Circles Ashland Hanover is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals and families move from financial insecurity toward long-term stability and economic independence. Through relationships, mentoring, education, and community support, Circles brings together people from different backgrounds to address the barriers that keep families in poverty and create pathways to lasting change. 

In July 2026, Circles Ashland became Circles Ashland Hanover, reflecting the organization’s expansion beyond Ashland to serve individuals and families throughout Hanover County.

After moving to Ashland in 2021, I was looking for a way to become involved and make a difference in my new community. I was drawn to Circles and its focus on walking alongside people who are working to build a better future for themselves and their families. I first became involved as a volunteer and have served on the Board of Directors since 2023.

CJ’s Thumbs Up Foundation is an Ashland-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting families of children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. The Foundation helps ease some of the everyday burdens families face during incredibly difficult times, providing meals, financial assistance, and other practical support, including programs serving families at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and UVA Health Children’s. 

Having a son who is a pediatric hospitalist and, more recently, becoming a grandfather myself, the Foundation’s work supporting children and their families has taken on a personal meaning, and led me to join the Board of Directors in January 2026.