Courtney Arrington is a certified public accountant with a strong foundation in accounting earned from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2016. With a diverse background spanning both public and private accounting sectors, Courtney specializes in serving small consulting firms, social media influencers, and solopreneurs. Her areas of expertise include tax planning and financial forecasting.

Ashton Duff is a graduate of James Madison University. She is a Talent Acquisition Lead and Campus Program Coordinator at Apex Systems. Ashton is also involved as a Pillar Lead for Women@Apex. She has been with Apex for a little over 9 years. Outside of work Ashton enjoys volunteering, reading, and spending time with friends and family!

Maggie is a Business Manager with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. In this role, she specializes in workforce development and building strong community connections to help new and expanding businesses address talent needs. She also administers the Virginia Jobs Investment Program, an economic development incentive that supports job creation and significant retraining efforts. Maggie attended graduate school at the University of Oregon and worked in transportation policy before moving to Virginia in 2022. Maggie loves to explore local parks and swimming spots with her husband and infant son, and strives to create a welcoming and supportive community for newcomers in our region through board service with ReEstablish Richmond.

Katherine Gould is the People Strategies Manager at Hourigan, a fully integrated construction management and development firm headquartered in Richmond, VA. She plays a key role in shaping Hourigan’s human capital strategies to align with organizational goals, ensuring a positive work environment. With over a decade of experience in human resources, Katherine excels in benefits administration, employee relations, training and development, recruitment, compensation, and compliance. She holds a B.A. in Spanish Language & Literature from North Carolina State University and an M.S. in Human Resource Development from Rochester Institute of Technology. Outside of work, Katherine enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

Brie Daniels serves as HR Coordinator at All Points Broadband. She has been in Richmond, VA for 10 years. Her career in HR began as an Office Manager at VCU through hiring work study students and assisting her department chair with faculty onboarding. During her time in Richmond, she obtained her Nonprofit Certification and MPA from the L. Douglass Wilder School. With a passion for literary creation and serving the community, she had the privilege to lead Podium RVA's Young Professional's Board as the Chair. As her interest in the organization grew, she was fortunate to be invited onto the Board of Directors as Treasurer. In her free time, Brie enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with family and friends.

Johanna Armah is an accomplished procurement and sustainability professional with nearly a decade of experience in product and packaging procurement. She currently serves as Senior Manager of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) at Altria Client Services, where she leads initiatives that align procurement strategies with the company’s broader sustainability and ESG goals. Throughout her career, Johanna has built a reputation for delivering strategic sourcing solutions, fostering supplier diversity, and driving operational efficiencies in complex supply chains. Her expertise spans across procurement strategy, stakeholder engagement, and responsible sourcing practices that support long-term business value. Johanna holds two Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Supply Chain Management & Analytics from Virginia Commonwealth University. She also earned a Master of Business Administration from The College of William and Mary, with a focus on business leadership and sustainable enterprise.

Andrea has served as a nonprofit leader in the Greater Richmond area for the last 11+ years. She is a vibrant leader, advocate, and relationship builder who is passionate about creating change through nonprofit community leadership and partnerships. Collaborative and positive, Andrea’s journey with Forward Foundation VA as their Executive Director and CEO began in 2019. Her personal journey of overcoming the challenges she faced being raised by a single father, and then becoming a single parent herself to three daughters, are the motivating factors that drive her passionate dedication and advocacy for single parent families in need. Andrea has played an integral part in serving her community through various roles. For nearly two decades she served as a mentor and volunteer tutor for special needs children. Her community involvement includes serving as an officer on two nonprofit boards (Backpacks of Love and Cobb Imprint), steering committees, strategic planning roles, and as a keynote speaker. Andrea has been recognized for her philanthropic efforts and was selected as the “Community Leader of the Year” award recipient for NAWBO Richmond’s Women of Excellence Awards in 2022.

Crystal Cregge is a design strategist focused on delivering brand-enhancing solutions that leave a lasting impact. As Creative Director at circle S studio, she specializes in building visually compelling identities that are in alignment with the strategic goals of businesses nationwide. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University and over 15 years of experience in the creative industry, including being a SWaM Certified business owner, Crystal applies a multi-faceted approach to engaging visuals across print, animation and digital designs. Whether she’s traveling abroad, exploring local French restaurants, or finding the perfect piece of clothing, Crystal excels at uncovering the memorable and unique.

Heather graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2016 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Human Resource Management. After a brief stint in agency staffing directly after graduation, she joined the Talent Acquisition team at CarMax in 2017. Initially focusing on technology recruiting, within her first she year joined the College Recruiting Team and has been there ever since. After several years of focusing on recruitment, internship program management, and campus relations, she now leads the team in a manager role. Heather really enjoys working for a company with such a fun and inclusive culture, and has a passion for connecting young professionals with their dream jobs. In her free time she loves to be at the beach or river and spending time with her husband and two dogs.

Jasmine Walker is a dedicated workforce development professional specializing in early career programming. Currently serving as a Program Manager at the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Jasmine focuses on nurturing the next generation of leaders within Virginia state government. In her role, Jasmine oversees the Virginia Management Fellows Program, a rotational leadership initiative for recent graduates, and manages the COVA Internship Connection, providing vital centralized support for state agencies and their interns. A seasoned Army Veteran, Jasmine brings a wealth of human resource experience from both private and public sectors. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor's degree in Business from James Madison University, a Master's degree in Business, and certification as a Learning & Development Specialist. Jasmine is passionate about empowering early career professionals and ensuring they have the tools and opportunities to thrive in their careers.