Board of Directors

Board of Directors Biographies

Skip Fox

J.D., University of Virginia; M.A., Yale University; B.A., Princeton University

Skip is serving his third term on the Board and his second term as its Chair. He retired from McGuireWoods LLP in 2021, after practicing trusts and estates and charitable law for 42 years, first in Chicago and then in Charlottesville. He also taught law at Northwestern University School of Law and the University of Virginia School of Law for 38 years. He has served on numerous charitable boards over the years and is a former president of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a native of Roanoke and his family has been a longtime supporter of Smithfield.

Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs

M.S. & M.BA, University of Maryland; Ed.D., Walden University

Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs is a policy, regulation, and administration specialist in the field of higher education. She continues an almost 25-year professional career in management, administration, and policy. Prior to her career in higher education administration and leadership, Dr. Moseley-Hobbs worked as a promotions assistant and junior writer at The Baltimore Times Newspaper in Baltimore, Maryland. She was first published by the newspaper when she was 12 years old and continued to be published until she was 18 years old at which time, she began her career in higher education.

In her current role Dr. Moseley-Hobbs continues an almost 15-year career in higher education administration and leadership including working in the efforts to ensure strength in areas such as student aid, federal title IV compliance, accreditation, curriculum development, and innovative academic programs.

Kerri is a 6th generation descendant of John Fraction, who was enslaved at Smith-field Plantation, and the subject of her Creative Nonfiction book More Than A Fraction.

Terry A. Brizendine

B.S. in Business Administration, James Madison University

Terry grew up in the Lynchburg area and attended James Madison University where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Marketing. He and his wife, Kari, have lived in Blacksburg for 11 years and have two grown children. He has a wide range of experience in the financial services field with significant experience in commercial and commercial real estate lending and account management while working at First Bank & Trust (2+ years) and Atlantic Union Bank (15 years), retail banking sales & sales management, and private wealth sales with Wells Fargo (aka Central Fidelity and Wachovia 8 years). He was in investment sales and sales management while at Central Fidelity and First National Bank of Altavista (3 years) plus experience in insurance sales and sales management with both MetLife & New England Mutual (6 years in total). He is currently Senior VP for Commercial Lending at First Bank and Trust in Blacksburg. He has been active in the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Onward NRV, and Blacksburg Partnership in the NRV.

Breyon Fraction

Breyon has many years of experience in state government and behavioral health. He established The Stratamas Group, LLC. Breyon values providing mentorship to Virginia Tech students, where he joined his fraternal organization and served the Montgomery County, Radford, and Greater Roanoke Valley communities. He participates in local and statewide behavioral health initiatives, national business development organizations, and youth sports development leagues.

Governance Committee

Ann Stuart Cassell

B.A. in Public and Social Thought, University of Virginia

Ann Cassell has over 20 years of experience in development and alumni relations at both public and private universities, including Virginia Tech, Hollins, and UVA. She recently returned to Blacksburg after serving for six years as Director of Development for Hampden-Sydney College. Ann is a member of the Board of Directors of Patrick Henry Family Services, Leading Lights, and serves as President of the Virginia Tech Roundball Club. A Blacksburg native, Ann is a graduate of the University of Virginia.

Marisela Rosas Hemphill

B.A. in International Business and Sociology, Cornell College; M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration, Iowa State University; Ph.D. in Student Affairs Administration and Research, The University of Iowa

Marisela Rosas Hemphill is a true champion of education. She is a proponent of providing students with a global experience and interaction with a variety of cultures and languages, which are so important in today’s economy. Additionally, as an avid reader, she has a strong passion for literacy.

Dr. Daniel Barrett Thorp

Ph.D. in American Colonial History, John Hopkins University; M.A. in American Colonial History, John Hopkins University; B.A. in History, Davidson College; Universitè Touraine, French Language

Dan is an Associate Professor of History and serves as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs at Virginia Tech. He is the winner of the William E. Wine Award for Teaching Excellence (2013), Teacher of the Week (2012), Favorite Faculty (2010), Faculty Excellence Award (2009), ECaliber Award for Excellence in Technology-assisted Teaching (2007), Advancing Women Award (2007), and Alumni Award for Excellence in Academic Advising (2000). Dan has published multiple works, including his book in The True Blue’s Wake: Slavery and Freedom among the Families of Smithfield Plantation (University of Virginia Press, 2022).

Marjorie McRae

B.A. in Economics, Goucher College; M.A. in Economics, UC Berkeley; Ph.D. in Psychology, Wright Institute

Marjorie is newly retired from a 40-year career as a consultant in the energy sector, conducting program evaluation and market research in support of the energy efficiency and renewable energy efforts of electric utilities and local, state, and federal agencies. For twenty years, she was Vice President of Research into Action, a consulting firm that at its peak had a staff of more than 30 and revenues of more than $7,000,000. Marjorie received a doctorate from Wright Institute, an MA from UC Berkeley, and a BA from Goucher College. She has career experience as Executive Consultant for Opinion Dynamics, Vice President for Research into Action, Principal for Xenergy, and as Senior Analyst for Minimax Research Group. She has several publications, honors, and awards. Marjorie is a Preston descendent.

Properties Committee

Elizabeth Lee Robertson

B.S., Virginia Tech and Longwood University; MA, Virginia Tech; Ed.D. in Administration, Virginia Tech

Her background has included degrees from Longwood, MA from VA Tech, and Doctorate in Administration from VA Tech. She served as a Teacher, Counselor, Guidance Coordinator, Vice Principal, Middle School Principal, and High School Principal - Patrick Henry HS - Roanoke City. And she participated in professional development conferences at Oxford University. After early retirement from Roanoke City Schools, she served on VT’s alumni relations staff in the Richmond office. Her work involved Legislative advocacy and organizing Hokie Day at the General Assembly. She also served on several boards related to education, amateur sports, and international sister community organizations.

Betty’s interest in history intensified with her marriage to Professor Bud Robertson in 2010 and accompanied him on most of his speaking engagements throughout the US, including several programs hosted by Historic Smithfield. Since her husband’s death, she has continued to work on a documentary featuring his career and service beginning with his appointment to Virginia’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.

Laura Wedin

M.F.A., Virginia Tech; Certified Archaeological Technician

Originally from Texas, Laura completed her Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Tech in 1984 and stayed in Blacksburg. She raised two sons and has enjoyed a long career in student programming with Alumni Relations and Advancement at Virginia Tech, where her interest in university and area history began. Her work at Smithfield started in 1999, first as a house interpreter, then later as a newsletter editor for 6 years, museum store staff, and writing articles for the Smithfield Review. She is a member of the Archaeological Society of Virginia and is a certified archaeological technician in the Commonwealth of Virginia. She has been involved in archaeological work at the Preston Cemetery and the grounds of Smithfield. Her interest in Smithfield is a holistic one - the Preston family, the full plantation grounds which had also included Solitude and White Thorn, the enslaved who worked in the homes and the land, and how the area and narrative evolved over time. A diehard Virginia Tech Hokie, she holds the belief that the founding of Olin and Preston Institute in 1851 was the earliest glimmer of Virginia Tech, now a major land grant public institution.

Susan Bull Ryan

Association and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Hope House, a homeless shelter for women and their children. Her past volunteer service at Virginia Tech has included two terms on the Virginia Tech National Alumni Board of Directors and being a member of the Ut Prosim Society and the College of Science Dean’s Roundtable. She was an honor graduate in Biology and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Phi Sigma Society for Honors in Biological Sciences. While at Virginia Tech, she was a Varsity Cheerleader. She received her MA in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. She and Tom live in a 176-year-old farmhouse on Mount Tabor Rd. and enjoy a love of the community, the Virginia Tech campus, and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

A native of Blacksburg, who returned with her husband Tom Ryan MD, lives on her family farm in the Mount Tabor area after 50 years. Susan lived in Fredericksburg for 38 years where she raised two daughters. While in Fredericksburg, she served in leadership positions in the community including President of the Mental Health.

Development Committee

Jeff Mitchell

J.D. Honors Graduate, University of Richmond School of Law; B.S. in Accounting, Virginia Tech

Mr. Mitchell focuses his practice on corporate transactions and working with emerging and established businesses to provide strategic, growth-oriented legal advice, with practical in-house experience and public sector awareness. He has served as lead counsel and on numerous venture capital financings, private equity raises, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and complex limited liability operating agreements.

Jeff Mitchell is an honors graduate of The University of Richmond School of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of The University of Richmond Law Review, and he is a 1986 graduate of Virginia Tech. He holds a degree in Accounting and, although not a practicing accountant, has passed the CPA exam.

As a small business lawyer, Mr. Mitchell has worked with hundreds of small business owners and founders, providing advice for their growth. Mr. Mitchell served on the staff of Governor Gerald L. Baliles, focusing on economic development issues, and has served as a key political advisor to many Virginia elected officials, including former Governor Mark R. Warner.

He has also served as a director and advisor for numerous business and civic entities, including several privately held companies. Governor Warner and Governor Kaine both appointed him to the Virginia State Board for Community Colleges, where he was elected Chairman.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Public Access Project and a member of the Standing Committee on Legal Ethics of the Virginia State Bar. He recently served as President of the Blacksburg Country Club and the Virginia Public Safety Foundation.

Specialties: Representing emerging growth companies in private financings, strategic relationships, general corporate issues, and mergers and acquisitions.

Larry J. Linkous

Bachelor’s Degree, Virginia Tech; Certified Appraiser, Appraisers Guild of America

Larry is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County. He is the founder of Linkous Auctioneers, Custom Meats, and Custom Catering. He is a former chairman of the board of New River Community College Foundation and Board. He has also acted as chair of the Montgomery County Economic Development Authority. He served 5 years as Montgomery County planning commissioner, 1985-1990. He has been a member of the Blacksburg Museum & Culture Foundation, the Montgomery County Service Authority, the Blue Ridge Education and Training Council, the Blue Ridge Economic Development Council, and acted as chair of the Virginia Auctioneers Regulatory Board.

Nathalie F.P. Gifoyle

Nathalie is the retired General Counsel for the American Psychological Association, a non-profit membership organization and leading publisher of scientific research. In addition to advising on the broad range of legal issues relevant to a large tax-exempt organization, during her tenure she expanded APA’s amicus curiae program and continues to advise APA as a consultant on amicus filings. APA’s amicus briefs have been cited dozens of times by the United States Supreme Court and federal and state appellate courts. She began her career in legal aid in Boston and then entered private practice in D.C. prior to joining the APA, she headed the sixty-lawyer D.C. litigation department of McDermott, Will & Emery, a national law firm, and also served two terms as a member of the District of Columbia Bar Board of Governors. By appointment of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, she served on its Access to Justice Commission, where she chaired the Commission’s Courts Committee, working with judges on court reforms to improve access to the civil justice system for low income residents. Nathalie is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and serves on the boards of directors of the DC Bar Foundation and the Human Resources Research Organization. She received her B.A. in philosophy with high honors from Hollins University, did her work towards a master’s degree in art history at the University of Virginia, and received her JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. She is a Preston descendent.

B.A. in Philosophy, Hollins University; M.A. Coursework in Art History, University of Virginia; J.D., University of Virginia

Frank Akers

B.S. in Chemistry, Virginia Tech; M.S. in Chemistry, Virginia Tech

Frank Akers is President of the Rural Retreat Depot Foundation and previously served as President and CEO of GoDigital Networks.

Finance/Audit Committee

Terry A. Brizendine

B.S. in Business Administration, James Madison University

Terry grew up in the Lynchburg area and attended James Madison University where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Marketing. He and his wife, Kari, have lived in Blacksburg for 11 years and have two grown children. He has a wide range of experience in the financial services field with significant experience in commercial and commercial real estate lending and account management while working at First Bank & Trust (2+ years) and Atlantic Union Bank (15 years), retail banking sales & sales management, and private wealth sales with Wells Fargo (aka Central Fidelity and Wachovia 8 years). He was in investment sales and sales management while at Central Fidelity and First National Bank of Altavista (3 years) plus experience in insurance sales and sales management with both MetLife & New England Mutual (6 years in total). He is currently Senior VP for Commercial Lending at First Bank and Trust in Blacksburg. He has been active in the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Onward NRV, and Blacksburg Partnership in the NRV.

Tom Tillar

Tillar serves on several non-profit foundations boards and several start-up corporation boards, including the Pi Kappa Alpha Foundation, Center in the Square Foundation, and Smithfield Preston Foundation.

Bachelor’s Degree, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Master’s Degree, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Doctorate, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tillar served in the “Advancement” field for 40 years at Virginia Tech before stepping down as Vice President for Alumni Relations over a year ago.

Currently, he is engaged with the university serving the Pamplin College of Business as Special Assistant to the Dean and involved with planning and preparation for the college’s new Global Business Analytics Complex. Tillar is in his 40th year of service at the university where he first served in Student Affairs positions before joining the Alumni Association staff in the mid-70s. He held several positions in alumni and development, including Director of Alumni Chapter Programs, Director of Corporate and Foundation Support, Director of Alumni Annual Giving, and Director of Corporate and Foundation Support.

Robert Marston Fanney

Robert’s history can be broken down into two phases - active public service and writing and editing. In public service, Robert held the roles of infantryman, forward observer, police officer, and military intelligence analyst. He then served as managing editor for Jane’s Information Group’s emerging threat series - producing first responder guides following the 911, anthrax letter, and school shooting events of the early 2000s. Robert then published Luthiel’s Song - a young adult fantasy series - and spent numerous years going to schools to help teachers promote higher learning standards through reading and creative expression. Robert’s next project was a multi-year climate blog focused on raising climate awareness and promoting the rapid deployment of clean energy. Robert was a special guest for Voice of America radio on the issue of climate change and extreme weather with Dr. Jeff Masters of the Weather Channel and Weather Underground in 2015. Presently, Robert is promoting coastal defense and climate action through his video blog - the OBX Wave Report.

B.A., Flagler College; Police Officer Graduate, Hampton Roads Police Academy, Department of the U.S. Navy; U.S. Army National Guard Veteran, Eight Years of Active Guard Service; Managing Editor, Emerging Threats, Jane’s Information Group; Writer, Luthiel’s Song, Growth Shock, Scribbler’s Climate Blog, and The OBX Wave Report

Robert, an avid surfer and climate activist, is a descendant of James Patton Preston, son of Colonel William Preston and Susanna Smith Preston.

Interpretation/Collections Committee

Dr. Daniel Barrett Thorp

Ph.D. in American Colonial History, John Hopkins University; M.A. in American Colonial History, John Hopkins University; B.A. in History, Davidson College; Universitè Touraine, French Language

Dan is an Associate Professor of History and serves as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs at Virginia Tech. He is the winner of the William E. Wine Award for Teaching Excellence (2013), Teacher of the Week (2012), Favorite Faculty (2010), Faculty Excellence Award (2009), ECaliber Award for Excellence in Technology-assisted Teaching (2007), Advancing Women Award (2007), and Alumni Award for Excellence in Academic Advising (2000). Dan has published multiple works, including his book in The True Blue’s Wake: Slavery and Freedom among the Families of Smithfield Plantation (University of Virginia Press, 2022).

Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs

M.S. & M.BA, University of Maryland; Ed.D., Walden University

Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs is a policy, regulation, and administration specialist in the field of higher education. She continues an almost 25-year professional career in management, administration, and policy. Prior to her career in higher education administration and leadership, Dr. Moseley-Hobbs worked as a promotions assistant and junior writer at The Baltimore Times Newspaper in Baltimore, Maryland. She was first published by the newspaper when she was 12 years old and continued to be published until she was 18 years old at which time, she began her career in higher education.

In her current role Dr. Moseley-Hobbs continues an almost 15-year career in higher education administration and leadership including working in the efforts to ensure strength in areas such as student aid, federal title IV compliance, accreditation, curriculum development, and innovative academic programs.

Kerri is a 6th generation descendant of John Fraction, who was enslaved at Smith-field Plantation, and the subject of her first Creative Nonfiction book More Than A Fraction.

Phyllis White Phelan

Bachelor’s Degree, William & Mary; Master’s Degree, William & Mary; Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Phyllis is a Preston descendent through Colonel James Patton and has long interest in Smithfield over three decades. She is connected to the White and Taliaferro families, other Scottish immigrants of the period. She received undergraduate and master’s degrees from William & Mary, then her Ph.D. from University of Minnesota.

Phyllis worked in clinical psychology in private practice and at the University of Minnesota. Also, she taught in continuing ed training, and focused in specialties such as eating, depression, and personality disorders. She has had several peer review publications.

Her interests and service since retirement have been centered on the Asbury United Methodist Church in Harrisonburg. Several generations of relatives attended Virginia Tech, which brought her to visit them and Smithfield through the years.

Dr. Paul Quigley

Paul Quigley is Director of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies and James I. Robertson, Jr. Associate Professor of Civil War History in the History Department at Virginia Tech. A native of Manchester, England, he holds degrees from Lancaster University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Quigley is the author of Shifting Grounds: Nationalism and the American South, 1848-65, which won the British Association for American Studies Book Prize, the Jefferson Davis Award from the Museum of the Confederacy, and the Albert Lee Sturm Award from the Mu Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. His work has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Southern History and Journal of the Civil War Era, as well as the Roanoke Times, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the New York Times Disunion section. In 2018, he published an edited volume entitled The Civil War and The Transformation of American Citizenship, and another essay collection, Reconciliation after Civil Wars: Global Perspectives, co-edited with his colleague James E. Hawdon.

He serves on the board of the Society of Civil War Historians, the editorial board of the journal Civil War History, the board of the Smithfield-Preston Foundation, and the historians’ advisory board of the American Civil War Museum in Richmond.

Breyon Fraction

Breyon has many years of experience in state government and behavioral health. He established The Stratamas Group, LLC. Breyon values providing mentorship to Virginia Tech students, where he joined his fraternal organization and served the Montgomery County, Radford, and Greater Roanoke Valley communities. He participates in local and statewide behavioral health initiatives, national business development organizations, and youth sports development leagues.

Dr. Brett L. Shadle

Bachelor’s Degree, Northern Illinois University; Doctorate, Northwestern University

Brett is chair of the History Department at Virginia Tech, also serving as Associate Director of the Center for Refugee, Migrant and Displacement Studies, and professor of history on the core faculty for Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought in the university. He previously served as Associate and Assistant Professor in the department after earlier service in faculty appointments at the University of Mississippi and Bowdoin College. His undergrad is from Northern Illinois University, and his doctorate is from Northwestern University.

Brett has published two books related to settlers in Kenya and another on marriage disputes and colonialism in Kenya. He has had numerous other book chapters and published articles. He has a current work in progress on Ethiopian Refugees and the Italo-Ethiopian War. He has an impressively long list of honors and awards in academia, departmental service and college/university.

Susan Bull Ryan

A native of Blacksburg, who returned with her husband Tom Ryan MD, lives on her family farm in the Mount Tabor area after 50 years. Susan lived in Fredericksburg for 38 years where she raised two daughters. While in Fredericksburg, she served in leadership positions in the community including President of the Mental Health.

Association and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Hope House, a homeless shelter for women and their children. Her past volunteer service at Virginia Tech has included two terms on the Virginia Tech National Alumni Board of Directors and being a member of the Ut Prosim Society and the College of Science Dean’s Roundtable. She was an honor graduate in Biology and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Phi Sigma Society for Honors in Biological Sciences. While at Virginia Tech, she was a Varsity Cheerleader. She received her MA in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. She and Tom live in a 176-year-old farmhouse on Mount Tabor Rd. and enjoy a love of the community, the Virginia Tech campus, and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Marjorie McRae

B.A. in Economics, Goucher College; M.A. in Economics, UC Berkeley; Ph.D. in Psychology, Wright Institute

Marjorie is newly retired from a 40-year career as a consultant in the energy sector, conducting program evaluation and market research in support of the energy efficiency and renewable energy efforts of electric utilities and local, state, and federal agencies. For twenty years, she was Vice President of Research into Action, a consulting firm that at its peak had a staff of more than 30 and revenues of more than $7,000,000. Marjorie received a doctorate from Wright Institute, an MA from UC Berkeley, and a BA from Goucher College. She has career experience as Executive Consultant for Opinion Dynamics, Vice President for Research into Action, Principal for Xenergy, and as Senior Analyst for Minimax Research Group. She has several publications, honors, and awards. Marjorie is a Preston descendent.

Lisa Davis

Lisa Davis is an ardent reader of American History. She enjoys paddle boarding and gardening. She has recently served on several Boards; to wit: Tobacco Valley Animal Shelter Board, Lincoln County Fair Board, Lincoln County Tax Appeal Board, and Community Action Partnership of NW Montana. The latter is an organization that collaborates with state and local businesses and entities to advocate for social services in an effort to alleviate poverty, improve lives, and strengthen vulnerable communities in NW Montana.

Lisa says “I feel it is important to actively engage in the civic activities of my community. Being on different boards provides the opportunity and, in the process, allows me to be a part of a problem-solving team. This is good for the soul.”

Her interest in the Smithfield board is obviously first and foremost due to her recent discovery of her own ancestry and its connection to (enslaved families at) Greater Smithfield. That discovery has been a profound and fascinating adventure for Ms. Davis.

Victoria Ferguson

Bachelor’s Degree, Marshall University

Victoria Persinger Ferguson is an enrolled citizen of the Monacan Indian Nation of Virginia and is a graduate of Marshall University. Victoria has a background in researching science methodologies to support historical information. She has spent 30 years seeking first-person documentation and archaeological information to help explain and support theories on the daily living habits of Eastern Siouan populations up through the early European colonization period. She has written and presented work at Virginia Tech, Washington and Lee, Sweet Briar College, James Madison University, Mary Baldwin, and a number of archaeological conferences. You may glimpse her in two PBS documentaries: Virginia Indians: Reclaiming our Heritage and Pocahontas Revealed. She currently serves as the Program Director for Historic Solitude/Fraction on the campus of Virginia Tech.