Family Service Specialist I, Adult Services/Adult Protective Services with Harrisonburg/Rockingham Social Services

M.A., BSW

Born and raised in Staunton, VA, Kim started her college experience as a non-traditional, first-generation student. She graduated from Blue Ridge Community College in 2019 with her associate's degree, transferred to JMU, and graduated in 2021 with her undergraduate degree in Social Work. In August of 2021, she started her master’s degree at JMU in Communication and Advocacy with an Environmental Communication concentration and graduated in December of 2023. While her career path has not been linear, the majority of her career has focused on working with the elderly community. She now works for Harrisonburg/Rockingham Adult Protective Services where she is the Senior APS Investigator. In her role, she investigates cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elderly and vulnerable adults and refers them to services as needed.  

Executive Director with Shenandoah Valley Tech Council 

'06 BA in Philosophy 

Fun fact: I played Djembe in a traveling ensemble for 2 years.   

I am the Executive Director at Shenandoah Valley Technology Council (SVTC), I lead and manage a nonprofit organization that supports and connects the tech community in the Shenandoah Valley. I have over 20 years of experience in various fields, including compliance, retail, soft IP, and entrepreneurial ownership, which have equipped me with a diverse and valuable skill set. My core competencies include process improvement, mentoring, problem solving, translating, integrating, and advising. I have a JD from George Mason University, a BA in Philosophy from UNC Asheville, and a certificate in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Nalanda Institute, which enable me to approach challenges from multiple perspectives and offer holistic solutions. My mission is to actualize strategic plans by focusing on the process, which is the path to achieving goals. I am passionate, creative, and adaptable, and I strive to empower and inspire others to reach their full potential.

Corporate HR Manager at Farmer Focus 

JMU BBA '00 
MS.Ed '15 

Interests: Employee Relations, Employment Law, Policy Development, Performance Management 

Fun Fact: A foodie who loves cooking and trying new cuisines and dishes while traveling

Jenny Toth has a passion for helping employees succeed and grow in their careers.  With over twenty years of experience in Human Resources in industries including healthcare, higher education, and manufacturing.  She has a proven track record of developing programs and solutions that foster a positive work environment through employee engagement, performance management and development.  Jenny currently serves as the Corporate HR Manager at Farmer Focus, an organic protein company headquartered in Harrisonburg, VA.   She lives in Harrisonburg with her spouse, Jason with whom she enjoys exploring the valley and surrounding areas by bike. 

Founder of Solutioneering, LLC 

ODU '91 BS in Business Administration 

GMU '97 MBA 

AU '06 MSIS

Interests: Swimming at our local indoor pool, long hikes on the Appalachian Trail, reading about American history (particularly the American Revolution, the Founders, and the Civil War), visiting Civil War battlefields across Virginia, and traveling with my wife and children 

Fun Facts:

- I enlisted in the Navy right out of high school and was selected to be a naval officer out of the enlisted ranks. Likewise, I have a twin brother who enlisted in the Marine Corps right out of high school, and he was selected to be a Marine Corps officer after being in the enlisted ranks as well. 

- I published my first book in 2019 based on my professional interests. I am in the process of publishing a second related book to be released in 2025.

I am the founder of Solutioneering, LLC and bring 25+ years of experience designing and developing winning solutions for competitive government procurements in the federal, state, local, and international marketspaces. I draw on many influences, including time in the military as well as roles in client delivery, project management, solution development, capture management, and proposal development. I hold graduate degrees in both business and information systems, as well as having several professional certifications that cover systems engineering, project management, security, capture management, and proposal development. 

I’m the originator of the Solution Engineering Framework™, which is a simple, yet powerful, deliberate, collaborative, engineering-based approach to designing winning proposal solutions. I have also developed and license to companies a software-as-a-service called the Solution Engineering Tool or “SET™” for short. SET is an automation of the Solution Engineering Framework and is an innovative and transforming way companies go about winning competitive procurements.

Director, Outdoor Learning Center, Camp Horizons 

UNCW- BS in Environmental Studies

UNCW- MS in Marine Science 

Interests: Kayaking, hiking, swimming, knitting 

Fun Facts: If I’m wearing a sweater, there’s a 95% chance that I made it!

Leigh has centered most of her career around supporting scientists and researchers, through ocean-related research programs, to enable them to contribute to and benefit global society. She has a background in Environmental Studies and Marine Science and spent 12 years supporting a large research program to study the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. However, in the past three years, Leigh has pivoted her career and currently serves as the Director of the Outdoor Learning Center at Camp Horizons, where she oversees the operations, programming, and staff for an outdoor adventure program serving schools, scouts, and adult organizations in the spring and fall seasons. Leigh loves to share the power of nature and community with staff and visitors alike!

Commercial Banking Executive, Burke & Herbert Bank

JMU, '19 BBA Business Management

LSU, '24 Graduate School of Banking

Interests: Being involved in the community, spending time with family, going on runs and walking my dog- Hallie, going to restaurants & bars with friends in downtown Harrisonburg, and watching sports, especially JMU- Go Dukes!

Fun Fact: I’m 5ft tall and my favorite sport growing up was basketball. I was the point guard for my high school team and played intramural at JMU.

I’m a Commercial Banker for Burke & Herbert Bank, with 6 years of experience in the banking industry. I’m the President and Founder of Shen Valley Young Professionals Association (YPA) and the current President of the Rockingham County Rotary Club. I’m a 2019 JMU alum with a BBA in Business Management and a 2024 alum of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisianna State University. My husband and I live in Old Town Harrisonburg with our 11-year-old rescue dog, Hallie.

Business Center Manager for Pioneer Bank

Millersville University, '14 BS in Business Administration 

Interests: Community growth and development, small business development, reading, and chess. 

Fun Facts:

- I am a music and arts advocate. I grew up in a hippy community based around expressing yourself with color and sound. It remains an important part of me today. 

- You can tell if a cheese originates from a rural or urban community if it is soft or hard. Hard cheese is from rural communities because it spoils slower. Since they are farther from trade routes food preservation was important to their success. 

I’ve spent the past decade building a career in banking, specializing in small business lending and management. Currently serving as the Business Manager at Pioneer Bank, I am passionate about helping local businesses grow and succeed. As a dedicated community member, I am actively involved with Rockingham’s Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, Young Professionals, and a host of local events where I regularly donate my time. Outside of work, I enjoy exploring the outdoors, fixing up my home in Broadway, and finding balance between learning, music, and community connection. Known for my entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to making a difference, I take pride in fostering relationships that strengthen our community.

Associate Specialist Quality Assurance for Gardasil Fermentation at Merck Pharmaceuticals in Elkton

JMU, '21 Biotechnology  

Interests:

Personal- volunteering, hiking, cooking, baking

Professional- team-building, project management, process improvement  

Fun Fact: I have one neice and one nephew who are my absolute world

Born and raised in chesterfield county I always had a passion for science and community. I started JMU originally intending to become a nurse but quickly discovered biotechnology was where I really belonged. In my time at JMU I was apart of VaBio where I was the treasure and was the founding vice president of my sorority Alpha Omega Epsilon. After graduation I started at Merck as a process development engineer for two years before transitioning to factory quality assurance. In my free time I am a mentor to a nine year old girl through big brothers big sisters, I explore the valley, and I am beginning to rediscover my fitness journey. I love meeting new people and helping people discover their career paths or even just answer questions about being an adult post graduation.

Senior Content Marketing Manager at TestRail

JMU, '12 BFA in Graphic Design

JMU, '21 MBA in Innovation

Interests: Content marketing, art and design, gaming, and weightlifting 

Fun Fact: I went viral in 2010 with the Tumblr blog "Cats That Look Like Ron Swanson" 

A Harrisonburg-area native and Double Duke, Jeslyn’s career journey has spanned everything from startups to international corporations to B2B to B2C to nonprofit work and everything in between. While she first majored in graphic design, she discovered a love for marketing while working at CustomInk in Fairfax, VA (a job that JMU’s Career and Academic Planning department helped her find!) which eventually led her back to Harrisonburg to earn her MBA in 2019. She now works fully remote as Senior Content Marketing Manager at TestRail, a tech company that produces a test management platform for software testers. When not leading the TestRail content marketing team, Jeslyn can often be found at the gym, playing video games, and hanging out with her chihuahua Gigi. 

School Counselor at Harrisonburg High School 

'15 BA in International Studies

'23 M.Ed. Master’s in School Counseling 

In Clinical Development at Merck & Small Business Owner (teaching on skincare and makeup)

Penn State, BS in Kinesiology 

JMU, MBA

Worked in clinical research, wellness, and pharmaceuticals

Teacher with Loudoun County Public Schools (currently substituting) 

'91 B.A. in French, minor in Economics

'95 M.A. in International Affairs 

Interests:   

• I enjoy working with students and enjoy being in the classroom. 

• I enjoy history and learning about connections from the past to present-day world geopolitics. 

• I like to travel and explore new places. 

• I enjoy volunteering for causes I value. 

• Some of my hobbies are to take pictures, go for runs outside, and collect pretty greeting cards. 

Fun Fact: I have a 3rd degree Black Belt in Taekwondo.

I’ve always been interested in international affairs, and after graduate school, I started my career in the Federal Government as an Economic Analyst at the CIA, where I obtained a Top Secret clearance.  After three years, I found the Government space stifling and lacking the creativity and dynamics that I desired in a job, so I moved on to the private industry and landed a job at Sprint with the International Carrier Services division.  That was quite the change from the Government, and I got to travel to some exotic places while with Sprint.  By the end of my time there, the telecommunications industry boom came to an end, and I switched gears again and obtained a job with a Government contracting company working on a Navy contract.  After having kids, I took a long break and became a career switcher, acquiring my teaching license and becoming an ESL teacher.

Co-CEO On the Road Collaborative 

'12 BA in Political Science

'13 Masters in the Art of Teaching 

Interests: Philanthropy, Local Government, Literature, Athletics 

Fun Fact: Spent 7 years in Ukraine growing up - speak Russian and some Ukrainian 

Russell Leary is Co-CEO at On the Road Collaborative, a youth empowerment organization based in Harrisonburg. After graduation from JMU, Russell spent 9 years as a public and private school educator. In 2022, he made a career pivot into nonprofit leadership, leveraging his relationship building and fundraising skills to grow impact. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading or playing sports.

Owners of Sage Bird Ciderworks

Zach

Head Cidermaker, Designer, Financials, & Operation

BS in SMAD with minors in Music Industry & Studio Art

Interests: Enjoys skiing, outdoor recreation, & live music

Fun Fact: Had dreadlocks for 10 years

Amberlee

Events & Marketing Lead

BA in English with Minors in Secondary Education & Studio Art

Master of Arts in Teaching 

Interests: Enjoys painting, reading, & skiing 

Fun Fact: Played the viola in middle & high school

Zach and Amberlee came to Harrisonburg to attend James Madison University in 2010 where they studied art, design, and education. They got married right out of college, bought a house in downtown Harrisonburg, and immediately plugged in to the downtown scene. In 2018, they started dreaming about turning their homebrew cider passion into a taproom in downtown Harrisonburg. Zach took some classes in the business of craft brewing as a feasibility study, and they signed a lease in 2019 to renovate an old car garage on Liberty Street into a production site and taproom. Opening in Covid was an incredible challenge, but Harrisonburg is a supportive community and Sage Bird grew beyond what they ever imagined in 5 years and they can't wait to see what's next.