Board and Staff
It takes a village. Meet our Board of Directors, Officers, and Staff.
Cara is the Executive Director of the ES Public Library. She received her master’s degree in library and information science at Syracuse University, and was a public library director in the Syracuse, New York, area for over 15 years. Prior to returning to her native Eastern Shore, she was the executive director of the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History in Danville, Virginia. There she was heavily involved with fundraising and had limited opportunities to interact with the public, which was a primary reason for seeking the position of library director at the library.
In 2006, after a 42-year career with the IBM Corporation, Bill and his partner, Jackie Chatmon, retired in Cape Charles. Shortly afterwards, he offered consulting services to small businesses.
With a focus on education and economic development, he has voluntarily worked with Eastern Shore and Hampton Roads community organizations. Bill continues to support the community as an active member of the Rotary Club of Cape Charles.
Nick Chuquín is an accomplished healthcare professional with over 20 years of leadership experience in healthcare management, specializing in quality assurance, strategic planning, physician collaboration, and operational excellence. As President of Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, he has spearheaded initiatives that have added physicians, reduced operational expenses, increased access to care, and achieved top-tier provider engagement scores and patient safety ratings.
A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Nick is a recognized leader in rural health, serving on multiple boards, including the Virginia Rural Health Association and Eastern Shore Community College. His commitment to continuous improvement is reinforced by advanced certifications in Lean Six Sigma and completion of various leadership programs.
A strong advocate for community health, Nick fosters strategic partnerships and champions innovative solutions that drive patient-centered care. He holds a Master of Science in Health Administration and is fluent in Spanish, enhancing his ability to connect with diverse populations.
Andre is the Executive Director at the Eastern Shore YMCA. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Board member and Treasurer of the Eastern Shore Community Services Board, Chair for the Eastern Shore Healthy Communities Diversity Equity and inclusion work group, Chair of the Eastern Shore Food Bank advisory council and as a Board Member of the Foodbank of South Eastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
Andre is also a member and Past President of the Onancock Rotary club, a member of the Eastern Shore Christian Businessmen’s Association and a former member of the town council of Melfa, Va. Andre Currently resides in Painter, Va. with his wife Julie and three children.
Dr. O’Hare has more than 50 years of experience working with data from the Census Bureau. He has held positions in state government, non-profit organizations, and universities. He is the author of many articles based on Census data as well as a book on measuring quality in the U.S. Census and the undercount of young children in the U.S. Census. He was formerly a consultant to the U.S. Census Bureau, and he is currently a consultant to The Leadership Conference Education Fund and The Count All Kids Campaign.
For fifteen years he ran the KIDS COUNT project at the Annie. E. Casey Foundation where he used data from the Census Bureau to illuminate the well-being of children across the U.S.
Dr. James Shaeffer served as the 5th President of Eastern Shore Community College (2019–2025), where he established the transformative culture of "YES! Your Eastern Shore." Under his leadership, the college embraced hospitality, transparency, accountability, and inclusion, fostering a shared commitment to its mission, vision, and values.
With 45 years in education, Dr. Shaeffer’s career began as a middle school teacher in Kansas City. He later held leadership roles at the University of Wyoming, the University of North Dakota, James Madison University, and Old Dominion University, where he was the founding dean of the College of Continuing Education and Professional Development.
Dr. Shaeffer holds a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Iowa State University, a Master’s in Multicultural Education from Kansas State University, and a Doctorate in Teaching and Learning from Northwestern University. His career reflects a dedication to advancing education and workforce development.
Beth Sharpley is a dedicated professional and community leader, currently serving as CFO at Coastline Chemical & SharpTech USA. With a career that includes roles such as Director of Admissions and Development at Broadwater Academy, she brings extensive expertise to her board service.
Beth is the 2nd Vice Chair of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and chaired the 2024–2025 United Way Campaign. She has raised over $103,000 as a Celebrity Dipper for Habitat for Humanity and actively supports Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore.
A lifelong advocate for the arts, Beth has performed with the Eastern Shore Madrigal Singers for 35 years and appeared in productions at the North Street Playhouse. She also founded the Worcester Preparatory School Grandparent’s Association and chaired the Salisbury Children’s Choir Board. Beth’s leadership and passion greatly enrich the Eastern Shore community.
Ms. Walker holds a BFA in Architecture and Environmental Planning and an MBA in Management. She founded and owned SEA Consulting Group for 38 years. She is globally recognized for her technical work in oil spills and collaborative approaches involving natural, social, and decision sciences and affected communities. The final phase of her career focused on the intersection of environmental and human disasters.
Ms. Walker and her family moved to Cape Charles in 1997. On the Shore, Ms. Walker has chaired the Cape Charles Wetlands and Coastal Dune Board, and she is a member of the Eastern Shore Groundwater Committee.
Dr. West is a Shore native with over 20 years of experience in academia and industry. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Business, Management and Accounting at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), where she employs innovative teaching methods to simplify complex topics in accounting, auditing, and business communications. Before joining UMES, she served as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Human Resources at Broadwater Academy.
Dr. West has leadership experience with diverse industries including the US Government Accountability Office, Shore Financial Corporation, Amerigroup, and Pepsi Bottling Ventures. Her passion to empower organizations to achieve financial health and sustainability through sound financial practices, internal controls, and strategic management led to the formation of her consulting firm, Beyond Numbers Consulting, LLC. She earned a Bachelor’s in Accounting from Virginia State University, Master’s in Accounting from Old Dominion University, and Ph.D. in Business Administration from Hampton University.
Monika brings over three decades of diverse experience in management, strategic planning, and community engagement to her role as Executive Director. With a robust background in both the non-profit and business sectors, Monika has a proven track record of driving organizational success and fostering community relationships.
Mrs. Bridgforth moved to the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her family in 2005. A graduate of Wellesley College (BA) and UVA’s Darden School (MBA), Monika has worked with many key Eastern Shore individuals and organizations, including The Barrier Islands Center and the Eastern Shore Yacht & Country Club.
John lives in Cape Charles with his wife, now Judge Cela Burge. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and Regent University Law School. He practiced law in Virginia from 2005 until his retirement in 2023. In the 1970s John was a National Bank Examiner; he then worked in the commercial banking industry, including the last 30+ years as an expert witness in banking litigation.
John is active in the Cape Charles Rotary, and he is a board member of the Cape Charles Christian School, the Northampton County YMCA, and the Northampton County Economic Development Authority.