Staff bios

 

Staff

Melinda D. Patrician, Executive Director
mpatrician@alexandriavolunteerbureau.org

 

Courtney Bishop, Alternative Community Service and Youth Program Manager
cbishop@alexandriavolunteerbureau.org

 

Alexis Grant, Youth Activities Coordinator
agrant@alexandriavolunteerbureau.org

 

 

In July 2006, Melinda Patrician became the new Executive Director at AVB. Most recently, Melinda has been an independent public relations consultant and co-founder of the Arlington Forum, a nonprofit focused on civic engagement. She has long been active in school and parent involvement issues in her home community of Arlington. Her clients have included nonprofits, publishers and government institutions. She hopes that her experience in public relations, community organizing, non-profit management, and civic involvement will be a valuable combination of skills to bring to AVB. Melinda is married to Bob Patrician, a labor economist at the Communications Workers of America, and has two children, Molly, 17, and Joe, 13.

 

 

 

Courtney Bishop, Alternative Community Service and Youth Program Manager, came to this area from Oklahoma almost two years ago. A graduate of St. Gregory's University with a BA in Social Sciences, she joined the AVB staff as Youth Program Manager and has taken on the position of Alternative Community Service Program Manager as well. While in college she served as the director of one of 18 adult literacy programs in Oklahoma, working with her staff to improve her clients' basic social and literacy skills. She volunteered for many causes from breast cancer benefits to Big Brothers and Big Sisters. She also served as her sorority president, rush chair and Greek Council treasurer. She brings a wide range of skills and great energy to AVB.

 

 

Alexis Grant, Youth Activities Coordinator, grew up across the river in our nation’s capital Washington, D.C. She has always been dedicated to service and helping youth in her community. She recently completed her second year of service with AmeriCorps at City Year Washington, D.C where she helped coordinate and implement a youth service learning program for middle school students. In the fall she will be attending Trinity University in D.C. where she is earning her degree Human Relations as well as working with AVB and Alexandria youth.

 

 

 

 

Jazmyn Steele, Administrative Assistant, Jazmyn Steele has been volunteering in nursing homes, churches, and military Youth Activities Centers since she was young. Being a part of a military family has allowed Jazmyn to live in various places around the world. This has enabled her to appreciate different cultures. She is currently earning her degree in Business administration at NOVA, hoping to have her own business one day. In pursuit of her goals she lives by her motto “ Faith Without Work is Dead.”