STAFF DIRECTORY
The Virginia Athletics Foundation staff is eager to assist our members and are grateful for their loyalty and generosity in support of Virginia Athletics and its 27 sports programs. The responsibilities of each member of our team vary greatly as we work to accomplish our mission of providing UVA student-athletes the opportunity to achieve academic and athletic excellence.
Dirk Katstra
Executive Director
Dirk Katstra was named the executive director of the Virginia Athletics Foundation in 1996 after serving for four years as director of annual giving for the Foundation. Additionally, as Senior Associate Athletics Director for the athletics department his primary area of responsibility is the supervision of the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs and their head coach.
Katstra, from Stilwell, Kan., is a 1991 graduate of UVA with a degree in sports management. A member of the Cavalier basketball team from 1987 to 1991, Katstra played on three NCAA Tournament teams at Virginia and was a senior captain on the 1990-91 squad. The Cavaliers advanced to the finals of the 1989 NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament against Michigan during Katstra’s sophomore season.
Before joining the Virginia Athletics Foundation staff in 1992, Katstra served an internship with the athletics department’s promotions and marketing office, and had administrative responsibilities with the men’s basketball program.
Katstra is married to the former Michelle Massie of Charlottesville. The couple has two sons, Austin and Ryan and a daughter, Ryleigh. Katstra’s father, the late Richard Katstra, lettered as a member of the UVA basketball team in 1963 and 1964.
Email: dpk4f@virginia.edu
Jessica French Armistead
Suites and Events Director
Jessica earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Virginia in 2003. As an undergraduate student, she worked in the football office and following graduation, joined the VAF staff as a special events intern. In 2004, she assumed the role of special events assistant and a year later became the special events coordinator. Jessica was promoted to suites and events director in 2007.
Jessica oversees all suite sales and her team is responsible for managing suite operations at Scott Stadium, Davenport Field and the John Paul Jones Arena. Additionally, the suites and events staff is responsible for planning and implementing athletics events including the spring and fall social tours, sports reunions, sport-specific fundraisers, special celebrations, facility dedications, etc.
Jessica and her husband Justin have two children: Finley and Rory.
Email: jsf2y@virginia.edu
Dana Boyle
Stewardship Coordinator
Dana Boyle joined the Virginia Athletics Foundation in June 2016. As stewardship coordinator, Dana develops and executes unique and meaningful plans for stewarding donors at all VAF giving levels throughout the year. Additionally, she coordinates efforts that include VAF Members of the Game, hosting the VAF football suite and developing communications to donors.
Dana is a native of New Hampshire and earned a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Virginia in 2014 and a Masters in Higher Education from UVA in 2015. She was a member of the UVA women’s lacrosse team. During her fifth year, she served as the suites and events Intern for the Virginia Athletics Foundation before going on to complete a postgraduate internship with the College Football Playoff in Texas.
Email: dab4fc@virginia.edu
Aimee Chapdelaine
Annual Giving Assistant
Aimee Chapdelaine joined the VAF staff in January of 2017 as an annual giving assistant. She will be involved in all aspects of athletics fundraising with a focus on Virginia’s student-athlete alumni (Cavaliers for Life). She is a native of Pembroke Pines, FL. She earned her B.A. in History and a minor in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in 2016. She was a member of the UVA women’s softball team during her time on Grounds. During her fourth-year, she was the Cavaliers for Life intern at the Virginia Athletics Foundation.
Aimee is currently pursuing her Masters in Higher Education from the Curry School of Education. She comes to us after interning at the UVA Football Recruiting office.
Lo Davis
Associate Director
Lo Davis joined the Virginia Athletics Foundation in January 2010 and works with donors in the Lynchburg, Martinsville, Danville, Fredericksburg and Northern Virginia areas of the state. He also works with Washington, D.C. area donors and those in the states of Texas, Michigan, Arizona and Maryland. In addition, he works closely with the men’s lacrosse and baseball programs.
Davis graduated from UVA in 1991 with a degree in Rhetoric and Communications. While a student at the University, he was a member of the baseball team for two years and participated in JV basketball. His professional career has been focused primarily in sales, marketing and client services. He was owner and operator of Five Star Industrial and Business Supply in Charlottesville from 2003 to 2009.
Prior to returning to Charlottesville, he worked for nine years as Vice President of Catch 84 Inc., the marketing arm for former UVA football standout and Detroit Lions All-Pro Wide Receiver, Herman Moore, and other professional athletes in Detroit. In this capacity, he served as business manager, handled appearances, marketing events and contract negotiations.
Lo and his wife Sandra have two children: Eric and Nia. Lo also has a daughter Olivia who resides in Cape Coral, Florida.
Email: led2h@virginia.edu
Jeff Ford
Associate Director
Jeff Ford joined the Virginia Athletics Foundation staff on December 5, 2016. He assists with the fundraising efforts for the Annual Fund and with major gift development. His territories include Richmond and Southwest Virginia, Massachusetts, Illinois and Tennessee.
Jeff joins the Foundation after 35 years in the hospitality industry. His experience includes almost 30 years heading up the group sales and service efforts at The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia and five years as Director of Sales and Marketing at Glade Springs Resort in Beckley, West Virginia.
Jeff and his wife Christie have 4 grown children Jerry, Jailyn, Jordan and Jonah.
Email: jf5am@virginia.edu
Paddy Foss
Annual Giving Assistant
Paddy Foss joined the VAF full time in April of 2017. He is a key part of the annual fund team with a specific focus on member benefits and social media strategy.
He earned his B.A. in Government with a minor in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia in December of 2015. The following December, in his fourth year, Foss completed a Masters in Higher Education from the Curry School of Education while captaining the Cavalier’s Men’s Soccer team. He scored what proved to be the match-winning penalty kick in the 2014 National Championship game. While at the University, he was a three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection and was team leader in points in 2015.
Foss is one of nine children from South Riding, Virginia.
Email: pgf5dd@virginia.edu
Jody Harris
Office Administrator
Jody Harris joined the Virginia Athletics Foundation in November 2006. She serves as receptionist and is a member of the administrative support team. She assists with donor database management and gift processing, administers the Car Dealer Program, is editor for the Cavalier Corner and is responsible for the acknowledgement of the endowed scholarship recipients
Harris, an Albemarle County native, graduated from Mary Washington College. In 2006, she moved back to the area after seven years in Texas, where she was state licensed in Property and Casualty for a State Farm agent in Austin. Her work experience includes marketing, sales and customer service.
Email: jrh9d@virginia.edu
Connie Harrison
Director of Administrative Operations
Connie Harrison joined the University community in 1970 and has been with the athletics program since 1985. She transitioned from Virginia Football to the Virginia Athletics Foundation in August 1991.
Harrison serves as assistant to the Executive Director and liaison for the Board of Trustees. She oversees all graphic and web design projects, including content development and coordination of designers, printers and mailhouses. She is involved in various special projects for the Foundation, manages the administrative support team, and coordinates the intern program and orientation of new staff.
She is married to George Harrison and has two sons, Kent and Kyle, a stepson Andy and his wife Beth and a granddaughter Mae Wallace.
Email: cmm8p@virginia.edu
Jim Harshaw
Associate Director
Jim Harshaw joined the Foundation in August 2012 and works with donors in Richmond and Roanoke, Va. and out-of-state areas including Florida, Georgia, western Pennsylvania and Ohio. In addition, he works closely with the wrestling, rowing, track and field and cross country programs.
A native of Cranberry Township, PA (north of Pittsburgh), Jim received his B.S. in Environmental Science and Master of Teaching in Secondary Science from the University of Virginia in 1999 and was an All-American wrestler and three-time ACC Champion. Jim founded Riot Sports Marketing, which is a consulting firm specializing in marketing, fund-raising and communications for small businesses, non-profit organizations and athletic organizations. He also served as executive director of the Cavalier Wrestling Club for 8 years. He was an assistant wrestling coach at Virginia (2000-2002) before taking the head wrestling coach position at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania (2002-2004).
Jim and his wife Allison have four children: Jesse, Wyatt, Elliana and Isla.
Email: Jlh6x@virginia.edu
Todd Kersey
Chief Operating Officer
Todd Kersey joined the Virginia Athletics Foundation in April 2014 and leads internal operations. In this capacity, Todd works closely with Executive Director Dirk Katstra to help create and implement new strategies to achieve the Foundation’s short and long-range goals. Todd also manages functional areas including budgets, gift processing, suites and events, administration and stewardship.
Todd graduated from UVA in 1988 with a degree in History. While a student at the University, he was a member of the JV basketball team. He also earned an Executive Masters of Business Administration from the College of William and Mary. His professional career has focused primarily on marketing, program development/ implementation, sales and customer service.
After graduation, Todd worked as Vice President of Stick Five-0, the public relations firm for former UVA basketball standout and professional basketball Hall of Fame member Ralph Sampson. In this capacity, he served as business manager, planned and coordinated fundraising events, managed appearances and was involved in sponsorship and contract negotiations. Following his time at Stick Five-0, Todd spent 24 years at WorldStrides (formerly Lakeland Tours) as Director of several areas including marketing, account management, special events, sales and other leadership roles.
Todd and his wife Cindy have two children: Grant and Madison.
Kristie Kintner
Donor Services Coordinator
Kristie Kintner joined the Virginia Athletics Foundation staff in June of 2002. An integral part of the Foundation’s donor services program, she coordinates football and basketball parking and ticketing and serves as the liaison for individual game requests for tickets and parking. Additionally, she provides administrative support for the development team and assists with special events and donor stewardship.
Prior to joining the staff, Kintner and her husband, Nathan, moved to the Charlottesville area from Central Pennsylvania. She worked for two years as the executive assistant and CAD designer for Commonwealth Recreation, Inc., a local playground and skate park distributor. The couple has a son, Walker.
Email: kk8c@virginia.edu
Donna Mahan
Director of Financial Operations
Donna Mahan, CPA, joined the Foundation in January 2008 and serves as the Director of Financial Operations. She is responsible for all budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting activities consistent with applicable policies, procedures, standards, and regulations.
A native of Virginia Beach, Mahan moved to Charlottesville in 2000. She previously worked for seven years as an audit manager with the largest regional public accounting firm in Central Virginia. Prior to relocating to Charlottesville, she worked with a public accounting firm in Norfolk for eight years. She was voted by her peers as a Super CPA for five consecutive years as recognized by Virginia Business magazine. She is a graduate of Old Dominion University with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.
Donna and her husband have two sons.
Email: dm5mm@virginia.edu
Kim McKean
Office Administrator
Kim McKean joined the Virginia Athletics Foundation in May 2014. Kim is responsible for providing donor customer service and has administrative responsibilities that include database management, support for directors, and special event ticketing at John Paul Jones Arena. Additionally, she assists with gift accounting and reporting.
McKean graduated from UVA in 1991 with a degree in sociology. She brings 20 years of operations experience from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charlottesville. During her time at the House, she served in several capacities as a weekend manager, a House manager, and then as the Director of Operations.
Kim and her husband Tom have three children—Ryan, Reed, and Decker.
Email: kaj7c@virginia.edu
Barry Parkhill
Associate Director of Athletics for Development
Barry Parkhill was appointed the associate director of athletics for development in 1998. He previously served dual roles as director of alumni development for the UVA Alumni Association and director of capital projects for athletics. Before that, he spent three years as associate director of regional development in UVA’s Office of Development.
Parkhill’s first association with the University began in the fall of 1969 when he enrolled as a scholarship basketball player. From 1970-73, he established himself as one of the greatest all-purpose guards in Atlantic Coast Conference history. He was named the ACC Basketball Player of the Year and ACC Athlete of the Year as a junior in 1972 after leading the conference in scoring. Virginia posted a 21-7 record that season and advanced to postseason play (NIT) for the second time in school history. Following his senior season, the two-time All-American was a first-round draft choice by both the Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association and the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association.
The second player in school history to have his jersey number (#40) retired, Parkhill earned his bachelor’s degree in education from UVA in 1973. He then played three seasons in the ABA, first with the Squires and later with the St. Louis Spirits. He returned to his alma mater in 1977 to serve as a graduate assistant coach under former head coach Terry Holland.
In the following years, Parkhill was the head basketball coach at The College of William and Mary (1984-87) and St. Michael’s College (1989-90). In between those two head coaching positions, he worked as a consultant with Blue Cross & Blue Shield Insurance Company. He served as an assistant coach at William and Mary from 1978-83 under his brother Bruce and at the Naval Academy from 1990-92
He and his wife, Pat, have a son, Chris, daughter and son-in-law, Jill and David Kavanagh and 4 grandkids, Dylan, Michael, Treeki and Andrew.
Email: blp5u@virginia.edu
Rob Schmalz
Associate Director
Rob brings 22 years of sales success, primarily in the financial services industry. Most recently he served as managing director for MKC Entertainment and was responsible for prospect qualification, fundraising and project management. Rob is a 1990 UVA graduate and 4-year letter winner in men’s lacrosse.
He will work with assigned donors in Virginia, primarily in Richmond and Charlottesville; and initially in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. In addition, he will work closely with the men’s and women’s golf programs as his sport assignments.
Email: rgs2ub@virginia.edu
Marilyn Coates Speight
Suites and Events Assistant Director
Marilyn Coates Speight joined the Foundation in March 2011. She assists with all Foundation events and the administration of the suites at Scott Stadium, Davenport Field and John Paul Jones Arena.
A native of Danville, Va., Marilyn earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations and sports communication from James Madison University in 2008. Upon graduation she worked as an event planner for the Office of the Dean of Students at UVA until joining the VAF staff. She received a certificate in Meeting and Event Planning from UVA in 2009 and became a Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) in 2014.
Email: msc7x@virginia.edu
Casey Steffan
Director of Membership and Development
Casey Steffan joined the Virginia Athletics Foundation in September 2009. As Director of Membership and Development, she is responsible for the overall strategy, leadership and development of VAF’s Annual Fund. Additionally, she works with donors in the Mid-Shenandoah, Northern Virginia and Richmond areas of Virginia along with those in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. She works closely with several UVA sports programs including Women’s Soccer, Softball, Cheerleading and Dance and Women’s Tennis.
Casey is a native of Long Valley, New Jersey. She earned her B.A. from Virginia in 2009 and M.B.A. from the Darden School of Business in 2017. She was a three-time letter winner on the Virginia Softball team, serving as captain her fourth year.
Email: cks4v@virginia.edu
Heather Troudt
Associate Director
Heather Troudt joined the Virginia Athletics Foundation in September 2002. She is responsible for fund-raising efforts in Washington, D.C., and the Winchester, Tidewater, and Franklin areas of Virginia along with the states of Colorado, Nevada, Minnesota and California.
She graduated in 1992 from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. As an undergraduate, Troudt competed for four years on the swimming team and was a two-time captain. In 1990, she was named the Big West Conference Swimmer of the Year as she led UNLV to conference titles in both 1990 and 1991
She worked for the UNLV Athletic Department for eight years as a business office specialist and human resource coordinator. From 2000 until her arrival in Charlottesville in 2002, Troudt worked as the Assistant Director of Development for the University of Nevada-Reno.
Email: hlt2u@virginia.edu
Lisa Wayand
Development Assistant
Lisa Wayand joined the staff of the Virginia Athletics Foundation in July of 2016. She is responsible for providing support for development directors, assists in reporting and gift agreements and is the VAF editor of the Cavalier Corner. She also assists with customer service related activities, special events and provides day-to-day operational support for the Foundation.
Lisa and her husband Joe have two children – Patrick and Claire, who are both in college.
Email: lw9pc@virginia.edu
JoAnn Willis
Gift and Accounting Manager
JoAnn Willis returned to the Virginia Athletics Foundation in June 2011, having been part of the VAF team from 1992-1998. She is responsible for gift accounting and reporting. Her responsibilities include gift reporting, matching gift submittals, statements, acknowledgements and receipts. In addition to these duties, JoAnn also produces the monthly gift reports that track all fund raising progress.
Willis is a 1990 graduate of the University of Mary Washington. She and her husband Scott have four children—Zac, Rachel, Jacob and Matthew.
Email: jw3r@Virginia.edu