Meet the Board

Sharon Love, Yeardley’s mother, co-founded One Love with her daughter Lexie to honor Yeardley’s positive spirit, and in so doing, catalyzed a national movement. Sharon has been the main driver behind One Love, steering it toward prevention strategies after learning more about the issue in the wake of Yeardley's tragic death. Sharon had a distinguished 25 year career in the Baltimore City Public Schools, teaching hearing-impaired students before retiring in 2013 to work on One Love full time. Sharon works tirelessly on the behind-the-scenes tasks of developing a national foundation and has become a well-respected leader on the topic of relationship violence. As the main spokesperson for One Love, Sharon has reached many groups of students at every age level, professionals in the relationship violence arena and politicians on both a local and national level. Sharon earned her BA from Hollins University and a Master of Education degree from McDaniels College.

Lexie, the older sister of Yeardley, emerged as a resilient force in the face of an unspeakable family tragedy.   Co-founding One Love alongside her mother, Sharon Love, and husband, Jamison Hodges, Lexie channeled her grief into action, establishing The One Love Foundation in 2010.   In her role as Founding Member, Lexie serves as a compelling public spokesperson for the cause, lending her voice to interviews with numerous national and local media outlets since the Foundation's inception. Prior to her impactful work with One Love, Lexie honed her skills as an IT engineer at Baltimore-based Agora Publishing.  Her professional background adds a unique dimension to her advocacy, demonstrating a versatile skill set that extends from technology to social change. As a mother of three remarkable little girls, Lexie's commitment has taken on an even deeper meaning.  Through her personal experiences, she actively imparts essential knowledge about the signs of both healthy and unhealthy relationships to her daughters, further emphasizing the importance of the Foundation's mission. Lexie is a graduate of Elon University, where she earned a BA in Communications. Her journey, marked by resilience, compassion, and a commitment to making a positive impact, continues to inspire those around her as she leads the charge in fostering awareness and change through The One Love Foundation.  

Jamison Hodges has a solid foundation of education and entrepreneurial success.   Armed with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia, Jamie embarked on a remarkable 20-year tenure as the owner and President of Charles H. Hodges & Son. This family business, specializing in material handling equipment, thrived under Jamie's leadership, allowing him to expand the company unmatched since the company was founded in 1934. In a testament to his strategic acumen, Jamie successfully navigated the recent acquisition of Charles H. Hodges & Son by a private equity group.  Despite being part owner of two other successful businesses, Jamie remains deeply entrenched in the day-to-day operations of the business. Beyond his professional achievements, Jamie is a committed family man.  Married to Lexie, the sister of Yeardley Love, he was a driving force behind the establishment of the One Love Foundation in 2010.  Residing in Baltimore, MD, with Lexie, their three beautiful daughters, and their dog, Millie, the mission of One Love is extremely meaningful as he plays an integral part in guiding the organization  

A recognized speaker, author and media analyst, Tanya Meck is a seasoned business leader and communications strategist with experience in corporate reputation, crisis communications, executive visibility, and issue campaigns. She brings over 20 years of experience at the high stakes intersection of media, business, and politics. Tanya leads GSG’s global communications and public affairs business and is a member of the company’s executive committee. The company was recently named Public Affairs Agency of the Year and is consistently ranked by industry publications among the top global communications firms. Focused on executable approaches to business challenges, Tanya counsels prominent national and global brands such as The LEGO Group, Dunkin’ Donuts, Nielsen, MGM Resorts, the Rockefeller Foundation, Google, H&R Block. She also advises advocacy campaigns on some of the leading issues of the day including education, women in leadership, choice, and immigration.   Tanya has also been an in-house communications director for a publicly-traded Fortune 500 company, high-ranking government official, and run political campaigns—both as a candidate and as an advisor. She has over a decade of on-air experience with television and radio and held a weekly spot on programs such as the Emmy-nominated Sunday morning political news show FOX CT Capitol Report. In addition, she regularly speaks to the media on the topics of communications, corporate reputation, crisis management, and politics. Also a life-long advocate of women and girls, she has authored numerous studies and reports on Title IX in sports, sexual harassment laws, and disparities in gender portrayals in the media.   Tanya graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, where she was an All-American athlete. In 2018, she was inducted into Drew’s Athletics Hall of Fame as one of the schools’ all-time top offensive field hockey players. She holds a master’s degree in public policy studies from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut where she served as a graduate fellow and a collegiate field hockey and lacrosse coach.

 

Dr. Roger Ward was named provost and executive vice president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) in October 2021 after serving in interim roles since January 2020, when he also was named dean of the Graduate School. He led the Graduate School until August 2023. Dr. Ward joined UMB in March 2009 as the associate vice president for academic and student affairs and has since served the university in many capacities including: as chief academic officer; chief accountability officer; vice president for academic affairs; vice president for operations and planning; interim chief human resources officer; and senior vice president for operations and institutional effectiveness. Before joining UMB, Dr. Ward served as assistant vice president for student affairs at the New School in New York City and also held senior administrative positions in the City University of New York system. Dr. Ward holds an associate’s degree in data processing/computer programming from Kingsborough Community College, a bachelor’s degree in government and a master’s in public administration, both from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He holds two law degrees: a Doctor of Law degree from New York Law School, and a Master of Science in Law (cybersecurity law) from the Francis King Carey School of Law at UMB. Dr. Ward also holds a Doctor of Education degree (with distinction) in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Ward has been teaching on-site, online, and in a blended environment since 2004 and has taught graduate courses in ethics, the history of higher education, leadership and organizational behavior, legal issues in higher education policy, and cybersecurity policy, among others.

Mr. Boykin is a long-time family friend of the Love and Hodges family, growing up with Yeardley in the Baltimore area. He works in Private Wealth Management at Merrill Lynch, helping individuals and families across the country formulate a plan to achieve their goals. Mr. Boykin has been a longtime supporter of the One Love mission, co-chairing the Young Professionals Network in New York City for years. Austin attended the St. Paul’s School in Lutherville, before going on to graduate and play lacrosse at Cornell University. He currently resides in Baltimore County, with his two children and wife Kathleen.

Virginia Jeffery is an experienced Project Manager at The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, a prominent general contracting firm headquartered in Baltimore MD. With a rich professional background, she brings over two decades of extensive experience to her role. Prior to her current position, Ms. Jeffery served as a Project Manager for Southern Spars in Auckland, New Zealand. Notably, she embarked on a unique sabbatical, dedicating five years to sailing around the South Pacific with her husband and newborn daughter. This experience not only showcased her adventurous spirit, but also underlines her ability to balance responsibilities with a global perspective. Throughout her career, Virginia has contributed her expertise to a diverse range of organizations, from multi-billion-dollar enterprises like Tyco Telecommunication and the Ports of Auckland to innovative start-ups such as Solent Composite Systems. Her impact is evident in her leadership through improved initiatives, fostering operational excellence, and ensuring financial stability. A proud member of Executive Alliance, Virginia actively engages with successful female leaders in the Greater Baltimore region, demonstrating her commitment to fostering professional connections and supporting women in leadership roles. Educationally, Virginia holds a master’s degree in business from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia. This robust academic foundation complements her wealth of practical experience, making her a dynamic and accomplished professional in the field of project management.

Melissa Hoppmeyer is the current Attorney Advisor to the Lead Special Trial Counsel for the US Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel. Prior to assuming that role, she worked as a Special Attorney Advisor to The Judge Advocate General and assisted as part of a small team with the standup of the Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Hoppmeyer served as the Chief of the Special Victims and Family Violence Unit in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She is an experienced prosecutor with more than a decade of experience, establishing her career as tireless advocate for victims of domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault. Ms. Hoppmeyer has assisted in developing, drafting and implementing numerous protocols, policy initiatives and legislative bills. Ms. Hoppmeyer has testified before the Maryland General Assembly on numerous occasions to help implement stronger criminal laws for crimes of violence and to ensure that domestic violence and sexual assault victims are treated fairly throughout the civil and criminal judicial system. Ms. Hoppmeyer has also served as a technical trainer for law enforcement, fellow prosecutors, victim advocates and the community on issues including consent education, sexual assault laws, child abuse investigations and prosecutions, domestic violence, criminal procedure, and how to properly conduct trauma-focused investigations. Ms. Hoppmeyer has trained across the country, most recently developing an Investigator and Prosecutor Sexual Assault Investigations Academy for the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College. Ms. Hoppmeyer has also developed processes to address high risk cases. Specifically, developing a High Risk and High Lethality Protocol for all domestic violence cases within Prince George’s County that lead to a 50% decrease in Intimate Partner Homicides. Ms. Hoppmeyer also successfully developed a County-wide strangulation protocol that created a unified response to strangulation events and increased successful prosecution of strangulation cases in the office. Ms. Hoppmeyer worked as an integral part of the Multi-Discipline team that obtained accreditation for Prince George’s County’s Child Advocacy Center.

Morgan is the co-founder of the Building Traditions Society at Anne Arundel Medical Center where she chaired Denim and Diamonds, their major fundraising event for mental health services. Prior to joining the Board, Morgan served on One Love’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Advisory Board since 2021. Her previous positions include serving as head of Human Resources at Evan K. Thalenberg, P.A. for 12 years; Marketing Coordinator at LPL Financial; and promotional representative for Brine Lacrosse. Morgan graduated and played lacrosse at the University of Virginia, where she played for Julie Myers as Captain on the 2004 ACC and National Championship team. That year she also won individual recognition as the National Unsung Hero of the Year. Morgan lives in Annapolis, MD with her 3 children and husband Brendan.

Thomas Burt is a Managing Director and Head of Private Wealth Americas at Golub Capital, a market-leading, award-winning direct lender and experienced credit asset manager. As of July 1, 2023, Golub Capital had over $60 billion of capital under management, a gross measure of invested capital including leverage. Golub Capital partners with institutional investors and family offices, specializes in delivering reliable, creative and compelling financing solutions to companies backed by private equity sponsors. Golub Capital has been a top 3 U.S. Middle Market Bookrunner each year from 2008 through Q2 2023 for senior secured loans of up to $500 million for leveraged buyouts. Mr. Burt joined Golub Capital in 2022 and is a Managing Director and Head of Private Wealth Americas within the Investor Partners Group. He is responsible for overseeing Golub Capital’s distribution, marketing and client service activities in the private wealth channel in North and South America. Prior to joining Golub Capital, Mr. Burt was a Managing Director in the U.S. Wealth Advisory business at BlackRock, where he was the Head of Alternatives Distribution. Prior to this position, he was a Managing Director and National Sales Manager for the Wirehouse channel at BlackRock. Previously, Mr. Burt worked in several leadership roles at BlackRock, including as National Sales Manager for the Bank channel and the Private Client and Institutional team. Prior to that, Mr. Burt worked at Nuveen Investments in various sales and distribution roles. Mr. Burt earned his BA in International Relations from The University of Virginia, where he served as Captain of the lacrosse team, winning the team Leadership Award as a senior. His standout play earned him a selection to the North/South College All Star game. Mr. Burt is a CFA® Charterholder and is a member of the CFA Institute and the Philadelphia Society of Financial Analysts. He and his wife Sue live in Philadelphia with three children; their daughter plays lacrosse for Yale University and their youngest son is a first year lacrosse player at UVA.