LYNCHBURG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Digital Marketing Coordinator
Abby was born and raised in Lynchburg and the surrounding area. She attended the University of Lynchburg and earned a degree in communication with an emphasis in public relations.
Before joining the City of Lynchburg as digital marketing coordinator, she worked at Sweet Briar College as the marketing coordinator in the office of communications.
When not at work, Abby enjoys running long distances on Lynchburg's roads and trails, watching sports, and hanging out with her family, dogs and friends.
Job Titles:
- Economic Development Manager
Alisha Meador brings years of experience in workforce development at local, regional and state levels to her position as Economic Development Manager. With a degree in special education and graduate education in job placement and training from the George Washington University, she brings a unique blend of social work, non-profit and government experience to her position. She is passionate about equity for all citizens, enjoys a challenge, and loves bringing people together to invest in creative solutions. When not at work, Alisha enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, watching British television, and traveling with her two sons.
In his role as Sales Manager, Andrew brings 19 years of restaurant and hotel experience to his position. Until November of 2017, Andrew spent 9 ½ years at the Hilton Garden Inn Lynchburg in multiple positions with over 5 years as the Director of Sales. Understanding the importance of outside visitation to Lynchburg, Andrew spends much of his time working with the Tour/Travel and Government Meeting markets while connecting current and prospective clients to lodging, attraction, and restaurant partners. Andrew currently serves on the executive board of The Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) Old Dominion Chapter as Treasurer and was recently recognized as one of sixteen SGMP National "Top Young Professionals Under 37" in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Clayton Copper moved to Lynchburg in 2014 to attend Liberty University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Economics and a Masters of Business Administration. He brings over 5 years of event experience to the City of Lynchburg, working closely with event organizers to ensure that their events can run safely and smoothly. In his role he coordinates event logistics, permitting Special Events, and interdepartmental communications.
Clayton is a fan of the Hillcats, good food, and getting to know the people that make the City of Lynchburg so great.
Emelyn moved to Lynchburg in 2011 where she attended the University of Lynchburg and obtained a degree in Communications and a minor in art. She quickly fell in love with the area and calls Lynchburg her forever home.
In her role as Communications Manager, Emelyn specializes in marketing Lynchburg as a destination for business, talent and visitors through community outreach, engaging residents and telling Lynchburg's story.
Emelyn is a cattle farmer by nights and weekends with her husband Breck and three dogs. She has a passion for working 1:1 with businesses, photography, good food, and the outdoors.
Job Titles:
- President and CEO of Electronic Design
Georgeann is President and CEO of Electronic Design and Manufacturing, an employee-owned manufacturer of printed circuit board assemblies started in the Lynchburg Business Development Centre in 1990. Prior to joining EDM, Georgeann served as the first director of the Lynchburg Business Development Centre. Georgeann is a graduate of Davidson College and is actively involved in the community, serving on several local boards. She and her husband Parks have two grown children.
John is a First Vice President / Investments with Stifel Nicolaus, a national financial services firm. A graduate of Hampden-Sydney College, John has more than 21 years of experience in wealth management. He holds the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) and AIF (Accredited Investment Fiduciary) designations. He is a member of the CFA Institute and Richmond Society of Financial Analysts. John currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance and Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, and is a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Lynchburg-Morning. John and his wife, Shelley, live in Lynchburg with their four children. He was appointed to the EDA in July 2015.
Keesha Simon is a native of Lynchburg and a proud graduate of EC Glass High School. She completed her college education at the University of Lynchburg with a degree in Communications.
Even though she left the Hill City, her love of this town brought her back and she has happily made it a home for her family. Keesha also takes part in the many opportunities that Lynchburg affords its community, such as her completion of the CO.STARTERS program in 2020.
Keesha brings to the office: firsthand knowledge of the needs of this community, strong connections with residents of all walks of life and many years of experience working in the hospitality industry.
In her spare time, Keesha feeds her love of helping others by feeding others. She truly enjoys cooking and entertaining family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Secretary - Treasurer
- CEO & President of the United Way of Central Virginia
Kim Soerensen is the CEO & President of the United Way of Central Virginia and previously served as the Executive Director at Riverviews Artspace from 2016 to 2022. She is an advocate and an entrepreneur with an extensive career in design and global business. Originally from Germany, Soerensen immigrated to L.A. in 1986 after earning her degree in Design from the Blocherer School of Design at the University of Munich. Kim moved to Lynchburg in 1998 where she concurrently began a family and her own businesses.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Economic Development
Marjette Upshur is a seasoned public servant with decades of experience in insurance, trust banking and telecommunications. Her high energy style and passion for people underpins her commitment to serving the City of Lynchburg. Marjette currently serves as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Lynchburg where she works alongside new and existing businesses to provide a bridge between the private sector and local government.
Marjette leads a team of nine economic development and tourism professionals to promote the City of Lynchburg as the best small city in America. She works closely with the City's nearly 3,000 businesses and anchor institutions, including five colleges and universities and a major regional healthcare center, to retain and attract talent and investment. During her tenure, Marjette has secured major company expansions, new business locations and millions of dollars of new investment and job creation in the City.
During her tenure at the City of Lynchburg, Marjette has championed a number of public/private partnerships initiatives aimed at transforming traditional economic development into citizen-focused economic empowerment. She has worked alongside state elected officials to create an arts and culture district in downtown Lynchburg, and partnered with the White House National Economic Council to pave the way for Lynchburg's designation as a nationally recognized TechHire Community.
Marjette is an alumna of Mary Baldwin College and a graduate of the NYU Creative Cities certification program. Marjette currently serves on the Central Virginia Community College Education Foundation, Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation, Interfaith Outreach Board, and Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, and is also a member of Alpha Kapa Alpha Sorority. When Marjette is not on the clock, she can be found running the streets of Lynchburg in brightly colored tennis shoes.
Job Titles:
- Operations Coordinator
- Event Operations Coordinator
Pat is a native of Lynchburg and graduated from E. C. Glass High School. After fifteen years of employment with General Electric, she relocated to Alexandria VA, beginning her career with the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy. She was a tutor and mentor for the Navy Kids Program that was established to assist lower income elementary students from Washington, DC with their school work and in building their self-esteem. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Legal Studies from the University of Maryland University College. Pat retired and moved back to Lynchburg where she works part-time for BWX Technologies, Inc. and volunteers at the Academy Center of the Arts. She has two adult children, five grandchildren and two fur babies, Gabby Lorraine and Cletus El DeBarge.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair
- CEO of Piedmont Community Health Plan
Richard is the CEO of Piedmont Community Health Plan. Piedmont is a for-profit subsidiary of Centra that provides health insurance to individuals and companies in the region and beyond.
He joined that company as chief executive in 2016 and has been responsible for modernizing its infrastructure, strengthening its workforce, and - most recently - gaining approval for a multi-million dollar investment in new technology to promote growth. He will return to this role as soon as Centra hires a permanent CEO.
Prior to joining PCHP and Centra, Richard was Vice President and General Counsel of Fleet Laboratories - a well-known international consumer healthcare company, originally headquartered in Lynchburg that has since been acquired by Prestige Consumer Healthcare.
Richard served on Fleet's executive leadership team and was an advisor to the company's board of directors; a member of its Mergers & Acquisitions, Fiduciary and Regulatory committees; and corporate secretary. His broad range of responsibilities included legal, compliance, risk management, regulatory, product liability, and mergers and acquisitions. Richard also oversaw contract litigation, insurance, human resources, medical affairs and Fleet's intellectual property portfolio.
Whilst at Fleet, Richard helped lead efforts to purchase new brands, along with the divestiture of close to $200 million in international subsidiary businesses. He was responsible for the successful $450 million resolution of more than 1,000 liability claims against one of the company's healthcare franchises.
During his career, Richard also has held leadership roles at insurance and financial companies in both England and the United States and has privately practiced law in both countries. He is the author of a number of articles on insurance-related legal topics.
Richard holds a bachelor of law degree - with honors - from the University of Kent at Canterbury, England and a masters in law from the Tulane University Law School. He is admitted to practice law in Virginia, England and Wales. Richard is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.
Richard lives in Lynchburg with his wife, Jenny. The couple has two children. Christopher now working in Texas, who recently completed a bio-medical engineering degree at Georgia Tech and Lizzie who attends the College of Nursing at the University of Virginia.
Sackett Wood is a native of Lynchburg, Virginia. He graduated from E.C. Glass High School in 1983 and went on to graduate from the University of Virginia with a BA in English in 1987. He began his career in banking, working for First Union (now Wells Fargo) upon graduation as a Commercial Lender in Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC. Wood then joined Moore & Giles in 1990 as a sales associate. In 1993, he became Vice President and then President in 2006. He currently serves as the company's CEO. Wood has been married to his wife Alex Perrow Wood for 27 years, and they have three sons.
Sean Huyett joined the staff of Westminster Canterbury in May 2010, as President and CEO. Before coming to Westminster Canterbury, Mr. Huyett was involved in retirement communities in North Carolina for 14 years. Sean has experience with both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations over the past 26 years. Mr. Huyett has a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration and a Master of Business Administration from James Madison University. Sean and his wife Leigh have two college-age children. Sean is a board member at the United Way and a member of the Lynchburg Morning Rotary Club.
Ted, an attorney with Caskie & Frost, serves as counsel to the LEDA. Ted received his undergraduate degree from Washington & Lee University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School Of Law. Ted is a member of the Virginia State Bar Association, has served as President of the Lynchburg Bar Association, and he has been included in the "Best Lawyers in America" listing every year since 2001. Ted was and is active in numerous community, church and professional associations. He and his wife Sarah have four children and seven grandchildren.