Speakers

Austin Jersild has published widely on the formation and expansion of the Russian Empire in the Caucasus in the nineteenth century, and Sino-Soviet relations in the twentieth century.  His research has been supported by Fulbright, the National Council on Eurasian and East European Studies, the Kennan Institute, American Councils on International Education, and the Berlin Center for Cold War Studies.  His current work addresses the Sino-Soviet rivalry in the Global South

Dr. Smith is Chief of Staff at Hampton Roads Transit, where he supports the CEO in managing and directing agency work in collaboration with executive team members. Brian is a fourteenth generation native of Hampton Roads and a US Army veteran, receiving numerous medals and awards while serving as a Stinger Missile Team Chief with the First Infantry Division. He serves on the MPA National Advisory Board for Regent University. He is a LEAD Hampton Roads 2016 graduate and holds a seminary degree in addition to a PhD in organizational leadership. In 1999, he was a Delta International Scholar and studied abroad in Belgium. His doctoral research focused on leadership in collaborative regional networks. He has a master’s degree in public policy from Regent University and an advanced certificate in public administration from Old Dominion University, with an emphasis on public budgeting and finance. He is married to Monica, a public school music teacher, and is the proud father of two children who’ve both attended Norfolk Christian Schools since pre-K. Eli will be a freshman in high school next year, and Regan, along with most of Brian’s disposable income, will be headed to Virginia Commonwealth University starting this Fall.

Steve currently serves as Deputy Executive Director for Administration and Operations for the Norfolk Airport Authority, owner and operator of Norfolk International Airport.  His responsibilities include executive oversight of airport concession contracts, risk management, media relations, airport public safety, emergency management, airport security, FAA airport certification, parking services and more.
Prior to his appointment as Deputy Executive Director, Steve served as the Director of Operations for the Norfolk Airport Authority for six years.  His primary duties included oversight of the Airport Police and Fire Departments, Airport Parking Administration, compliance of the airport’s FAA Part 139 Certification, Wildlife Management and served as the Airport Security Coordinator.  
Prior to being appointed as Director of Operations, Steve enjoyed a career in law enforcement.  He was the Police Chief of the Norfolk Airport Authority Police Department for two years.  Prior to his appointment as the police chief, Steve spent a career in the Portsmouth Police Department for twenty-two years and attained the position of Assistant Police Chief.
Steve holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Human Resources from St. Leo University, Certified Member designation with the American Association of Airport Executives and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (221st Session).  Steve resides in Chesapeake with his wife Trish and sons Carlton and Kyle.  Steve also serves as a coach for the Chesapeake Little League Baseball Challenger Division as well as the Chesapeake Special Olympics Soccer Skills team. 

LIEUTENANT GENERAL THOMAS J. SHARPY
    
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LIEUTENANT GENERAL THOMAS J. SHARPY
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Lt. Gen. Thomas J. Sharpy is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, Headquarters Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk, Virginia. He is responsible for developing operational and strategic capability requirements on behalf of 29 NATO nations. 

General Sharpy graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree, and completed undergraduate pilot training in 1988. His career has involved numerous supervisory and leadership positions at wing, major command and air staff levels. He also served in a number of joint assignments, including Senior Military Aide to the Vice President of the United States; Director of Plans, Programs and Analyses for Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Vice Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; and Director, Strategic Plans, Requirements and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Illinois. Prior to his current assignment, General Sharpy served as Deputy Commander, AMC, at Scott AFB, where he was responsible for the Air Force's air mobility strategic transportation mission and fleet of more than 1,160 aircraft.

EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1988 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
1994 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 Master of Business Administration, Louisiana Technical University, Ruston
1998 Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2004 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2007 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2010 Senior Executive Fellows Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2012 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2015 Senior Joint Intelligence Operations Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
2015 Defense Acquisition Executive Officer Workshop, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2016 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

 

How can a serious cause compete for attention in a society hungrier for entertainment than education? With provocative campaigns that use sex, celebrities, and humor, just as an ad agency does. Dan Mathews is the irreverent force behind many of PETA's edgy crusades and star-studded stunts. His brainstorms, such as the iconic "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign, routinely make global news. Among his many accomplishments are the following: He persuaded Calvin Klein to stop using fur after leading a raid on the designer's office and pressured General Motors to stop using animals in crash tests by storming the company's auto shows. His multimedia campaigns helped push Ringling Bros. circus to close in 2017, after 146 years in business, and SeaWorld to stop breeding orcas in captivity in 2016. He served lunch to prisoners at America's first vegetarian jail in Phoenix and organized the first Vegan Gumbo Festival in New Orleans. He's been named one of America's most influential gays by Out magazine, and in 2016, he was presented with an "Activist of the Year" award by Vivienne Westwood in London. He started at PETA in 1985 as the young organization's receptionist, but the pop-culture junkie soon rose through the ranks, devising whimsical campaigns to increase public awareness of animal issues—such as infiltrating a fur designer's fashion show in Milan dressed as a priest. He recruited stars—including Paul McCartney, Pamela Anderson, P!nk, and Alec Baldwin—to put PETA on people's pop-culture radar. "Mathews' greatest insight is his seemingly intuitive … understanding that causes are as much about trendiness as they are about conscience," wrote New York magazine. His memoir, Committed, was published in the U.S. by Atria in 2007 and has since been published in Australia and across Europe. "Mathews believes in the spoonful-of-sugar approach to enlightenment, letting personal, gossipy, often hilarious anecdotes illuminate hot-button issues," wrote The Washington Post. His columns have appeared in USA Today, The Guardian, and Huffington Post, and he's lectured at Harvard, Princeton, Oxford, and his alma mater, American University in Washington, D.C. 

 

 

Kenneth Cooper Alexander was elected Mayor of the City of Norfolk on May 3, 2016.  A native of Norfolk and president of Metropolitan Funeral Service, he began his public service career more than two decades ago.

Before his election as mayor, Mr. Alexander served in the Senate of Virginia where he was a member of the committees on Commerce and Labor, Finance, Transportation and Privileges and Elections.

He also served on the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission, the High Speed Rail Compact Commission for Virginia and North Carolina, the Special Joint Subcommittee to Consult on the Plan to Close State Training Centers and the Joint Commission on the Future Competitiveness of Virginia Higher Education.

Before his election to the Senate, he represented the 89th District in the House of Delegates from 2002 until 2012, serving on the committees of Commerce and Labor, Education, Privileges and Elections and Rules.

Prior to his election to the General Assembly, Mr. Alexander was a member of the Norfolk Economic Development Authority, City Planning Commission (vice chair), Human Services Commission and of a City Council-appointed blue ribbon commission that studied the direct election of the office of mayor.  He is a member of the Greater Norfolk Corporation, the Norfolk Chapter of the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association and an alumnus of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.  Mr. Alexander began his community service as president of Berkley’s Beacon Light Civic League and Beacon Light Community Development Corporation. Mayor Alexander is proud that his first full-time job was with the City of Norfolk as a Cemetery Manager I with the Department of Parks and Recreation from 1989 to 1990.

A 1985 graduate of Lake Taylor High School, Mr. Alexander holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science from Old Dominion University and a Master’s degree in diplomacy from Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the country. Presently, he is working on his doctorate in Leadership and Change with Antioch University.

Mr. Alexander and his wife, Donna Burnley Alexander, have two school-aged sons, Kenneth II and David.

Here about Nancy's fascinating book about the long-gone amusement parks and other kitschy attractions we had in the days before Busch Gardens appeared.

The UP Center is very excited to announce and  promote a new counseling service to our area.  It is a time limited therapeutic counseling program offered to Vets, family members, and dishonorably discharged Vets who currently have no place to seek treatment. This is the 13th clinic that has been opened in the USA over the past 5 years with a goal of 20 clinics by 2020. 

Tina is a Virginia Beach resident along with her husband and three daughters. A professional with more than 20 years of experience in strategic leadership, business development, marketing and sales leadership, Tina is also dedicated to her community, volunteering her time with Volunteer Hampton Roads, The Red Cross, The Hampton Roads Partnership, Junior Achievement, Boys and Girls Club, and the College of William & Mary Alumni Chapter of South Hampton Roads.
 
Tina Gill is known for her collaborative style and relationship building, bringing creative ideas and innovative strategies to fruition through strategic planning and leadership, business and team development. Prior to The Up Center, Tina worked for Wellpoint/Amerigroup as their Vice President of External Relations Operations, and Executive Director of Amerigroup's Foundation. At Wellpoint, she led the social responsibility efforts, managed the core operations for a department of 120 people, and had oversight of a multi-million budget. She also steered the National Advisory Board on Improving Healthcare Services for Seniors and People with Disabilities. Tina brings to the agency a deep understanding of issues around Medicaid and serving the more vulnerable members of our community.