Board of Directors

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Retiring after 26 years with Hilton Hotels, Dana brings her expertise and leadership from the hospitality industry to The DAW Theatre Foundation. She has served on several nonprofit boards as President, Director, Chairman and Fundraiser. Dana's past boards include The American Heart Association, Tu Nidito Children's and Family Services, The Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation, Fox Theater Tucson and The Pensacola Little Theater where she also acted and directed for PLT's children's theater productions. Dana and her husband Paul moved to Tappahannock to be near her daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters. "It is an honor to serve on The DAW Foundation Board of Directors and I look forward to the successful renovation and opening of historic DAW Theatre"

 After retiring from a career in IT and Project Management for several fortune 500 companies in the Atlanta area, Randy and his wife Betsy Ellis, a native, returned home to Champlain Virginia.  Randy and Betsy have restored Betsy’s family’s 1949 farmhouse and are now refurbishing the “old white barn” on the property.  Randy and Betsy have always believed in supporting the communities they live in. While living in the Atlanta Area, Randy and Betsy were among a group of founding members of St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church in Smyrna GA.  The new church had people, but did not have a building. A vacant 40,000 square foot church was discovered and saved through the 18 month renovation.  Randy is also a gifted musician. Randy’s talent in music came in handy when he designed and oversaw the construction and installation of the church’s sound system.

Randy currently serves on the board of directors for the Economic Development Authority and Tappahannock Main Street Organization.  He is also active in the Rotary.   Randy has a love of anything vintage, especially vintage architecture. This in combination with Betsy’s memories of growing up watching movies at the DAW Theatre brought Randy to join us on The DAW Theatre Foundation Board.

“I can imagine the diverse groups of people that would come to town if the DAW could house all different types of events. I view the DAW renovation as the catalyst that will be the first of many renovations on Price Street”

  Bev is the youngest of E. Marion Doar’s (original owner of the DAW Theatre) five grandchildren. She grew up in Richmond, spending most weekends in Tappahannock visiting her grandmother who often took her to the DAW. Bev moved with her husband to White Stone over 7 years ago after retiring from 30 years of working for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland as a Parent-Infant Specialist for Visually Impaired Infants and Toddlers. Bev currently sits on the Board of the Rappahannock Foundation for the Arts, having served as VP for three years, and currently serving as Outreach Chair (Arts for Youth) and Nomination Committee Chair. She also sits on the Advisory Board for the Northern Neck Family YMCA and is a member of the Equity Builders of the YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas and Lancaster Interracial Connections. Bev is excited to help the DAW receive a renovation that will make it even better than the original, serving the entire community. 

Thomas M. “Tommy” Blackwell grew up in Essex County and graduated from Tappahannock High School in 1970. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on an NROTC scholarship and received his chemistry degree in 1974. After serving as a Surface Warfare

Officer in the U.S. Navy, he retired as Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve in 1994, and then earned a degree in computer science from Mary Washington College in 1996. After 30+ years of combined active, reserve, and civilian service with the U.S. Navy, Tommy was elected Commissioner of the Revenue (COR) in November 2005 and served Essex County and the Commonwealth of Virginia for over 18 years. He received his professional designation as Master Commissioner of the Revenue (MCR) in 2011 from the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper

Center for Public Service. In 2019, he was elected President of the Commissioners of the Revenue Association of Virginia (VACOMREV) at its Centennial Conference in Colonial Williamsburg. Not standing for reelection in 2024, Tommy recently started a revenue management and tax administration consulting business for local and state government. Blackwell married the former Lillian Baird of Essex County, and they reside on the Rappahannock River at “Otterburn Farm” in Chance, VA.

 Tami lives in Tappahannock and has a home in  Washington, DC. She is the vice president of administration and  human resources at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation  (EGPAF), a global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV and AIDS.  In her role at EGPAF, Tami provides overall leadership and strategic  direction of HR and administrative operations initiatives and programs.  She leads a global team of HR professionals to design human  resource strategies with the overall goal of attracting, retaining, and  developing talent. She received the Humentum Operational Award of  Excellence in Human Resources in 2014. Tami has worked in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors.  Previously in her career, she held senior HR positions at Ruesch  International, Iomega Corporation, and SPX Corporation. Tami has led  corporate philanthropic projects and has extensive volunteer  experience. She holds a B.S. from the University of Minnesota.  Tami has a love for the arts and is proud to be a part of the revitalization of downtown Tappahannock and restoration of The DAW Theatre. 

Teresa is a sales associate with Bay River Realty, and a life-long resident of Essex County.  She joined Bay River Realty in 2018, with previous real estate and sales experience.  Teresa knows the area very well, and is involved in local community organizations and projects.  After living out-of-state (North Carolina) for a short time, Teresa realized how much she missed Tappahannock and the Northern Neck, so she moved back.  Much of Teresa’s work ethic was inherited from her parents, Tom and Vera Lankford, who owned a successful business in Tappahannock for many years.  When not working, Teresa enjoys boating, skiing, fishing, home projects, cooking, and sewing.  Family is also a priority for Teresa.  She has three daughters, Meghan, Sydney, and Destin. 

  Joey is a life-long resident of Essex County. He is a second generation owner of their family business, Barbour Printing Services. In addition to his business, Joey has served with many local organizations. This includes stints on the Board of Directors of the Essex County Little League, Chesapeake Bay Governor's School Educational Foundation, Tappahannock-Essex Chamber of Commerce; and the Essex County Planning Commission. He is a life member and former officer of the Tappahannock Volunteer Rescue Squad, past member & President of the Essex Jaycees, and has recently completed his 33rd year with the Tappahannock-Essex Volunteer Fire Department where he is currently serving as President.  As a child, Joey remembers watching the 1978 version of Superman at the DAW Theatre. "It is an exciting time to be on the DAW board as momentum builds for the restoration of this gem. I look forward to being able to attend events here with my family in the years to come." Joey and his wife Judi are the parents of three daughters and reside in Center Cross. 

 Paige Conner Totaro is an attorney and travel planner recently relocated to the Northern Neck from Alexandria. She has served on the board of several arts organizations in the DC area, including Transformer, DC Shorts, and Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts. A lifelong music fan, Paige was a co-founder of Misra Records. Her love of travel led to her blog All Over the Map, which later led to the formation of the travel and tour company Unquote Travel. Growing up in Richmond and spending summers on the Rappahannock, Paige remembers seeing movies at the DAW as a child and can't wait to help reactivate the space for the community.

Tyler is a native of Tappahannock. After graduating from high school he attended the University of Virginia for both his undergraduate and his medical degrees. After completing his internship and fellowship he returned home to his roots and established the Northern Neck Bone & Joint Center. 

In addition to his Orthopedic practice Tyler and his wife, Ashley own and operated Wind Luxury Properties, Wind Farms Excavation & Clearing and Wind Vineyards at Laurel Grove. 

Tyler is a member of Tappahannock Business Advisory Committee and the advisory board for Essex County Conservation Alliance.

Tyler resides in Tappahannock with his wife Ashley and their four young children. 

Tyler has supported numerous local charitable organizations and has a special place in his heart for The DAW Theatre were he attended movies as a child.

   Kia has lived in Essex County with her husband and daughter since 2001. She is currently the Director of IT and Project Management at IDB Global Federal Credit Union in Washington, DC and splits her time between DC and Tappahannock. Sadly, she had only one DAW experience shortly before the theatre closed permanently and that was seeing Disney’s "Mulan" back in the mid-1990s. Kia loves art, movies, live theater and other performing arts, so she’s very excited to be a part of the DAW Theatre’s rebirth!