Board of Directors

Joe Samaha, President

A life-long resident of Northern Virginia, Joe graduated from Bishop Denis J. O’Connell High School in 1973 and from American University in 1977.  Married to his wife, Mona, in 1982, the couple had three children: Omar, Randa, and Reema.  The Samahas have resided in Centreville since 1987.

Having grown up in a close-knit Lebanese community, Joe was heavily influenced by his Lebanese heritage and the challenges confronting the Middle East.  At American University, Joe majored in International Relations and Political Science. Upon graduation, Joe enrollenatid in the Master’s Program in International Relations at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon.

After marrying Mona in Beirut in 1982, Joe worked with his father in The Samaha Corporation, an international trade firm in McLean, Virginia.  During this period, Joe traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.  Joe eventually gravitated to the real estate business, and he remains in that business today.

Since the Virginia Tech tragedy, Joe and Mona have established scholarships and funds, including the Angel Fund, in memory of their daughter, Reema.  Joe has been a tireless advocate on behalf of the Virginia Tech families and serves as the first president of VTVFOF.

Lori Haas, Vice President

Jody McQuade, Treasurer

Jody McQuade, a Certified Real Estate Specialist and Accredited Buyers Representative, has been a Realtor Associate for 21.  She also works as the Office Manager and Administrative Assistant for CENTURY 21 Hughes-Riggs Realty, Inc., in Woolwich, New Jersey.  Jody is also a Licensed Title Agent and Notary Public. She is a member of the Gloucester/Sales County Board of Realtors Education Committee and also Owner/Manager of Assets and Property Management Company. 

Jody is a Single Mom to 3 of the best kids in the world. After her son, Sean, was wounded on April 16, she helped form VTV and has served as Finance Chair since its inception.  She is honored to serve as its new Treasurer and Patron of the Finance Committee.  

Katelyn Carney, Secretary

Patrick Strollo

Patrick graduated in 2007 from the Virginia Tech Honors College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. He is currently working as a fixed-income research analyst at Federated Investors, Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Uma M. Loganathan

Uma Loganathan was born and raised in Blacksburg, Virginia.  As the daughter of a Hokie engineering professor, she did the only sensible thing: she left to attend school at the University of Virginia, where she spent four years cheering for the Wahoos and being a turncoat.  She graduated in 2003 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering.  After spending a few months in a biomaterials lab at Virginia Tech and interning on Capitol Hill with Congressman Rick Boucher, she enrolled in the graduate biomedical engineering program at UVA.  At the moment, she is taking leave from her program in order to explore other interests, such as policy and advocacy.  She is honored to serve as a member of the board and is eager to further the goals of the Foundation.

Jennifer Herbstritt

Michael Herbstritt

Lolly Miller

A native Floridian and currently residing in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Lolly married her husband, Dennis, in 1984. The couple have two children, Heidi and Wendy. Lolly graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Physical Education and later earned a Certificate in Gerontology. Lolly's primary focus areas are mental health initiatives and establishing a culture of positive energy across all age spectrums to avert future violent events. Creator of the inaugural Intergenerational Day Camp in the Summer 2011, Lolly incorporated the themes of Peace- Building and Cultural Diversity and appreciated the support of the VTV Family Outreach Foundation.

Roger O'Dell

I am the father of Derek, who was shot in 207 Norris Hall, the German Language classroom. Derek is presently a 2nd year student in the Veterinary School at Virginia Tech.

I was born and raised in Philadelphia, am 65 years old, and retired - partially for medical reasons. I am married to Joanne Milan Hawley, and have one other child, Justin, 31 years old. I studied civil and environmental engineering (MIT), and city and regional planning (University of Pennsylvania). I have also worked in transportation engineering, architecture, and computer systems. In addition to Philadelphia, Boston, and Detroit, I lived in Charlottesville, VA, for 17 years, and in Roanoke, VA, for the past 18 years. My hobbies have included bicycling, reading, and playing the music of India on Sitar. My extra-curricular activities have included serving as Treasurer and as Secretary of our Homeowners Association, as President of the MIT Alumni Club of the Blue Ridge, as Chairman of the Board of the Heart of Virginia Foundation, and as co-Chair of the Membership Committee of the VTV Family Outreach Foundation.

My interest in serving on the Board, like the interest of most others, derives from April 16th, 2007, and wanting to make a difference in our troubled world. I got active in mental illness-related issues, first lobbying the Virginia General Assembly for better support of the state’s mental health programs. I then joined the Heart of Virginia Foundation, a mental health advocacy organization, founded by Tommy Edwards, a Virginia Tech football star in the mid-1990s, who has suffered from Bipolar Disorder. Our focus has been on improving the mental well-being of college students through the creative arts, music, painting, dance, drama, etc. In addition to having been an accomplished athlete, Tommy is also a talented artist, musician, and singer-songwriter. His motivation and creativity have enabled us to get established and to begin to make a difference. Due to my health (I have leukemia), my participation may be erratic. Fortunately, I am presently in remission, and I am optimistic about the future, although my survival is not certain. That uncertainty of life is a terrible lesson that we learned on April 16th. I am willing now to work all the harder.

Kevin Sterne

My name is Kevin Sterne and I am a survivor of the shootings at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. Since that day, I graduated from Virginia Tech in May 2007 with two degrees, a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. In the months of my recovery, I began graduate school at Virginia Tech and graduated with a Masters of Electrical Engineering degree in May 2010. Immediately after graduating for a second (or third time depending on how you see it) I began working for Virginia Tech as an RF Engineer. My job has me working on hardware related issues for the upkeep, repair, and construction of HF radars used to study space science. If we ever meet face to face, ask me sometime and I'll explain it further.

I want to serve on the board of directors for the VTV Family Outreach Foundation so that I can continue to serve the memory of those that were lost and for those that are unable to serve today. Much of the motivation for the activities that I do with the VTVFOF or in my personal life are often inspired by the people that were effected by our common bond. I hope that my service to the board will bring an 'outside-the-box' way of thinking which will give the board some perspective. I also hope to bring some excellent organizational skills to the board as we continue to formulate the ways in which we can best serve society while living for 32.

Former Members of the Board:

Jamal Carver, Board Member, survivor
Suzanne Grimes, Board Member, Mother of Kevine Sterne
Granville Gregory “Greg” Gwaltney, Treasurer, father of Matthew Gwaltney
Peter Read, Board Member, Father of Mary Karen Read
Mike Pohle, Vice President, Father of Michael Pohle, Jr.
Susan Carney, Secretary, mother of Kate Carney, survivor
Bev Bluhm, Board Member, mother of Brian Bluhm
Lily Habtu, Board Member, survivor
Kavita Suratkal, Board Member
Evan White, Board Member
Mike White, Board Member, father of Nicole White
Michael Evans, Special Assistant to the First Lady, Anne Holton
Todd Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture
Dietra Trent, Deputy Secretary of Education for Higher Education
John Watkins, State Senator