Rockbridge Regional Library Board of Trustees
The board of trustees is comprised of three representatives from each of the local jurisdictions we serve: Rockbridge County, Bath County, the City of Lexington, and the City of Buena Vista.
The board of trustees meets on the fourth Thursday each month. Please see the system calendar for details on dates and locations.
2025 - 2026
Governing Board of Trustees
Chair - Harper Donahoe, Rockbridge
Vice Chair - Bob Kramer, Rockbridge
Treasurer - McKinley Williams, Lexington
Deputy Treasurer - Sherri Wheeler, Buena Vista
Parliamentarian - Mary Jo Brinkley, Lexington
Library Directory - Julie Goyette
Secretary - Janice Burguieres
Terry Ammons, Bath
Sharyn Billings, Rockbridge
Alexandra Brown, Lexington
Pete Pitard, Bath
Steve Webb, Buena Vista
RRLS Board of Trustees Meetings
Board meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of the month at 4:15 PM unless otherwise indicated on the library calendar at https://www.rrlib.net/system-calendar/
2025-2026 MEETING LOCATIONS
July 2025 - No Meeting
August 21, 2025 - Lexington
September 25, 2025 - Lexington
October 23, 2025 - Goshen
November 20, 2025 - Lexington
December 18, 2025 - Lexington
January 22, 2026 - Lexington
February 26, 2026 - Lexington
March 26, 2026 - Buena Vista Children’s Library
April 23, 2026 - Lexington
May 28, 2026 - Glasgow
June 25, 2026 - Lexington
Terry Ammons - Bath
Terry is an architectural graduate of Virginia Tech and a Certified Historic Architect in the State of Virginia. He has worked for 30+ years in the architecture, preservation, and museum fields throughout the U.S. and Europe providing award-winning rehabilitation and exhibit design for the Robert Russa Moton Museum, the national center for the study of Civil Rights in Education, as well as planning and design services to such nationally recognized museums as Wyoming’s National Museum of Wildlife Art and the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Virginia. Terry has worked with the AIA’s Design Assistance Team program for 20 years leading diversified professional teams in a range of community planning efforts throughout the U.S.
Mary Jo Brinkley - Lexington
Mary Jo was raised on the Northern Neck of Virginia. After graduating from Madison College, she began a 35 year career as a librarian for the Buena Vista City School System. During this time, she received a MALS degree from Hollins College. Upon retirement, she worked for the George C. Marshall Research Library for four years.
Mary Jo previously served on the RRL Board of Trustees from 1999-2016 representing the City of Buena Vista. She and her husband, Carlton, relocated to Lexington in 2016.
They have one daughter, Katherine. In her spare time, she swims and of course, reads.
Sharyn Billings - Rockbridge
TBA
Alexandra Brown - Lexington
Alexandra, a native of East Tennessee, has lived in Lexington and taught in the Religion Department at W&L since 1987. Her undergraduate degree is from Duke University and she holds the Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and the Ph.D. from Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary. She enjoys singing in the Rockbridge Chorus, keeping up with former students around the world, and being a parent to one daughter. She is herself the daughter of an avid supporter of and advocate for public libraries. She learned from an early age to treasure both books and the communities that form around them. She is honored to serve the Rockbridge Regional Library system in these times of enormous challenge and great opportunity.
Harper Donahoe - Rockbridge
Harper Donahoe was raised on a tobacco farm in Danville, Virginia. As an accomplished student-athlete, he was awarded a full scholarship to play football at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a letterman, on 3 bowl teams, and 2 Atlantic Coast Conference championship teams. Following graduation, he became a teacher and coach in Virginia Beach, Virginia. After nearly 20 years of classroom experience, he became an administrator and principal at 5 different high schools in the Tidewater area. Additionally, he was an Adjunct Professor for George Washington University for 11 years. He earned his Masters’ Degree in Curriculum from Old Dominion University, an Educational Specialist Degree from George Washington University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from NOVA Southeastern University. After 40 years in education, he retired in 2012 and moved to Rockbridge County in 2014 with his wife, Kathy Burant, who is also a lifelong educator and now currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Rockbridge County School Board. Harper has also served in leadership roles at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church (Parish Council President and Deputy Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus), the Rockbridge Historical Society (Vice President and Board Member), the Rockbridge County Public Schools Foundation (Board Member), and with the Rockbridge Board of Elections (Election Precinct Chief).
Harper and Kathy have 5 children and 6 grandchildren in their blended family and live on a small farm in Natural Bridge Station where they raise rescue donkeys, a horse, a bunch of chickens, and a menagerie of other animals. With educators as parents, Harper has always been a voracious reader and an avid user and supporter of the public library.
Bob Kramer - Rockbridge
Robert Kramer (Bob) was born in Birmingham, Alabama and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. While at Virginia Tech Bob was the Co-Captain of the baseball team. After graduation, Bob served in the U.S. Army as an Air Defense Artillery Officer for two years in Norfolk, VA. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal upon discharge from active duty.
Bob worked for thirty years in numerous management positions for a major New York City financial services company. He was as a senior vice president of the company’s broker dealer before retiring to Kent County, MD in 2000. Since 2006, Bob has attended county commissioner meetings, board of education meetings, and various other community meetings before moving to Rockbridge County.
In Maryland, Bob served on various boards: Friends of Eastern Neck (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Refuge), Washington College – Adult Lifelong Learning, and he was a member and secretary of the Foundation for the Kent County Public Library. He also co-hosted a weekly human interest radio show for five years.
In April 2020, Bob moved here with his wife, Linda who volunteers for the library in Lexington. Their daughter and grandkids live in Campbell County. Bob’s hobbies are reading and managing his two active, and two inactive, online forum sites which includes LoveRockbridge.com. There are over 350,000 unique hits on the four sites. He is also a senior contributor on TripAdvisor with over 640,000 review reads. Most importantly, however, he enjoys Virginia Tech football.
Bob believes that reading is a great equalizer in society and our public libraries are one of the best ways to deliver books and reading material to people of all ages and all walks of life. He also believes, even more strongly, that a quality local library reflects a community’s commitment to all of its citizens’ quality of life and that Rockbridge Regional Library System is one of the county’s best assets. Bob wants to be part of the Rockbridge County community and being on the library board of trustees is one of the best opportunities to do so.
Pete Pitard - Bath
Steve Webb - Buena Vista
Bio coming soon...
Sherri Wheeler - Buena Vista
Sherri is a life long resident of the Rockbridge County/BuenaVista. She is a graduate of Parry McCluer High School. She was a stay-at-home mom for 17 years before working to earn a Career Studies Certificate from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Early Childhood Education. She went on to teach preschoolers and elementary students in Pre-K and daycare settings in the Rockbridge Parks and Recreation church-based programs at St. John’s United Methodist Preschool and Kling Elementary School for a total of 35 years. As a teacher Sherri used the Buena Vista Public Library and Bookmobile for story time and other activities.Since retirement she and her husband, Leroy, have become the owners and managers of L&S Management , LLC. They have 5 children and 9 grandchildren; all of which have enjoyed the Rockbridge Regional Library Systems facilities and programs.Sherri enjoys being with her family, swimming, being of service to those in her neighborhood and church and canning produce from their 2 gardens.
McKinley Williams - Lexington
Reverend Williams was born in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania but raised in Detroit, MI. He is a product of the Detroit Public School System and was educated at the Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. He received his degree and the Andover-Newton Theological School in Newton Centre, MA. For twenty-two years, Reverend McKinley Williams served as a Senior Pastor in Detroit where he was a member of various civic groups and community organizations to further advance progress and equality for humanity.
Since 2017, Reverend McKinley Williams has served as Pastor of the Historic First Baptist Church of Lexington, VA. Under his leadership the church has witnessed growth both spiritually and in the congregation. The church is currently undergoing
renovations. Several ministries have been included since Pastor Williams’ arrival, the Rosa Harris Memorial Community Clothes Pantry/Closet, Women’s Ministry, Men’s Ministry, and a Lexington African–American Exhibit.
Reverend Williams has preached, lectured and taught around the world. He is a member of the Baptist World Alliance where he serves on the Board of Missions, Evangelism and Theological Reflection. He is also a member of the Rockbridge/ Lexington NAACP where he serves as the Chair of the Religious Affairs Committee.