Board of Directors
Annual Work Plan
For many years, the Downtown Norfolk Council Board and staff have taken a deliberate, disciplined and focused approach to addressing the needs of Downtown and our constituents. Each year, the Board sets the general direction for the staff to follow. The Board also establishes key objectives that allow them to focus their energy and resources on the areas where they feel they truly can make a difference. These objectives are addressed in depth by the Board, and established committees focus entirely on these objectives. Our FY23 Action Plan can be viewed here. And as always, the Board is focused on responsible advocacy for Downtown and its constituents.
Please contact our office if there are any questions, comments or concerns.
Downtown Norfolk Council Board of Directors: FY 2022-2023
The DNC Board of Directors consists of 24 members representing the DID ratepayers and DNC membership. The Mayor and a representative from the City Manager’s office serve as ex-officio representatives to the board. Additionally, the two council members representing Downtown along with representatives from partner organizations and the residential civic league serve as liaisons.
The Board of Directors hold their meetings on a monthly basis on the second Wednesday of the month at 8am. The following is a list of the Board members serving as the governing body of the organization for fiscal year 2023.
Officers
Chair
James Wofford
General Manager
MacArthur Center*
Vice Chair
Mel Price
Principal
Work Program Architects
Immediate Past Chair
Tommy Leeman
Partner
Senior Vice President, Wealth Management
Steward Partners Global Advisors
Treasurer
Jenny Bonsiewich
Manager
P.B. Mares, LLP
President/Corporate Secretary
Mary Miller
President & CEO
Downtown Norfolk Council
Board of Directors:
Rafaelle Allen
Chief Operating Officer
Marathon Development Group, Inc.*
Scott Campbell
Principal
VIA design architects*
Preston Carraway
Residential Rate Payer/DNCL Officer*
Lorraine Connaughton
Residential Rate Payer/DNCL Officer*
Christian Conway
Creative Manager
Dominion Enterprises*
Matthew Crowe
Catering Sales Manager
Hilton Norfolk The Main*
Patrick Edwards
Owner
The Stockpot Norfolk
Mike Fowler
First Vice President
Even Keel Wealth Advisors of Raymond James
Jesse Hemphill
General Manager
Norfolk Waterside Marriott*
Ray King
Of Counsel
Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black LLP
Miles Leon
President
S.L. Nusbaum*
Christy Marron
Owner
Grace O'Malley's Irish Pub & Restaurant
Michelle Nichols
Branch Manager
TowneBank*
Lacy Peterson
General Manager
Glass Light Hotel & Gallery*
Ellis H. Pretlow
Attorney
Kaufman & Canoles
Jae Roe
Senior Property Manager
The RMR Group*
Jimmy Schools
Senior Property Manager
Hertz Corporation*
Judy Swystun
President
Hampton Roads Transportation
Brittany Treble
Tax Manager
KPMG
Alec Yuzhbabenko
Associate Design Principal
Hanbury
Ex-Officio:
The Honorable Kenneth C. Alexander
Mayor
City of Norfolk
Pete Buryk
Chief of Staff
Office of the City Manager
Ward Representatives:
The Honorable Courtney Doyle
Councilwoman
City of Norfolk
The Honorable Andria McClellan
Councilwoman
City of Norfolk
General Counsel:
Dean T. Buckius
Attorney
Vandeventer Black LLP
* - Representing the Downtown Improvement District