2018 Alumni Awards

Joseph P. Ruddy was named Chief Innovation Officer for The Port of Virginia in September 2014. In this role, Joe oversees the port's Strategic Planning, Marketing & Communications, Process Excellence, and Commercial Pricing Teams.

In his previous role as Chief Operations Officer, Joe helped Virginia International Terminals (VIT) earn a reputation as an honest and reliable terminal operations organization. Joe also held several positions with international ship line companies including France's CMA-CGM, the world's third largest container carrier, and National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (NSCSA).

In addition to Virginia Wesleyan's Corporate Leaders Council, Joe serves on various boards, including the Hampton Roads Shipping Association, Cystic Fibrosis of Hampton Roads, and Beach FC. In 2013, he was the recipient of the Global Excellence Award, presented by the Virginia International Business Council. He earned a bachelor's degree from Virginia Wesleyan University and a master's degree from the College of New Jersey.

Clayton Singleton's blend of verbal and visual art inspires, motivates, and educates. In addition to being a member of the Hampton Roads National Poetry Slam Team, he has been noted in many publications ranging from The Virginian-Pilot to Time magazine.

Clayton has created public art, won numerous awards, and produced several solo and group shows. The Virginia Opera commissioned Clayton to design sets for Porgy and Bess and Freedom's Journey. He has served as a member of Norfolk's All-City Teaching Team, The d'ART Center Board of Directors and Norfolk Arts Commission.

Singleton has exhibited at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, The Chrysler Museum of Art, and has co-curated regional group exhibitions such as NOW: African-American Artists in Tidewater. Most recently he produced a solo exhibition for the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center titled Future Love Paradise.

Alisa Crider is an active individual dedicated to advocacy and community development in the Hampton Roads Region. As the Public Relations and Social Media Coordinator at Hampton Roads Transit, she has not only advanced her agency in the region, but has brought a national spotlight to all of Hampton Roads. Her articles have been featured multiple times in national publications, along with her regional television and radio appearances.

Prior to HRT, Crider served as communications and marketing manager for the Hampton Roads Chamber. She is a founding member of the Chamber's Young Professional Program, tHRive — the region's fastest growing young professionals group with more than 2,000 members. She also serves on the Young Professionals Leadership Council for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Virginia Chapter.

Crider is a recipient of the 2016 CoVa Biz Millennials on the Move award and a 2018 graduate of the 30th LEAD Hampton Roads Class. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in communications with a focus in journalism and minors in business and sociology from Virginia Wesleyan.