Meet Our Team

Sharon Blount

Racial Equity Committee 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

Treasurer, Finance Committee 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.

Eric Clay

Eric Clay is a Senior Program Officer at the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, and joined the Board of Shalom Farms in 2022. Eric manages the Foundation’s extensive health and wellness portfolio by serving as the content coordinator for multiple support organizations. He graduated from the University of Virginia, with a bachelor’s degree in Education. After graduating he completed 1 year of community service as an AmeriCorps member in Washington State, where he received an outstanding service award. In various senior leadership positions, Eric has championed the needs of marginalized communities. Outside of the office, you will find Eric hiking the trails of central Virginia.

Sam Davis III

Sam’s commitment to serving families that lack access to fresh, nutritious food and other essential resources prompted him to work with the Shalom Farms’ board and staff on a volunteer basis before joining the board in 2017. In his 5 years as a board member, Sam has chaired both the Fund Development and Finance Committees. Having served as an advisor to family enterprises, family offices, foundations and nonprofit organizations for more than 25 years, Sam recently moved to the next phase of his life and has turned his energies to two other life-long passions: contemplative spirituality; and social justice. While completing work on a book he has titled “The Seeker’s Path,” he participates in multiple contemplative prayer groups and continues to serve on the boards of small nonprofit organizations focused on social justice and racial equity.

Tamara Young-Elmore

Tamara Young-Elmore is a community garden advocate and entrepreneur, and joined the Board of Shalom Farms in 2022. Tamara is a Founding Member of the Hotchkiss Community Garden (an early partner of Shalom Farms), where she continues to spearhead fundraising, volunteer coordination, community garden workdays, and rolls up her sleeves to help with everyday upkeep of the garden. After 20 years in the Hospitality Industry working in Operations, Sales, Event Planning and Information Technology with Marriott International, Tamara started garden consulting, has published two e-books for home gardeners, and runs the Tam In The Garden platform that includes over 10,000 active followers. Tamara is a dual degree graduate of Johnson & Wales University where she concentrated in Culinary Arts (AAS ‘94) and Food Service Management (BS ‘97).

Johanna Gattuso

Board Chair

Johanna Gattuso is honored to serve as Board Chair for Shalom Farms. She has been on the Board since 2019. Her interest in Shalom Farms started with volunteering with her church youth group at Shalom Farms’ first farm in Goochland, then with the Produce Prescription Program through the free clinics, as a registered nurse and clinical program consultant. She serves on several committees, and is a Master Gardener/Lead Volunteer. She holds an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and has worked on several wellness programs, including: Commonwealth Care of Virginia; Million Hearts; Healthy Communities Action Grant in Petersburg; and Richmond City Health District. Epiphany Lutheran Church members know her as a pre-K teacher. She loves spending time with her husband, grown children, beagle-mix pup, and at the library.

Nancy Leake

Executive Search Committee Chair

Nan has served on the Board of Shalom Farms since 2015. She most recently chaired the Executive Search Committee and has previously served as Chair of the Fund Development and Farm Committees. Nan also serves on the The Maxwelton-Lachlan Foundation (“TMLF”), which provides summer camp scholarships to needy youth, and on the UVA Real Estate Committee, a volunteer group of alumni with expertise across the real estate industry. Prior to her retirement from Partners Group, Nan was a Partner of the firm and founding member of the private real estate investment team. Nan also serves on several other Boards and investment committees, including the Virginia Retirement System Investment Advisory Committee, VCU Investment Management Company, Blue Earth Capital and Hodes Weill & Associates. Nan is active in timber investing, regenerative agriculture and land management in Central Virginia. She resides on her farm in Goochland County with her husband and two dogs.

Devin Lipawsky

Development Committee Chair

Devin Lipawsky has been a Board Member of Shalom Farms since 2019. After he graduated from the University of Florida, Devin began his career at Capital One where he is currently an HR leader overseeing teams responsible for hiring, developing, and retaining great people. Devin has had a long standing passion around the availability of sustainable healthy food options. Shalom Farms’ mission and impact on food insecurity inspired him to join the organization. Devin believes that we all have the ability to make a difference in the food industry through our choices. Devin lives in the West End and enjoys spending time with his daughters, outdoor activities, and exploring the local dining scene during his free time.

Helen Ragazzi

Helen Ragazzi has served on the Board of Shalom Farms and the Programs Committee since 2021, lending her experience to our work of addressing food insecurity with nutritious food options, as a key step in helping folks in our community lead healthier lives. She is an MD and has been board certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics since 1994. She has lived in Richmond since 1999 and has worked clinically in a variety of settings including academic, private practice and a mobile health clinic for the uninsured, and has served on several boards for work related to health equity. She received an award from the AAP for her asthma quality improvement work and an honorary fellowship from VCU Department of Pediatrics for her community service. Her current work involves helping people reduce lifestyle risks and manage their chronic conditions through behavior change and education about proper nutrition, and she is a committed volunteer to Crossover Health Ministries. In her spare time, she enjoys sun, sand, biking, and traveling with her husband.

Steve Russo

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.

Whitney Van Der Hyde

Whitney joined the Board of Shalom Farms in 2018, and most recently chaired the Fund Development Committee, bringing her talents and fundraising expertise to help ensure that all children and families have the opportunity to access nourishing food in our community. As a mother of young children, Whitney is drawn to the importance of healthy nutrition and its impact on the whole child including their academic and social outcomes. Whitney has over a decade of professional and volunteer experience in development at several health and human organizations in the greater Richmond area, including the World Pediatric Project and St. Joseph’s Villa. Whitney has a degree in History and Political Science from James Madison University.

Jennifer Wicker

Jennifer joined the Board of Shalom Farms in 2021. She currently serves as Senior Director of Policy and Government Affairs for the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA), where her primary focus is behavioral health policy. Jennifer has over 15 years of experience in government relations at the local and state level; prior to joining VHHA, she served as the legislative director for Governor Terry McAuliffe and the policy analyst for the Secretaries of Health and Human Resources, Education, and Commerce and Trade. Jennifer currently serves as a board member for the Randolph-Macon College Society of Alumni, the Randolph-Macon College Multicultural Alumni Advisory Council, Mental Health of America – Virginia, VCU Pauley Heart Center Advisory Board, and Shalom Farms. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia and a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.