Advisory Members

Jessica S. Dalton currently serves as Vice President of Workforce Services at Danville Community College, where she provides strategic leadership for workforce training, industry partnerships, and economic development initiatives aligned with regional and state priorities. In February 2026, she was appointed Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement, serving as a liaison between the President and the Danville Community College Educational Foundation to support grant-funded initiatives and institutional advancement efforts.

Prior to her current role, Dalton served as Principal of Pittsylvania Career and Technical Center, where she led 19 career and technical education programs serving over 3,000 students and helped expand dual enrollment and workforce pipeline initiatives in partnership with Danville Community College. Her earlier experience includes leadership roles as an assistant principal and science educator, where she focused on student achievement, program development, and instructional improvement.  Dalton is actively engaged in leadership and governance, serving as Chair of the Governance Committee for the Hargrave Military Academy Board of Trustees and as a board member of the Danville Neighborhood Development Collaborative. She has also led and participated in presidential search committees across the Virginia Community College System.  She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Workforce and Organizational Development with a concentration in Career and Technical Education from Old Dominion University. She holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Lynchburg and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Virginia Tech.

Mary Hammock was raised on her family’s commercial dairy operation and developed a passion for agriculture and rural communities at a young age. After graduating from Gretna High School and the Piedmont Governor’s School for Mathematics, Science, and Technology in 2013, she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture Science from Ferrum College in 2016.

Mary is currently a Commercial Agriculture Loan Officer with Farm Credit of the Virginias (‘FCV’). She covers six counties in the southern region of Virginia and works alongside agricultural producers and rural landowners. During her tenure with FCV, Mary has been named to the Circle of Excellence - representing the top producing loan officers in the company.

Outside of work, Mary has participated in several civic organizations and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce. Mary is a 2024 graduate of Leadership Southside and is an active member of Hollywood Baptist Church

Tory Shepherd is Market Chief Operating Officer for Sovah Health. Prior to that, she served as Rutherford Regional Health System's CEO from September 2022 to June 2024 and previously held positions as Chief Operating Officer and Interim CEO at Sovah Health - Martinsville, where she led the recruitment of new physicians and expanded key services and clinical strategies. She held several positions at Sovah Health – Martinsville including Chief Operating Officer, Interim CEO and Associate Administrator. Prior to that, Tory spent many years in various aspects of healthcare operations and delivery including serving as Director of Cardiopulmonary Neurophysiology Services and as a Cardiopulmonary Department Coordinator and Respiratory Therapist. She has more than 30 years of healthcare experience.  

Tory holds a Master of Business Administration from Averett University in Danville and a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science from Old Dominion University. She is a licensed Registered Respiratory Therapist, Certified Cardiovascular Care Coordinator, and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). She was recognized in 2014 as Mercy Award Winner of Sovah, Lifepoint Health’s highest honor for employees.