Meet the Panelist!

MELISSA CHASE

Melissa Chase's enthusiasm and positivity has brought joy to TV viewers and radio listeners for more than two decades. She is the host of ABC8's lifestyle show, Showcase, and recently served as Vice President of Programming for Audacy Houston, in addition to hosting as Afternoon Drive On Air Personality on Mix 96.5. Her previous roles include hosting the award-winning show, "Mornings with Melissa & Jack," and you can hear her voice, see her on video in digital and TV commercials and episodes on MTV, Design Network, Discovery Health and National Geographic Channel.  Melissa is an active member of the National Charity League and enjoys volunteering her time with non profits in the community include American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Make-A-Wish, CyFair Helping Hands, Houston Public Library and the Houston Food Bank.

She grew up in Richmond and graduated from Kent State University, where she majored in Electronic Media Production with a focus on TV/Radio. She is also licensed through the Society of Broadcast Engineers.​

Melissa resides in Richmond, Virginia and in her free time you can find her rockin' out at a concert, camping, testing out Pinterest crafts, being silly with her kids, and watching her kiddos compete in volleyball. Melissa currently lives with her husband, Tyler, who works in Education, and two daughters, London and Ruby. 

CARA HOLDSCLAW PH. D.

A member of the senior leadership team as the Senior Associate AD for External Relations at Princeton University, Cara Holdsclaw Ph. D. is responsible for the strategic development and execution of all marketing, brand management, ticketing, athletic communications, and multimedia efforts for Princeton Athletics and will serve as a sport administrator for selected varsity programs.

Holdsclaw previously served as the Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Affairs for Columbia Athletics from 2020-24. She arrives at Princeton after most recently serving as the Chief Operating Officer at IBE Inc. from 2024-25. As COO, Holdsclaw managed all internal operations, marketing, communications, revenue generation, and partnerships for a nonprofit that hosts two nationally recognized events, Summer Celebration and the Circle City Classic football game. In addition, Holdsclaw recently served as a member of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Host Committee in Indianapolis. 

During her tenure at Columbia, Holdsclaw was responsible for the strategic direction, oversight, coordination, leadership and active participation in the revenue generation and external functions for the Athletics department. Holdsclaw also led all diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as the first Chief Diversity Officer and created the We Roar Together committee comprised of student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. Holdsclaw also headed up all Name, Image, and Likeness activity and education for the Lions. 

Holdsclaw was the recipient of the 2024 Charles A. Whitcomb Service Award, presented by the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). This award recognizes and celebrates individuals/administrators who foster diversity and inclusion within the intercollegiate athletics community. Holdsclaw was also selected for the 2024 NACDA Senior Administrators Mentoring Institute and the National Sports Forum and Business of Diversity in Sports & Entertainment (BDSE) 2023 cohort. 

Holdsclaw has also had stints in professional basketball as Director of Business Operations with the LA Clippers and as an Account Executive for the Indiana Fever with Pacers Sports & Entertainment. A prior stop in collegiate athletics saw Holdsclaw serve jointly as Associate Athletic Director of Business Administration/SWA and Assistant Professor of sport management at Alabama A&M University.

Holdsclaw earned a Ph.D. in Sport Management from Indiana University in 2012. In addition to her doctorate work, she was involved as a graduate advisor for Hoosier Sports Business Organization, served as an assistant in the IU Athletics department, and volunteered in the IU Athletics marketing department. She spent a total of four years in Bloomington as she graduated in 2009 with a Masters in Sports Management. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in communications management from the University of Dayton in 2006, where she also played on the women's basketball team leading the league in 2005-06 in rebounds with 296, averaging 10.2 per game and field goal percentage .

The former Cara Wright married Chamique Holdsclaw in 2016. The couple has two children: a son, Cairo and a daughter, Camdyn.

MONICA SMITH-CALLAHAN

Monica Smith-Callahan joined Henrico as deputy county manager for community affairs in February 2020, coming to the county from the Virginia Department of Education, where she worked as assistant superintendent of policy, equity and communication. Her prior career includes leadership positions at Comcast Metro Richmond, ChamberRVA, and Richmond 2015, Inc. where she served as director of community engagement for the UCI Road World Championships the international cycling event that took place in the Richmond region in 2015.

Monica works to promote county relationships with non-governmental organizations and serves as a liaison to other governmental and nonprofit entities. She provides strategic oversight for the county’s community outreach initiatives and has direct responsibilities over the Department of Social Services, Recreation and Parks, Henrico County Public Library, Capital Region Workforce Partnership, Voter Registration and Elections, Extension Office, and the county’s newest agency that she helped to create, Outreach and Engagement. Monica also leads special projects for the county. She was a part of the COVID response team that hosted 69 vaccination events where they administered over 160,000 shots from January to May in 2021. She created Teen Summit RVA the regional youth leadership summit designed to connect students in a safe space where they can amplify their voices for positive change in the Richmond region. Teen Summit RVA is presented by the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico along with the City of Richmond along with their school divisions. Monica works closely with her regional colleagues to address other human services initiatives such as homelessness and affordable housing and economic mobility.

Monica earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from George Mason University and holds a master’s degree in business administration from Strayer University. A 2008 graduate of Leadership Metro Richmond, she serves on the boards of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and the Boys & Girls Club of Central Virginia. She also is a member of the Antioch Baptist Church board of trustees. Monica was named the Virginia Local Government Management Association’s 2024 Marcia Mashaw Outstanding Assistant Award and was selected as a 2025 Woman Who Drives Richmond.

SHERMA S. FRANCIS, MS, PA-C

Sherma is a native of Trinidad and Tobago and has made Richmond her home for many years. After selling her fitness business, she joined OrthoVirginia, where she continues to pursue her passion for helping others by assisting in surgeries and supporting patients as they return to active lifestyles. She earned a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia in 2018 and a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2013. Sherma is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants. Outside of work, she can often be found at the gym at 5:30 a.m. or out on a morning run, and she also enjoys playing squash, reading, and spending time with friends.

Meet the Moderator!

KELSEY HEINTZ

 Kelsey Heintz is the co-owner and editor-in-chief of The Richmond Experience, a local, independent media outlet that covers all there is to eat, drink, see, and do in the River City. After earning her degree in English from JMU, she lived in the Northern Virginia and San Diego areas, applying her wordy prowess to blogs, instructional guides, friends’ Instagram captions, and just about every line in between. Kelsey moved to Richmond in 2018, settling(ish) first in Scott's Addition, then in Church Hill, before finding a suburban spot that gives her and her family just a bit more room to grow. You can usually find her reading yet another thriller or rewatching whatever Friends episode she rewatched least recently.