Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of Batten University, Coastal Virginia's premier university of the liberal arts and sciences. It supports the University's mission, is responsible for securing adequate financial resources for the operation of the University, and establishes long-range goals and institutional policies.

Trustees include leaders from business and industry, education, and the United Methodist Church, as well as the President of the University, who serves as an ex officio trustee. The full Board, which may consist of up to 40 elected trustees, meets three times per year and members serve staggered, four-year terms. Trustee Emeritus/Emerita status may be conferred upon members who rotate off the Board.

The majority of the Board's work is accomplished through committees that relate to the main functional areas of the University: Campus Affairs, Finance, Endowment, and University Relations.

2025–2026

Nancy T. DeFord, Ed.D. Chair
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D. President of the University (Ex officio)
Sharon S. Goodwyn Vice Chair
J. Timothy Bailey '83 Treasurer
Mavis E. McKenley '11 Secretary
Jonathan E. Pruden Immediate Past Chair
Susan S. Goode H'22 Parliamentarian
G. Robert Aston, Jr. H'20 Executive Chairman of the Board TowneBank — Portsmouth, Virginia
J. Timothy Bailey '83 Retired Division President Canteen/Compass Group — Charlotte, North Carolina
Gary D. Bonnewell '79, H'16 Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor Morgan Stanley Smith Barney — Norfolk, Virginia
Nancy T. DeFord, Ed.D. Vice President DeFord, Ltd. — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Graham E. Garrenton President Chesapeake Bay Contractors, Inc. — Virginia Beach, Virginia
William R. Gobble '03 (Ex officio) Retired Investment Operations Analyst Capital Group – American Funds
Susan S. Goode H'22 Community Leader Norfolk, Virginia
Sharon S. Goodwyn Retired Counsel Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP — Chesapeake, Virginia
William W. Granger III Managing Partner Granger Investment Properties, LLC — Norfolk, Virginia
Sue Haupert-Johnson H'23 (Ex officio) Presiding Bishop, Richmond Area United Methodist Church — Glen Allen, Virginia
Jeffrey S. Heller Retired Vice President, Intermodal and Automotive Norfolk Southern — White Stone, Virginia
David L. Kaufman H'19 Founder & Senior Managing Director Envest Private Equity — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Howard P. Kern President & Chief Executive Officer Emeritus Sentara Health — Virginia Beach, Virginia
John F. Malbon H'22 Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer PAPCO, Inc. — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Vincent J. Mastracco, Jr. Partner Kaufman & Canoles, P.C. — Norfolk, Virginia
Robert W. McFarland Partner McGuireWoods LLP — Norfolk, Virginia
Mavis E. McKenley '11 Vice President and Trust Officer AMG National Trust Bank — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Angela M. Mercer, M.D. Retired Physician Virginia Beach, Virginia
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D. (Ex officio) President Batten University — Virginia Beach, Virginia
William L. Murray, Ph.D. Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Communications Dominion Energy — Richmond, Virginia
Matthew R. Nusbaum Asset Manager, Partner S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. — Norfolk, Virginia
Eric C. Nyman '94 Chief Executive Officer Revelyst — Providence, Rhode Island
Hon. Deborah M. Paxson '75 Retired Judge, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court City of Virginia Beach — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Jonathan E. Pruden Executive Chairman/Chief Strategy Officer TASTE Family of Businesses — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Michael R. Rawls '91 Retired Chief Executive Officer/Executive Vice President Xome (a division of The Mr. Cooper Group) — Flower Mound, Texas
Robin D. Ray President Atlantic Dominion Distributors — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Joseph P. Ruddy '83 Chief Operations Officer Virginia International Terminals — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Jaclyn Ruelle '04 Owner/Brand Consultant Triumphant Studio LLC — Richmond, Virginia
Louis F. Ryan Retired Executive Vice President and General Counsel Landmark Communications — Norfolk, Virginia
Becky Sawyer Executive Vice President & Chief People Officer Sentara Health — Virginia Beach, Virginia
James H. Shumadine Co-President The Employment Guide — Norfolk, Virginia
Lee T. Stevenson '85 President & COO Symphony Risk Holdings — San Francisco, California
Joseph R. Thomas Retired Regional Vice President GEICO — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Kenneth G. Trinder II President and Chief Executive Officer EOS Surfaces, LLC — Norfolk, Virginia
George K. (Chip) Tsantes III '83 Partner Newport LLC — Manassas, Virginia
Jody M. Wagner President Jody's Popcorn — Norfolk, Virginia
Anthony Walters President and Chief Executive Officer YMCA of South Hampton Roads — Chesapeake, Virginia
Douglas B. Wilson '86 Executive Vice President LifeNet Health — Norfolk, Virginia

Trustees Emeriti

Jane P. Batten H'06 Community Leader Virginia Beach, Virginia
George Y. Birdsong H'16 Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel Birdsong Corporation — Suffolk, Virginia
Joan P. Brock H'10 Former Secretary-Treasurer Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Thomas C. Broyles Retired Partner and Attorney Kaufman & Canoles, P.C. — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Robert W. Collenberg II '90 President The Shutter Door Design & Build, LLC — Virginia Beach, Virginia
O. L. (Butch) Everett Retired Partner JF Petroleum Group — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Ronald M. Kramer Community Leader Virginia Beach, Virginia
Lemuel E. Lewis Retired Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Landmark Communications — Suffolk, Virginia
John E. Lingo, Jr. Manager and Retired Vice President Jack Lingo Realty — Lewes, Delaware
Elizabeth F. Middleton '91 Retired Corporate Secretary, Community Leader E.G. Middleton, Inc. — Norfolk, Virginia
Emily S. Miles Community Leader Norfolk, Virginia
Jerry L. Miller Chief Executive Officer The Miller Group — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Tassos J. Paphites '79 Chairman and Chief Executive Officer BurgerBusters Inc. — Virginia Beach, Virginia
Alan H. Shaw Former President and CEO Norfolk Southern Corporation — Atlanta, Georgia
William S. Shelhorse '70 Co-Founder and President Chesapeake Bay Contractors, Inc. — Virginia Beach, Virginia
William H. Thumel, Jr. President Abacus Machine Shop & Racing — Virginia Beach, Virginia
John A. Trinder President and Chief Operating Officer MaxMedia, Inc. — Virginia Beach, Virginia

As of 12/08/2025