Board of Commissioners
NRHA is headed by a board of seven commissioners, appointed by Norfolk City Council, who are responsible for determining policy and direction. NRHA Commissioners are residents of Norfolk and serve staggered four-year terms. The board elects a chairman and vice chairman, as well as selects an executive director who is responsible for NRHA’s activities and operations. To contact a Commissioner, call 314-1679.
W. Sheppard Miller, III
Chairman of the Board
W. Sheppard Miller, III is Chairman of the Board of KITCO Fiber Optics and is President & CEO of Light Tech Fiber Optics, both based in Virginia Beach.
Along with his work for NHRA, Miller serves as Chairman of the Board of Hampton Roads Ventures, a for profit entity which secures and sell New market Tax Credits in the southeastern United States. Miller also serves on the Mayor’s Downtown Task Force, the Mayor’s Commission on Homelessness, and the boards of the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and Monarch Bank’s Norfolk Division.
In addition, he is President of the Rotary Club of Norfolk for 2008-2009 and Chairman of HRBizPAC, the Hampton Roads Chamber's Political Action Committee. He was a member of the Norfolk Economic Development Authority for nine years, serving as chairman for five of those years before joining the NRHA Board.>
Barbara Hamm lee
Vice-chairman
Barbara Hamm Lee has served as WHRO’s Creative Services Officer since July, 2011. She is responsible for marketing, promotion, and media relations for WHRO/WHRV Public Media. She is the executive producer and host of Another View, a program that examines issues of particular interest to the African- American community in Hampton Roads, and airs on 89.5 WHRV-FM.
Barbara joined WHRO as Chief Communications Officer in March, 2006. In that capacity, she was responsible for all aspects of station communications, and had charge of television programming and community outreach as well.
Prior to joining WHRO, Barbara served as Director of Corporate Communications for Communications Technologies, Inc., Chantilly, Virginia. She has also directed the Office of Communications of the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department, and was owner of Hamm & Fox Communications, Inc., a media relations firm based in Norfolk specializing in crisis media management, media training, marketing and community outreach. Throughout her career, she has been a media consultant to commercial institutions, military and non-profit organizations in and around Hampton Roads. She is a former Director of Station Relations and News Director for WTKR TV, the CBS affiliate in the Hampton Roads area. Barbara began her media career with the NBC affiliate WBAL-TV in her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. She also served in management positions for television stations in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, PA.
Barbara is very active in the community, currently serving as a board member for the Hermitage Museum and Gardens, Norfolk Education Foundation, the Planning Council, and the YWCA of South Hampton Roads. She was appointed by Norfolk City Council as a Commissioner for the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority in October, 2010. She was appointed by Governor Kaine to the Virginia Fire Services Board (2007-2009); and was formerly a board member for Youth Entertainment Studios, Samaritan House, Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia, and the Governor’s School for the Arts Foundation. Barbara was named a “Woman of Distinction” by the YWCA in 2010.
Barbara proudly received her Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Bennett College in 1978 (summa cum laude). She is a member of Queen Street Baptist Church in Norfolk, is married to Maxie A. Lee, and has two daughters and a granddaughter. She enjoys reading, public speaking, and spending time with family and friends.
Hattie Anderson
Hattie Anderson retired from the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Corporation (NORSHIPCO). She is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School.
Ms. Anderson’s goal is to assist the residents of public housing, Berkley and the City of Norfolk to raise their quality of life through self-sufficiency. Ms. Anderson is accomplishing her goal through her various civic affiliations. She is an active member in the Norfolk Resident Organization, the Diggs Town Management Corporation, and the United Order of Tenants. She is also a member of the “Oldies but Goodies” – Berkley Neighborhood Charity Organization, on the Usher Board of St. Mark’s United Christian Church, a volunteer for the Tidewater Prosthetic Center, and serves on the Empowerment Zone Planning Board. Ms. Anderson also has an after school program at Tenet Management, where she employed Hampton University students to work with the youth in the Campostella area and she is a member of the Southside Coalition Team.
Ms. Anderson has received the following awards: NRHA/NRO Volunteer of the Year; NRHA/NRO Humanitarian Award; the Hampton Roads Volunteer Achievement Award; the Delta Sigma Theta Society, Inc. Community Service Award; the Norfolk Neighborhood Star Award; and was the recipient of the Jefferson Regional Award.
F. Nash Bilisoly
F. Nash Bilisoly has been a partner with Vandeventer Black since 1985 and concentrates his law practice in maritime matters, representing shipyards, terminals and vessels.
He received a B.A. from The College of William & Mary in 1976 and a J.D. from Tulane University School of Law in 1979, where he was the Notes and Comments Editor for The Tulane Maritime Lawyer.
His present business associations include Secretary of the Standing Committee on Stevedoring, Marine Terminals and Shoreside Services for The Maritime Law Association of the United States and a member of the National Advisory Board of the Tulane Admiralty Law Institute.
He is a member of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute (SEALI) where he recently spoke on the Transportation Worker's Identification Credential (TWIC). He has previously published articles with SEALI and in the Tulane Law Review.
He serves on the Executive Board of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia and the Hermitage Foundation Museum and is a member of the Norfolk Mayor's Commission to End Homelessness.
Bob Layton
L. Robert “Bob” Layton is a life long resident of Norfolk, only spending time away from the area during his college years and military service. He has been a Willoughby resident since 1979.
A graduate of Granby High School, Mr. Layton received his BA in Political Science and Economics from the University of Virginia. He received a Commission in the US Naval Reserve through the NROTC program and graduated from the Naval Supply Corps School in Athens, Georgia. Following his military service, Mr. Layton was employed by the family-owned business of Atlantic Equipment Corp. where he served as President from 1981 until he retired in 2004. He also served as Vice President of Elrell Corporation, a firm active in commercial real estate ownership and management. Prior to being appointed to the NRHA Board, Mr. Layton served on the Norfolk City Planning Commission from 1992 to 1998. He has also been a member of several City Council Task Forces.
Trevor Robinson
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Trevor Robinson is a criminal defense, personal injury, civil disputes and family law attorney serving Norfolk.
Born in Norfolk, Trevor Robinson graduated from Norfolk Academy in 1993. Robinson earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from James Madison University and graduated from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary in 2003.
Robinson is a member of the Citizens Advisory Council for the Norfolk Juvenile Court and a committee member for the Seton Youth Shelter, providing mentors to children of prisoners. He continues to defend the accused, both retained and appointed by the court. He enjoys sharing his knowledge of the criminal justice system with local youth and is a sought-after orator having spoken at Madison Alternative School, Bethel High School, Plaza Middle School and others. Robinson regularly competes in both local and distant running competitions in support of various charities.
Says Robinson, “Practicing law is a passion. Like my father, and his father before him, I share an equal passion for serving my community. Serving is an honor and its own reward. I want to make a difference.”
Robert J. Soble
Robert J. Soble was appointed by City Council in April, 2004 to serve as NRHA’s newest Commissioner. Mr. Soble is President and Owner of Pottery Art Studio. Mr. Soble has served on dozens of local boards and committees. He was formerly Vice Chairman of Norfolk’s Industrial Development Authority. Mr. Soble helped to establish Harborfest, Festevents, and Virginia Stage Company. Mr. Soble was Senior Vice President of the Virginia Zoological Society; he chaired the Fan Fair of Virginia orchestra group. He serves as advisor to Festevents, was Chairman of Zoo-to-Do and served on the 10th Anniversary of Scope Commission. Mr. Soble has also been a board member of the City’s Economic Development Authority, Virginia Symphony, Arthritis Foundation and Cultural Alliance of Hampton Roads.
In addition to the serving on numerous boards, Mr. Soble has also worked on committees for OpSail 2000, Holidays in the City, Virginia Opera Ball, Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters and many other organizations.
Mr. Soble sees the potential of the City and feels ‘there’s a lot of really important work to do in Norfolk’. He says “now that downtown has been reinvented, we at NRHA can help bring that same level of revitalization to the neighborhoods.”