Staff
The following are the executive staff members of The V Foundation headquartered in Cary, North Carolina:
Nick Valvano
Chief Executive Officer
Nick Valvano has served as Chief Executive Officer of The V Foundation since March 1999 and has been a member of the Board of Directors since its inception.
Valvano brought years of management and sales experience to The V Foundation. He previously served in several management positions at Olivetti North America from 1986 to 1998, including Vice President, Business Development from 1997 to 1998, Vice President, Sales from 1990 to 1996 and Eastern Region General Manager from 1986 to 1990.
Prior to joining Olivetti North America, Valvano held several management positions with Wang Laboratories from 1979 to 1986. He began h is sales career with Xerox Corporation, where he worked from 1977-79.
Valvano began his professional career in education, teaching and coaching high school basketball for 10 years.
Valvano holds a B.S. in Business Administration and a M.A. in education from Rider University, where he played basketball.
Larry Lane
Vice President of Corporate Relations
Larry joined The V Foundation in June of 2010. He is responsible for overseeing, managing, identifying and creating relationships with corporate partners to support the mission of the foundation.
He has an extensive background in sports marketing and sponsorship sales with professional sports teams, properties, brands and non-profits. He specializes in building creative partnerships that benefit both the corporate partner and the foundation.
A graduate of Butler University, he is married to Gigi and has two young sons, Brodey and Parker.
To inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Larry at llane@jimmyv.org.
John Leshney
Senior Vice President of Development
John Leshney directs the annual giving, major gifts, endowment and planned giving programs.
He received his B.A. and M.A. from Xavier University. In 1979, he was awarded the LBJ Legislative Internship with Congressman Bill Gradison, which began his 10-year career in the U.S. Congress.
He later served as the Chief Legislative Assistant for Congressman Bob McEwen and was responsible for the office liaison activities with the White House during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. He received a dual appointment to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee staff where he served with distinction, receiving national awards for his service to America’s veterans.
In 1990, Leshney joined the Hipple Cancer Research Center as its first head of development and community relations. He received the “President’s Award for Excellence” for his dedication to funding cancer research.
In 1995, Leshney became the director of development at the Markey Cancer Center Foundation for ten years. He raised over $20 million dollars with an additional $20 million in planned gifts.
John and his wife Barbara have three children.
You can contact John Leshney at jleshney@jimmyv.org.
Sherrie Mazur
Director of Marketing & Communications
Sherrie Mazur joined our team as the Director of Marketing and Communications in January 2008. She works with event planners to raise money for cancer research while further promoting The V Foundation message of finding a cure for cancer through its website, presentations and other methods.
A Business Administration graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with an emphasis in Marketing, Mazur’s skills play a critical role in her ability to publicize and advance the important goals of the foundation. Prior to arriving at The V Foundation, Mazur served as Marketing Team Leader of Products and Services at ISA, a non-profit automation society focused on providing practical solutions for engineers.
When she’s not focused on cancer research endeavors, Sherrie enjoys traveling the world, SCUBA diving and eating great meals with her husband, Joe.
You can contact Sherrie Mazur at smazur@jimmyv.org.
Jefferson Parker
Vice President of Operations
Jefferson Parker joined The V Foundation in 2007 as Vice President of Operations. Parker manages the operations of the Foundation, including financial management and reporting, information technology, personnel, grant management, and gift processing.
Parker was Executive Director of the Chrysalis Foundation for Mental Health, where he also previously served as Director of Finance. He began his professional career as a Software Implementation Consultant at Computer Sciences Corporation. Parker holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, an MA from the University of Texas, and a BA from the University of the South (Sewanee). He is married with two sons.
You can contact Jefferson Parker at jparker@jimmyv.org.
Danielle Smith
Director of Corporate and Market Development
Danielle joined the V Foundation in January of 2012. She is tasked with building, managing and executing events for The V Foundation as well as assisting in the creation of new individual and corporate prospects in key markets. Smith is also the liaison for all community events nationwide.
Smith specializes in marketing strategy, event management and new market development. Prior to arriving to the V Foundation, Danielle served as the Retail Market Manager at Parata Systems, as well as Marketing Consultant for Wasserman Media Group, a sports and entertainment marketing firm.
Smith holds an MBA and MSBM from the University of Central Florida, and attended the University of Maryland for her undergraduate education in marketing.
Danielle and her husband Chris are kept occupied with their puppy, Jada.
You can contact Danielle Smith at dsmith@jimmyv.org.
