADS intern. After attending UVA he enjoyed a career in the financial services and technology industry. Currently, Andrew is the Operating Manager and Partner of AITHERAS, LLC, a technical consulting firm he co-founded in 2002 to serve government, education and pharmaceutical clients.

Ruston Spurlock '92

Ruston A. Spurlock is originally from Reston, Virginia. He earned a BA in East Asian Studies with a concentration in Japanese Language in 1992 and an MBA in Marketing from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management in 1999. While at UVA Ruston was an active member of the Peer Advisor program. After attending UVA, Ruston pursued a career in advertising where he amassed over 16 years of international marketing and communications experience in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Czech Republic and Russia. Most recently he served as Senior Vice President of the Leo Burnett Company. Ruston is currently President of Alcel Inc, a consultancy that improves workplace training, standards and efficiency through customized e-learning and database solutions. He is also a founding Principal of Shelter Asset Management, a real estate development company based in Washington D.C. A competitive tennis tournament player in his youth, Ruston has taught tennis professionally in the United States, Japan and Germany. He is an avid traveler and attempts to visit at least two new countries every year.

Chaton T. Turner '93

Chatón T. Turner, Esq. is originally from Rochester, New York. She earned a degree in Economics with a minor in Spanish in 1993. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.. While in college, she was on resident staff, a member of Madison House, and INROADS intern. After attending UVA she enjoyed a sales and marketing career in the consumer products industry. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law. Currently, she is Assistant Counsel with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center focusing on health care risk management and alternative dispute resolution.

Risa Williams '92

Risa D. Williams is originally from Atlantic City, New Jersey. She earned a degree in English with a minor in Sociology in 1992. While at UVa, she was a manager on the women's basketball team and was a member of the John B. Minor Pre-Legal Society and the Black Student Alliance. After graduation, Risa attended Howard University School of Law and earned her J.D. in 1995. Soon after graduating from Howard, she joined the staff at Tax Analysts as a legal writer covering judicial developments in state and local taxation. Currently, as Editor in Chief of State Tax Publications, she serves as a state tax policy expert and coordinates news coverage of state governments, state courts, and Capitol Hill for State Tax Notes, State Tax Today, and other Tax Analysts publications. Risa joined the Ridley Board in 2007.

Janice Winstead '87, '88

Nicole Woodard '94 Nicole Woodard is originally from White Plains, New York. She earned a degree in History in 1994. While attending the University, she was an Honor Advisor, Resident Coordinator and a Senior Peer Advisor through OAAA. After attending UVA, she worked on Wall Street for 10 years in Fixed Income Sales. Currently, Nicole is a freelance producer with BBC Productions. Additionally, she writes television dramas with the intention of one day developing her own series.

Sean Yarborough '94

Sean Yarborough is currently a Director of Strategy and Business Development with over 14 years of business development, product development, and marketing experience. While at UVA, he was an active member of NSBE and on resident staff. Sean has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia (Class of ‘94) and a M.B.A. from the University of Maryland - College Park (Class of ‘00).