BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PATRICK MCGEE
President
Patrick is a Program Manager for Microsoft Mixed Reality and Artificial Intelligence where he focuses on the delivery of emerging technologies to the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community.
Prior to Microsoft, Patrick was a consultant at Deloitte. The majority of Patrick's professional career, however, was spent in the US Navy as a Navy SEAL where he completed 11 combat deployments and was the recipient of several personal and unit awards including the Bronze Star for heroism in combat (twice).
Patrick holds a MBA from the UVA's Darden School of Business and a Bachelors from Amherst College.
COURTNEY SESSOMS
Secretary, Lived Experience Expert
Courtney is the Youth Programs and Office Manager at Black BRAND, the Black Chamber of Commerce for Virginia's Hampton Roads and Dan River Regions
A former constituent to numerous nonprofits serving survivors of abuse and trauma, Courtney is keenly aware and personally invested in nonprofit fiscal responsibility.
A Survivors to Entrepreneurs program graduate, Courtney is formulating a nonprofit to serve at-risk youth and single mothers. Previous to this, Courtney owned and operated her own hair business and single-handedly spearheaded Survivor Ventures furniture donation apparatus, furnishing dozens of survivor-led homes.
BRIAN DOUAST
Director
Brian is a Managing Director at Citigroup Global Markets Inc. based in New York City. With close to 20 years experience in the financial services industry, Brian has held multiple positions in the capital markets and sales & trading divisions at both Deutsche Bank and Citigroup.
Brian is in long term recovery from addiction/alcoholism celebrating 5yrs continuous sobriety next month. An active member of A.A. he has a sponsor and sponsors several men in the Program, participating in the fellowship of A.A. on a daily basis'.
Brian holds a B.A. in Political Science from Amherst College graduating in 2001 and received a Health Coaching Certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in 2018.
TARA JONES
Vice President
Tara Jones is the Vice President Commercial Relationship Manager at Fulton Bank.
Tara Jones has been in the banking industry for over 23 years. She joined Fulton Bank, N.A in 2006. She has spent a vast amount of her banking career working with entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Tara is active in the community and has volunteered her time to the Food Bank, United Way, and SCORE. She currently holds a board seat with Virginia Beach Chamber of Commerce, Survivor Ventures, and the Regional Steering Committee for BANK ON Hampton Roads. Tara was appointed to the Virginia Beach Minority Business Council in 2022.
Tara graduated from Virginia Tech and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. She is a proud graduate of LEAD Hampton Roads in 2020 aka ‘Best Class Ever”.
Tara has made Hampton Roads her home for the last 16 years. She is a proud parent of two grown children.
TYLER CARRELL
Treasurer
Tyler is the Large Loss Claims Specialist for the Central Atlantic Region for Nationwide Insurance Company covering losses throughout Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Previous to this, he was a legal assist where he gained experience working with Columbus, OH-based judges, attorneys, healthcare providers and governmental agencies. Tyler is eager to help Survivors to Entrepreneurs expand to the Columbus market.
Tyler has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the Ohio State University.
MICHELLE
ELLIS YOUNG
Director
Michelle Ellis Young is the Chief Executive Officer of the YWCA of South Hampton Roads.
Michelle brings more than 25 years of experience advancing the organizational mission of non-profits, corporations, and higher education institutions, strengthening the stakeholder experience, and conceptualizing innovative programs in community-centered organizations. More recently, she was executive director of the American Red Cross of Coastal Virginia.
A proud native of New Orleans, LA, Michelle is an alumnus of U. of Houston, Hampton University and West Virginia University.