Sorensen Board Members
Ray Lamura
Chairman
Term as chair ends 12/31/2021
President, VCTA
Richmond, Virginia
Ray is President of the Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association, the state trade association representing Virginia’s cable industry. Ray’s principle responsibilities are representing Virginia’s cable industry before members of the Virginia General Assembly and the United States Congress.
Rich Anderson
Term ends 12/31/2020
Former Member, Virginia House of Delegates (R-51)
Sorensen Alumnus: PLP 2012
Woodbridge, Virginia
Rich Anderson retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2009 as a colonel after a 30-year military career. In 2009, he was elected to represent the people of the 51st District (Prince William County) in the Virginia House of Delegates. He served in the House from Jan. 2010 to Jan. 2018, where he was chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology.
Mirza Baig
Term ends 12/31/2020
Partner, Aldrich Capital Partners
Herndon, Virginia
Mirza Baig is the founding Partner of Aldrich Capital Partners. As a serial entrepreneur and investor in healthcare and technology, he has been involved in scaling operations and growing sales to build large businesses that have enjoyed successful outcomes. He serves as a board member for civic organizations including Young President Organization of Northern Virginia and Medicaid of Virginia.
Alfonso Lopez
Term ends 12/31/2020
Member, Virginia House of Delegates (D-49)
Sorensen Alumnus: PLP 2003
Arlington, Virginia
Delegate Lopez has represented the 49th House of Delegates District (Arlington & Fairfax) in the Virginia General Assembly since 2012. Raised in Fairfax County, he has over 24 years experience working in Federal and Virginia politics and policy. He has the honor of being the first Latino Democrat ever elected to the Virginia General Assembly.
Matt Calkins
Term ends 12/31/2022
Chairman & CEO, Appian
Sorensen Alumnus: PLP 2011
Fairfax County
Matthew Calkins has been CEO & Chairman of the Board since founding Appian in 1999. He has been recognized as an Innovator by InformationWeek, Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, and a top entrepreneur by the Washington Post and the Washington Business Journal.
Jim Cheng
Term ends 12/31/2021
Of Counsel, Lee & Hayes, PLLC
McLean, Virginia
Jim Cheng supports technology startups and entrepreneurs and advises companies on economic development issues and on investing in the U.S. He has over 25 years of experience as a technology entrepreneur, angel investor, private capital investor, business leader and senior state government executive. From 2010 to 2014, Jim served as Virginia's Secretary of Commerce and Trade.
Allison Cryor DiNardo
Term ends 12/31/2021
President, King Street Wireless
Alexandria, Virginia
Allison Cryor DiNardo leads King Street Wireless, a company providing 4G LTE service to millions of customers in a joint venture with US Cellular. She has worked in telecommunications, developing and managing wireless companies, for 17 years. Allison served as Deputy Associate Director of Presidential Personnel under President George H.W. Bush.
Barbara Fried
Life member
President, Fried Companies, Inc.
Crozet, Virginia
Barbara Fried is president of Fried Companies, Inc., a real estate development and management firm, chairman of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, and a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. She previously served as chairman of the Sorensen Institute's Statewide Advisory Board.
Susan Gaston
Term ends 12/31/2022
President and Owner, the Gaston Group
Williamsburg, Virginia
Susan has been involved in the political field for most of her life, having watched her father lobby for the oil and gas industries. With over 20 years of governmental affairs and lobbying experience before the U.S. Congress, federal and state regulatory agencies, the Virginia General Assembly and local government bodies, she has created strong relationships on both sides of the aisle.
Mark Keam
Term ends 12/31/2020
Member, Virginia House of Delegates (D-35)
Sorensen Alumnus: PLP 2012
Fairfax, Virginia
Mark Keam represents Fairfax County in the Virginia House of Delegates. As a legislator with a reputation for bipartisanship and effectiveness, Mark focuses on creating jobs, improving schools, addressing transportation needs, reducing burdens on businesses, and strengthening social safety nets. Professionally, Mark has three decades of experiences in both the private and public sectors.
Suzy Kelly
Term ends 12/31/2022
CEO, Jo-Kell Inc.
Sorensen Alumna: PLP 2009
Chesapeake, Virginia
Suzy Kelly is Chief Executive Officer of Jo-Kell Inc., an electrical engineering and distribution company providing automation solutions and shipboard electrical equipment to markets throughout the United States and abroad. She is currently serving her second consecutive term on the Chesapeake City Council and is an active member in her community.
Charles Majors
Term ends 12/31/2022
Chairman of the Board, American National Bank
Danville, Virginia
Charley Majors is Chairman of the Board of American National Bank & Trust Company and its holding company, American National Bankshares Inc. He served at various times as President, CEO, and Executive Chairman of the Bank and the holding company. With assets totaling approximately $1.5 billion, the Bank is headquartered in Danville, Virginia, and has 25 offices in Virginia and North Carolina.
Monty Mason
Treasurer
Term ends 12/31/2022
Member, Virginia Senate (D-1)
Sorensen Alumnus: CTP 2010
Williamsburg, Virginia
Monty Mason represents Virginia's 1st Senate district, including all of the City of Williamsburg and parts of Newport News, Hampton, Suffolk, James City County and York County. Monty was twice elected to the House of Delegates in the 93rd District before winning his race for State Senate in November of 2016.
Andria McClellan
Term ends 12/31/2021
Member, Norfolk City Council
Sorensen Alumna: PLP 2013
Norfolk, Virginia
Andria McClellan represents Superward 6 serves on the City Council of Norfolk. She currently serves on the governing board of WHRO Public Media, the executive board of the Civic Leadership Foundation, and OneVirginia2021's regional advisory board.
Leigh Middleditch
Sorensen Co-founder
Life member
Of Counsel, McGuireWoods LLP
Charlottesville, Virginia
Leigh Middleditch is Of Counsel in the Charlottesville office of McGuireWoods LLP and is Vice President of McGuireWoods Consulting, LLC. His practice is now concentrated in the non-governmental and tax exempt organizations fields. He has previously served on UVA's Board of Visitors and as the legal advisor to the University.
Bernie Niemeier
Term ends 12/31/2022
President & Publisher, Virginia Business
Richmond, Virginia
Bernie Niemeier is the president, publisher and owner of Virginia Business. He has overall responsibility for all operational aspects of the magazine, related publications and Internet products. Niemeier has more than 30 years of experience in the newspaper business, including 17 on the corporate staff of Richmond, Va.-based Media General Inc.
Davis Rennolds
Term ends 12/31/2022
VP State Government Relations, McGuireWoods Consulting
Richmond, Virginia
Davis serves as a vice president in the Virginia State Government Relations group at McGuireWoods Consulting. Previously Davis worked in Gov. McDonnell's administration as a special policy analyst to the Department of Transportation and as a member of Gov. McDonnell's Inaugural Committee.
Beth Rhinehart
Term ends 12/31/2020
President & CEO, Bristol Chamber of Commerce
Sorensen Alumna: PLP 2010
Bristol, Virginia
Beth D. Rhinehart is President & CEO of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, serving both Bristol, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee. Prior to joining the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, Beth served as Director of Government Relations for Wellmont Health System, and Chairman of the Bristol Virginia Public Schools Board of Education.
Jeff Ryer
Term ends 12/31/2020
Virginia Senate Republican Caucus
Williamsburg, Virginia
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Jeff Ryer grew up in nearby Beverly, home to the Lodge family, and, at that time, the only city in Massachusetts that could be characterized as reliably Republican. Jeff earned a degree in Government at the College of William and Mary. In 1995, he began managing political campaigns, specializing in local and state races in Virginia.
Michael Smith
Ex Officio Member
Thomas C. Sorensen Professor of Political and Social Thought, University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Michael Joseph Smith is the Thomas C. Sorensen Professor of Political and Social Thought and Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia. A product of public schools in Yonkers, NY, he holds a B.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University, and an M.Phil. from Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar. Prof. Smith came to the University of Virginia in 1986.
Adam Sorensen
Sorensen Family Member
Associate, Morrison & Foerster
Charlottesville, Virginia
Adam is the youngest son of Thomas C. Sorensen. He graduated summa cum laude from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, and worked for five years as a reporter and editor for Time Magazine.
Jackie Stone
Term ends 12/31/2022
Partner, McGuireWoods
Richmond, Virginia
Jackie Stone is a partner with McGuireWoods, where she concentrates on legislative, regulatory and immigration matters. She currently chairs the McGuireWoods Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and previously served as the firm’s Global Hiring Partner and as a member of the Board of Partners.
Larry D. Terry II
Ex Officio Member
Executive Director, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service
Charlottesville, Virginia
Larry Terry comes to the Cooper Center in 2018 from Texas, where he worked to improve the lives of citizens in the Dallas region and beyond, creating practical partnerships with elected officials, public servants and community leaders to address poverty and other community issues, including launching the Community Leadership Academy.
Shannon Valentine
Vice Chairman
Term ends 12/31/2021
Virginia Secretary of Transportation
Sorensen Alumna: PLP 2005
Lynchburg, Virginia
Shannon Valentine was appointed Secretary of Transportation by Governor Ralph Northam in January 2018, and oversees a $5 billion multimodal transportation system crossing seven agencies with more than 10,000 employees. Shannon is a former Member of the Virginia House of Delegates, where she served on the House Transportation and Courts of Justice Committees.
