The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission is made up of community members chosen by our City Council to represent diverse segments of our Staunton community. Individually, we bring our unique lived experiences spanning age, race and ethnicity, ability, skills and insights. We each care deeply about our community and we are here to use our collective voice to bring diversity, equity and inclusion concerns and issues to light for our community.

Sabrina Burress, she/her		Sabrina Burress is a native of Staunton, a licensed professional counselor, community organizer, and community advocate. She is passionate about uplifting the voices of the underserved and underrepresented.  In addition to being a member of Staunton’s DEI Commission, Sabrina stays active in her community!  She is the current NAACP Staunton Branch President, a member of the Staunton Pride Leadership Committee, and chair of the Staunton Black Business Collective.  Sabrina is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of ARROW Project, a mental health non-profit organization working to decrease barriers to mental health, train future behavioral health professionals, and build meaningful community partnerships.
Ian Callahan, he/him		I officially arrived in Staunton in December 2024, but I previously worked at Mary Baldwin in 2022, which is when I fell in love with the city. As a resident, I’m continually impressed by Staunton’s kindness and have enjoyed becoming involved in our local community culture. My goals for DEI include making sure that all folks – visitors and locals alike – find a sense of belonging in Staunton. I certainly did, and I’m so grateful for it.
Cecilia Carpenter, she/her		I’ve lived in Staunton with my husband for over 14 years and am the proud mom of two children in Staunton City Schools. We love the city for its community - how families engage in supporting our schools and youth activities, how faith and community organizations bring people together, and how the city engages its residents to drive and share progress. As a registered nurse and healthcare administrator, I see firsthand how social drivers affect the health of individuals and families in our communities. Equity and inclusion matters, and I am committed to helping Staunton be a place where everyone can thrive and be well.
Mark Jeter, Vice Chair he/him		My story: I moved to Staunton from the west Texas desert at the end of the 20th century (!) to join the American Shakespeare Center as an actor.  Working downtown, I not only met many lifelong pals in that theatre (including my partner of nearly 20 years – Joann Jeter!), but I befriended a wide array of people who called our charming city home – all of whom, whether originally from here or now here, were fascinating because of their experiences and reasons for living in Staunton. Their story! Our Story: Much of that community feeling has continued to grow for myself and the Queen City, but I now see and understand how even with our all of eateries, arts, and education, the edges of our citizenry are challenged by aspects of life that we don’t always see or notice about one another.  My desire for Staunton’s DEI Commission is to build upon the city’s current communication and support for those that meet with roadblocks and disadvantages and allow us to better see and help each other. We belong here!
Charles Lawson, he/him		Bill Bullard once said, "Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge... is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world. It requires profound purpose larger than the self-kind of understanding." I graduated from Longwood University with a degree in History and Political Science. I have lived and worked in Staunton off and on for almost a decade. I am a firm believer that travel is fatal to prejudice and can never go on enough road trips. I view the road more or less as the ragged and ecstatic joy of pure being. It has the ability to get anyone out of the tentacles of circumstance in which they might believe they are trapped. Many live in fear of the suffocation of diversity and education and are content with settling. You can never be that person, for that is not what being a citizen is about. As Otto Neurath once wrote, “We are like sailors who have to rebuild their ship on the open sea, without ever being able to dismount it in dry dock and reconstruct it from its best components.” We mustn't continue to make do with what we have. It is a permanent revolution and evolution of which we are a part of in life. My hope for this committee is that everyone in the city truly believes they belong here.
AnhThu Nguyen, Chair she/her		I fell in love with Staunton on my first visit, and my partner and I purchased our home a short 2 months later. That was back in 2016, and since then, I’ve been fortunate to build a beautiful and meaningful life here. As Executive Director of the Shenandoah LGBTQ Center, my work places me at the intersection of many underserved and underrepresented communities. Our community is stronger when we move forward in shared vision and collective effort. I care deeply about Staunton and building a more inclusive community that uplifts and empowers all who live here. My goals for this DEI Commission are to keep issues of equity and inclusion at the forefront, strengthen relationships and sense of belonging for our residents, and be an agent of positive change.
Keisha Nicholson, she/her		I was born and raised in Staunton, and I carry both pride and perspective when I speak about this city. Its history is complex—especially through the lens of my experience as a Black woman—but Staunton is also home to resilience, beauty, and possibility. I care deeply about creating inclusive spaces where all people feel seen, valued, and connected. I help shape the landscape of our community through various cohorts and initiatives focused on equity and belonging. Outside of my work, I’m a proud mother to three amazing kiddos and a “Gammy” to a cat, a dog, and a gecko. I’m also the founder of Love Forward Foundation, a nonprofit that supports at-risk youth and their families through trauma-informed creative programming.
Belinda Osorio Polgar, she/her		Belinda Osorio Polgar proudly hails from the Bronx, but has ancestral ties to Staunton since the 1700s. Her great-grandfather was a graduate of VMI. She calls the mid-Atlantic states home for over 45 years. A civil rights activist working with women, Hispanics, African Americans, and Asians, Ms. Osorio Polgar has won awards. The first to publish an e-magazine for Hispanic young women, showcasing their positives contributions continuing her belief that Hispanics are important integral part of the US. Advocating in the minority community for over 50 years, Ms. Osorio Polgar had a successful public affairs firm, and was co-editor and owner of the National Hispanic Reporter. Belinda is the proud mother of Alexa, grandmother of three, and is married to a very entertaining husband. Ms. Osorio Polgar's desire is to make Staunton DEI culture acceptable in a positive light.
Natalie Slater		Information coming soon!
Susan Venable, she/her
Jordan Zipser, they/them		I have called Staunton home since 2009 when I moved from Augusta County where I grew up. As an openly transgender and nonbinary person, I have felt so incredibly welcomed and supported here. Because of that, I have wanted to give back and support the community – everyone should feel welcome – by volunteering with the Shenandoah LGBTQ Center, and most recently on the DEI Commission. My goal for Staunton’s DEI Commission is to build and foster a strong sense of community, connection and mutual aid; and increase accessibility to resources and information.