Board of Directors
For more information on Scholarship committee and advisory board please contact keswickheritagefund@gmail.com.
Pastor Kelvin R. Hawkins, President 2026
Pastor Kelvin R. Hawkins has devoted his life to serving God and his community. A lifelong member of St. John Baptist Church, he has faithfully served in many roles and capacities throughout the years.
He was licensed to preach on June 20, 1998, and became Assistant Pastor in January 1999 under the mentorship of the late Pastor Robert L. Brown, Sr. After serving as Interim Pastor for more than three years, he was called to serve as Pastor on January 12, 2008. His journey reflects strong faith, dedication, and leadership.
He is also a founding member and Vice-President of the St. John Family Life and Fitness Center, Inc., and helped lead the successful restoration of the historic St. John Rosenwald School. This project, stands as a testament to faith, vision, and commitment to the community. In addition, he serves as President of the Keswick Heritage Fund and former Treasurer, supporting educational opportunities for African Americans.
Pastor Hawkins is a graduate of Virginia Union University and holds a Certificate in General Insurance. He retired from State Farm Insurance after a distinguished 39-year career. He is married to Minister Penny C. Hawkins, and together they are blessed with three children: the late Kelvin Ricardo Hawkins II, Aisha Pene Hawkins, and Tia Pene Hawkins.
With a heart for God’s people, Pastor Hawkins continues to lead with compassion, humility, and faith. His life and ministry are guided by Psalm 121: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,” as he continues to serve, uplift, and inspire others.
Elizabeth H. Sutton,
Past President and Co-Chair, Scholarship Selection Committee 2022-2027
Elizabeth H. Sutton is a retired educator, author and free-lance journalist living in Albemarle County, Virginia. She moved to Virginia from Louisville, Kentucky to attend the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia when they first accepted women in 1970, and holds B.A and M.A. degrees in French. She has taught English at the University of Oran, Algeria, French at U.VA., Sweetbriar College and Tandem School, special education tutoring and riding at Little Keswick School. She has spent many years in volunteer service to a variety of non-profits, including the Misty of Chincotague Foundation, Inc. which she established with Marguerite Henry in 1989 and served as executive director for twelve years. She served on the University Virginia 2020 College of Arts and Sciences committee as community representative, as well as the UVA arts Council. Her photographs and articles have been published in Albemarle magazine, The Chronicle of the Horse, Virginia Living, Virginia Sportsman, 64 Magazine, Foxhunting Life and Virginia Wildlife. She is the author of A Pony for Keeps, and two other books for children and youth.
African American Professional Horsemen of Keswick, by Elizabeth H. Sutton
Dr. Rickey E. White, Vice President
I was born in Chesapeake, Virginia to the late Turner and Evelyn White. I am happily married to the former Natalie Jackson White of Richmond, Virginia, and we have three children: Candace Tinsley (Michael), Courtney Bryan (Robert), and Cameron White; and four grandchildren; Mia and Jonathan Tinsley and Robert, III and Evelyn Bryan. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Virginia, a Master of Divinity Degree, Cum Laude from the Samuel D. Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from the Virginia University of Lynchburg. My wife and I reside in Lake Monticello, VA.
In 1984 and 1988, I was selected as an Outstanding Young Man of America. I was an elementary and middle school teacher in Greene County, Fluvanna County, and Albemarle County public school systems from 1983 through 1999 and 2003 through 2004. I was selected as an Outstanding American Educator, elected Albemarle County Public School Teacher of the Year, and twice honored as Who’s Who Among American Educators. I was chosen to give the opening prayer for the Virginia General Assembly at the Virginia State Capitol in 1999. In 2011 I received the 100 Black Men of Central Virginia’s Mentor of the Year Award.
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I was licensed to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in 1979 and was ordained in 1983. I served as the pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Stanardsville, Virginia, and Zion Baptist Church in Dillwyn, Virginia. I have served as the Senior Pastor of Union Run Baptist Church, Keswick, Virginia since 1989.
I am a board member of the Keswick Heritage Fund and serve as the chairman of its scholarship selection committee. I am the past Moderator of the Piedmont District Baptist Association, a member of the Charlottesville and Vicinity Ministerial Conference, African American Pastors’ Council, the 100 Black Men of Central Virginia, and a former board member of IMPACT (Interfaith Movement Promoting Action by Congregations Together). I am the president of N2fruition, INC., a think tank that specializes in creative innovations. I am the education committee chairman for the One Hundred Black Men of Central Virginia. I serve on the Albemarle County Police Community Advisory Team for Eastern Albemarle.
I love to read and write. I have penned several children’s books and one adolescent book that was read by the seventh and eighth graders of the 2012 M-Cubed Algebra Enrichment Camp sponsored by the 100 Black Men of Central Virginia. I am a mentor to several elementary, middle, and high school students. You can often find me working with these students in the various schools and communities (virtually now) sharing nuggets of knowledge and wisdom to help them become more successful.
Reverend G. Miles Smith, Treasurer
The Rev. G. Miles Smith Miles Smith has been the Rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Keswick since 2013. Until being called to Grace, he spent the entirety of his ministry serving Methodist and Episcopal churches in North Carolina. He is a graduate of Duke University (A.B. 1978 and M.Div. 1981). His wife is Jennifer who works as the Special Assistant to the Chair of the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics at UVA. Miles has a son in western NC and Jennifer has three sons and two daughters. There is also a dog and a cat in the mix.
Carolyn Mitchell Dillard, Director
Carolyn Mitchell Dillard is the University-Community Liaison in the Division for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and her office is located in the Center for Community Partnerships at UVA.
She joined the UVA family in 2003 and has served in the office of Media Relations & Community Relations. She currently serves on the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers (MEL) Community Engagement Committee and is responsible for MEL Programming. She also serves as a member of the President’s Commission on the University in the Age of Segregation (PCUAS) as the co-chair of its community engagement committee and is on the board of the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at UVA (DEC-UVA). She also served on the President’s Commission on Slavery (PCSU) Community Engagement Committee.
Carolyn is the first female pastor of this historic Zion Hill Baptist Church in Keswick, VA (established 1870), and serves on the Board of the African-American Pastors’ Council of Charlottesville & Vicinity. She has a B.S. from George Mason University, an MBA from National Louis University, a M.Div. from the Virginia Union University School of Theology, and is a current Doctoral Candidate in the Virginia Union University School of Theology. She joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in 1984 and is a proud member of the Charlottesville Alumnae Chapter, and is Dare to Lead Trained.
Hattie L. Douglas, Secretary
Hattie Douglas, the eldest of 12 children and grandmother of 10, was born and raised in Keswick, Virginia. She attended Keswick Elementary, Rose Hill Elementary and graduated from Jackson P Burley High School. Hattie completed classes at ECPI for data processing, and later went on to work for Northrop Grumman, where she retired after 43 years.
She attends Union Grove Baptist Church, where she is a trustee, member of the finance committee and the hospitality committee.
Marieka Williams, Director
Marieka Williams is the pastor of Pleasant Plain Baptist Church in Louisa County and a lifetime member of St. John Baptist Church. She graduated from Albemarle High School in 1981, and earned her degree in elementary education in 1986 from Virginia Union University in Richmond. She has served for over 35 in the Albemarle County school system as an award-winning elementary educator, and is currently employed at Greer Elementary school. She contributes many hours of volunteer time of community service, including her participation on the committee for Grace Church African American History research project in 2020-2021. Pastor Wiilliams lives in Cobham with her husband Ernest. They have two children- Ernriekus, an elementary school principal in Hampton, Virginia and Ashley (KHF scholar 2020) an English teacher. She celebrates her children and is proud that she paved the way for them to become educators
Carmelita Wood. Director
Carmelita Wood was born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia. She is a 1974 graduate of Lane High School, and a graduate of National Business College. She is retired from 35 years at UVA, currently employed part-time at ACAC physical therapy as a receptionist. She serves as president of the Fifeville Neighborhood Association and Vice Chair of the Piedmont Community Land Trust, serves on the board of AHIP along with Legal Aid Justice and Charlottesville Low Income Housing Coalition and past board member of Abundant Life Ministries. She is a leadership representative of Union Grove Baptist church, Keswick, Virginia.