TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

Staff

Kate Powell, BM, MPA, CFRE
Executive Director

Kate is a seasoned non-profit professional with a passion for the intersection of arts and human services – and how that intersection advances justice, equity, and dignity of every individual…

Kate’s career in arts administration and human services includes managing a community music school, sound engineering and production, and serving as the Woodwind Teaching Artist for Soundscapes – an El Sistema based after school music program for students on the Virginia Peninsula. She went on to serve as Development Manager for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and then Director of Fundraising and Grants at PORTCO, Inc. (employing adults with differing abilities). Kate joined Tidewater Arts Outreach in 2019 as Director of Development and took on the Executive Director role in 2020.

Kate received her Bachelor of Music in Music Industry from James Madison University (Go Dukes!) and her Master of Public Administration from South University. She earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential in June of 2019 and was an Inside Business Top 40 Under 40 Honoree in 2022. Kate is also a 2022 alum of the Creative Center Training Institute.

Kate believes strongly in community involvement. She is Chair of Old Dominion University’s Master of Public Administration Advisory Board, an active member of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (including chairing both their Programs and National Philanthropy Day Committees), Board member of Tidewater Friends of Foster Care, and commissioner on the Norfolk Mayor’s Commission on Aging and Long-Term Care.

She also enjoys facilitating professional education and serving as a mentor to other non-profit professionals. Kate has taught as a subject matter expert at the Virginia Fund Raising Institute, SourceAmerica, Association of Fundraising Professionals, and Black BRAND.

Kate can occasionally be spotted playing music with her husband, Marc. When not playing music together, they enjoy adopting senior pugs, serving as foster parents, hiking trails, and exploring Hampton Roads’ amazing food scene.

Ashley Carroll, MA, MT-BC, ACC
Program Director

Ashley Carroll is a Board-Certified Music Therapist. She has served the Hampton Roads community since July 2021 through her work at Tidewater Music Therapy…

Ashley was elected President of the Virginia Music Therapy Association in January 2022 and is an active member of the Virginia Beach Chorale.

She completed her Bachelor of Music Therapy degree at Eastern Michigan University in 2010 and her Master of Arts degree in Music Therapy from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in December of 2020. Ashley is a 2022 alum of the Creative Center Training Institute and earned her Activity Consultant Certified (ACC) credential in August 2024.

Ashley has worked in a variety of settings including hospitals, elementary and middle school special education classrooms, early childhood community music groups, community mental health, elder care, memory care and hospice. As a hospice music therapist, she witnessed how pervasive isolation is especially among older adults, creating a passion for bringing people together through music. Transitioning from clinical work, she now focuses on building relationships with artists and community partners to eliminate the barriers of access to high quality programming to our communities.

In her free time, Ashley enjoys reading, playing piano, watching movies, and spending time with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

Tashara S. Void, M.Div., MACE
Program Manager

Tashara is a seasoned nonprofit leader, educator, and advocate with extensive experience in program management, community engagement, and mental health support….

As an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader and Technical Assistance Consultant with the National Mentor Resource Center (NMRC), she managed large-scale volunteer programs, trained staff, and developed sustainable initiatives to support underserved communities. She also served as the Program Director with The Together We Can Foundation developing a mentorship program for adolescent girls.

In addition to her work in nonprofit program development, Rev. Void has an extensive background in mental health and social services. She served as an in-home counselor with Compass Youth & Family Services, a Therapeutic Group Home Program Manager at New Beginnings Development Services, and a Research and Resource Developer for maternal mental health initiatives. Her leadership in these roles involved designing behavioral health interventions, coordinating wraparound services, and facilitating training programs for staff and community members. Her chaplaincy work at Hampton VA Medical Center and Prisma Health further solidifies her expertise in holistic, person-centered care, particularly for individuals facing trauma and life transitions.

An accomplished scholar and theologian, Rev. Void holds a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Religion and Education from the Interdenominational Theological Center and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Theology and Community Engagement at Hampton University. Her research on maternal mental health, peer-led behavioral health programs, and trauma-informed spiritual care demonstrates her dedication to integrating faith, justice, and wellness.


Returns

(What is a “Return”? Read more here)

Valerie Mosby, BS, MA

Valerie is a recently retired Human Resources professional with over 30 years’ experience in corporate HR…

…as a Professional Educator, an HR Specialist and a Talent Acquisition Consultant. In addition, she has worked as a TAO volunteer assisting program artists for the past 2 years,

She earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Finance from Hampton University and her Masters in Human Resources Education and Leadership from Louisiana State University.  Her passion for working in the community spans over several decades as she has volunteered for various non -profit agencies in Hampton Roads that cater to underserved populations.

After retirement, Valerie wanted to find a way to combine her entrepreneurial desires with her passion for the arts and mentoring.  As a result, she opened a local craft store in Chesapeake that makes and sells custom craft items; mentors new entrepreneurs; and offers crafting training classes.

In what is left of her spare time, she rides motorcycles with her husband, serves as the outreach coordinator for her church and nurtures 2 dogs, 3 children, and 26 grandchildren.


Board of Directors

Officers and Committee Chairs
Dr. Stuart Goldwag, MD, Hampton Roads Radiology Associates, President
Barbara L. Smith, CPA/ABV, CVA, Cherry Bekaert, Vice-President
David Jacobs, Esq., Secretary
Teresa Kraus, CPA, Treasurer

Shaune Thomas-Blanding, EMBA, Programs Committee Chair
Bryan Martin, Coastal Hardware, Development Committee Co-Chair
Harriet T. Reynolds, Esq., Development Committee Co-Chair


Directors-at-Large
Chessney Barrick, Living Water International
Brandon Beavers, Risk Strategies Company
David Duck, Newport News Human Services
Ariana Foster, Foster Beauty Fashion Show
Falon Horton, HUB International
Grant Hurley, Esq., Davis Law Group
Robert Maroon, The Therapy Network
J. Bryan Plumlee, Esq., Poole Brooke Plumlee, PC
Valerie Ryland, BSN, RN, Sentara
Ira M. Steingold, Esq., Steingold and Mendelson
J. Benjamin Unkle, Jr., Westminster-Canterbury on the Chesapeake Bay