Linda Lipford Forehand

Ms. Linda Lipford Forehand was appointed to the Board of Visitors July 1, 2008.

Ms. Forehand is the Senior Associate Director of Philanthropy for The Nature Conservancy the largest environmental non-profit in the world, located in 28 countries and in 50 states. Her focus is on raising major and planned gifts for conservation projects in Virginia. Her market area extends from Hampton Roads to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Williamsburg, Northern Neck, and Richmond. In 2002, Ms. Forehand joined TNC and founded, organized and directed The Nature Conservancy Golf Classic, which raised more than $500,000 in unrestricted gifts since its inception. She also assisted in the completion of TNC's successful $52 Million Wild Virginia Campaign. She is also founding Director of the TowneBank, Chesapeake Board, and served as Chairman of TownBank's marketing committee from 1999-2003. She is also a realtor with Continental Realty in Virginia Beach.

Ms. Forehand graduated magna cum laude (as Linda Carrol Lipford) from Old Dominion University in August, 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science/pre-law while working full-time as a legislative aide and paralegal to a State Senator from Portsmouth. She also completed some post-graduate classes in public administration at Old Dominion University, and is a 2004 graduate of Civic Leadership Institute.

Ms. Forehand was Senator Moody's Chief of Staff from 1976-1985 until he retired from the Virginia Senate. From 1985-1992, she was employed as the Director of Marketing and Administration for the law firm of Moody, Strople, and Kloeppel in Portsmouth. She was also the Director of Development for Virginia Stage Company in Norfolk from 1992-93. In 1993, Ms. Forehand established her own legal and political consulting business which focused on marketing, fundraising, and special events. From 1996-2002, she was the Director of Major Gifts for Eastern Virginia Medical School and successfully completed the $65 Million Campaign for the Next Century. Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy, she was the Director of Development for the Virginia Symphony.

Ms. Forehand currently serves on the Old Dominion University Educational Foundation Board of Directors and was an active member of the ODU Alumni Board of Directors in the 1980s, serving on the governmental relations committee. She is a member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Norfolk, and a member of the Cyprus Benevolent Society. She is past president of the Hellenic Woman's Club of Norfolk (founded in 1910), and served on the Boards of the Philoptochos Society and Hellenic Woman's Club for many years. She is a former member of the Norfolk Forum Board, and the Virginia Council on Economic Education.

A Portsmouth native, Ms. Forehand is married to the Honorable V. Thomas Forehand, Jr., Chief Judge of the Circuit Court in Chesapeake. Her husband, Tom, served in the Virginia House of Delegates for 16 years. They reside in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.