Staff and Board

Staff

Tami Farinholt

Executive Director

Tami assumed the role of Executive Director of the Newport News Green Foundation in July 2016. A lifelong resident of Newport News, Tami still can’t believe that her “job” gives her the opportunity to marry her personal passion for the community with her responsibilities to truly make an impact in the city that raised her.

An experienced community organizer, Tami began her career in Higher Education, serving in Residence Life at Christopher Newport University before spending over ten years in various community engagement roles at Old Dominion University.

Tami Farinholt

Executive Director

Tami Farinholt

Jillian Balay

Marketing and Outreach Coordinator

Jillian Balay

Jillian Balay

Marketing and Outreach Coordinator

Jillian began her career in marketing in Higher Education at The Pennsylvania State University before taking over as the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator for the Newport News Green Foundation in 2013.

Jillian manages marketing and communication for the Newport News Green Foundation. She creates marketing strategies, designs graphics, and coordinates content to support the Green Foundation’s mission to preserve, transform, and promote green spaces in Newport News, Virginia.

Board Directory

J. Scruggs, President

JS4WoodWork

Neil Martin, Immediate Past President

Advanced Electrical Service

Michelle Schopp, Vice President

USCG, RET/Wild Birds Unlimited

James Wells, Treasurer

Newport News Shipyard

Lee Ann Zelesnikar, Secretary

iSoft Solutions

Adam Creekmur, Property Chair

GC Commercial

Joe Balay, Resource Chair

Christopher Newport University

Seth Caddell

Coastal Fermentory

Corey Dixon

Newport News Shipyard

David Freeman

City of Newport News-City Manager’s Office

Melissa Goodson

Community Volunteer

Holly Kidd

VHB (Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc)

Carlyn Menser

RE/MAX CONNECT

Patrick Murphrey

City of Newport News - City’s Attorney’s Office

Michael Poplawski

City of Newport News - Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

Donje Putnam

Senex Law, PC

Lindsey Wagner- Jones

Canon Virginia, Inc.

Macon Whitson

City of Newport News-IDA/EDA

Clean Up Green Park

Governance

The Newport News Green Foundation is governed by an all-volunteer board of directors comprised of citizens and business representatives of Newport News, a representative of the Industrial Development Authority, the City Manager (or designee), and the City’s Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (or designee).

The work of the foundation is done by standing committees and supported by a full time Executive Director. The current standing committees of the Foundation are the Property Committee and Resource Committee.

The Property Committee oversees the maintenance of the Foundation’s properties as well as the acquisition of new properties.

The Resource Committee is responsible for finding additional resources for the Foundation. It oversees special events, fundraising, and all our outreach programming.