Annette Patterson, President
Annette.TAF@gmail.com
TAF Main Office: 540-572-4542
Annette Patterson is founder and president of The Advancement Foundation. Prior to establishing The Advancement Foundation, Annette served as Chief Development Officer for Stetson University during a $200 Million Campaign and as Vice President for Institutional Advancement for Salem Academy and College where she led a $75 million campaign. Annette has served as consultant for The Diocese of Richmond and trained over 30 primary and secondary schools in strategic planning and fundraising.
Kathy Deacon, VP of Business & Resource Development
Kathy@TheAdvancementFoundation.org
TAF Main Office: 540-572-4542
Kathy is a serial entrepreneur as well as a community/business development and marketing professional with more than 35 years of experience. Before joining The Advancement Foundation, she served in the Executive Director positions at Uptown Partnership in Martinsville, VA and Shenandoah Community Capital Fund in Staunton VA. She also worked in international development for several large US Government contractors in Washington, DC for nearly 25 years. She is very excited to have joined The Advancement Foundation team to help foster the growth of The Advancement Foundation’s programming, resources, and placemaking initiatives which are creating opportunities for economic prosperity in communities far and wide.
Judy Wood, Special Projects
JudyW.TAF@gmail.com
TAF Main Office: 540-572-4542
Judy has over 40 years of successful nonprofit experience and leadership management. Her career paths include administration, management, and leading a state and national organization. She met Annette at Salem Academy and College where she was part of a $75m capital campaign. While at Salem, Judy received a BA in Not-for-Profit-Management. In 2006 she began serving on the board of directors for The Advancement Foundation (TAF). She became part-time Director of Development in 2009 and joined TAF full time in 2011 expanding her role to include VISTA Program Supervisor. In 2018 began managing the AmeriCorps State intermediary program throughout Southwest VA.
Missy Paxton, Director of Operations
Missy@TheAdvancementFoundation.org
TAF Main Office: 540-572-4542
Missy Paxton is the Director of Operations for The Advancement Foundation. Prior to coming to The Advancement Foundation, Missy was the Vice President of Operations for a major internet and catalog distribution/fulfillment operation in Roanoke. Her background includes over 14 years of senior-level management experience directing all aspects of fulfillment/distribution operations, third party client services team operations, and inventory/process management. Missy is also a Roanoke native and a proud graduate of Milligan College (now Milligan University) near Johnson City, Tennessee.
Steve Redden, Director of Manufacturing & Value Added Product Dev for Center in Buena Vista
TAF Main Office: 540-572-4542
Steve began his involvement with The Advancement Foundation in 2019 while enrolled in the Gauntlet cohort with his business idea for Honeycomb Grove Meadery and Apiaries. At that time, he was working as a safety technician for an industrial construction company. Using Gauntlet awards and his 10 years of commercial
brewing experience, he opened the meadery in 2020, officially opening the Alleghany tasting room in 2022. Using his knowledge of industrial processes gained from not only the brewing Industry but also the construction and safety sector, he is instrumental in guiding our new entrepreneurs at The Virginia Innovation Accelerator to success through process development and strategizing.
Cinnamon Dooley, Finance Specialist
Finance@TheAdvancementFoundation.org
TAF Main Office: 540-572-4542
Nickie Hawkins, Business Outreach & Education Coordinator
Nickie@TheAdvancementFoundation.org
TAF Main Office: 540-572-4542
Nickie began her career in Lynchburg, Virginia working with at risk and emotionally disturbed children in therapeutic settings including: schools, camps, private homes, and counseling offices. She became interested in the non-profit field through volunteering with The Greater Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity on the Family
Selection Committee before moving into a full-time role as Volunteer Coordinator. During her time at Habitat for Humanity she transitioned to the professional role of Fundraising Manager. Her family relocated to several states before settling in Botetourt County where she embraced her role as a full-time mom for twenty years, serving her family, church and community in various volunteer positions. She holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Radford University with minor degrees in Psychology, Sociology, and Technical Writing. She is excited to have joined our team as she returns to the non-profit sector.
Laurie Wyatt, VIDA REsource Coordinator
VIDA@TheAdvancementFoundation.org
TAF Main Office: 540-572-4542