Thirteen nonprofit leaders named to inaugural Rocco Fellowship

Thirteen nonprofit professionals in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area have been selected for the first cohort of Rocco Fellows.

The nine-month fellowship, offered by the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and funded by the Rocco Legacy Endowment, supports professional development and group coaching sessions. This first cohort will be coached by George Neighbors, of X-Roads Advisory.

Applicants came from a range of backgrounds and experience representing various roles and service areas. The cohort, which includes two circles, was created around shared needs and common roles, according to Lauren Jefferson, director of programs and marketing.

“Seeing the depth of this applicant pool, the excitement in the nonprofit sector around this opportunity, and the commitment of all the candidates to bettering themselves in their professional context was inspiring in itself,” Jefferson said. “The selection committee was especially impressed by the range of experience levels, from those who are new to nonprofit work to those with more than two decades of experience, who were interested in improving their skills.”

Each year’s cohort will look different based on the applicant pool, she said.

“The caliber of this first group highlights a shared professional commitment and dedication to service,” Jefferson said. “We take seriously their pledge of time in self-improvement, and we look forward to seeing how joining in this collective learning effort will support their knowledge, growth, shared sense of community, and resilience.”

*****

2026 Rocco Fellows

Trisha Blosser, Eastern Mennonite School

Nicky Fadley, Strength in Peers

Paula Ford, Kingsway Prison and Family Outreach

Amanda Miller Garber, Central Valley Habitat for Humanity

Ashley Gordon-Becker, Way to Go

Cristen Hackenbracht, Generations Crossing

Sydney Hayslett, Stone Haven

Chris Hoover, NewBridges Immigrant Resource Center

Bill Howard, Adagio House

Andrea King, Valley Associates for Independent Living

Kyle Lawrence, Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition

Ally Padilla, Journey Counseling Ministries

Leeanne Shepherd, Second Home Learning Center

*****

Following a welcome reception in August, the cohort meets September 2026 through May 2027. The application for the next cohort will open in summer 2027.

The fellowship is part of new programming funded by the Rocco Legacy Endowment. This fund honors the legacy, values, and spirit of Rocco Enterprises, Inc.  For nearly 50 years, Rocco’s corporate culture in the Shenandoah Valley recognized the inherent power of mutual interdependence among its partners, the promotion of creativity and intrapreneurship, and philanthropic engagement.