Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber announces SoVa leadership cohort

NextGen: Southern Virginia to assemble leaders to discuss COVID-19, racial justice

Published October 1, 2020 by Sydney Lake

The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce on Monday announced a partnership with the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service and the Charlottesville-based Tom Tom Foundation to launch NextGen: Southern Virginia, a virtual learning and networking opportunity for Dan River Region emerging leaders. 

The NextGen program will occur during the Tom Tom Foundation’s Fall 2020 Cities Rising Virtual Summit, which assembles leaders from hundreds of cities to explore the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact as well as the movement for racial justice. The Tom Tom Foundation is focused on innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship in America’s hometowns.

The following 13 cohort members make up NextGen: Southern Virginia:

• Liz Cervantes, Averett University
• Rachel Covington, Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce
• Ronella Daniel, VIPKid
• Danielle DuCré, Chatham Hall 
• Shani Gaylord, Piedmont Access to Health Services
• Phillip Hayes, Noblis
• Drew Herring, West Main Baptist Church
• Tracy Mallard, Halifax County IDA
• Lauren Mathena, Mid-Atlantic Broadband Corp.
• Ryan Millner, Caswell Family Medical Center 
• Danielle Montague, city of Danville
• Steven Osborne, Adams and Fis PLC
• Maggie Richardson, The Health Collaborative

“The NextGen: Southern Virginia experience is an incredible opportunity for participants to engage with peers from across the country in an environment focused on real-time, positive impact in our communities,” Alexis Ehrhardt, president and CEO of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement. “One of the Chamber’s three focus areas is talent development, and we are proud to partner with Tom Tom and the Weldon Cooper Center to provide such a unique experience for this incredible group of leaders.”

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