Torch Run Leadership
These officers and staff fall under the leadership of the Torch Run State Chair, who is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the Torch Run. The chair is assisted by the Torch Run Executive Council, which provides long-term direction for the Torch Run movement in Virginia.
See below for the 2025 Virginia Law Enforcement Torch Run Executive Council and State Chair contacts.
See below for the 2025 Virginia Law Enforcement Torch Run Executive Council and State Chair contacts.
2025 Leadership
Executive Council
Region Directors and Liaisons
Corporal Joe Carroll (Ret.)
Virginia Dept. of Motor Vehicles LED
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
Laura Paschal
Department of Corrections
Lynsi Carroll
Prince William County Sheriff’s Office
Rose Pleskow
SOVA Athlete Representative
Matthew Doyle
SOVA Athlete Representative
Peter Flynn
Fairfax County Police Department
First Sgt. Billy Franks
Prince William County Police Department
Sgt. Ben Fravel (Ret.)
Prince William County P.D.
Lt. Ken Moulder (Ret.)
Riverside Regional Jail
Sgt. Nicole Kephart
Prince William County Sheriff’s Office
Undersheriff Chris Pascal
Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office
Laura Paschal
Department of Corrections
Deputy Scott Young (Ret.)
Roanoke County Sheriff’s Office
Investigator Terry Thomas
Northampton County Sheriff’s Office
(retired)
(retired)
Lori Fadorick
Western VA Regional Jail
Sophie Benkendorf (Ret.)
Colonial Heights Police Department
(retired)
(retired)
Capt. Jeremiah Harrell
Chesapeake Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Karl Leonard
State Chair
Chesterfield Sheriff's Office
Chesterfield Sheriff's Office
Detective Lakisha Davis
Liaison to State Chair
Chesterfield Sheriff's Office
Chesterfield Sheriff's Office
Region 1 - Northern Virginia
Sheriff Jose Quiroz
Director Region 1
Arlington County Sheriff’s Office
Arlington County Sheriff’s Office
Lt. Aisha Garcia
Arlington County Sheriff's Office
Ellen Head
Special Olympics Contact
Region 2 - Potomac
Sheriff Chris Giles
Director Region 2
King George County Sheriff’s Office
King George County Sheriff’s Office
Rod Shriver
School Resource Officer/DARE Instructor
King George Middle School
King George Middle School
Ellen Head
Special Olympics Contact
Region 3 - Hampton Roads
Chief Paul Neudigate
Director Region 3
Virginia Beach Police Department
Virginia Beach Police Department
Lt. Adam Bernstein
Liaison Region 3
Virginia Beach Police Department
Virginia Beach Police Department
Mckenzie Dunford
Special Olympics Contact
Region 4 - Southside
Chief William Anspach
Director Region 4
Colonial Heights Police Department
Colonial Heights Police Department
Officer Rocky Navarro
Liaison Region 4
Colonial Heights Police Department
Colonial Heights Police Department
Katelynn Howell
Special Olympics Contact
Region 5 - Central
Chief Eric D. English
Director Region 5
Henrico Police Department
Henrico Police Department
Lt. Kerry DeCoito
Liaison for Region 5
Henrico Division of Police
Henrico Division of Police
Katelynn Howell
Special Olympics Contact
Region 6 - Upper Shenandoah
Sheriff Tim Carter
Director Region 6
Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office
Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office
TBD
Ellen Head
Special Olympics Contact
Region 7 - Lower Shenandoah
Sheriff Donald Smith
Director Region 7
Augusta County Sheriff's Office
Augusta County Sheriff's Office
Sgt. Joshua Graves
Liaison for Region 7
Augusta County Sheriff's Office
Augusta County Sheriff's Office
Ellen Head
Special Olympics Contact
Region 8 - Piedmont
Sheriff James Brown
Director Region 8
Charlottesville Sheriff's Office
Charlottesville Sheriff's Office
TBD
Liaison Region 8
Katelynn Howell
Special Olympics Contact
Region 9 - South Central
Chief Thomas Merricks
Director Region 9
Altavista Police Department
Altavista Police Department
TBD
Liaison for Region 9
Mckenzie Dunford
Special Olympics Contact
Region 10 - Roanoke Valley
Superintendent David Cox
Director Region 10
Western Virginia Regional Jail
Western Virginia Regional Jail
Sgt. Lori Fadorick
Liaison for Region 10
Western Virginia Regional Jail
Western Virginia Regional Jail
Roy Zeidman
Special Olympics Contact
Region 11 - Southwest
Chief Jon Holbrook
Director Region 11
Abingdon Police Department
Abingdon Police Department
TBD
Mckenzie Dunford
Special Olympics Contact
Region 12 - Mountain
Sheriff E. Grant Kilgore
Director Region 12
Wise County Sheriff's Office
Wise County Sheriff's Office
Dep. Zac Clifton
Liaison for Region 12
Wise County Sheriff's Office
Wise County Sheriff's Office
Mckenzie Dunford
Special Olympics Contact
Region 13 - Eastern Shore
Sheriff David L. Doughty, Jr.
Region Director 13
Northampton County Sheriff’s Office
Northampton County Sheriff’s Office
Pastor Kelvin Jones
Liaison for Region 13
Northampton County Sheriff’s office
Northampton County Sheriff’s office
Mckenzie Dunford
Special Olympics Contact
Region 14 - State Police
Capt. Thomas A. Bradshaw, DSL, MPA
State Police Liaison
Virginia State Police
Virginia State Police
Sergeant Jessica Shehan
State Police Liaison
Virginia State Police
Virginia State Police
Katelynn Howell
Special Olympics Contact
Region 15, 16 & 17 - Department of Corrections (East, Central & West)
Director Chadwick Dotson
DOC (Regions 15,16,17)
Director, Virginia Department of Corrections
Director, Virginia Department of Corrections
Laura Paschal
DOC Liaison
Virginia Department of Corrections
Virginia Department of Corrections
Katelynn Howell
Special Olympics Contact
Region 18 - Peninsula
Chief Jimmie Wideman
Liaison for Region 18
Hampton Police Department
Hampton Police Department
TBD
Liaison for Region 18
Mckenzie Dunford
Special Olympics Contact
Head back to the LETR homepage.
Head back to the LETR homepage.