After spending more than 35 years as a university professor and college president, DiCroce has led the Hampton Roads Community Foundation for more than a decade. The foundation is the largest grant and scholarship provider in southeastern Virginia, distributing more than $33 million in 2024.

For the 2024-25 school year, the organization provided more than $1.8 million in scholarships to 490 undergraduate and graduate students. It also provides grants to nonprofits focused on health, education, the arts, the environment and other causes. Grants are awarded four times a year.

DiCroce, who has a doctorate in higher education from William & Mary, was president of Tidewater Community College for 14 years and president of Virginia Piedmont Community College for nine years. She also taught at the University of Virginia, William & Mary and Old Dominion University. DiCroce earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from ODU, which in January awarded her the Hugo Owens Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award, recognizing her contributions to civil rights, politics, housing and social programs.

She serves on the boards of the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, RVA757 Connects and Virginia Beach Vision.

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Henderson joined the American Diabetes Association in 2020 and was named CEO in 2022 after serving in the role on an interim basis for six months. He previously worked in the private sector for 24 years, most recently as president and CEO of Texas-based emergency services company Champion Fire & Security.

In 2023, the ADA partnered with health care tech company Abbott Laboratories to investigate how technology can help people with diabetes make more informed decisions about what they eat.

Earlier this year, the association lobbied Congress to preserve access to Medicaid for people with diabetes when voting on President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” warning the cuts would jeopardize health care access for millions with diabetes.

Since the ADA started its research program in 1952, it has invested more than $963 million in its studies to prevent and cure diabetes.

Henderson earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University, where he co-captained the basketball team. In 2022, Henderson joined angel investor StartUp Health’s Health Moonshot Impact Board, which advises the venture capital firm on its funding of health care innovations, including Type 1 diabetes treatments.

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After first joining CAF America in 2011, Krafft was appointed as the organization’s president and CEO in September 2024.

During her nearly 15 years with the charity, Krafft played a significant role in supporting the organization as its contributions grew from $25 million annually to more than $900 million. She was most recently senior vice president of external affairs, where she designed and implemented grantmaking strategies and developed major partnerships.

CAF America works with philanthropists seeking to support charitable organizations around the world, providing back-office support for grantmaking and maintaining a network of vetted charity partners. Individuals, corporations, nonprofits and their advisers use the organization to develop, manage and monitor their philanthropic endeavors. In 2024, CAF America distributed over 10,000 grants to over 3,900 grantees across 108 countries.

Krafft has bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and Spanish from Virginia Commonwealth University, along with a certificate of Spanish translation and interpretation. She also has a master’s degree in international development from American University.

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A Buchanan County native, McClanahan has led the Virginia Tech Foundation since 2021. She was previously a state Supreme Court justice and president and dean of the Appalachian School of Law. McClanahan also serves as an adjunct professor of finance at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business.

In 2024, the Virginia Tech Foundation marked its 75th anniversary managing the university’s endowment and real estate holdings. It has more than $3 billion in assets. The foundation also owns the for-profit Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, for which McClanahan serves as president.

A Virginia Chamber of Commerce board member, she received her bachelor’s degree from William & Mary and a law degree from the University of Dayton School of Law. McClanahan was Virginia’s chief deputy attorney general before becoming a state appeals court judge.

She is a member of Tech’s Center for Economic and Community Engagement Advisory Board, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine’s board, the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission and Carilion Clinic’s board.

INTERESTING PLACE I’VE TRAVELED: The Diamond Beach in Iceland

PERSONAL MOTTO: The 4-H motto: “To make the best better”

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While the Toys for Tots program is closely associated with Christmas, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has expanded its efforts and now provides year-round support for children in need, including children affected by natural disasters, kids in the foster care system and Native American children. In 2024, the organization distributed more than 30 million toys, books and games to nearly 13 million children. The charity spends 97% of its budget on programs and only 3% on support functions such as fundraising.

Laster took the helm of the foundation in 2020 after serving as executive vice president. He was in the Marine Corps for 38 years, reaching the rank of lieutenant general and serving as chief of war plans on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He retired from the service in 2018. The Marine Corps presented Laster with the Leftwich Trophy for outstanding leadership in 1989.

The Texas native is a graduate of the New Mexico Military Institute, Southwest Texas State University and the National War College. He is a senior fellow with the National Defense University.

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