BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Mitzi Brown, Co-Chair and Board Member 

Mitzi Brown is the legal services director for Gerlach Law Firm, PLC. Mitzi’s legal experience has included  commercial and white-collar crime litigation at two major national law firms, as well as local and  community legal assistance. She has provided pro-bono legal services to non-profits and indigent  individuals and founded and operated both a non-profit organization and a successful, award-winning  event design business. Mitzi currently serves on the Economic Development Authority for the City of  Fredericksburg, and serves on multiple commissions and boards. She received her J.D. from the  University of Virginia School of Law, where she was a Dillard Fellow and an editor of Law Review. 

Seth Silber, Co-Chair and Board Member 

Seth Silber is co-owner of the Fredericksburg Nationals. He was integrally involved in the team’s  relocation to the City of Fredericksburg, and the financing and construction of the stadium. He is  actively involved in key decisions regarding the ongoing operation of the business. Seth also serves on  the Board of the Fredericksburg Area Museum, where he chairs their Development Committee. He is  also a partner at the law firm Wilson Sonsini in their antitrust practice in Washington, D.C. He received  his B.A. from Emory University, a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced  International Studies (SAIS), and his law degree from George Washington University Law School. 

Chris Muldrow, Vice-Chair and Board Member 

Chris Muldrow is the owner of Rambletype, a digital marketing firm in Fredericksburg and  Fredericksburg Today, a local news site for the City of Fredericksburg. Before starting Rambletype in  2013, Chris worked in the newspaper industry, where he helped train newsrooms in digital media. Chris  helped start Fredericksburg.com at The Free Lance-Star and served as Vice President for Internet  Operations and Technology for Community Newspaper Holdings, which operates more than 100  newspapers across the country. He was also on the digital advisory board for the Newspaper Association  of America. Chris served as the President of Friends of the Rappahannock, one of the Region’s largest  and most successful nonprofit organizations. He has a B.A. in Journalism from the University of South  Carolina.

Meredith Schatz, Vice-Chair and Board Member 

Meredith Schatz is a seasoned leader with extensive expertise in strategic planning, operational  excellence, and stakeholder engagement. Known for her strengths in execution, strategic influence, and  leadership, Meredith is dedicated to fostering organizational success and innovation. Meredith currently  serves on the Economic Development Authority for the City of Fredericksburg. She holds a Master of  Public Administration and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Virginia Commonwealth  University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia. 

Al Fagan, Treasurer and Board Member

Lani Weiss, Secretary and Board Member 

Lani Weiss is co-owner of the Fredericksburg Nationals. She has been an employee of the team  (formerly the Potomac Nationals) since 1995, responsible for all areas of accounting, financial reporting,  insurance, and human resources. She has been actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the  ballclub. She received a B.S. in Business Administration from Boston University in January 1989, and  received an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1991. 

Linda Alsop, Board Member 

Linda is the Financial and Human Resources Director of the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors.  Previously Linda worked for over 30 years as an accountant for The Free Lance-Star. She is a graduate of  Strayer University in Accounting and is the treasurer of the Fredericksburg Regional Society for Human  Resource Management. Linda is a life-long resident and active community member of the Region.

Deneal Kennedy, Board Member

Deneal Kennedy brings decades of professional and volunteer leadership to the Fredericksburg community. Her career spans marketing, public relations, and leadership development across higher education, insurance, and media, including 20 years with GEICO before retiring in 2018. She now serves as a Regional Fitness Manager and instructor with Foresight Fitness and teaches yoga privately. Deneal is deeply engaged in community service, supporting organizations such as Micah Ministries and the SPCA of Fredericksburg, where she previously served in a leadership role. A dedicated Rotarian, she has held multiple leadership positions at the club and district levels and currently serves as Assistant Governor for Area 4. With a lifelong connection to journalism—including professional experience with The Free Lance-Star Companies and current service on the Fredericksburg Free Press Journalism Advisory Council—Deneal is a strong advocate for a free and independent press. She holds a B.A. in Journalism/Public Relations and an M.A. in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and is also a certified end-of-life doula and advanced yoga teacher.

Joel Griffin, Board Member 

Joel Griffin, a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist, boasts 25 years of private industry  consulting and two decades in government contracting. As the Founder and CEO of Riphean, a growth  management firm, he focuses on private equity, venture capital, and angel investments, primarily in  veteran-owned small businesses. Joel is dedicated to enhancing regional quality of life, supporting  entrepreneurs and veteran-owned companies, and championing initiatives in education, workforce, and  technology. Committed to philanthropy, He actively supports Gwyneth’s Gift Foundation, serving as  Chairman, and contributes to local nonprofits strengthening communities. Recognized for his impactful  leadership, Joel has received prestigious awards, including the Prince B. Woodard Leadership Award in  2022 and the Joe Dangler Leadership Award in 2015. Currently serving on multiple boards, Joel is a  driving force in regional development and community advancement. 

Margaret Martin, Board Member 

Margaret Martin has a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of West Georgia and a Master of Arts  in Liberal Studies from Hollins University. She worked in advertising sales at newspapers in her native  Georgia. In Roanoke, she taught school for a few years and also served as PTA president at two schools,  served on various church boards, was the president of the local chapter of the American Association of  University Women and was vice-president on the AAUW Virginia state board. For several  years, Margaret served as volunteer coordinator of the Presbyterian Community Center, a non-profit in  Roanoke that assists people who are at or below the poverty level. In Illinois, Margaret served as  president of the Krannert Art Museum Board at the University of Illinois and was also president of her  homeowners association. She continues volunteer work in Fredericksburg in her church and in the  community. 

Nick Minor, Board Member 

Nick Minor boasts a diverse and dynamic professional background, marked by significant contributions  to economic development and public affairs. His career in economic development took off at the  Fredericksburg Regional Alliance at the University of Mary Washington, where he honed his skills as the  Manager of Communications and Research for six years. Demonstrating a keen ability to lead and  innovate, Nick then served as the Director of Economic Development and Tourism for King George  County from 2019 to 2024, a role in which he made significant impacts on the community’s growth and  prosperity. In 2024, Nick embarked on a new chapter as the Director of Public Affairs at Stack  Infrastructure, bringing his wealth of experience and strategic vision to the forefront of the industry. His 

leadership is characterized by a proactive approach to economic development, with a track record of  successfully attracting business and fostering a thriving economic environment. 

Howard Owen, Board Member 

Howard Owen is the owner of Stafford Printing, a company he founded in 1987 following a nine-year  career in journalism as a reporter, editor, and owner of a weekly newspaper in Dickenson County,  Virginia. He is active in many non-profits in the Fredericksburg Region, serving on the boards of Mary  Washington Healthcare and Loisann’s Hope House, and as Chair of the Economic Development Authority  in Stafford County, Virginia. Howard has a degree in Mass Communications from Emory & Henry College,  Emory, VA. 

Xavier Richardson, Board Member 

Xavier Richardson is the Senior Vice & Chief Development Officer of Mary Washington Healthcare  (MWHC). In that capacity, he also serves as President of Mary Washington Hospital Foundation and  Stafford Hospital Foundation. He has been a member of the MWHC executive team since 1997 and is  responsible for the oversight of the organization’s fundraising, community benefit and engagement,  philanthropy, and legislative affairs. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University,  and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.