Women in Profile

Tonia S. Yocum
Tonia S. Yocum, PA-C, was born in Charleston, WV and grew-up in Teays Valley, WV.

Upon graduating as a Physician Assistant from Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, WV, she started working as a PA at Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria, VA. Her husband was soon transferred for work, so she moved with him to Japan for several years.

In 2001, her family returned from Japan to live in Virginia. In 2002, Tonia began working for Dr. Jeffrey Carlson at Orthopaedic and Spine Center in Newport News ,VA as an Orthopaedic PA, specializing in spine surgery.

Tonia resides in Williamsburg and has been happily married to her husband Chalmer for 15 years. They have a 10 year old son, Clee, and a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Deuce. The family enjoys travel, hiking, fishing, gardening and pretty much any outdoor activity you can name. Tonia quips that she also makes an excellent golf caddy for her son!

The phone number at the Orthopaedic and Spine Ce757-596-1900 or visit the website at www.osc-ortho.com

Jessica Lehmann
Jessica Lehmann recently became the Executive Director for Reading Enriches All Children (REACH). While serving as a Board Member Jessica fell in love with the immense heart of this small yet mighty organization. She enjoyed living in the Ghent area for over two years and recently became a resident of Willoughby to experience the bay life.

Jessica’s career has spanned a variety of organizations in the non-profit field starting at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center (Charlotte, NC) in their Development Department. Knowing that she wanted to stay in non-profit, her career goal was to find one whose mission matched her values and life experience.

REACH fights for that which is dearest to her. Jessica’s love of reading was instilled in her from an early age by her librarian mother and imaginative father who created original bedtime stories.

She looks forward to sharing her passion with the volunteers, Board of Directors, fellow staff, and the community as they all work together to help support the literacy needs of homeless and at-risk youth in the Hampton Roads area.

Deirdre W. Sanderlin
Deirdre W. Sanderlin is the Director of the newly created WoMen’s Economic Development Center (WEDC) at Norfolk State University. Mrs. Sanderlin is a native of Norfolk, VA and is married to the Basketball guru, Coach Darren A. Sanderlin.

Deirdre describes herself as a merchant of hope for the low in spirit echoing the message “everything is possible if you believe”!

She holds two degrees from Norfolk State University; a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Urban Studies and a Masters of Arts Degree in Urban Education. She has completed post graduate coursework in Organizational Leadership and plans to complete her PhD in that area.

Deirdre has worked in the helping profession for over 20 years. Her new charge at the WoMen’s Economic Development Center will certainly create fertile ground for Deirdre to make a crucial impact in the Southside community.

Edie Fischer
Edie Fischer, E-RYT 500, was first introduced to Hot Yoga in the late 90’s during a business trip to San Francisco. She fell in love with the physical and spiritual benefits of the practice. Edie felt the calling to teach.

In the summer of 2006, she attended Jimmy Barkan’s Yoga teacher training program in Fort Lauderdale and received her Hot Yoga certification. After working 20 years as a Senior Corporate Manager she decided to pursue her passion as a yoga teacher and in 2007 opened Hot Yoga & Massage Studio, in Newport News, VA.

Edie brings her knowledge, compassion, and love of yoga to her community. Her focus is in technique, alignments, and modifications allowing each practitioner to experience yoga with success. Edie’s passion for yoga is evident in the way she lives her life, teaches, and inspires others.

Contact Edie at 757-223-9642 or visit her website at
www.hotyogamassage.com

Gayla Black-Guishard
Gayla has spent her entire lifetime advocating for adults and children in various healthcare settings and now brings that strong sense of advocacy to her position as Provider Relations Coordinator for Hospice of Virginia, one of the largest hospice care providers in the United
States . Her goal is to educate the community about the benefits of hospice services.

Prior to coming to Hospice of Virginia, Gayla worked in mental health for over 15 years, as well as in Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Home Healthcare. She finds that advocating for hospice care for patients is most rewarding because the Hospice Care Benefit allows you to address not only the patient, but also their family and significant others.

A graduate of Shenandoah University, Gaya is married to Marlon and together, they have 3 children, Nigel and twin girls, Ashley and Alecia. When not enjoying time spent with her family, Gayla plays with her dogs, listens to music, and gardens. (Organic)

After traveling for years with her husband who is now retired from the Air Force, she and her family settled back down in Smithfield, where Gayla was born and raised.

Christina Gonzalez-Wilson
Christina Gonzalez-Wilson grew up as a military dependent whose father was in the Air Force and retired at Langley Air Force Base.

After graduating from Peninsula Catholic High School she attended Christopher Newport University and obtained degrees in both Nursing and Biology. After CNU she attended Virginia Commonwealth University where she obtained a Master’s degree as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. In January 2012, Christina will begin attending Old Dominion University to complete her doctorate degree in Nursing. She has served the women of the peninsula with great compassion for seven years.

Christina is married, with two children ages four and seven. Her husband of twelve years is a certified Honda motorcycle mechanic and grew up in Williamsburg, where they reside today.

Christina enjoys spending time with her kids, reading and the beach. The family enjoys motorcycling and four wheeling on the 80 acres of land owned by David’s grandmother.

Betty Nealy Lewis
For Betty Nealy Lewis, owner of Boutique She-She, life’s been anything but boring. Reared in Aberdeen, MD youngest of five children, what Lewis wanted was to be “gone”.

After earning a BS in Business Management from Hampton Institute she began a career with the IBM Corporation. Eleven years later she enlisted into the US Army. “My family though I was crazy; I was bored.” Distinguishing herself as a military public affairs specialist, she is acknowledged as the first women housed in the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

Lewis, who holds the MA in Museum Studies, project managed the merchandising start-ups for both the Virginia Air and Space Center; and NAUTICUS in Norfolk. The rest, she said, is history.

Lewis has one son, shares four grandchildren, a great-grand- daughter and a high-strung Saluki Hound with her husband James.

Voted 2011 Best Women’s Boutiques by Hampton Roads Magazine readers, Boutique She-She is located at 22 S King St, in Downtown Hampton. Phone her at 757-727-0072, email at boutiqueshe_she@verizon.net or visit her website at www.bsheshe.com.

Lisa Marie Samaha
Dentistry is not only Dr Samaha’s mission; it is her ministry. It is truly what she was born to do and with each opportunity to care for a patient, she believes her life is truly enriched. Lisa Marie’s interest in dentistry blossomed with her first introduction at her dentist dad’s elbow, by the age of 5. Her passion for her profession hasn’t stopped growing since. There is no question that she is doing what she is meant to be doing.

Creating beautiful smiles isn’t her only artistic outlet, though. As a little girl, she always loved to draw and create with her hands, and in 1991, she took her first art class. From that day on, she knew that she would never stop painting. Lisa Marie is proud to be an award-winning artist, but more importantly she is proud that her artistic perspective and talents are able to be utilized in the care of her patients every day. Dentistry offers the perfect harmony between art and science – and it certainly has Dr Samaha by the heart. Developing trusting relationships with her patients is the very best part of it all!