Meet Our Team

Elesha Belke

Capital One, Racial Equity Committee Chair

Elesha is a community and corporate leader with experience bringing integrated marketing campaigns to life, developing industry leading volunteer and employee engagement programs, working to infuse diversity and inclusion into every space she occupies. She currently leads the Diversity Marketing & Digital Content Innovations team within Capital One’s Enterprise Brand department. Elesha is an active mentor and committee co-chair in VOICES, Capital One’s Black Business Resource Group.

Elesha is fortunate to have gained experience in the private and public sectors throughout her career.  Driven by curiosity, Elesha feels most inspired by using strategic thinking, insights, creative problem solving, and broad perspective to deliver impactful results.

Elesha has previously served in volunteer roles for the Boys & Girls Club, Cadence Theater, Richmond Autism Integration Network, Madison Urban Ministry, as well as Vice President of the Madison Network for Black Professionals.

Elesha holds a BA and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and currently lives in Virginia. She’s an avid traveler, national park explorer, and a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher.

Sharon Blount

Retired/Volunteer, Vice Chair

Sharon joined the Board of Directors for Shalom Farms in 2019, after becoming aware of their work through Union Presbyterian Seminary (where the Northside Farm is located) and the avid support of both the seminary and her church, Second Presbyterian. The mission and values of Shalom firmly align with her own beliefs and desires to provide equitable access to good food and nutrition education to those in our community who are often denied those basic needs. Her board service includes serving as past chair of the Programs Committee and as the current chair of our new Racial Equity Committee where she leads the organization’s strategic initiatives to become an anti-racist organization. Sharon retired as a senior manager in the Internal Revenue Service after 31 years of federal service. These days, in addition to her work with Shalom Farms, much of her time is devoted to endeavors with Union Presbyterian Seminary, Second Presbyterian Church and The Presbyterian Outlook, where she serves as Board Chair. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, is an avid reader and loves to travel. She continually seeks out ways to incorporate service, creativity and a healthy lifestyle into retirement living.

Darren Broughton

Altria, Board Chair

Darren first became involved with Shalom Farms through volunteering. With a passion for building healthy communities, he wanted to further his support of Shalom Farms. He joined the Finance Committee in 2020 and the Board of Directors in 2021. Darren now serves as Chair of the Finance Committee and Treasurer. Darren is Vice President & Associate General Counsel at Altria Client Services, providing legal support to Altria Group Inc.’s operating and service companies. Since joining Altria in 2009, he has provided legal support in a variety of areas including sales, marketing, distribution, and brand and trade channel integrity. Darren and his wife live in Midlothian with their three active children, and as a family, they focus their volunteer efforts primarily in areas involving the food system, volunteering at a variety of local organizations.

Steve Russo

Semi-Retired/Volunteer, Farm Committee Chair

Steve joined the Board in 2022, after five seasons as a lead volunteer at Shalom Farm’s Powhatan farm site. Steve has spent his entire career in the commercial real estate investment and finance industry, both with larger commercial/investment banks and most recently forming his own company. Steve holds a degree in Landscape Architecture from Virginia Tech. He currently lives in Midlothian, VA with his wife, two daughters and two dogs. Interests include yoga, farming, music and anything on the water.

Lou O’Boyle

Retired/Volunteer

Lou joined the Board at Shalom in 2024 after four years as a lead volunteer at the Northside Farm. Prior to retiring in 2023, Lou spent her entire career working with government and nonprofit organizations. In 2001 Lou launched and grew Zelos, a consulting organization focused on strategic planning, performance management and leadership
development. In 2006, Lou sold Zelos, but continued to do the work she loved as a Zelos consultant. Lou holds a degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. Interests include hiking, playing music with her husband and listening to live music.

John Casciano

Markel

As a military brat, growing up John moved more than a dozen times before heading to college and then law school, having attended three separate high schools in Italy, Germany and Virginia. He has a B.S. in Biology – an obvious choice for a lawyer destined to scrutinize the finer points of insurance policy construction and application.

John worked in private practice in Boston and D.C. for over 20 years, where he specialized in insurance coverage litigation/arbitration and defense of bad faith claims. Having made the leap to “in house” at Markel in early 2019, he thoroughly enjoys the challenges he encounters as AGC-Claims Counsel.

In his spare time, John enjoys spending quality time with his wife and 4 sons, cheering for the Hokies (or any team playing against UVA) and occasionally competing in CrossFit competitions.

Carrie Edwards

Retired/Volunteer

Carrie Edwards is a seasoned Communications professional with 38 years of experience, currently serving as a farm volunteer and member of the Funding Committee for Shalom Farms. Recognized for her ability to develop strategic partnerships, funding and communications outreach, she brings a deep understanding of how to generate impact to the boardroom, coupled with a proven track record in market research, strategic planning and non-profit management.

Jill Gaynor

Retired/Volunteer

Jill Gaynor has served in a variety of corporate, nonprofit, and church roles over the course of her career. She worked in corporate marketing for 23 years, ultimately serving as the Vice President of Marketing at Hamilton Beach Brands. She left corporate marketing to work in the nonprofit field at United Methodist Family Services. Jill served as the Annual Giving Officer at UMFS, helping raise money to support children in foster care and children struggling with mental health challenges. Last year Jill took early retirement, and continues to serve in a variety of church and community volunteer roles. She holds a BA from William & Mary and an MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In her free time Jill enjoys hiking, kayaking, traveling and reading. She is married to Jim Gaynor and lives in Henrico.

Reuben Essandoh

Capital One

Tarra Moxley

Marsh McLennan Agency

Tarra is an accomplished insurance professional with diverse experience in the industry, having held roles ranging from insurance underwriter to insurance broker. Currently, she serves as an Executive & Professional Liability insurance broker at Marsh McLennan Agency, where she supports businesses in Richmond and the Mid-Atlantic region.

Passionate about community service, Tarra has volunteered extensively in the Richmond community. She has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Richmond Animal League. She’s also mentored youth as a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Her involvement with Shalom Farms began during a corporate volunteer event, and she now regularly serves market customers at one of the Mobile Markets in Richmond.

Originally from Michigan, Tarra earned her Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Economics and Finance from Northwood University in Midland, MI. In her free time, she enjoys raising her two young daughters and getting lost in a good book.

Sam Schwartz

Self-employed/Public Affairs Consultant

Sam Schwartz lives in Richmond, VA with his wife, Cass, and two dogs. He has a passion for helping fellow Richmonders find happiness, wellness, peace, and prosperity. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, participating in mindfulness practices, volunteering at Shalom Farms, walking his dogs in the woods, and pretending to be a gardener. Sam and his wife are fortunate to be Godparents to 9 kids, ranging from ages 3-13, nearly all of whom live in Richmond.

Professionally, Sam began his career with a focus on public service, doing casework and community outreach in Virginia Beach for a member of the US House of Representatives and Senator Mark Warner. After spending several years in the public sector, in 2013, Sam moved to Richmond and began a career in policy, advocacy, and public affairs for a series of innovative life-science companies. He has spent the last decade trying to expand access to various life-saving therapies and drugs, most recently with a focus on expanding access to plant medicine for those dealing with a variety of chronic, debilitating conditions, for whom more traditional therapies were not effective. Sam has expansive experience in public relations and advocacy, government affairs, and building effective public affairs campaigns. He is currently in a transition period in his career, hoping to ultimately return to public service, with a focus on on-the-ground work that directly impacts the community in which he is grateful to live, work, and
play.

Melvin Watkins

M&T Bank, Treasurer

Melvin is Senior Vice President in charge of the Commercial Middle Market and Commercial Real Estate teams in Central and Southern Virginia for M&T Bank. He supports and leads the team as they build out the Banks presence in the Richmond Market since joining the Bank in 2010. Melvin lives in Midlothian and outside of work you will find him exploring the trail or golf courses thought the United States.

Charlotte Woodfin

Family Physician, Woodfin