Our Staff: Choose an office - Richmond / Fredericksburg
At our Richmond Office:
Nadine Marsh-Carter
President/CEO
Nadine enjoys many strong connections to CHS because she is a CHS adoptive parent, former member of the CHS Board of Directors, and attorney who provided legal counsel to families adopting through the agency. Prior to joining the CHS staff, she served as the Executive Director of Volunteer Emergency Families for Children (VEFC). Before working at VEFC, she practiced law at Hill, Tucker & Marsh Law Firm.
Nadine serves as a Trustee of the Richmond Memorial Health Foundation and on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Foundation President’s Council. She was recently appointed as a Hull Fellow in Philanthropy by the Southeastern Council of Foundations. Nadine is also a member of the Virginia State Bar. She has served on several nonprofit boards, including the National Network for Youth Policy Council, the Mid Atlantic Network for Youth (MANY), the Old Dominion Bar Association, and Richmond Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
Nadine may be reached by e-mail or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Jennifer H. Sgro
Chief Operating Officer
Jenn joined Children's Home Society in November 2005, though she was no stranger to the agency. She is one of the more than 12,500 children who has been adopted through CHS.
Jenn graduated from Hollins College in 1995 where she was President of the Student Government Association and a member of the volleyball and lacrosse teams.
Prior to coming to CHS, Jenn worked for ten years in the fundraising field, including six years as Director of Development at the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges. Jenn joined the agency as the Vice President for Advancement but in 2008 was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Jenn assists with the overall management of the agency’s direct service components. She works to improve operational efficiencies by developing and maintaining systems and processes. Jenn ensures best practices throughout CHS business processes while implementing organizational and structural changes enabling CHS to execute its mission.
Jenn volunteers for several non-profit groups across the Commonwealth including serving as a former Director for the Hollins University Alumnae Board and as a coach for the Geronimo lacrosse league.
Jenn may be reached by e-mail or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Rochelle Orr-Lee
Director of Finance and Administration
Rochelle joined the Children's Home Society staff in September 2006.
She is responsible for budgeting, managing our finances, and overseeing other administrative functions. Rochelle graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. Her background includes being an auditor with Keiter, Stephens, Hurst, Gary & Shreaves, a regional CPA firm located in Glen Allen, Virginia. While there, she gained knowledge of and experience with not-for-profit organizations. She was also the sole accountant for a local law firm located in Richmond, Virginia.
Rochelle may be reached by e-mail or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Janet Showalter
Recruitment and Communications Coordinator
Janet joined Children’s Home Society in September 2008 and is primarily responsible for public relations and the recruitment of adoptive parents. Prior to joining the CHS staff, Janet worked as a staff writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, covering everything from breaking news to features. Janet has a communications degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Janet loves animals and has spent time volunteering with several animal rescue groups.
Janet may be reached via email or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Jan Gray
Director of Development
Jan comes to Children's Home Society with a background in development, sales and marketing, and education. She most recently worked at a community college, serving as its Director of Institutional Advancement. Prior to that, Jan served as senior account representative for a privately held radio group of four stations. She began her career as a speech language pathologist, working in public school, clinical, and hospital settings. Jan received her B.A. from Mary Washington College (now University of Mary Washington) and her M.Ed. at the University of Virginia. She has two adult sons and two granddaughters and currently resides in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Jan may be reached via email or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Kemper Williams Thornton
Development Coordinator
After serving on the Board of Directors of Children's Home Society of Virginia from 1995 to 1999, Kemper was approached by a board member and the Director of Development to establish a Community Resource Board (CRB) to increase public awareness and raise additional funds. As CRB founder, she spearheaded the recruiting of 20 members by May 2006. She was Chair of the CRB for its first annual fundraiser in 2006, which raised over $50,000. Kemper held a second term on the Board of Directors from 2002 to 2007. She joined the CHS staff as Development Coordinator in December 2007 and is excited about sharing her passion for the agency’s mission.
Kemper is a Richmond native and 1989 graduate of the University of Virginia. She has served on the Chapter Board of St. Catherine’s School, volunteered as a Swim Team Representative for Westwood Club’s swim team, and currently is on both the Annual Fund and Capital Campaign Committees of St. Michael’s Episcopal School.
Prior to joining CHS , Kemper was a realtor with Long and Foster and a Xerox agent for The Supply Room Companies. She is married and has a son and a daughter.
Kemper may be reached by e-mail or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Debra M. Wilson
Child Placing Supervisor
Debra joined Children's Home Society of Virginia in November 2006 as the Child Placing Supervisor. Prior to joining CHS , she worked at Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia, Inc. from 1994 to 2006 as a social worker and then as the Director of Child Welfare. She continuously carried a caseload providing pregnancy counseling and adoption services. In addition, Debra was employed by New York Foundling Hospital in New York City for 14 years as an adoption social worker, supervisor, then Director of the Adoption Unit. There she provided adoption services, worked with birth parents who voluntarily placed their children as well as those birth parents who involuntarily had their rights terminated. The children ranged from toddlers to school age.
Debra is also a member of ADOPT – Adoption, Development, Outreach, Planning Team— a voluntary child advocacy group committed to promoting and assuring the right of children in Virginia to permanent homes through advocacy, education, legislative activities, and examination of practice issues.
Debra may be reached by e-mail or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Kristy Taylor
Wendy's Wonderful Kids Recruiter
Kristy Taylor joined the Children’s Home Society of Virginia in September of 2007 as a part time staff member conducting the Adult Adoptee Birth Parent searches. Through this position she became familiar with the agency and was able to partake in a greater role as the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter. As a Recruiter she focuses her efforts on finding permanent families for children in foster care.
Kristy graduated from Longwood University in 2004 where she was a four- year member of the lacrosse team. After college this interest led her to coach lacrosse for the BRIDGE initiative which focuses on teaching lacrosse to underserved youth. In addition to this position she served as Assistant Lacrosse Coach to the Randolph Macon Women’s team.
Prior to coming to CHS , Kristy was employed by Richmond Behavioral Health Authority as a Mental Health Family Case Manager. This position centered on teaching coping skills to families with children diagnosed with various mental health issues.
Kristy may be reached by e-mail or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Laura Ash-Brackley
Program Director
Laura is a licensed clinical social worker with seventeen years of experience. In the past, she supervised the independent living program in Baltimore County’s Department of Social Services, worked in medical social work, as well as in private practice. She joined CHS in October 1999 to work with the grant-funded program, Partnership for Adoptions.
Laura can be reached by email or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Ashley Hughes
Social Worker
Ashley graduated from Randolph-Macon College in May 2006 and received her MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2008. While at Randolph-Macon, Ashley served as a member of the steering committee for Dance Marathon, a fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network. She served as co-chair for the Fundraising Committee and the Family Relations Committee. While working on her Master’s degree, Ashley completed internships with the Adult Career Development Center and Coordinators 2 Inc. She also spent a summer abroad in the Dominican Republic studying international social work.
Ashley may be reached by e-mail or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Lindsay Balmer
Social Worker
Lindsay joined Children’s Home Society of Virginia in August 2008. Lindsay does adoption work, pregnancy counseling, and community outreach for CHS . Prior to joining CHS , Lindsay worked for the Permanency Unit of the Hanover County Department of Social Services coordinating preservation services for at-risk children and families.
Lindsay received a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Brigham Young University in 2004, and a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2006. While at Brigham Young University, Lindsay was a member of the University Orchestra and University Chorale. Lindsay also worked as a research assistant to several BYU sociology professors conducting longitudinal studies on social change. While studying at VCU, Lindsay completed two graduate level internships, including an internship at the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls providing individual and group therapy to adolescent youth residing in foster care, and an internship at the Hanover County Department of Social Services providing clinical case management and support to children in the foster care.
Lindsay may be reached by e-mail or by calling the Richmond office at 1-800-247-2888 or 804-353-0191.
Fredericksburg Office
Tamra M. McCoy
Senior Social Worker
Tamra became a foster care worker for the Richmond office in June 1990. Her previous social work includes foster care at Newport News Social Services. She also worked as a Medical Social Worker at Norfolk Community Hospital and in a variety of capacities at Brunswick Social Services. She also worked with battered women and at-risk teenagers.
Tamra does adoption and pregnancy counseling work as well as some public relations. She relocated to Fredericksburg when the office was opened in December 2000. Since that time she has been responsible for providing services to clients in the northern Virginia area.
She is a part-time radio announcer and is a school mentor through Rappahanock Big Brothers Big Sisters. Tamra can be reached by e-mail or by calling the Fredericksburg office at 540-226-0583.