Governor Ralph Northam has made three new appointments to the Norfolk State University Board of Visitors.
The new appointees are:
• Dwayne Blake, of Hampton, Virginia
• The Honorable Jean W. Cunningham of Henrico, Virginia
• Tamara A. Jones, M.D., of Portsmouth, Virginia
Dwayne Blake brings more than 30 years of shipbuilding and corporate experience to the NSU Board of Visitors. He currently serves as Corporate Vice President, Investor Relations at Huntington Ingalls Industries and is responsible for managing Huntington’s relationships with institutional investors and research analysts. He previously served as Corporate Vice President, Internal Audit where he established and led a team of audit professionals in the execution of Huntington’s institutional audit plan. Blake currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Riverside Medical Center and is a past President of the Risk and Insurance Society, Virginia Chapter. He received his undergraduate degree in Finance from Hampton University in 1984 and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Old Dominion University in 1994.
The Honorable Jean W. Cunningham comes to the NSU Board of Visitors after more than two decades of public service to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Cunningham is a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, having represented the 71st House District from 1986 to 1998. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Virginia Parole Board. Mrs. Cunningham’s experience in higher education governance is extensive and includes past appointments on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Virginia State University Board of Visitors. She is a 1974 cum laude graduate of the Howard University School of Law and a 1968 graduate of Virginia State University.
Tamara A. Jones, M.D., is no stranger to NSU, having graduated from the University in 1996 with a degree in Chemistry. She went on to receive her Master’s in Chemistry from UNC-Chapel Hill and completed both her Doctorate in Medicine and residency training at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). Jones has served as an Assistant Professor and lead hospitalist at EVMS and is board-certified in Internal Medicine with a focused practice in hospital medicine. Dr. Jones was appointed and served as Chief of the Department of Medicine at Sentara Hospitals Norfolk for three years. She is currently employed at CaroMont Regional Medical Center outside of Charlotte, NC, and continues to provide care periodically to those in Hampton Roads. Dr. Jones is a steadfast advocate for her alma mater and has served as a member on the Norfolk State University Foundation Board of Directors.
Deborah M. DiCroce, Ed.D., President & CEO, Hampton Roads Community Foundation and President Emerita, Tidewater Community College and Larry A. Griffith, Senior Vice President, Programs and Student Services, United Negro College Fund were both reappointed to the NSU Board of Visitors. All appointments are effective on July 1, 2018 and will expire on June 30, 2022.
Outgoing board members are Corynne Arnett, Elwood Boone and Bryan Cuffee.