Recognition
Richmond (VA) Chapter of The Links Inc., Honors Christmas Mother Maya Smart
During the 80 years that the Richmond Times-Dispatch has sponsored the Richmond Christmas Mother Fund, readers have donated more than $7.5 million to provide toys, clothing, food and other assistance during the holidays for needy families and children.
This year, in addition to its traditional collaboration with the Salvation Army, the Richmond Christmas Mother Fund has expanded its efforts to serve a broader community through a new partnership with The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia.
A competitive grant initiative called “80 Years-80 Ways” will award at least $80,000 to local organizations for Christmas-related programs and services.
That ‘s What Links Are For
Thank you Lois and Delores for making all of us remember “Thats What Links Are For” at the November Meeting!
Galaxy of Stars
LINKS FEATURED
Unwanna Dabney Has Been Named a Senior Supervising Planner in the Richmond, Virginia Office of Parsons Brinckerhoff
Parsons Brinckerhoff is a global infrastructure strategic consulting, engineering, and program/construction management organization.
In her new position, Dr. Dabney will lead business development initiatives in the planning and environmental markets in Virginia and West Virginia and will direct planning and environmental staff located in the firm’s Herndon and Virginia Beach offices. She will also manage transportation planning and policy projects throughout the Southeast..
Link Linda Melton Has Been Named to the Virginia Fair Housing Board
Linda Melton has been named to the Virginia Fair Housing Board by Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Melton is vice president and mortgage loan consultant at SunTrust Mortgage Inc.
She has also been featured in an article on the mortgage process in the Richmond Times Dispatch.
Read the article.
Link Karen Savage Performs at Virginia Union University’s Annual Spring Concert
The Richmond (VA) Chapter applauds VUU for dedicating the concert in celebration and memory of the life of Dr. Benjamin J. Lambert, III. Dr. Lambert’s credentials and contributions are well known and he was so admired for all that he accomplished. The Richmond Chapter is also proud because he was a connecting link and spouse of Link Carolyn Lambert.
City to Feature Two Exhibits for Women’s History Month
Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will host two art exhibits in celebration of Women’s History Month. Fired and Inspired: The Art of Ceramics is an exhibit featuring both functional and sculptural pottery. Hand- built and wheel -thrown objects and works with a large variety of clay types, glazes, processes and firing techniques will be on display from artists Carren Clarke-McAdoo, Kathryn Reid, and Leslie Messersmith in the Spotlight Gallery at Pine Camp Arts and Community Center located at 4901 Old Brooks Road.
The second exhibit is Vivid Colors in Acrylics: Paintings by Faithe Norrell. Norrell is a self-taught artist known for her use of vibrant colors. Her most recent works to be featured include cityscapes, floral still lifes and abstracts. These paintings will also be on display at Pine Camp Arts and Community Center on the Community Art Wall.
The exhibits will open on Friday, March 7, 2014 and run through Friday, April 18, 2014 with hours from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. A reception and gallery talk is to be held on Friday, March 21, 2014 from 6 – 8p.m.
These exhibits are free and open to the public. For more information on the exhibits or to schedule tours, please contact Art Outreach Coordinator, Shaunn Casselle at (804) 646-6722.
Link Gina Burgin Appointed Deputy Secretary of Administration by Governor McAuliffe
Gina Burgin will serve as the Deputy Secretary of Administration. Prior to joining the administration, she served as an Assistant City Attorney in Richmond, Virginia. Gina operated a private law firm for 5 years, and practiced for 12 years as a commercial real estate and business transactions partner with the Richmond law firm of Hirschler Fleischer, PC. Ms. Burgin received her law degree from The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law in 1992 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio/Television Communications from The George Washington University in 1987. >>View other Gubernatorial Appointments
Link Cheryl Burke Featured in a Times Dispatch Article on Mentors
From the excitement of schoolchildren waiting for their “biggie” to join them for lunch to the long-term effect of a mentor following a child from elementary school through college, Chimborazo Elementary School Principal Cheryl L. Burke says mentorship through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Richmond & Tri-Cities has been beneficial for her students.
With a larger-than-normal waiting list for mentors, the organization is pleading for matches for more than 200 children.
Of the 210 waiting children, two-thirds are boys but only one-fourth of the available volunteers are men, executive director Ann Rohde Payes said.
Last school year about 650 children cycled through the program with 400 active mentors. Men often misunderstand the program’s mission and don’t sign up, Payes said.
“It’s about being a friend but also about helping kids achieve goals,” Payes said. “It’s not necessarily about hugs and going out and getting ice cream.” >>READ ENTIRE ARTICLE
Link Jill Bussey-Harris Honored by University of Louisville
Jill Bussey-Harris, 87DMD, received her Doctor of Dental Medicine from UofL’s School of Dentistry in 1987. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Fisk University.
Dr. Bussey-Harris was the first African-American full-time Assistant Professor at the VCU/MCV School of Dentistry.
She has been affiliated with many professional and civic organizations. She is a member of the American Dental Association, National Dental Association, Virginia Dental Association, Richmond Dental Society, Academy of General Dentistry, Old Dominion Dental Society, Peter B. Ramsey Dental Society, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and American Association of Women Dentist. Dr. Bussey-Harris has served as patron chair for the 2010 Heart Ball, art auction chair for 2011 The Links, Inc., on the Citizen’s Advisory Council for Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion, Massey Cancer Advisory Board, Richmond Ballet Trustee Board, Canvas Board at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, SPARC Board, School of Performing Arts in the Richmond Community and the First Lady’s Initiatives Team Effort (FLITE). >>READ ENTIRE ARTICLE
HEIR-O-LINKS FEATURED
John Williams
Received the Youth of the Year Award of St. Philips Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia . He is the son of Renarda Williams and Connecting Link, Jr. and grandson of Link Sandra Williams.
Madison Harris Has Been Nominated to Attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders
Madison Harris daughter of Link Jill Bussey Harris, DMD and Connecting Link, Monroe E. Harris, DMD and also the niece of Link Connie Cosby of the Louisville (KY) Chapter, has been nominated to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington, D.C. on November 14-16th. The Congress is an honors only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The purpose of this event is to honor, inspire, motivate, and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be physicians or medical scientists, to stay true to their dreams after the event, to provide a path and resources to help them reach their goal.
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE
Tyra Beaman Featured on Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s InFocus Magazine
Tyra Beaman (Link Liz Hayes-Mackey and Connecting Link Bradford Mackey) is on the front cover of Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s July InFocus Magazine. Click here for the issue (link may expire soon). Tyra is the second from the right in the picture above.
Tyra Beaman, C’2016, Goes to Capitol Hill
International studies major Tyra Beaman, C’2016, is soaring on Capitol Hill this summer. As a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation intern, Beaman works in the Office of U.S. Congressman John Lewis, where she is learning about the legislative process, attending professional development events, and participating in leadership development projects. While on Capitol Hill, Beaman and other CBCF interns learn about leadership and careers in the policy-making process. Established in 1986, the intensive, nine-week summer program is designed to increase the pool of talented public servants and prepare young people to become informed decision-makers and influential leaders who shape the world.
Miles Braxton Excels at Athletics, Academics and Music
Heir-o-Link, Miles Braxton was recently featured in an article in the Richmond Free Press. Miles, who is the stepson of Link Kelly Harris Braxton, is a four year starter for Thomas Jefferson High School’s Varsity Baseball Team, has an incredible 4.72 GPA and is capable of playing the tuba, clarinet, saxophone and piano in the school orchestra. Miles will attend the University of Virginia on academic scholarship in the Fall. He will also study Mandarin in China this Summer as part of the Youth National Security Language Institute delegation. View the entire article on Miles here.
Madison Harris on Virginia This Morning
The talented students of Appomattox Regional Governor’s School present William Shakespeare’s classic comedy, ‘As You Like It’. Students Madison Harris and Grace Mincks shared a scene from the new show and Director Morrie Piersol gave an overview of this popular play. The show opens Friday, March 7th with performances through the 16th , at the Governor’s School at 512 West Washington Street in Petersburg. For more information visit https://www.args.us/
View the original article.
Madison Harris Will Play Celia in a Production of “As You Like It”
In March 2014, Morrie Piersol, ARGS Theatre Department will be showing As You Like It by William Shakespeare. The show will open on March 7 at 7 p.m. It will also be showing on March 8, 14, and 15 at 7 p.m. There will be a Sunday
Matinee on March 9 and 16 at 2 p.m. The cost for tickets will be five dollars for students and seniors and ten dollars for adults.
This show was chosen by Morrie Piersol, the Theatre Arts Director, because ARGS has only done one Shakespeare play throughout school history. They are trying to mix things up and do different plays, such as comedies. For auditions, the cast started out by reading monologues (male and female) from major roles. There were two sets
of callbacks at which the students read again. The cast has been getting Shakespeare training through looking at different websites. >>READ ENTIRE ARTICLE
Tyler Marie Byrd awarded the Rosemary Medal Award at Collegiate School. Tyler will be attending Georgetown University in the fall of 2013. About the Rosemary Medal: Endowed in 1920 by the Bryan Family, the Rosemary Medal is presented to the senior girl who has best demonstrated the qualities of constructive leadership all areas of school life. Nominations for the award are made by the senior girls and the final selection is made by the faculty. This year’s recipient is a model of a well-rounded academic and she is on the short list of people in the world who, by their mere presence, personality and actions, make others look better. A four year class president and a leader in every avenue of school life, she has the ability to motivate others as a consensus builder and an unyielding enthusiast for their success. Dependable, positive, mature, fun-loving and hard-working, this year’s recipient, while petite, will have no trouble standing out as she moves on in life. Tyler is the overwhelming nominee of the senior girls and the US Faculty. >>READ ENTIRE ARTICLE
CONNECTING LINKS FEATURED
Mark your calendar for Leadership Metro Richmond’s next Dinner With featuring Danny Robinson, Senior Vice President and Creative Director for The Martin Agency on Tuesday, February 18th, 5:30 p.m. at Sam Millers.
Danny Robinson is a creative with an MBA. He is the cofounder of Vigilante, one of the most written about “urban” advertising agencies of the past decade. He helped orchestrate the giveaway of 276 Pontiac G6s on The Oprah Winfrey Show — one of the most famous brand integrations in marketing history. He was The Martin Agency’s lead creative director on the biggest new business win in the company’s history — Walmart. And he was once voted by the Stand-Up New York Comedy Club as “one of the funniest men in advertising.”
At Vigilante, Danny wrote and was creative director on the first television commercials for rappers Jay-Z and Foxy Brown and actor Samuel L. Jackson. He was the creative leader and writer behind award-winning campaigns for Sprint, Major League Baseball, Pontiac, Snapple and Heineken. He also oversaw all of the advertising and event business for Johnnie Walker Black Label. During Danny’s time as chief creative officer, Vigilante was awarded the AAAA Multicultural Agency of the Year Award two years in a row. >>READ HIS FULL BIO
