Delceno Miles

President/CEO

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Delceno C. Miles, President/CEO of The Miles Agency, a Virginia Beach-based niche marketing and public relations firm she founded in 1989. Delceno honed her skills as a media consultant for political candidates in California and Virginia. She serves on the boards of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce (regional and Virginia Beach Division). She serves as president of the board of Virginia Beach Vision. She served on the Tidewater Community College Board and the Tidewater Community College Educational Foundation board where she is immediate past chair. She is on the Hampton Roads Workforce Council board and is a past chair. She was recently appointed to the Resort Advisory Commission by the Virginia Beach City Council. She continues to serve on the Beach Events Steering Committee.

Delceno was appointed in 2002 as the first African American and only the third woman chair of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce regional board. She was elected to the Virginia Beach School Board and served as vice chair for two years. She was honored by Virginia Black Expo and City of Virginia Beach with the 2007 Business Leadership Award. The Virginia Beach NAACP awarded her its 2009 Community Service Award. She was honored by Inside Business publication with its Women in Business Achievement Award in 2009. The YWCA named her its 2011 Woman of Distinction in Communications and Inside Business named her to its 2011 Power List as one of the top 75 most powerful leaders in Hampton Roads. She was named to the Power List again in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 and 2023 as emeritus. She also received the 2012 Corporate Supporter of the Year Award from the Girls With Goals Alliance.

Her additional service to the higher education community includes the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia board, 2000 – 2005 where she chaired the Outreach Committee and the Board of Visitors at Christopher Newport University, 2011 – 2014.

She was inducted into the 2013 Inaugural Hall of Fame by the Hampton Roads Black Media Professionals. The Urban League of Hampton Roads Young Professionals and Tidewater Community College awarded her the 2013 Silver Star Award for Jobs/Entrepreneurship.

Her most recent opportunity to serve is as Virginia Beach City Councilwoman – Bayside District. She was appointed by the city council to fill a vacancy August 2022 – December 2022.

She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University and her M.A. in Communications from Regent University.

 

ZaMari Love

Community Engagement Specialist

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ZaMari K. Love is a Virginia Beach native and graduate of Hampton University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, and later, Old Dominion University where she earned a Master of Public Service. After six years of working to build social capacity within the City of Norfolk's Mayor's Office and Department of Neighborhood Services, she now represents the Miles Agency as Public Relations Specialist for the HRBT Expansion Project. As a community engagement strategist, ZaMari provides in-depth outreach consultation to local elected officials, government agencies, businesses, and grassroots organizations. In her current role and others including Youth Advisor for the National Council of Negro Women, Virginia Beach Section and Program Coordinator for the C.L.E.A.N. Youth Organization in Norfolk, she continues to drive local community development initiatives through program development, public outreach, workshop/training facilitation, and public speaking throughout the region and beyond. 

 

Debbie Hansley

Community Engagement Specialist and Event Planner

An enthusiastic and team-oriented individual, this retired Marine can’t seem to slow down. Debbie loves to travel and spend time with her family. She thrives on being involved in her community and helping others. After retiring from the United States Marines Corps, she enjoyed a successful 30-year career in Fundraising, Sponsorship, Marketing, Business Development, and Event Management. She retired once again from the U. S. Navy’s Mid-Atlantic Region’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department as the Regional Sponsorship Director. Debbie holds a Master’s Degree in Event Management from George Washington University. 

 

Barbara Hamm Lee

Communications and Media Relations 
Specialist

Barbara Hamm Lee is an award-winning journalist, television/radio host and the owner of Sharing Info, LLC., (www.sharinginfollc.com), a media/communications consulting company that assists companies to strategically maximize media potential, market effectively, and protect their brand.   She is best known as the Executive Producer and Host of Another View, a weekly talk show that “discusses today’s issues from an African American perspective”. A local celebrity, Barbara is called on regularly to emcee and facilitate programs as well as to deliver motivational speeches throughout Hampton Roads. In addition, Barbara created a series of town hall meetings entitled Race: Let’s Talk About It, in response to increasing tension surrounding race relations.

Prior to her work in Norfolk, Barbara held management positions with: Communications Technologies; Prince Georges County, Maryland Police Department; and Hamm and Fox Communications. She was a consultant to the National Federation of Community Broadcasters’ African American Public Radio Stations Initiative, consulting with 26 African American public radio stations on compliance, governance, development, programming and community engagement. For eleven years, Barbara held a variety of leadership positions with WHRO Public Media.

Most of Barbara’s career has been spent in television news management, including as News Director for WTKR-TV, Norfolk. She has also served as an adjunct journalism professor for Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University.

Barbara is an expert at navigating the difficult terrain of race relations. A strategic thinker, she also has the soft skills necessary to create an atmosphere that fosters constructive dialogue, using her talents to overcome contentious divides. Currently, she is heading up communications and community engagement activities for the St. Paul’s Area Transformation, a joint project of the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the City of Norfolk, revitalizing the Tidewater Gardens public housing community into a mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood.

Barbara is very involved in the community serving as a board member for the following organizations: Let Freedom Ring Foundation; Hampton Roads Biomedical Research Consortium, The Virginia Humanities Board, and the National Center for the Prevention of Community Violence. She served twice as Chair of the Board of the YWCA, South Hampton Roads, and is the former Chair, Board of Commissioners, Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

In 2018, Barbara was inducted into the Silver Circle for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chesapeake Bay Chapter; a lifetime achievement award honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to the broadcast or cable industry either in a performing, creative, technical, or administrative role. She has received a Virginia Association of Broadcaster’s award, as well as three Excel Awards given by the National Association of Black Journalists, the largest organization of journalists of color in the world.

Barbara has been recognized for her work in the community, including being named by the YWCA-SHR as a 2010 Woman of Distinction; a Woman of Courage, Confidence and Character Award and a Famous Former Girl Scout Award, both from the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast; the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities Humanitarian Award; the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award, both from the Urban League of Hampton Roads, and was named as an Inside Business publication’s “Top 25 Women in Business”.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Barbara is married to Maxie Lee, has two daughters and a granddaughter. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Bennett College and attends First Baptist Church, Berkley. https://www.sharinginfollc.com/

 

Kimberly Wimbish

Public Relations Specialist and Event Planner

Kimberly Wimbish is a visionary leader and expert in the industry, spearheading the success of KMK Productions. With her exceptional leadership capabilities, she has built a reputable agency trusted by leading organizations to deliver outstanding results.

With over 20 years of industry experience, Kimberly Wimbish has established herself as a trailblazer, delivering groundbreaking outcomes and sharing unheard stories with the world. As a passionate advocate for the voiceless, she uses her platform to create a positive change.

As an esteemed educator, Kimberly brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, ensuring that her team remains at the forefront of industry trends and best practices. Her uneavrring commitment to continuous learning and growth drives the innovative strategies and cutting-edge approaches employed by KMK Productions.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Kimberly is deeply involved in the community as a mentor and philanthropist. She believes in using her expertise and resources to empower others, making a positive impact on individuals and causes close to her heart.

https://www.kimberlywimbish.com/kim-wimbish

 

Mayra Arucha

Community Engagement Specialist and Spanish Interpreter


Mayra Arucha is a highly accomplished professional with over 17 years of experience in business development and community outreach in the Richmond, VA area. As the proud owner of MVA Latam Consulting, she channels her expertise and passion into empowering the Latino community. A dedicated mother of two adult children, Mayra brings a unique perspective and unwavering commitment to her work. Through her consultancy, she endeavors to bridge gaps, foster growth, and advocate for meaningful change within the Latino community and beyond.

 

Patrick McCarty

Graphic Designer

Patrick has been a graphic designer for 35+ years. This experience has allowed him to become an expert in a wide array of media and marketing channels, including digital media, print media, and brand development. My experience working with organizations — from start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations to non-profits to local governments — has created effective communications for my clients throughout the United States and beyond. His graphic design style, both online and in print, is based on the goal of clear, impactful communication.

His qualifications:

  • Solid aesthetic sensibilities
  • Real passion and interest in visual design trends, with many years of graphic design experience (UI, branding, layout, motion design, illustration)
  • Bachelor’s degree in graphic design
  • Strong portfolio showing creativity, depth of thought, UI design interfaces, branding, print and showcasing a breadth of styles and approaches.
  • Advanced knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, XD, After Effects) and presentation tools (Keynote, Powerpoint), and many more.
  • I also have extensive experience working with many different content management systems including Wordpress, Squarespace, Wix, and Shopify, among others.
  • Absolutely love to be challenged and I’m relentless at figuring things out. Highly empathic. I find this very beneficial in my work, both with my interpersonal interactions and understanding a project’s audience's needs.

Evolv Design

 

Season Roberts

Digital Marketing Specialist

Experienced leader and communicator with a demonstrated history of working with nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and regulatory agencies. Skilled in Marketing, Communications, Nonprofit Organizations, Event Management, Media Relations, Philanthropy, and Fundraising.