The Future of Education Starts Here.
RADFORD HIGH SCHOOL FOUNDATION, INC.
Officers and Directors 2022-2023
Chairman – George A. Williams, Jr.
Abie Williams is one of the founding members of the Radford High School Foundation, Inc. serving as its Chairman since 1986. Williams was a 1972 graduate of RHS, received his B.S. degree in Accounting from Virginia Tech (’76), and has continued to live and work in Radford for his entire career. He is a financial advisor, and currently holds the position of Senior Vice President Investments and Branch Manager in the Radford, VA branch office of Stifel Nicolaus, a New York Stock Exchange member firm. Williams has been active in the community, having served as Chairman of the Radford Industrial Development Authority and Chairman of the Radford University Athletic Foundation. He is also serving on the Board of Trustees at Carolina University in Winston Salem, NC. Abie was elected to the Radford High School Hall of Fame in 2017. He and his wife Debbie are parents of three children, all graduates of RHS Abram (’07), Alden (’07), and Harrison (’11).
Vice Chairman – John W. L. Craig, II
A 1973 graduate of Radford High School, Chip went on to receive degrees in Political Science and History at Virginia Tech and his Juris Doctor from Mercer University. After practicing law locally with the firm of Jenkins, Quigley, and Craig, he accepted an appointment with the Justice Department. He was then named as the Clerk of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia. He retired from federal service in 2019. He is a former Chairman of the Radford City School Board and Past President of the Virginia School Boards Association. In addition Chip is the past Chairman of The Blue Ridge Regional Education and Training Council; a former member of the State Board of Education Standards Oversight Committee, the State Gifted Education Advisory Committee, and the Joint House/Senate Advisory Committee on Vocational Education. Chip is happily married to Ann Kenny Craig and they have 2 children: Stephanie, RHS class of 2009 and John, RHS class of 2011.
Treasurer – Amanda J. Martin
Mandy Martin has served on the board of the Radford High School Foundation since its inception in 1986. She is a graduate of Radford High School (1974) and Virginia Tech (1978) with a degree in Education.
Her mother, Dottie Martin, was a long time History teacher at RHS.
Mandy worked with her brother, Kim (class of 1972) in their family automobile business for 37 years. Active in the community, Mandy has been a board member of the Radford Chamber of Commerce, the Radford Arts and Events Commission and serves on the Radford Recreation Commission and the Radford University Athletic Foundation Board.
Secretary- Whitney “King” Stokes
Whitney Stokes graduated from Radford High School in 2005. She went on to throw the discus and hammer at Radford University where she graduated with a degree in Exercise, Sport and Health Education with a concentration in Sports Administration. Whitney interned with the Big South Conference as the Administration Assistant from 2011-2012 in Charlotte, NC. Whitney began working at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) in 2012 where she began as the Admissions Coordinator for the Virginia Campus in Blacksburg. In 2014, she moved to the VCOM-Carolinas campus in Spartanburg, SC to serve as the Director of Admissions. She completed her Master’s Degree in Executive Leadership with Liberty University in 2016. Whitney returned to Radford when she became the Assistant Vice President for Student Services at the VCOM-Virginia Campus in May of 2016. She now serves VCOM-Virginia as the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and will complete her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership in December of 2023. Whitney is the daughter of Dr. William King and Dr. Judith Cox, she has two older brothers Drew (2000) and Scott King (2004). Whitney is married to Richard Stokes, who works at Virginia Tech as the Project Manager for Athletics. They have a son, William, a daughter in Heaven, Etta-Kait, and two dogs and plan to raise a family here in her hometown, close to family and friends.
Director – Dr. Michael V. Wright
A native of Fries, Dr. Wright has lived most of his life in the City of Radford. He earned bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees at the University of Virginia. In Dr. Wright’s 36 years in education in school systems in southwest, central, and Tidewater Virginia, he has been a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and director of instruction. He served as assistant superintendent of the Radford City Schools for seven and one-half years and then as superintendent for seventeen and one-half years. Dr. Wright was chairman of the Southwest Educators’ Group for health insurance and chairman of the Virginia Municipal Group Self-Insurance Association advisory board. He also represented the school superintendents of Region 7 on the Executive Committee of the Virginia High School League. He retired in 2005. Dr. Wright and his wife Anita’s three daughters- Lee, Caroline, and Loren-are all graduates of Radford High School, as is their grandson Drew Cox. Dr. Wright was present at the creation of the Radford High School Foundation and is a charter member of the Board of Directors.
Director – Beverly M. Davis
Bev Davis is a 1984 graduate of Radford High School, and went on to graduate from Hamden-Sydney College and T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. He has practiced law for over three decades at the family firm of Davis, Davis and Davis Attorneys alongside his father, brother and most recently his niece. Bev has dedicated himself to the community by serving in a variety of aspects over the years, most notably as a coach and mentor to hundreds of young students. He has coached little league football, baseball and basketball for dozens of teams; spent many years as an AAU basketball coach; served as RHS assistant football coach to his own Coach Norm Lineburg for his final year on the gridiron; and has assisted Rick Cormany’s RHS basketball program as a J.V. assistant coach since 2009, including the last five RHS State Championship teams. Bev and his wife, Angela, have two children: Avery, RHS Class of 2015, and B, RHS Class of 2019.
Director – John D. Semones
John Semones is one of the founding members of the Radford High School Foundation, Inc. John graduated from Radford High School in 1960, received a B.S. degree from Hampden Sydney College in 1964, and his D.D.S. degree from the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry in 1968. Following graduation John served in the United States Navy for two years and then returned to Radford where he practiced dentistry for 43 years.
The Semones family are all graduates of RHS: wife, Mary Ann (’60), daughter Lara (’88), and son, John David (’91)
Director – Albert S. Mah
A lifelong resident of the city, Albert is a 1980 graduate of Radford High School and received his bachelor’s degree from Radford University. A career employee of Radford University, he has served in numerous roles in the University’s Development and Advancement Division. He served as the Executive Director of the Radford University Foundation, Inc. and the Radford University Real Estate Foundation, Inc. from 2009 through 2011. He retired in 2021 as University’s Director of Contract Administration and Supplier Diversity. In the past, Albert has served on various community and non-profit boards, including serving as President of the Radford Childcare Center, Inc. and Treasurer of the Radford Heritage Foundation. He and his wife Rhonda are parents of two children that both graduated from RHS, Andrew (’14) and Stephen (’16)
Director – Nikki S. Cumberland
Nikki Cumberland graduated from Radford High School in 2006. She went on to play basketball at Bridgewater College where she graduated with degrees in Economics and Business Administration. Nikki then went on to Samford University – Cumberland School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor degree. After law school, Nikki returned to Radford to practice law at Davis, Davis & Davis Attorneys with her grandfather and uncles. She is a member of the Virginia Bar Association and the Montgomery County-Radford Bar Association. She currently serves in Pulaski County as a prosecutor. In addition, she serves as a Radford representative on the New River Valley Regional Jail Authority. The daughter of Bill and Deb Sydnor, Nikki has a younger sister, Maryah, and is married to Jeff Cumberland. They are raising their young family in Radford Va.
Director – Eli Mullins
Eli Mullins is a 2012 graduate of Radford High school, and has lived in Radford his entire life. After high school, he attended New River Community College for two semesters, followed by a year at the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, where he graduated from in 2014 with an Associates of Applied Science. Eli became a licensed funeral director in May of 2015, and became a second generation funeral director. He works with his parents, Darrell and Michelle Mullins, at Mullins Funeral Home & Crematory here in Radford. Eli is a proud member of the Virginia May No. 38 Masonic Lodge of Radford, as well as the National Funeral Directors Association.
Director- Samuel Harrison Williams
Harrison Williams is a 2011 graduate of Radford High School, and a 2015 graduate of Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, VA where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Business with a concentration in financial management. He also attained a minor in leadership studies. Harrison has now returned from Fort Worth, Texas to the Radford area after working in the insurance and sales profession for 2 years following graduation from VMI. He is now employed as a financial advisor in the Radford branch of Stifel Nicolaus having attained the professional designation of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER.
Radford City Schools Superintendent
Director, RHS Principal- Ken Keister
Ken Keister is a 1998 graduate of Radford High School and also a lifelong resident of Radford. After high school he attended Virginia Tech where he was a 3 year letterman of the Hokie football team. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in 2003 in Health and Physical Education K-12 as well as a Master of Science in 2004 in Health Promotion. In 2008, Ken also received an endorsement from Radford University in Educational Leadership. This year marks his 20th year working in public education. He has served in numerous roles in the division during this time. He served as a Physical Education teacher at Radford High School, Dalton Intermediate, as well as Belle Heth Elementary. Also during that time he served as an assistant football coach, an assistant and head indoor and outdoor track and field coach, as well as an assistant basketball coach. In 2013, as head outdoor track coach, his team won the Group A State Championship. In 2015, Ken became the assistant principal at Belle Heth Elementary before moving back to the High School in 2021 as the associate principal. In 2023, Ken moved to be the principal at Radford High School. Ken and his wife Lori have 2 children, Grant ('29) and Jacqueline ('31), who both attend Radford City Schools.
Director- Robert Lineburg
Robert Lineburg joined the Radford High School Foundation Advisory Board in the fall of 2022. He is a 1986 graduate of Radford High School and received his B.A. in Political Science from Roanoke College (’91) and an M.S. in Education from Virginia Tech (’95). Robert is in his 16th year as the Director of Athletics at Radford University. Prior to being named AD at Radford University, he served as an assistant basketball coach at SMU, UNC Greensboro, JMU, and Emory & Henry. Robert was inducted into the Radford High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.
Advisory Member- Suzanne Saunders
Suzanne Saunders is a graduate of Spotsylvania High School. She discovered Radford in 1993 when she attended Radford University. Suzanne coached cheerleading, basketball, and track at Radford High School between 1994-1997. Following Graduation from RU, Suzanne started teaching physical education. She has taught in Spotsylvania County, Campbell County, Wise County, Bristol City, Union County, and Radford City for a total of 17 years. She earned her Master’s in School Counseling from Liberty University in 2014. Since 2015 she has been serving students as the Counselor at Dalton Intermediate School. Suzanne is married to Matthew Saunders (’91 RHS Grad) who teaches at Dalton Intermediate School and was the RHS Head Football Coach from 2007- 2021. They enjoy family time with their 2 children, Owen (’22 RHS Grad) and Addie (’24 RHS grad).
Advisory Member- Elaine H Argabrite
Elaine Argabrite is a graduate of Hopkins Academy (1968). She received her B.A. in History from Cedar Crest College (1972) and her M.S. in Education from Radford University (1977). Elaine taught at Christiansburg High School for 14 years and Radford High School for 20 Years. While at Radford, she taught AP History, AP Government, sponsored the Youth & Government Club, and coached the M.A.C.C. Academic Teams and the VHSL Academic teams which won 5 state championships. She retired in 2015. Elaine and her husband Joe, a retired Physical Therapist and former part-time trainer for Radford High School have lived in Radford for over 50 years. Elaine and Joe have three children all graduates of RHS, Rebecca (1990), Sarah (1995), and Joseph (2001).
