Officers & Trustees

LEF Officers

Our esteemed board members are a diverse group of dedicated leaders, passionately committed to the success of LCPS students and educators. Their expertise, vision, and unwavering support help drive our mission forward, shaping the future of education in our community. Get to know these inspiring individuals who work tirelessly to make dreams a reality and foster a culture of learning, innovation, and growth.

Kelly Blanks

President
Founder & Strategic Operator, Kelly Marie & Co.

Kelly Blanks is a strategic growth and marketing leader with a strong record of bringing structure and direction to complex, fast-moving environments. She has held past leadership roles at MAI Capital Management, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, and LAWS, where she led multimillion-dollar development efforts and shaped strategic messaging.

A University of Lynchburg graduate and former varsity tennis captain, Kelly also completed executive education in philanthropy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As President of the LEF Board of Trustees, Kelly brings years of dedicated leadership in philanthropy and advocacy to her mission of expanding resources and opportunities for every student in Loudoun County.

🔗 Connect With Kelly

Susan Mitchell

Vice President
CEO & Founder, Athari BioSciences | President & CEO, Guardians of Honor

Susan Mitchell is a senior executive and entrepreneur with more than twenty years of experience transforming federal research into real-world solutions. She currently serves as President & CEO of Guardians of Honor, where she oversees multi-million-dollar federal initiatives, and as Founder of Athari BioSciences, a CLIA-certified laboratory advancing diagnostic research, workforce training, and biotechnology innovation.

Susan holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from Norfolk State University, a Graduate Certificate in Legal Administration from Hampton University, and a Master of Arts in Executive Leadership from Liberty University. She also serves on multiple regional boards focused on education, workforce, and healthcare. As Vice President of the Loudoun Education Foundation, Susan leverages her expertise and leadership to drive meaningful investments in educational excellence and student success across Loudoun County.

🔗 Connect With Susan

Carole Adolphe

Treasurer
CFO, Manhattan Strategy Group | Adjunct Professor, Shenandoah University

Carole Adolphe is a senior finance executive and board leader with a proven record of delivering results through strategic planning, operational excellence, and deep expertise in contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and government contracting. She currently serves as Chief Finance Officer at Manhattan Strategy Group, with prior leadership roles at Alpha Omega Integration and VISTA Technology Services.

Carole holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas, executive certificates from Columbia and Harvard, and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics and Statistics from Stony Brook University. She has served on multiple nonprofit boards, including STEM for Her and George Mason’s Women in Business Initiative. As Treasurer of the Loudoun Education Foundation, Carole brings unmatched insight and fiscal stewardship to support student success across Loudoun County.

🔗 Connect With Carole

Grafton deButts

Secretary

Director of Strategic Growth, Strongbridge LLC

Grafton deButts is a career business development and marketing professional with experience in communications, government affairs, and for-profit, nonprofit, and government development. As the Director of Strategic Growth at Strongbridge LLC, he leads partnership expansion and implements strategic new growth opportunities.

Prior to joining Strongbridge, Grafton spent nearly 15 years as a driving force behind the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, most recently serving as the Vice President of Membership & Government Affairs. He has devoted his career to fostering local economic vitality and connecting community stakeholders. As Secretary of the Loudoun Education Foundation, Grafton is proud to channel his strategic expertise into supporting LEF’s mission to empower students and educators alike.

🔗 Connect With Grafton

LEF Trustees

Foundation Trustees

Dr. Stephanie Bernard, Associate Director of the Division of Physician Assistant Studies at Shenandoah University
Amin Bhat, Co-Founder, iQuasar
Jenny Crabb, LCPS Family Liaison
Chis Devine, Mortgage Advisor, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
Brian Diemar, Chief Sales Officer, HUB International
Arben Istrefi, Head of US Growth & Strategic Partnerships, Delphisonic
Jeff Morse, Senior Program Manager at NOBLIS-ESI
Matthew Nieman, Attorney and Principal at Jackson Lewis P.C.
Dorri O'Brien, Director of Western Region Government & Community Relations, Inova Health System
André Padilla, Branch Manager III, Apple Federal Credit Union
Daisy Saulls, Consultant/Founder, Sustainable Workforce Development Solutions
Lauren Shernoff, Member, Loudoun County Public School Board
Dr. Aaron Spence, LCPS Superintendent of Schools

Honorary Trustees

Radhika Bajaj, Founder & President, Bookworm Central
Kristina Bouweiri, President & CEO, Reston Limousine Service, Inc.
Jeff Browning, Owner & President, Browning Equipment, Inc.
Wes Clark, CPA, CFE, Clark Accounting Services
Fran Craig, CEO, Unanet Technologies
Marcy Eisenberg, President and Co-Founder of Xelevate
Nancy Evanko, Workforce Development Analyst, Loudoun Economic Development
Alice Frazier, President, Bank of Charles Town
Mike Huber, CEO, Belfort Furniture
Scott Miller, Virts Miller Foundation
Bernard Mustafa, CEO, Be Fit Technologies
Lew Parker, Owner, Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
Rohit Setty, Vice President & Principal, Setty & Associates
Jesse Watters, Esq.
John Wood, Chairman & CEO, Telos Corporation

Trustee Emeritus

Peter A. Fulcer – Trustee Emeritus

Contact Us

For more than 30 years, the Loudoun Education Foundation has demonstrated how community support can make meaningful educational impacts in the classroom and beyond. As an independent nonprofit, we engage our community to invest in critical and innovative programs that foster academic success and the well-being of students and educators. We fund programs that stimulate students’ curiosity, create exceptional learning opportunities, and provide needed resources to educators, students and families.