Michelline Hall
President
Board of Directors
Michelline Hall is a photographer, advocate, and entrepreneur raised in Lynchburg Va. She received her BFA from Virginia Intermont College in 2006. Since that time, Michelline has been an art educator specializing in elementary art and digital photography for all ages. Passionate about art accessibility, she has developed programs to bring art to and art education to underserved communities. Michelline serves on the boards of the Jubilee Family Development Center, the Lynchburg Museum System, Vector Space, the African American Advisory Board of Poplar Forest, H.A.S.A.N., and the Junior League of Lynchburg. In addition to being the Chief Programming Officer at the Academy Center of the Arts, she is co-owner of Blackwater Branding, an agency founded by her and her husband Jawansa Hall. She is the proud mother of her beautiful and bright daughter Keziah.
Rebecca Frye
President Elect
Board of Directors
Rebecca is a 2002 magna cum laude graduate of Ferrum College where she received a B.S. in Psychology and Business. More importantly, Ferrum is where she identified her love for civic engagement and philanthropy. It was at Ferrum that she received the faculty designated Caitlin Jr. Citizenship Award for her leadership and involvement in Greek life, student government, and academic clubs, as well as resident advising. Rebecca has carried this passion for community service through her adult life by participating in committee and board work with local, regional, and industry organizations including the Association of Proposal Management Professionals, Miriam’s House, Madison Heights Baptist Church, WNRN, and multiple LCS Parent Teacher organizations. She is currently a Product Manager at L3Harris Technologies, Inc. where she leverages her industry knowledge of mission critical communications, psychology of teams, and project management skills to build partnerships and develop new solutions for first responders. Rebecca was introduced to the Junior League of Lynchburg in 2016 when one of her friends recommended the League as a place to engage with community non-profits and learn more about leadership and board service. Rebecca has been married to her best guy Nick, since 2008 and together they have one son, Ian. These two gentlemen are the perfect companions for movie and game nights, family pranks, seeing live music, and traveling! I joined the League to meet other women who are interested in bettering our community!
Cara Levinson
Treasurer
Board of Directors
Cara is a graduate of James Madison University where she earned her Bachelors in Accounting and her Masters of Science in Accounting. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) currently employed with Brown Edwards as a Tax Manager. Cara graduated from the Leadership Lynchburg program with the Business alliance. Cara enjoys going to the movies, knitting, and spending time with her cats. She first became interested in joining the League as she wanted to get more involved in the community and meet new people. As a member of the League Cara shares she has learned that you can take chances and try new experiences and there will be people to help you. One thing that encourages her about this organization is knowing you get out of it what you put into it, so you should continue to push yourself.
Megan Sunwall
Recording Secretary
Board of Directors
Megan is employed at Sweet Briar College as the Campaign Coordinator and Alumnae Relations Associate. At Sweet Briar and her role as Secretary for the league Megan prides herself on being a great sounding board! I’m a person that has the ability to help others think through ideas or plans and is not afraid to dig deep or ask difficult questions and provide feedback. This will be Megan’s 8th year as an active member of the Junior League of Lynchburg. Megan joined the league after moving to the Lynchburg area as a way to find a community that I could support and play an active role in, but also as a way to learn more about the Lynchburg area. The Junior League is the best place to learn new skills and develop your leadership potential compared to any other training or workshop, job-related or not.
Melissa Busse
Nominating Director
Board of Directors
Melissa is an elementary school teacher in the Amherst County Public School District. She enjoys reading and is very active in her local book club. Melissa is married with two boys and feels encouraged by spending time with her family and friends. Melissa’s interest in the league grew years ago through various friends that spoke highly of the Junior League of Lynchburg; this also fueled her desire to be more connected with the community. Melissa’s passion for community and empowering women has been a significant part of her work in the league and has been a benefit to the league. This passion and dedication shown is consistently recognized and she was our 2020 Rose Award recipient.
Bethanie Mickles
Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Board of Directors
Bethanie is a 2005 summa cum laude graduate of North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham, NC where she received her Juris Doctorate and Master of Library Science degrees respectively. Bethanie also holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Human Services Counseling from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. She presently serves as a Hearings Officer and Administrative Law Judge for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles in Richmond, VA. Bethanie was introduced to the Junior League of Lynchburg in 2015 when her girls’ mentoring and dance program was a recipient of one of the League’s Community Grants. “I was very impressed by the work that the League did on behalf of women and girls in the Central Virginia community and wanted to be a part of the League’s strong legacy of service.”
Jasmine Briggs
Executive Vice President
Board of Directors/Management Team
Jasmine relocated to the Lynchburg area and joined the Junior League of Lynchburg in 2019. She is honored to be serving as Executive Vice President Elect this year. During her time in the league, she has participated in her provisional class project, volunteered at several different events, served on the Little Black Dress Initiative Committee, served as the Membership Training Coordinator, and most recently as the Membership Vice President. Jasmine graduated from Miller Motte Technical College with a degree in Medical Assisting and is currently working at Carilion Clinic as a Business Analyst on the Clinical Informatics Team. In her community, Jasmine also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Miller Home for Girls, volunteers on the Emergency Response Team for the Isaiah 117 House, serves as the Youth Choir Director of her church choir, and is very active in her church and community. Outside of her community work, Jasmine enjoys spending time with her foster son, playing with her two dogs, Max and Bentley, taking vacations, and spending time with her family and friends. Jasmine shares that she joined the Junior League of Lynchburg to meet new people and to become more involved in the Lynchburg community. She shared that she has since “learned the importance of sisterhood, how to be more engaged in [the] community, and develop more leadership skills.” Her advice for new members? “If you have the opportunity to join, DO IT!! Joining JLL has been one of the best decisions of my life! I have met so many like-minded, supportive, lifelong friends that I am proud to serve the Lynchburg area with.”
Laura Hamilton
Sustainer Director
Board of Directors
Laura Lacy Hamilton has served as the founding Executive Director of Lynchburg Beacon of Hope since the organization’s founding in 2011. Laura earned her Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from the College of William and Mary and her Master’s in Public Policy (MPP) from Georgetown University. Laura has spent decades in journalism, philanthropy, economic development and public policy work, in Lynchburg and the District of Columbia, and nationally. Laura is an award-winning print journalist and earned gold commendation from the Virginia Press Association.
Laura served the Clinton Administration as a budget and policy liaison for the DC Budget and the Defense and Energy policy at the Office of Management and Budget. She also worked as Development Director for Discovery Creek: The Children’s Museum of Washington. She has served as a contract Development officer and grant writer for a number of nonprofits in the DC area and in Lynchburg, including the Academy Center of the Arts, New Vistas School, the Shakespeare Theatre of Washington, and the National Minority AIDS Council. In addition, her strength in recent years has been cultivating the public/nonprofit partnership that has evolved among the City of Lynchburg, Lynchburg City Schools and the Beacon of Hope, including a strategic vision for the first Promise Program in Virginia.
In 2008, Laura was named as the top 20 change-makers in Lynchburg under the age of 40. She was chairperson of the City of Lynchburg Planning Commission for nearly a decade, past-President of the Junior League of Lynchburg, and she has served on numerous volunteer boards in Lynchburg over the past 20 years. These include Centra Health, The Alliance for Families and Children/Human Kind. She works with a number of philanthropic organizations including the Society of 1918 with the College of William and Mary, the Easley Foundation, and the Valtim Family Foundation. She is a visual-rated private pilot and a youth lacrosse coach and official.
As a member of the learned Laura notes she has learned how to manage change with a 100 year old organization–to help catalyze the League around fiscal sustainability, a new sprayground project, and creating an endowment through the sale of our League House.