InStill moved to Pulaski at the beginning of the year with the intention of serving the local community through mindfulness-based programming and action. In the short time we have been a part of this community we have encountered many remarkable people, and today we are happy to announce that six of them have joined our Board. This means that the majority of our Board now reside and/or work in Pulaski County!

These are our new members. Please join us in wishing them a warm welcome to the InStill community!

Chris Alderman has been working in mental health and addiction since 2009. His lived experience with personal adversities along with educational and professional development has given him the skills to impact people individually and in group settings including public speaking. He has been working in the mental health field for 10 years in addition to his background in the military, construction, manufacturing, entrepreneurship and much more. His goal is to share his experiences to help others in adversity tell their story so that they too can experience individual authenticity.

Brian Gardner is a lifelong learner and seeker, looking for the connectedness between all people. He moved to Draper from Charlotte to help run the Draper Mercantile. He manages the village market and plans programming for the Draper Village’s healing arts. Brian is a trained Labyrinth facilitator, and directed the construction of the 46-foot medieval Labyrinth at Merc Farms. He is on the board of Directors for the Draper Community Park and was the project coordinator for its LOVEworks installation. Brian holds a degree in theology, and is the Spiritual Director of The Village Chapel in Draper. He enjoys spending time with his biological and recovery families, his red healer dog, goats, and three roosters. His interests include journaling, meditation, drumming, silent retreats, twelve-step spirituality and traveling.

Lydia Gilmer is the Director of Small Business Solutions for Pulaski County, Virginia. In this role, she works with entrepreneurs and small business owners to conceptualize and actualize business ideas, explore new business ventures, and solve any challenges that arise along the way. She also manages the Pulaski County Innovation Center – a business incubator facility in Fairlawn with 40 business and non-profit tenant organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce and manages the Downtown Pulaski Marketplace for Pulaski on Main. In her free time, she is a RYT-200 yoga teacher who leads yoga classes throughout the New River Valley.

R. Scott Schwarzer was a Captain and SWAT Commander with Radford City Police Department, where he served for over twenty-five years. Scott also works as an instructor across the region in multiple law enforcement subjects. He was introduced to mindfulness, meditation, and yoga by friends. He is grateful to serve with InStill and seeks to assist others on their path while working on his own practice. He enjoys backpacking, music festivals, and working at the local scout camp.

Terrie Sternberg is a retired Minister at Trinity Lutheran Church in Pulaski. Prior to her service as a Minister, Terrie worked in Marketing Communications for Union Carbide for 17 years. She has been involved in numerous local community organizations including The Fine Arts Center of the New River Valley, Free Clinic of Pulaski County, Safe Haven Visitation, Hungry Mother Lutheran Camp and Retreat Center, New River Valley Leading Lights, and more. She has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Western Connecticut State University and a Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.

Jonathan Vandergrift is the Accounting Manager for BimmerWorld. He was formerly the Executive Director of Plenty! and has served with the FBI and the Coast Guard. He has earned a BS in Political Science and Government from Shepherd University, an MSSI from the National Intelligence University, and an Accounting degree from the University of Virginia.