Chapter Board of Directors

Committee Assignment

Budget & Finance Chairman: La Don Chambers
Sports & Recreation Chairman: Charlie Hayden
Membership Chairman: Michelle Shaw Rich
Education Assistance Chairman: Terence Smith
Hospital Liaison Chairman: Raymond Kenney
Personnel Chairman: David Coffield
Advocacy & Legislation Chairman: David Coffield
Special Development Committee Chairman: Michelle Shaw Rich
Website Committee Chairman: Gerald Gibbs
Adaptive Equipment/Structural Assistance Chairman: Raymond "Ray" Kenney
 

Charles B. Willis
Bio: Charles “Chuck” Willis was born in Chesapeake, Virginia, where he attended Great Bridge High School. He served four years in the United Sates Marine Corps and he was stationed in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1965, Mr. Willis was injured in a car accident. For three years, he attended college pursuing a degree in Business Administration. Mr. Willis owned and operated a grocery store for two years and for eight years, he owned and operated an investment business with 45 employees. In the early seventies, he served on the Architectural Barriers Committee of the PVA. From 1981 to 1999, Mr. Willis was employed by Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC as an Education Employment Coordinator and Patient Representative and in 1993 was selected has Handicap Employee of the Year for the Veterans Administration nationwide. From 1999 to 2006 Mr. Willis worked at the Mobility Center of Virginia as a Sales Consultant. In 1986, Mr. Willis Co-authored the Peer Counseling Central Program which was adopted by the National Office at the VAMC and has been a peer counselor every since. Mr. Willis has also been a volunteer at McGuire VAMC and has recently received a plaque for over 5000 hours volunteer service. Since retiring he has been teaching the Peer Counseling class for new injuries. Mr. Willis was involved in the development of the Think First Program at the McGuire VAMC and has served as a spokesperson for Think First. Mr. Willis has been a member of the Virginia Mid-Atlantic Chapter PVA since 1966 and served on the Board of Directors for many years and is currently serving in his 5th term as the Chapter President. Mr. Willis serves on the Personnel, Finance and Membership Committees. He is also one of the original members of the Independent Wheelchair Athletic Association. Mr. Willis is also active in many civic organizations including the Boy Scouts and the National Spinal Cord Injury Association. 
 

David Coffield  
Bio: David R. Coffield is a 62-year-old retired Naval Officer (CWO4). He spent 10 years on board Navy Nuclear Submarines as a Nuclear Engineering Supervisor and as Nuclear Quality Insurance Officer. He also served two years as a Nuclear Radiological Controls Officer in support of Nuclear Submarine Repair. Additionally, he spent seven years as Director of Inpatient/Outpatient Drug Treatment Programs for the Navy both at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach and in Naples, Italy. David was injured in February of 1985 while stationed in Naples, Italy. His SCI injury was a C-6 quadriplegic. He was medically retired with 20 years of service. After his rehabilitation at the VA Medical Center Richmond SCI, he went on to graduate school to receive his Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University in May of 1989.

Mr. Coffield returned to full-time employment in January 1989 at the VA Medical Center Richmond and in 1991 was assigned to VA Medical Center Hampton as the Chief of Prosthetic Treatment Center where he was employed for 9 years. On May 31st, 1999 David retired with 30 years of Federal Service and he began working with the Hampton Roads Community Sailing Center which has a goal of offering those persons with severe disabilities a chance to experience the sport of sailing. He has also become a member of the Virginia Peninsula Military Officers Association of America (VIPMOAA) and is helping in their Legislative/Advocacy Program. He has served on the Virginia Mid-Atlantic Chapter Board of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) for 18 years and served previously as the National Director for the Virginia Mid-Atlantic Chapter, PVA for 14 years. As the Chapter National Director his concerns have always been with our SCI/D veterans and the sacrifices they have made both past/present and he truly feels it is his duty to reciprocate. This last March, as in the previous six years he and five other Chapter Representatives went to Washington, DC to meet with all of Virginia’s House and Senate members to encourage them to support those issues in the Dept. of VA that concern our SCI/D veterans the most. We must form a united front and voice our continued support for “VA Health Care” concerns so the needs of all SCI/D veterans will become the priority for this current Congress. We must convince our law makers that PVA’s agenda is an important one, and hope that you will allow me to continue to represent you at this level. As A PVA Board member, he represents the Chapter on the Virginia Veterans Joint Leadership Council (JLC), which is an appointment position by Governor. David resides in Williamsburg, VA with his lovely wife of 37 years, Dr. Martha C. Coffield.
 

Raymond Kenney
Bio: Raymond Kenney is a soon to be 50 year old Marine Corps Veteran as of August 2, 2009. This will be Raymond’s 9th term as a member of the Board of Directors if he is elected. He had the honor of serving at HMX-1 Quantico, Virginia home of the Marine Corps Helicopter Squadron Marine One. He had the honor of serving former President Ronald Reagan while at HMX-1. Raymond received an honorable discharge in June 1982. Raymond received a C-6 spinal cord injury on June 25, 1994 because of an automobile accident. After rehab at MCV, he returned to Cadmus Journal Services where he worked for a total of 17 years. Raymond is experienced in software setup and configuration. Mr. Kenney is active in wheelchair sports including the National Veterans Wheelchair and the Mid –Winter Sports Clinics. Mr. Kenney is currently serving on the Board of Directors as the Chapter National Director and Hospital Liaison. Mr. Kenney spends many hours at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC hospital as the Hospital Liaison Officer supporting the veterans that have to come in from time to time and also the newly injured veterans. Raymond also visits the long term care facility at the Hampton, Virginia VAMC. Raymond is a member of the McGuire Peer Counseling Team, and spends a lot of time and effort helping any veteran that comes to McGuire VAMC. He is extremely concerned with the care, rights, and benefits of spinal cord injured veterans and will continue to do so for all Spinal Cord Injured patients and veterans. Mr. Kenney has served on the Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council for 2 years and was selected by the Governor of Virginia Tim Kaine. Mr. Kenney has also been selected by Governor Tim Kaine to serve of the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Mr. Kenney is involved with other organizations within his community so that he can better serve people with disabilities whether they are service connected or not. Mr. Kenney has a 22-year-old son who graduated from Hermitage High School in Henrico County, Virginia. Mr. Kenney’s son Trae is graduate James Madison University, Raymond always has time to talk about how proud he is of his son. You have to be willing to put the time, effort, and dedication that it will take to serve on the board. I do this because it means a lot to a veteran that is lying in the hospital far from home and family that just might want someone to talk to, or may have some concerns that can be addressed by this Chapter. I am a true professional and I take my job seriously. If you have come to the hospital for medical attention or for your annual, I probably talked to you. I probably saw you there because I try my best to make myself available to you. That is why I volunteer, because I get great satisfaction knowing I have made a slight improvement in a veteran’s life. That’s what it’s all about.