PAUL SIMPSON, Chair
CAT CARTER, Vice Chair
VALERIE HOPSON-BELL, Secretary
Valerie Hopson-Bell developed the first local long-term care ombudsman program in the Fredericksburg area in 1999 for the Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging. She continued in that position until July 2007. She has been hailed as a respected, fair and highly effective advocate for the aging community.
Prior to moving to the Fredericksburg area, Ms. Hopson-Bell began her career in aging in 1992 as an activity director at an Adult Care Home in Burlington, North Carolina for clients ranging in age from 19 years old, with intellectual disabilities to 94 years young, with chronic medical health issues, including dementia.
While working at the Adult Care Home, Valerie finished her undergraduate degree in Human Services, with an emphasis in Gerontology at Elon University. During her senior year at Elon, she studied abroad, learning about the human services systems of England, Scotland and The Netherlands. She began her professional career at Alamance ElderCare, Inc., which offered care assistance and case management to seniors, to assist them in remaining independent.
In 2008, Valerie ultimately started own business: ElderCare Connections, LLC. She was a private certified geriatric care manager who helped families create a roadmap to care for their loved ones most effectively. In 2019, Valerie sold ElderCare Connections.
Community is very important to Valerie, whether it’s advocating for the queer community, the homeless population, being on the forefront of opioid harm reduction, or simply taking in the beauty of the Rappahannock River, this is her home.
Valerie and her life partner reside in Spotsylvania County. They have two sons, two grandsons, twin granddaughters and one beautiful great-granddaughter.
TONI STEVENS, Treasurer
Toni has lived in Virginia most of her life. She moved to Fredericksburg from Northern Virginia in 2020 and is thrilled with the community spirit. Toni currently serves as the Business Manager of ChangeFusion LLC, a management consulting firm, with commercial, federal, state, and local government clients. She has also held management positions at large, small, and international companies including Southern States Cooperative, Computer Sciences Corporation, Liberty Power, IrisGuard, and Culinaria Cooking School.
She has a BS in Business Administration and an MBA from George Mason University. Toni believes that being proactive with our health is critical and that the Food Coop serves as our community hub offering healthy options and education for nutrition while retaining strong relationships with local farmers, producers, and businesses. Her personal interests include fiber arts, friends, and cooking healthy meals. She was president of a knitting guild in Manassas for nine years. Toni loves volunteering with this enthusiastic Food Coop community and looks forward to its continued growth.
AMANDA THOMPSON, Board Member
JEREMY LAROCHELLE, Board Member
CHRISTINE MCELHINNEY, Board Member
MEREDITH WHITTAKER, Board Member
JOHN BUDD, Board Member
Board Meeting Minutes
A record of Fredericksburg Food Co-op Board of Directors meetings. Minutes are posted after approval.
Last updated: April 2026