Staff & Leadership

Staff

Administrative Staff

Morgan Romeo, Executive Director
mromeo@vcwblueridge.com

Leah Gibson, Operations Director
lgibson@vcwblueridge.com

Danielle Hart, Business & Development Coordinator
dhart@vcwblueridge.com 

Bobby Welch, Grant Accountant
bwelch@vcwblueridge.com

Program Staff

Michelle Brennan, Program Manager
mbrennan@vcwblueridge.com

Elizabeth Swing, Senior Career Coach
eswing@vcwblueridge.com 

Toni McLawhorn, One Stop Coordinator
tmclawhorn@vcwblueridge.com

CLEO (Chief Local Elected Officials) Consortium

The Chief Local Elected Officials (CLEO) Consortium is made up of one (1) representative from each of the eight (8) localities in the Blue Ridge region, including the Counties of Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke, and the Cities of Covington, Roanoke and Salem. Working together, the CLEO Consortium reviews strategic, programmatic, and fiscal recommendations from the Western Virginia Workforce Development Board and communicates needs from their respective localities in terms of workforce.

The Honorable Martha Hooker*
Board of Supervisors
Roanoke County

The Honorable Mayor Tom Sibold**
City Council
City of Covington

The Honorable Stephen Bennett
Board of Supervisors
Alleghany County

The Honorable Billy Martin, Sr.
Board of Supervisors
Botetourt County

The Honorable Kathi Toelke
Board of Supervisors
Craig County

The Honorable Leland Mitchell
Board of Supervisors
Franklin County

The Honorable Mayor Sherman Lea
City Council
City of Roanoke

The Honorable John Saunders
City Council
City of Salem

* Chair
** Vice-Chair

Workforce Development Board

The Western Virginia Workforce Development Board is a public-private partnership dedicated to achieving regional workforce and economic development goals. Serving the Blue Ridge region, including the Roanoke Valley and Alleghany Highlands, Board members actively participate in strategic planning and implementation of workforce initiatives in the region with the goal of assisting businesses with talent that meets current and future job demand.

Chair

Casey Nicely
Financial Sales Manager
First Citizens Bank

Vice-Chair

Michael Gardner
Partner
Woods Rogers PLC

Treasurer

Karen Michalski-Karney
Executive Director
BRILC

Jeremy Adkins
CFO/COO
Solution Matrix, Inc.

Stephanie Aliff
Human Resources Director
Craig County Health & Dental Center

Ashley Bayne
Manager, Human Resources
Constellation Brands

Sonya Charlow
Director of Talent Acquisition
Carilion Clinic

Teresa Hammond
Executive Director
Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce

Richard Mansell
Chief Executive Officer
IVO Ltd.

Kristy Mallory
Human Resources Manager
Eaton Crouse-Hinds

Jonathan Neff
Human Resources Leader
WestRock

Sharon Pandolfini
Human Resources Generalist
Precision Fabrics Group

Amanda Rogers
Human Resources Manager
Wabtec Graham White

Adrienne Ross
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Integer

Emily Smith
Human Resources Manager
Orvis

Tiffany Worstell
Human Resources Generalist
Americold Logistics

Joseph Brinley
Business Agent
IBEW LU26

Amanda Forrester
Director
Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center

Susan Goad
Director
Botetourt County Department of Social Services

Abby Hamilton
CEO
United Way of Roanoke Valley

Debbie Hamrick
Adult & Career Education Coordinator
Franklin County Public Schools

Dr. Milan Hayward
Vice President, Workforce Development
Virginia Western Community College

Cynthia Lawrence
Director, Office of Workforce Development
Carilion Clinic

Dr. John Rainone
President
Dabney S. Lancaster Community College

Beth Simms
Director of Economic Development
Franklin County 

Christopher Simmons
Manager – Covington Office
Virginia Employment Commission

Chuck Simpson
President
CWA Local 2204

Jamie Soltis
Director of Instruction & Career Readiness
Salem City Public Schools

Susan Watkins
Human Services Manager
Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services

Visit A Virginia Career Works Center

ROANOKE CENTER

3601 Thirlane Road NW, Suite 2
Roanoke, VA 24019
540.613.8220

roanoke center

COVINGTON CENTER

106 North Maple Avenue
Covington, VA 24426
540.965.9260

franklin center

FRANKLIN CENTER

50 Claiborne Avenue
Rocky Mount, VA 24151
540.483.0179

roanoke center