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.

Bill Payne is the owner of Practical Business Solutions (Consulting) and is very active in the communtiy. He is a Board Chairman of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia and Eastern Shore Boys & Girls Club. He is a Board Member of the Eastern Shore Community College, Northampton County Education Foundation, Smart Beginnings Eastern Shore, New Roots Youth Garden, and the Eastern Shore of Virginia United Way. He is a member of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce, American Legion, Post 56 Cheriton, and the Joint Industrial Development Authority of Northampton County and its Towns. Mr. Payne is the President of the Cape Charles Rotary Club, Vice Chairman of the Northampton County Democratic Committee, and Ad Hoc Northampton Cty Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee.

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. He 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.

Nick Chuquin is a Shore native and President of Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital. He has been with Riverside since 2014, most recently as Associate Vice President. In that role he oversaw Riverside Medical Group including day-to-day operations and provider recruitment. He also was pivotal in the organization’s pandemic strategy focusing on safety for patients and team members, and spearheads Riverside’s continuing vaccination efforts on the Shore. Before joining Riverside, Chuquin’s health care experience included a management position with Eastern Shore Rural Health System.

Karen is a Shore native and graduate of Arcadia High and Norfolk State University. She worked as a civilian with the Navy for 30 years at Wallops Island, retiring in 2015. Karen has a passion for the gospel ministry. She has volunteered with the Eastern Shore Literacy Council and as a substitute teacher and tutor with the Accomack County Public Schools.

Karen is a member of several organizations including: Virginia Organizing, Healthy Communities , Agency on Aging/Community Action Agency, Baptist Clergy, Community College Board, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She is also associated with the Regional Housing Coalition, the Economic Network and the Historical Society. She is a mother to Mykel, and friend to many.

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 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.

Mr. Leatherbury has been the owner and principal with Leatherbury-Broache CPA firm in Accomac since 1981. He is a licensed CPA in Virginia and graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1980 with a degree in Civil Engineering as well attaining a degree in accounting from the the University of Virginia’s McIntyre School of Commerce. He and his wife Michelle, a veterinarian, live in Onancock.

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.

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.

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.