About Us
The Williamsburg Health Foundation (WHF) is an independent private foundation dedicated to enhancing health in Greater Williamsburg.
The Foundation’s goal is to support organizations and efforts that prioritize positive outcomes for populations with low incomes by targeting underlying factors affecting lifelong health and well-being. Access to care, economic advancement, and healthy living are the Foundation’s three overarching funding strategies.
WHF awards grants to nonprofit organizations as well as local and state government agencies that serve residents in our service area of the City of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County.
Our History
Our story began in 1996 when the Williamsburg Community Hospital and Sentara Healthcare formed a partnership agreement that included a provision for a new, locally organized, and managed foundation to benefit community health. In our inaugural year, WHF started with an endowment of $55 million and anticipated providing $1 million annually to support health initiatives in the Greater Williamsburg community.
In 2002, the Williamsburg Community Hospital and Sentara Healthcare merged, making WHF a private health foundation with assets amounting to approximately $100 million, one of Virginia’s largest legacy health foundations. As of September 2025, WHF’s assets had grown to approximately $164 million.
Since our inception, WHF has awarded over $119 million in grants for initiatives that enhance the community’s health and well-being.
Strategic Plan: 2026-2030
Vision
A healthy community for all
Mission
To enhance health in Greater Williamsburg
Goal
Support organizations/efforts that prioritize positive outcomes for populations with low incomes by targeting underlying factors affecting lifelong health and well-being.
Values
Accountable: Steward assets transparently
Ethical: Work with integrity
Respectful: Listen to the community
Funding Strategies
Access to care
Availability, affordability, and quality of health-related services.
- Primary, behavioral, and/or dental health care:
Interventions that help people receive timely, high-quality health care services
- Medications:
Interventions that provide people without insurance with affordable and free medicines
- Supportive Services:
Interventions that provide seamless support to a network of multiple resources
Economic Development
Financial literacy and capability to access essential resources.
- Educational success for lifelong learners:
Interventions that support educational success
- Housing Stability:
Efforts that reduce safety/health risks in homes or ease cost burden of securing housing
- Access to transportation:
Efforts that address the lack of affordable and accessible transportation
Healthy Living
- Adequate nutritious food:
Interventions that support food access and increase healthy eating
- Opportunities for physical activity:
Interventions that support opportunities for regular physical activity
- Promotion of healthy lifestyles and social connection:
Efforts that promote well-being and support opportunities for social interaction
Board of Trustees 2026
Timothy Cross
Retired Deputy Director of Planning and Development Services
York County
Andrea M. Donnor
Director, Platform Marketing Operations
Capital One Financial, Inc.
Cheri Green
Senior Vice President, Private Wealth Advisor
Old Point National Bank
Nathan R. Green
Commonwealth's Attorney
Williamsburg/James City County
Mitchell F. Harry
Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management Director, Financial Advisor
Morgan Stanley
Rhiannon M. Hartman
Attorney
Carrell Blanton Ferris & Associates
Kelli Mansel-Arbuckle
Retired Human Resources Director
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Douglas J. Myers
Retired, Senior Vice President
Morgan Stanley
Juanita M. Parks, Vice Chair
Chief Financial Officer
Covenant Woods
Lawrence B. Pulley
Emeritus Dean
William & Mary Raymond A. Mason School of Business
Steven R. Staples
Retired School Superintendent/Executive Professor
William & Mary School of Education
Felicia A. Stovall, Chair
Senior Vice President, Senior Wealth Advisor & Trust Officer, Head of Administration
Chesapeake Wealth Management
Adria Vanhoozier
President
Riverside Doctors’ Hospital Williamsburg
Robert A. Whitehead, Sr., Treasurer
Pastor
New Zion Baptist Church, Williamsburg
Alfred L. Woods
Former Chairman
Aegion Corporation
Ex-Officio
Deanna Van Hersh, Secretary
President and Chief Executive Officer
Williamsburg Health Foundation
Staff
Alessandra Kozek
Accountant
Bill Pribble
Vice President of Programs
Deanna Van Hersh
President and Chief Executive Officer
Karen Burden
Vice President of Finance
Kelly Metcalf-Meese
Program Officer
Valerie Marshall
Analytics and Technology Manager
Report to the Community
Employment
The Williamsburg Health Foundation is currently hiring for two positions.
