Mr. William “Bill” Cunningham represents Pulaski County. He is a partner at Cunningham Real Estate, where he handles property development and management.
He is involved in several community organizations including serving as treasurer of Friends of Claytor Lake, chair of Pulaski Encouraging Progress Committee, and Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the boards of Pulaski County EDA and Pulaski County Lewis Gale Hospital.
Cunningham is an alumnus of American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, where he earned an associate degree in occupational studies, and he also holds a bachelor’s degree from Roanoke College.
He lives in Dublin, and in addition to his many community activities, he also enjoys living at Claytor Lake and golfing.
When Pat Bear graduated from Wytheville Community College in 1974, she never imagined that one day she would become president of a college. But, 43 years later, Dr. Pat B. Huber became New River Community College’s sixth president and the first female to hold the position.
With 25 years of full-time employment at NRCC, Dr. Huber came to the presidency after serving as vice president for instruction and student services for 10 years. She also held other leadership and teaching roles. She earned a Ph.D. in community college leadership from Old Dominion University in 2006 while serving as NRCC’s dean of arts and sciences.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Emory and Henry College and a master’s degree in secondary education from West Virginia University.
In Pulaski, where she resides with her husband, Peter, Dr. Huber enjoys being a member of the Pulaski Rotary Club and participating in community activities. She also serves on various committees and the leadership council of First United Methodist Church and the board of directors and scholarship committee for the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.
Dr. Huber likes to spend time with her family, cook and support local sports teams in her free time.
Craig Chancellor represents Floyd County. He is an agent and developer with Thomas and Wall Real Estate.
He has extensive experience in audit, financial accounting, information technology, and commercial and business development. Chancellor previously served as controller at Chateau Morrisette, LLC, a winery in Floyd County. He worked for many years with NiSource Gas Transmission and Service, eventually becoming vice president of business development.
He currently serves as the Floyd County Chamber of Commerce President.
A graduate of Missouri State University, he holds a degree in finance & accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant. He and his wife, Renate, live in Willis.
Margaret Dewald-Link, Ph.D., lives in Check. Dewald-Link holds doctorate, master and bachelor degrees in education from The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State).
Her career has spanned health care and education and included time teaching in public schools and colleges and universities as well as working as a college admissions representative. Dewald-Link began her career teaching in the Pittsburgh Public School system and then became an assistant professor at Framingham State College and Virginia Tech.
She also spent many years as an owner and director of home health care agencies.
Dewald-Link is a member of the Penn State Alumni Association and Havens Chapel United Methodist Church, where she serves as an adult Sunday School teacher.
She is married to James E. “Jim” Link and has two step-children, Sonya Carr and James E. Link, Jr., and a son Preston Link. She enjoys traveling and restoring/refinishing antiques.
Richard L. Chidester, of Pearisburg, started his education at Southside Virginia Community College, earning an associate degree in police science in 1976. He earned a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice with a concentration in police planning and management from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1977 and a juris doctorate from the Marshall Wythe School of Law in 1982.
He has served as the Giles County attorney since 1984, and full-time since January 2017. He was former principal in Hartley & Chidester, P.C. law firm. He also served as a campus police offer at the College of William and Mary from 1977 to 1982.
He is a member of the Pembroke First United Methodist Church and Local Government Attorneys of Virginia.
Chidester’s wife, Toni, is a retired teacher. They have two children, Dr. Michelle Linkous and Michael Chidester and five grandchildren, Carson, James, Ellie, Luke and Paisley.
He enjoys golf and fishing in his free time.
Christopher P. McKlarney is the county administrator for Giles County. McKlarney holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Bluefield State College.
He is involved in several community organizations including serving on the Carilion Giles Community Hospital board and as chairman of Mountain Lake Conservancy.
McKlarney’s family includes his wife Nicole and three sons Isaac, Ethan, and Jacob. He enjoys coaching, hiking, hunting, and cooking.
Jessica D. Littlejohn, P.E., of Blacksburg, is the Vice President of Engineering at Hurt & Proffitt, Inc. In her position, she provides leadership to the Blacksburg Municipal, Land Development, and Transportation departments. Her career in the civil engineering industry has spanned both Delaware and Virginia for more than 20 years.
Littlejohn has a vast amount of experience in water and wastewater transmission systems, storm water, land planning, and site design of residential and commercial developments. She holds a Professional Engineer license (P.E.) in Virginia, Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania, and she also received a Simplified Strategic Planning certification from Michigan State University.
She is an alumna of Virginia Tech where she earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
Littlejohn is the co-chair of Blacksburg Partnership Transportation Committee and is a member of Onward NRV, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Waterworks Association.
She enjoys working on home improvement projects, hiking, landscaping and sewing. Her family includes her husband Ian and four children Elias, Mia, Sophia and Liam.
Bobbie Potter lives in Christiansburg. She holds a master of education degree from the University of Wyoming.
Potter served as a school counselor in Wyoming for eight years and then worked as a community college transfer counselor at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, WY. She also served as a transfer counselor at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville for 16 years. She retired from Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as coordinator of undergraduate recruitment and community college liaison.
Her volunteer service includes the Montgomery County Christmas Store, 100+ Women Who Care NRV, and Native at Virginia Tech, a campus organization dedicated to advancing the visibility of American Indians and other Indigenous peoples on campus.
She is married to Ken Potter, who is a faculty member at Virginia Tech. They have two children, Ron Potter and Sarah Bishop, and four grandchildren, Jackson, Jacob, Ella and Nora. Potter enjoys traveling, reading and cooking.
Eric K. Johnsen is the owner of Eric Johnsen State Farm Agency in Christiansbug. His career with State Farm spans nearly 20 years including positions as field sales associate, agency field consultant, and financial services product associate.
Johnsen began his career in financial management with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter and First National Bank. Johnsen holds numerous insurance industry credentials, including Charted Advisor for Senior Living, Charted Life Underwriter, and Chartered Financial Consultant. He is also a Certified Financial Planner.
A long-time member of Rotary International, Johnsen is a member of the Rotary Club of Blacksburg. He is also a Virginia Tech Hokie Club and Monogram Club member.
Johnsen is currently an adjunct instructor in the finance department at Virginia Tech, where he also earned his bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in family financial management,
He and his wife, Dr. Jennifer Rathmann Johnsen, live in Blacksburg with their two children, Jack and Tommy. He enjoys outdoor recreation, hiking, hunting, camping, and attending his children’s many athletic events including baseball, basketball, and soccer.
Mr. Jonathan D. Sweet is the county administrator for Pulaski County, a position he has held since January 2017. He previously served as the county administrator and chief economic development officer in Grayson County. He has nearly 15 years of chief administrative officer experience and more than 17 years of experience in local government.
An alumnus of Radford University with a bachelor of science degree in communications and a concentration in public relations, he also has completed the University of Virginia Darden School of Business' Senior Executive Institute and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma's Economic Development Institute.
He has been a credentialed manager by the International County Management Association since 2010 and was recognized at the National Association of Counties' annual conference as the National County Leader of the Year in 2015 by American City and County Magazine.
He is a long-standing member of the Virginia Association of Counties, the Virginia Economic Developers Association, the Southern Economic Development Council, the Virginia Local Government Managers Association and the International County Management Association.
He lives in Fairlawn with his wife, Natalie, and three children. He enjoys golf, working out and family time.
Mr. Cameron Peel represents Pulaski County.
He is vice president of sales and chief client officer at Camrett Logistics, a family business, where his focus is growing organic business and bringing new opportunity to the company. He attended Old Dominion University, where he earned a degree with a double major in supply chain management and decision sciences.
Peel’s community involvement includes serving as president of the Pulaski County Youth Center, vice president of Wytheville Golf Club, Region III director of America Logistics Aid Network, and chair of the Virginia Maritime Association Southwest Chapter.
He lives in Dublin and enjoys spending time at the lake and sports.
Dick Harshberger, Ph.D., is a professor and director emeritus of Virginia Tech’s University Leadership Development Program and former director of the Pamplin College of Business Management Development Center at Virginia Tech. He has served as the primary resource for spokesperson training for the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Personnel and Training. Dick joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 1969 after teaching at the State University of New York and launching Virginia Tech’s off-campus graduate program.
Throughout his career, Dick brings a wealth of life experience, having worked in diverse roles such as butcher’s apprentice, ditch digger, mortician’s assistant, and direct marketing business owner. His rich background informs his expertise in leadership, strategic planning, change management, and team building.
Internationally, he has taught in Turkey at Bosphorus University and Isik University. He co-directed Virginia Tech’s Transportation Construction Management Institute for 31 years and has led over 100 strategic planning retreats.
In public service, Dick served on Radford City Council for 17 years, 10 as Vice Mayor. He continues to hold leadership positions in various organizations and remains active as a speaker and consultant. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh, a master’s degree from Villanova University, and a doctorate from North Carolina State University.
Mr. Christopher Calfee represents the City of Radford. He is an AVP, Commercial Lender with Summit Community Bank.
He began his career in the financial industry as a banking officer at Bank of America in Radford and worked as a financial advisor and planner before eventually becoming assistant vice president at both Branch Banking and Trust and then Atlantic Union Bank.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Liberty University, and he is an NRCC alumnus. He and his wife, Becki, and their two daughters, Addie and Bella, live in Radford.