Board of Directors
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Franklin Hudgins, President
Franklin is a Professional Civil Engineer with Cardno, Inc. He is the Chairman and co-founder of the T. Oast Memorial Scholarship Fund at Norfolk Collegiate School, and he chairs the Alumni selection committee which selects its recipient. Franklin is active in the Norfolk Chapter of the VMI Alumni Association, once serving as President and in other leadership roles. He was a Volunteer Coach for the Maury Boys Lacrosse Team from 2008-2010, and the Maury Girls Lacrosse Team from 2011-2014. He and his family reside in Norfolk.
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Eric Peterson, Vice President
Eric is Sarah’s father and a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel. He is employed as the Vice President, Corporate Development, for Management Analysis Technologies, Inc (MAT-Inc). Eric has served as a board member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Virginia Chapter, and he has a long record of community service in every place he and his family have lived over the years. In Norfolk this includes serving as the Larchmont RAT Race Director, a Cub Scout den leader, the Maury Boys’ Lacrosse Booster President, and the Congregational Council President at First Lutheran Church. Eric and his friend, Mark Todd, have published a children’s book, Fredericka and the Fire, based upon stories he and Sarah made up at bedtime.
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Paula Cook
Paula has over 40 years experience in special event and volunteer program management, leadership development and fundraising. She has previously worked in higher education, retail banking and as the executive director for Volunteer Hampton Roads. Paula has worked at Norfolk Collegiate School since 1997 in development and is currently the administrative assistant for the upper school division. Her volunteer experience includes board and committee involvement with Norfolk Harborfest, Norfolk Festevents, First Lutheran Church, Leadership Hampton Roads and CHKD Holly Circle.
“I am honored to now serve as a volunteer and board member for SMPF to help our community better understand depression and fight suicide.” Paula and her husband live in Norfolk and have a daughter in college.
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Rebecca Palasek
Rebecca is a Michigan native, Virginia Beach resident and will never stray far from a beach community. She is a Compliance Manager for Sentara Health Plans and has a strong passion for ensuring individuals have access to necessary health care services, especially mental health care. As a parent of teenagers, Rebecca has witnessed the effects depression and suicide can have on friends and family of those that live with depression every day. With four children at home, Rebecca is an active participant in various school activities, including PTA board and committees.
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Elizabeth Parker
Beth is the Assistant Director for Minus 9 to 5 and an Instructor of Pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Beth earned an undergraduate degree in English and Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s in Education with a concentration in Counseling from Old Dominion University. Specifically trained in elementary and middle school counseling, she has worked in several Norfolk Public Schools in the guidance department. She has over a decade of experience in individual and group behavioral education and therapy, contracting with Child and Family Services of Eastern Virginia, now The Up Center.
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Mary Plunkett
Mary is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, but has spent over a decade in the Hampton Roads area after relocating here with her Active Duty husband. In April 2022, Mary joined the SMP Foundation as the Foundation’s Administrative Coordinator, and she is also certified in QPR. Having had her own life touched by suicide, Mary shares the SMP Foundation’s passion and vision for suicide prevention and mental health awareness. After leaving her position as Adminstrative Coordinator for a new opportunity, Mary joined the board of directors.
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Joy Powell
Dr. Joy is an educator, author, and founder of Joy Work EDU. She earned her teaching degree from Norfolk State University, which inspired her to pursue a Master’s in Teaching and a Doctorate in K-12 Educational Administration. Throughout her career, she has focused on the transformative power of joy in environments that serve children. She is the author of Back to Zero and Joy Works: 8 Lessons for Educators. Her work is grounded in the belief that emotional awareness fuels personal growth and is essential to mental well-being. Through national partnerships, Dr. Joy supports organizations that serve children by helping them create responsive, supportive environments where challenges are met with love, empathy, and reflection. She is honored to serve as a board member for the SMPF. She lives in Norfolk with her husband and two children and enjoys reading, exploring, and hosting dinners for family and friends.
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Carl St. Remy
Dr. St. Remy is chief of orthopedics and sports medicine at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. A native of The Bahamas, Dr. St. Remy was a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar for the Study of Medicine in the U.S. He completed his medical school and orthopaedic training at Columbia University in New York City. He moved with his family to Hampton Roads more than a decade ago to provide pediatric care to our community. Dr. St. Remy serves on the faculty of Eastern Virginia Medical School as assistant professor of pediatrics. He lives in Norfolk with his wonderful wife and kids.
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Ben Willis
Ben is the owner and president of Willis Furnitures in Virginia Beach, VA. A lifelong area resident, Ben is the fourth generation to own and operate Willis Furnitures. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from The College of William and Mary and is highly skilled in the areas of marketing, business development, and strategic planning.