Serving its member governments for 50 years
Mar 13, 2023
Cristina Finch, Director of Transportation, to lead National Capital Region Transportation Plan
Cristina leaves the Regional Commission after over twelve years of service
Cristina Finch, a lead transportation planner with the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission for over twelve years, and Director of Transportation for the past six, will be leaving the Regional Commission to become the principal planner behind the National Capital Region’s transportation plan for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Cristina’s last day with the Regional Commission will be April 7th.
“Cristina has been the driving force behind a number of critical and transformative regional planning efforts during her tenure at the Regional Commission,” says Executive Director Jeremy Holmes. “Her insight, intelligence, and attention to detail has successfully shepherded through projects looking at everything from the region’s transit vision to bike and pedestrian facilities analyses, to the allocations made via the annual Surface Transportation Block Grant program.”
Among Cristina’s major accomplishments was the recent Roanoke Valley Transportation Plan update, which included not only a thorough documentation of the region’s transportation needs and the priorities to address over the next 20 years, but a significant overhaul of the overall technical and decision-making process used to help decide where and how Federal dollars are applied to transportation projects in Roanoke’s urbanized area. The update, which started before the COVID-19 pandemic, wrapped up earlier this year.
Cristina stated, “I am very proud of the collaborative work accomplished during my time at the Regional Commission to advance the transportation planning and programming process. Most importantly I am happy to have contributed to making life better for people through transportation advancements.”
The Commission staff and members of its supporting transportation technical committees and policies boards wish Cristina well in her new endeavors in the National Capital Region.
The Regional Commission will be advertising for the Director of Transportation position in the coming weeks at https://rvarc.org/about-rvarc/jobsinternships/.
Feb 15, 2023
The Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization (RVTPO) is seeking public input on transportation funding requests through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program. Please take the survey here.
The survey is now closed! Thank you to everyone who participated.
Comments will be accepted until Wednesday, March 1, 2023, and public hearing will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday March 23, 2023, at 313 Luck Avenue SW, Roanoke VA.
Feb 14, 2023
Regional Commission Hires Director for Roanoke Valley Collective Response
Roanoke, VA (February 14, 2023)- The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission named Robert Natt as the new Director of the Roanoke Valley Collective Response, providing key leadership in our region’s response to the addiction and mental health crisis.
Natt has been involved with the Collective Response since its inception in 2018, serving as a founding member of the Steering Committee and current member of the Collective Advisory Committee. He has previously served as a Marketing Consultant for Carilion Clinic, a Partnership and Business Development Director for the Vinod Chachra IMPACT Lab at Radford University, as well as President of his own firm, Robert Natt Productions. Natt additionally serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Partnership for Community Wellness (formerly the Prevention Council of Roanoke).
Natt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Commercial Media and Communication from James Madison University, a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Certificate in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
“It is an honor to serve our region in such a meaningful capacity,” said Natt. “I look forward to continued collaboration with stakeholders to build community, enhance services, and offer hope to those who need it most.
“Robert’s deep history with the program up to this point, plus his vision for its growth to provide services and coordination across our entire service area, will be critical in positioning the Collective Response to access the resources necessary to assist our member localities in addressing issues of addiction and recovery,” said Jeremy Holmes, Executive Director of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission. “The role of the Collective Response as a convener and coordinator of the regional response to the addiction crisis has never been more important.”
Lee Clark, CEO of the Rescue Mission and Co-chair of the Collective Advisory Committee said, “Robert’s understanding of complex community issues and collaborative leadership style are a perfect fit for what this role demands. His vision for the future and focus on the present show that he is committed to addressing the immediate challenges of today while working with other regional organizations to build a brighter future for tomorrow.”
Phil North, Board of Supervisors member for Roanoke County and Chair of the Regional Commission added, “We’re excited to see Robert take this important role on the Commission’s leadership team, and the breadth of skills and experience he brings to help the organization support its membership outside of his work with the Collective Response.”
Natt plans to focus his first several months on the job in partnering with localities and organizations to increase collaboration, and pursue funding opportunities through the Opioid Abatement Authority. Natt’s first day with the Commission will be February 16th, 2023.