ABOUT US

HISTORY

NextUp RVA was formed in 2013 with the name Middle School Renaissance 2020 when a group of community and business leaders collaborated with Richmond Public Schools to answer a bold question: what would it take to put more RPS teens on a path to success?

The group devised a concept of an out-of-school time system based on research and best practices to improve lagging middle school and high school outcomes.  They established NextUp to build and support a Richmond out-of-school time system focused on quality enrichments for youth, specifically middle school youth. 

This system replaced a patchwork of fragmented service providers with a cohesive team of public agencies, services providers, businesses, funders and schools. This team engages youth in high-quality learning opportunities- academic support and enrichments through afterschool, summer, weekend and other initiatives. NextUp emphasizes improving access for underserved youth, using resources efficiently, improving quality, coordinating efforts with schools and delivering results.

From 2013 to 2022, NextUp designed and tested a model of coordinated, quality expanded learning across five Richmond public schools, created an online platform for one-stop registration, developed a shared data management system for tracking youth participation and outcomes, and established a strong infrastructure and operating practices to support a system of services.

For youth, NextUp means they can explore content that interests them through hands-on experiences, make friends, and feel safe.  

 

OUR VISION

OUR VISION

All RVA youth will discover their talents and build positive relationships and skills that help them thrive in school and life.

 

OUR MISSION

To provide RVA youth a strong system of accessible and equitable OST and expanded-learning resources.

 

OUR CORE VALUES

YOUTH CENTERED

All decision-making is through the lens of, “What is best and equitable for youth?”

 

DATA
DRIVEN

We collect, analyze and use accurate data to drive decisions.

 

RESULTS FOCUSED

We have a responsibility to youth, funders and partners to have a positive impact on the future of RVA youth.

 

ACTION ORIENTED

Thoughtful analysis and planning must be followed by action. We cannot produce results without acting.

 

IMPACTFUL PARTNERS

We work collaboratively and respectfully with a wide network of partners. It is only by working together that we can affect real, positive change.

 

COMMITTED TO QUALITY

We have an unwavering commitment to quality in every aspect of our work.

 

WHAT WE DO

CREATE EQUITABLE ACCESS FOR YOUTH

BUILD PROGRAM PROVIDER CAPACITY

MAKE DATA ACCESSIBLE

PROMOTE EFFECTIVE POLICIES AND PRACTICES

NEXTUP STAFF

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CANDACE
BENN

Executive Vice President
Program Operations & Analytics

Emma (headshot for website) (1)

EMMA
BRUNY

Coordinator
Development

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KELLY
CHOPUS

President & CEO
(Interim)

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AMIR
ELSAYED

Director
Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives

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AMIE
GEREMIA

Executive
Assistant

Anderson (headshot for website) (1)

ANDERSON
HAYES

Senior Manager
Special Projects & Communications

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MUNASHA
ACHARYA KAFLE

Evaluation
Specialist

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AMANDA
MACDONALD

Director
Development (Fractional-Interest)

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BRYAN
PEERY

Director
Finance

SARAH
RAMIREZ

Manager
Systems & Compliance

Jeanine (headshot for website) (1)

JEANINE
TURNER

Vice President
Strategic Partnerships & Programs

SITE COORDINATORS

SHARESE
BANKS

Coordinator at Lucille Brown
Middle School

Derwood (headshot for website) (1)

DERWOOD
GREENE

Coordinator at Boushall
Middle School

KIARA
STEELE

Coordinator at River City
Middle School

CRYSTAL
TAYLOR

Coordinator at Henderson
Middle School

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STEVE
ROGERS

Board Chair
Writer & Speaker

 

HEIDI
ABBOTT

Counsel
Hunton Andrews Kurth

 

FRANK
ATKINSON

Senior Advisor & Partner
McGuireWoods LLC

 

TIM
BICHA

SVP, Mortgage Operations
Truist Bank

 

JEFFREY
BOURNE

Delegate Leader

Virginia House of Delegates, 71st Dist.

 

CARLOS
BROWN

Governance Chair
Vice President & General Counsel
Dominion Energy

 

TROY
DYE

Development Chair
Chief Strategy Officer and Chief of Staff
West Cary Group, LLC

 

PALMER
GARSON

Managing Director
Silvercrest Asset Mgmt Group

 

KRISSY
GATHRIGHT

Finance Chair
COO – Retired
Apple Hospitality REIT

 

WILLIAM H.
GOODWIN, JR.

Chairman
CCA Industries, Inc.

 

NICOLE
JONES

School Board Representative
9th District

 Richmond City School Board

 

JASON
KAMRAS

Ex Officio – Superintendent
Richmond Public Schools

 

JOHN A.
LUKE, JR.

Governance Secretary
Chairman
WestRock Company

 

THURSTON
MOORE

Immediate Past Chair
Chairman Emeritus, Hunton Andrews Kurth

 

JOHN
MCCURLEY, MD, MHA

Clinical Professor
of Medicine

MCV Physicians

COLETTE WALLACE MCEACHIN

Commonwealth’s Attorney
City of Richmond

 

TAYLOE
NEGUS

Audit Chair
Partner, Enterprise Client Leader
Aon Hewitt

 

ROBIN
POPE-MOSS

Advisory Chair
SVP, Community Engmt & Outreach
Truist Bank

 

LINDA
SCHREINER

Retired – SVP, Strategic Management Officer
Markel Corporation

 

LEVAR M.
STONEY

Ex Officio – Mayor
City of Richmond

 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE​

ROBIN
POPE-MOSS

Advisory Chair
SVP, Community Engmt & Outreach
Truist Bank

 

HEIDI
ABBOTT

Counsel
Hunton Andrews Kurth

 

TYLER
AGEE

Director of Community Development
Bon Secours Richmond Health System

 

EVA
COLEN

Manager, Office of Children and FamiliesVice President & General Counsel
City of Richmond

 

HAROLD
FITRER, PH.D

President and Chief Executive Officer 

Communities In Schools of Richmond

 

GREG
GALLOP

Senior Community Impact Officer 
Community Foundation of Greater Richmond

 

SHADAE
HARRIS, PH.D

Chief Engagement Officer
Richmond Public Schools

 

SEAN
MILLER

Interim President & Chief Executive Officer
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond

 

JAMIE
SEAGRAVES

Community Affairs Engagement Strategist
Capital One

 

MARY DUNNE
STEWART

President and CEO
Greater Richmond Fit4Kids

VERA
THOMAS

Entrepreneur

 

TY
TOEPKE

Vice President of Development 

The Faison Center

 

OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PARTNERS

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