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Attorney Matthew Sunderlin and retired bank professional Charles Martorana have ended their service on the board of The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham. The board consists of 16 community representatives bringing experience and expertise in many different areas. They guide the foundation’s work and hold an important role as fiduciaries for the organization’s operations and financial health.

“Working alongside Matt Sunderlin and Charlie Martorana has been my distinct privilege for the past six years,” said Executive Director Revlan Hill.

Sunderlin brought instrumental expertise in work with clients and nonprofits and even while running a law practice, was generous with his attention when called upon, she said. “There was never a time that Matt wasn’t eager to answer a question, help in a situation or educate me on a particular item.”

Hill praised Martorana’s calm demeanor and open mind in all situations, even challenging ones.

“The work of our foundation can be complex and having talented board members like Matt and Charlie who care deeply about our community is key to our success,” she said.

Matt Sunderlin: ‘We need more people willing to invest time…’

A member of TCF’s board since 2019, Sunderlin is an attorney with Clark & Bradshaw in Harrisonburg. In 2021, he was appointed the assistant commissioner of accounts with the Circuit Court of Rockingham County.  He holds certifications as an elder law attorney and a certified guardian at litem for incapacitated adults.

“Service on the board has been pure joy,” Sunderlin said. “The mission of the foundation is extremely important in today’s world. We need more people who are willing to invest their time and treasure to improve the lives of others.”

Sunderlin praised the ease and simplicity of using the foundation to accomplish charitable goals.

A member of the community engagement committee, he has contributed his time and expertise to Truist Financial, the RMH Foundation, the regional chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Blue Ridge Community College, Rotary Club, The Arc, and The ElderAlliance.

Charlie Martorana: Praise for TCFHR’s reach and wide expertise of fellow board members

Martorana served on the Community Engagement Committee for both terms and the Governance Committee for his second term.

His reflections on his time on the board:

We have the most giving and generous members that have interacted with and set up funds with the foundation for the benefit of the Harrisonburg/Rockingham community that reaches so many facets of the needs of the community. While I knew this from serving on the boards of other non-profit organizations, it was strikingly illuminated for me by serving on our board.

I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of such a terrific board with professional individuals from many ‘walks of life’ and an amazing director and staff that accomplishes so very much to help our community.

As each year passes, more and more people are aware of what the foundation does to enhance our community and I must say that it has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of it!

Martorana noted that since 2019, TCFHR has grown the Great Community Give into the area’s most successful fundraiser for nonprofits. He’s enjoyed being a part of the addition of the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program, and taking a key role in helping to start the Little Free Library featuring children’s books that stands outside the South Main Street office. The scholarship program has also grown in size and impact, he added.

Martorana is the retired Valley Region Market President of Blue Ridge Bank, a role he held from 2018 to August 2021. From 1997 to 2018, he served as Senior Vice President, Harrisonburg Market Executive, with Union Bank & Trust and its predecessors from 1987-97. Previously he was Vice President, Valley Area Commercial Loans, at NationsBank from 1987-97.

He is a former member of the Executive Advisory Council for the College of Visual and Performing Arts and current member on the board of the Center for Global and Community Justice (formerly the Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence) at James Madison University. He also serves on the advisory board for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.

Since 1997, he has been a vice chair or consultant on the fundraising committee for the National MS Society and Dinner of Champions in Harrisonburg as a vice chair or consultant. For these contributions and his work on the board of the Virginia/West Virginia chapter and his professional, civic, and community leadership, he was the featured honoree at the 2022 Virginia/West Virginia chapter’s Dinner of Champions.

Past board service includes a range of organizations: Shenandoah Valley Economic Education, Citizens for Downtown Arts Council of the Valley, Harrisonburg Rotary Club, Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, and Mercy House Homeless Shelter. He is also a former finance chair for Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and has served on the finance committee of JMU’s Catholic Campus Ministry. He is also a former member of the JMU Parents Council and an appointee to the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board.

Photo: Kevin Flint, board chair, speaks during the 25th anniversary celebration for The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham in 2023.

Most people don’t know that community foundations are required to have a board of directors comprised of local residents. These representatives direct the foundation’s work, investing themselves and their expertise through the philanthropic initiatives that support and benefit the community.

The relationship between the community foundation’s board members, staff, donors and the residents they represent is a “win-win for everyone,” says Revlan Hill, executive director of The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

Board chair Kevin Flint with staff at a 2023 event.

That dynamic initially attracted professional advisor Kevin Flint, and it kept him learning, growing and giving back as he contributed to the governance and investment committees, and held vice chair and chair roles. Now, after 10 years on the board, the outgoing board chair ends his tenure with the foundation June 30.

“This place we call home has nurtured and supported me, so I feel compelled to reciprocate by working to enrich our community,” Flint said. “My involvement with TCFHR has helped me understand the real and growing needs across our region, and supporting the foundation means helping to meet those needs in lasting, strategic ways. That’s been a joy to be a part of.”

In addition to a background in commercial banking, community engagement, and portfolio management, Flint has brought to his foundation work extensive experience in advisory roles with the local government. He currently serves on the county’s Economic Development Authority and Planning Commission and spent more than seven years on the Social Services advisory board. He is also an adjunct faculty member with James Madison University’s College of Business.

“All of our board members bring an expertise and a connection to the work of the community foundation, but Kevin really applied himself to learning more,” Hill said. “He has a genuine love for TCFHR, and that has made a real difference in how we’ve progressed and grown over the past ten years. Kevin has been an exceptional chair during a time of growth and challenge.”

A measure of the organization’s growth can be seen in one statistic: In 2016, outgoing grants and scholarships totaled $2.7 million. In 2024, that number exceeded $6.8 million. Behind that number is a major growth in assets — from $31.9 million to $87.9 million — and a variety of challenges that accompany such growth.

“I have also appreciated Kevin’s positive and generous spirit and his wise counsel on so many matters over these years,” said Hill. “He brings a tremendous amount of wisdom and clarity, no matter the circumstances, and he’s always shown a great deal of care and support to me and to the work of the foundation in the most difficult of situations.”

Kevin Flint, board chair, steps down June 30 after 10 years of service to The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

She remembers that Flint’s acumen and approach were instrumental in bringing on a large agency fund and in handling several unusual matters that required additional legal and financial expertise.

Among Flint’s highlights are the foundation’s crucial management of relief funds through the COVID-19 pandemic, the expansion of its asset portfolio and correlated grants capacity, and the addition of two initiatives. The Great Community Give has grown into the region’s major giving day; just a few months ago, the event raised a record high $2.2 million for nearly 150 area nonprofits. TCFHR also hosts the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program, enrolling 40% of the area’s children.

“I’ve also enjoyed seeing firsthand how the foundation’s partnerships with local professionals have helped donors align their giving with their values in thoughtful, tax-strategic ways,” he said.

Flint says he will always value the relationships he’s built over the years with fellow board members, Hill and the foundation staff.

Looking ahead, Flint hopes to see more visibility and an increased understanding of how much the community foundation offers to the community. “Beyond the initiatives, the foundation offers so much more through endowments, scholarships, and donor-advised funds. TCF is a trusted partner for anyone looking to make a lasting charitable impact, and I want more people to know that.”

Vice chair Cynthia Prieto’s two-year term as board chair begins July 1.

Fernando Sagastume, a 2023 Harrisonburg High alum, was the student speaker during the May 10 Blue Ridge Community College Commencement ceremony. (Courtesy of Gitchells Photography)

Photo caption: Bowman Scholar Fernando Sagastume holds his diploma from Blue Ridge Community College after the May 10 Commencement, with (from left) brother Bryan, parents Sandra and Carlos, and sister Hailey. (Courtesy photo)

Fernando Sagastume’s message to his fellow graduates of Blue Ridge Community College was about something he’s practiced since childhood: Asking for help.

“Asking for help doesn’t make you less smart,” he said, summarizing his May 10 Commencement address. “It makes you more knowledgeable. None of us start off knowing everything, but the challenges we face lead to both personal and professional growth.”

This simple but humble action of asking for help has empowered Fernando’s success, from learning two languages as a child, joining the college preparatory Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at Harrisonburg High School, applying for and winning college scholarships, and helping his family’s business grow.

“Fernando is currently one of our most impressive students,” said BRCC’s president, Dr. John Downey. “I’m impressed not only by his maturity and academic success at Blue Ridge, but also by his leadership as a young person in the Harrisonburg community, serving on boards and volunteering his time, all while helping to run his family’s roofing business.”

Fernando serves on the board of directors of On the Road Collaborative and on the recruitment and retention subcommittee of the HHS AVID program. At BRCC, he was a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, and was recognized on the All-Virginia Academic Team.

The 20-year-old serves as the chief administrative officer at Highest Roofing and Exteriors, where he has played a key role in legal matters, insurance, marketing and sales since 2019.

Add another distinction to that long list.

“Fernando is the fifth Samuel R. Bowman II Scholar to transfer to James Madison University, and based on his pattern of top academic performance, he’ll be the third Bowman Scholar to graduate from JMU,” said Ann Siciliano, senior director of scholarships and grants at The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

The Bowman Scholarship was started by Samuel Bowman, a local farmer who was touched and inspired by the work ethic, generosity, and relationships of his many employees and wanted to help their children access higher education. The scholarship is for local students, usually first-generation, attending either Blue Ridge or James Madison University. It’s renewable, which means if recipients meet the criteria each year, they will receive additional funding.

While balancing work and studies, Fernando says he has been inspired by his family, particularly his parents Carlos and Sandra Sagastume, who have “always emphasized the importance of education and hard work.” Cousins Maria Alonso and Heiber Monroy have also “shown me what’s possible through sacrifice, persistence, and giving back to the community,” he said. In all that he does, he hopes to be a role model for his younger siblings, Bryan and Hailey.

Though he’s been awarded several scholarships as a result of his hard work, Fernando says the Bowman award is different. While one-time scholarships reward potential, earning a renewable scholarship symbolizes that and more.

The financial support as he’s transitioned through more and more academic challenge is a powerful message of “investment in my potential,” a unique award that shows “deep belief,” he says.

“I am beyond grateful to have received this opportunity, and it’s one I will take advantage of,” he said. “That faith and ongoing support is something I value in my education and will value forever.”

Editor’s note: We’re pleased to report that Bowman Scholar Lindsey Ruvalcaba also graduated from BRCC last weekend with academic honors. Both she and fellow Harrisonburg High grad Fernando Sagastume were featured in local media coverage of Commencement. After a gap year, she plans to attend JMU to study biotechnology.

I saw the real-world impact tied to my work and enjoyed solving problems that didn’t have a black-and-white answer.

– Nick Marks, JMU ‘25

With supporting educational opportunities among its strategic priorities, The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham currently hosts a paid internship program in accounting – with plans to add opportunities in communications and marketing.

Nick Marks, a senior finance major at James Madison University, came on board in fall 2024 and decided to stay on through spring 2025. Marks leaves having gained “a ton of knowledge in accounting,” which he believes helped him through a rigorous application process that culminated in a job offer in early 2025.

“Accounting is the language of business, so having a strong background in accounting is very sought-after for a finance role,” he said.

TCFHR’s director of accounting, Anna Wagner, was his supervisor.

“Working with Anna, who has impressive accounting experience, was valuable because she was dedicated to helping me develop as a professional, not just getting the work done,” Marks said. “Having one-on-one exposure to the director of accounting is super valuable, and likely very hard to find with an internship.”

After graduation, Marks will join Smithfield Foods in their Career Foundations program, a two-year experience which allows him to rotate through aspects of the corporate structure while developing professional skills, honing his corporate finance skills, and learning the core business of the company.

Marks is a graduate of Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach, so the move to southeast Virginia sends him a bit closer to home.

Though he always had the goal of working in corporate finance, Marks says the principles of business for a nonprofit are similar. He’s come away with an increased appreciation for the work of the community foundation, its impact, and the reach of its work.

“Nick has been a great support for our team, always providing quality results for any new task he takes on,” Wagner said. “All the skills that I’ve seen Nick cultivate throughout the internship will contribute to his future success in corporate finance. I hope what he has learned from the philanthropic sector will help him continue to see how the world of business can partner with nonprofits as they make a difference in their communities. Congratulations on a well-earned graduation!”

In addition to his TCF internship, Marks worked as a student venture associate at the Bluestone Seed Fund, a donor-backed, equity investment vehicle that invests in early-stage JMU-affiliated startups through a competitive pitch process. The fund operates through the Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship in JMU’s College of Business.