Several members of the University of Lynchburg community were named among Lynchburg Business magazine’s “50 Most Influential People in Greater Lynchburg.” The honorees are featured in the magazine’s August/September issue.
In its inaugural year, the promotion “recognizes and celebrates the remarkable individuals whose contributions enrich the lives of others, grow our economy, and elevate the quality of life in our region.”
In selecting the top-50, the magazine’s editorial board “looked beyond traditional metrics such as company size, revenue, and public visibility” and considered “honorees … who work quietly — often behind the scenes — yet their impact is undeniable and deserving of recognition.”
Those with ties to the University who made the list include the following:
Greg Starbuck ’14 MA, ’19 MA, executive director of Historic Sandusky, a house museum owned and operated by the University, was honored in the Education category.
Since becoming Sandusky’s executive director in 2002, he has overseen a complete restoration of Sandusky house and led efforts to establish the Hunter’s Raid Civil War Trail, part of Virginia’s Civil War Trails system. In 2012, the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce named him its “Tourism Ambassador of the Year.”
In 2010, Starbuck wrote and directed “Hunter’s Raid: Defending Hearth & Home,” a Civil War documentary that won two Emmy Awards. He is currently working on a follow-up to that film, “Lynchburg At War: The Home Front,” which will premiere in Lynchburg on April 10, 2027.
Starbuck has master’s degrees from Lynchburg in history and nonprofit leadership studies.
He has served on and/or chaired numerous boards and committees, including the Lynchburg Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, Lynchburg Regional Tourism Board, and others.
The Rev. Alfred Jones III ’92 earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Lynchburg and was recognized in the Education category. He is the founder and former pastor of Jesus Center Church and a former Appomattox County High School teacher.
Jones has served two terms on the Appomattox County Board of Supervisors, where he is currently vice-chairman. He also served on the board of directors of Farmers Bank and has worked with Prison Fellowship for 20 years.
In 2024, Jones was named to the inaugural cohort of the Virginia Hunt State Policy Fellows, which is described as a “groundbreaking program designed to convene a bipartisan group of emerging education policymakers, local elected officials, and community leaders in Virginia.”
Dr. Ghislaine Lewis, a former communication studies professor and current adjunct professor in Lynchburg’s Master of Nonprofit Leadership Studies program, was honored in the Education category.
She was the first executive director of Pierce Street Gateway and a founding member of Pierce Street Community Garden. She has served as president of the Central Virginia Academy for Nonprofit Excellence and is on the boards of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, the Link Project, and Randolph College.
Lewis sits on the Legacy Museum of African American History’s exhibition committee. In 2026, she received the VCIC Humanitarian Award and was named a “Woman of Distinction” by the YWCA of Central Virginia.
Melissa Lucy ’99, ’01 MEd was recognized in the Healthcare category. She has 25-plus years of experience in community behavioral health, including 19 years in leadership.
As chief executive officer of Horizon Behavioral Health and president of Horizon Opportunities Inc., Lucy founded, launched, promoted, and/or spearheaded numerous regional initiatives, including Horizon’s forensic program and Crisis Intervention Team, the Jail Diversion Program, dialectical behavioral therapy services, and partnerships with group homes.
She also led efforts to create the first crisis care center in the region and serves as chair or vice-chair of several committees.
She has two degrees from Lynchburg: a bachelor’s in sociology and a master’s in community counseling.
Nat Marshall ’83, ’22 DHL was recognized in the Nonprofit category. He has bachelor’s degrees in business administration and English from Lynchburg, along with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. He is a former member of the University’s board of trustees.
Marshall has served on numerous boards in and around the city of Lynchburg, including the Salvation Army, United Way, the State Board for Community Colleges, Johnson Health Center, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, and others. He also is involved in Lynchburg Area Youth Sports Initiative, or LAYSi.
Marshall is retired from BWXT, where he was the community engagement specialist.
