Doug founded the River Ellis Foundation with his wife, Rachel, in 2018. Along with the Foundation, Doug is involved in a range of different community organizations. He is Past President/Current Board Member of the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum, Member of Towne Leadership Alliance, and serves as Senior Vice President of Acquisitions at Suburban Capital, a hospitality company headquartered in Virginia Beach. Doug has been an avid waterman and surfer all his life, and enjoys living close to the ocean in the North End of Virginia Beach with his family. Doug takes great pride in the fact that, through The River Ellis Foundation, his daughter’s legacy will be one of hope, community, and sunrises.

John is a Managing Director at Envest Capital Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in Virginia Beach.  John previously worked as a corporate and securities lawyer, specializing in structured finance, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity.  John earned his law degree from William & Mary and his BA from Washington and Lee.  John is active in the community, having served on a number of boards including the Old Dominion University Educational Foundation, where he is a member of the University Endowment’s Investment Committee, as well as the 757 Angels Group and the Norfolk Academy Alumni Association.  John enjoys surfing, boating and spending time on the beach with his wife and three young children.  

Phil is a Virginia Beach native first meeting the Ellis family at Norfolk Academy. He enjoyed another four years with Doug at William & Mary before attending UVa for law school. After a short stint in California Phil returned to his Virginia roots and is now an Associate General Counsel at Sentara Health. Phil is married to his best friend, Katie, and has two beautiful daughters, Liara and Zoe.

Laurie Dipace Reed grew up in Montauk, New York and attended Old Dominion University. She majored in elementary education and was a 4th grade teacher with the Virginia Beach City Public Schools for 13 years. In 2000 she and her husband Rick opened iNLeT Fitness in Virginia Beach. Laurie is a fitness instructor and is the Group Fitness Coordinator. She enjoys anything fitness related, the beach and spending time with family. Her greatest accomplishments are her beloved 3 children Jett, Summer and Jacq. She is proud to be a board member with the River Ellis Foundation providing a sunrise for those faced with unexpected hardships.

Rachel has a deeply personal connection to the Foundation as she and her husband, Doug, started REF when their daughter, River, died in 2018. Rachel’s previous nonprofit work and experience as a mental health counselor exposed her to the significant needs within the Hampton Roads area, and she feels honored to be able to make a difference in the community in River’s name. A native midwesterner, Rachel moved to Virginia Beach in 2013 and loves living near the beach. In her spare time, you can find Rachel somewhere outdoors with Doug and their two children Henry and June.

Laura Blyler Scanland is a nonprofit professional with 15 years of experience in fundraising and program delivery. She is currently a Manager of Fundraising and Partnerships at Global Impact, a nonprofit organization delivering advisory and business services to corporate and nonprofit clients. She draws on her expertise in strategic planning, grant writing, donor stewardship, and project management to help clients meet their goals and achieve outcomes to better serve their constituents. Laura previously worked at the Elizabeth Dole Foundation as Development Manager where she expanded the organization’s individual donor base and diversified streams of revenue to support military and veteran caregivers and their families. Prior to pivoting her career to fundraising, Laura worked at the Social Science Research Council and the American Association of University Women (AAUW) overseeing academic fellowship and grant programs. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from American University. As an Air Force spouse, Laura is an active member of the Hampton Roads community, serving as the scholarships chair of the Langley Spouses Club and a member of the Junior League of Hampton Roads. She made her television debut in 2023 as a contestant on Jeopardy!