Board of Directors

Renea Gaucher
Chairperson, Board of Directors

Mrs. Gaucher grew up in Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA. She graduated from University of Virginia’s College at Wise with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration and concentration in Business Education. She taught high school before she started a family. Mrs. Gaucher has been married to VADM Robert (Rob) Gaucher for 28 years and they have two daughters who live in Florida. She is proud to be a Navy spouse and has enjoyed the many places she and VADM Gaucher have lived and visited. Mrs. Gaucher has called many places home including Norfolk, VA; Virginia Beach, VA; Bremerton, WA; Orlando, FL; Mystic, CT; St Marys, GA; Kailua, HI; Santa Rita, Guam; Fairfax, VA; Honolulu, HI and Alexandria, VA.

Steven W. Maas
Retired U.S. Navy Supply Corps Rear Admiral
President, Board of Directors

RADM Maas spent over half of his thirty-five year career as a Supply Corps Officer in the Submarine Force, as Supply Officer of two submarines, a Submarine Squadron, a Submarine Tender, and as the Submarine Force Assistant Chief of Staff for Supply and Financial Management. He served as the Program and Budget Officer in the Submarine Directorate on the Chief of Naval Operations staff. He also was on the Board of Directors of Navy Mutual Aid Association, the Navy Supply Corps Foundation, and Goodwill of Central Florida. Steve has been a member of the Board of DSF since 2017, and was elected President in September 2022.

Scott R. Van Buskirk
Retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral
Vice President, Board of Directors

Vice Admiral Scott Van Buskirk, is a retired United States Navy officer who was the 56th Chief of Naval Personnel and the 47th Commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet. A native of Petaluma, California, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1979 and joined the submarine service. He served on board five different submarines and commanded USS Pasadena (SSN 752) and Submarine Development Squadron 12.

Following his retirement from the U.S. Navy, VADM Van Buskirk served six years in the private sector as Vice President at Oceaneering International, a global energy and defense corporation. In 2019 he left Oceaneering and started a private consulting firm. In addition to consulting, he presently serves on corporate and non-profit advisory boards and supports the Naval War College as a Course Facilitator.

Keith B. Fargo
Retired U.S. Navy Supply Corps Captain
Secretary/Treasurer, Board of Directors

As a career Navy Supply Corps Officer, Captain Fargo served in logistics assignments at Naval Shore Activities and onboard U.S. Navy ships. His first tour in the Navy was as a Submarine Supply Officer. Subsequent submarine related tours included Supply Officer of both a Submarine Base and a Submarine Tender. Captain Fargo also served as Director, Nuclear Reactor Logistics Support Department in Mechanicsburg, PA and Logistics Support Coordinator, Strategic Systems Program, Arlington, VA. Following his retirement from the Naval Service in 2003, he was a consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton supporting logistics programs for the U.S. Navy. In retirement, he has been active in non-profit organizations including Naval Submarine League, Pacific Southwest Chapter. He has served on the DSF board since 2020.

Maryellen Baldwin
Member, Board of Directors

A member of the Navy League Hampton Roads for more than twenty-five years, Maryellen Baldwin demonstrates a deep commitment to the men and women who voluntarily serve in our sea services. She assumed her current position as President and CEO on September 1, 2015, after having the distinction of serving as the first woman President of the Navy League, Hampton Roads and then being selected as Executive Director in 2000.

Ms. Baldwin has worked on twenty-six commissioning ceremonies supporting the United States Navy in raising funds for ship’s enhancements along with protocol events that have become part of Navy tradition. She has broadened the Navy League’s involvement with Active-Duty families by developing workshops, hosting the Sailor of the Year contenders, and funding four named Navy League scholarships. Ms. Baldwin has been the recipient of several Sea Service awards to include Honorary Chief Petty Officer in 1994, the Navy’s Distinguished Service Award and Superior Public Service Award. Recognized in Inside Business Leadership Publication in 2015. Inducted into the Navy League of the United States Hall of Fame, June 2022

Dave Bolcar
Member, Board of Directors

Mr. Bolcar has been the Vice President of Engineering at Newport News Shipbuilding since 2021 and for the 3 years prior to that, he held the position of Vice President responsible for the construction of Virginia Class Submarines. Mr. Bolcar has a strong connection to the submarine force and has served the submarine community for the past 35 years designing and building submarines for the U.S. Navy as an employee of Newport News Shipbuilding his entire career. He has been a member of the DSF Board of Directors since 2018.

Barry L. Bruner
Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral
Member, Board of Directors

RADM Bruner entered the Navy in 1980 through the Nuclear Propulsion Officers Candidate program. He served in various roles, at sea and ashore, including Commanding Officer, USS Florida (SSBN 728) (Gold); Commander, Submarine Squadron 7; Commander, Submarine Group 10; and also as Director, Undersea Warfare Division (N97). He retired in 2015, transitioning to the business sector where he served as Vice President and General Manager of a Submarine Repair business until he retired in 2021.

Bruce E. Grooms
Retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral
Member, Board of Directors

VADM Grooms graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering.  He earned a master’s degree, with distinction, in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and attended Stanford University as a National Security Affairs Fellow. He retired as a Vice Admiral following a 35-year career in the U.S. Navy. He served aboard a variety of submarines, culminating in command of USS Asheville (SSN 758), where the ship earned the Battle Efficiency “E” award and the Golden Anchor award for the highest retention in the submarine force. He served as commander, Submarine Squadron 6 and later as Commander, Submarine Group 2. He culminated his military career as Deputy Chief of Staff, NATO Allied Command Transformation.

VADM Grooms currently serves as the Vice President and General Manager of Delphinus Engineering. He is a corporate director at Vista Outdoor and EMCORE. He served most recently at Raytheon Company as Vice President of U.S. Business Development, Navy Programs.

Albert H. Konetzni, Jr.
Retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral
Member, Board of Directors

A career Nuclear Submariner, VADM Konetzni has successfully commanded at all levels and has extensive experience in strategic planning, financial and personnel management, engineering, innovation, foreign affairs, leadership, and lecturing. VADM Konetzni holds a Masters Degree in Industrial Personnel Administration from George Washington University and has coauthored the book Command at Sea. He has been a member of the DSF Board of Directors since 2012. 

Michele Lamphear
Member, Board of Directors

Mrs. Lamphear has been a submarine spouse for over 30 years.  She has enjoyed playing an active and supportive role with Family Readiness Groups and volunteering at the USO.  She served as president for the Norfolk Submarine Officer’s Spouse Association for two years and vice president for one.  She was Gold Chair for five Silver and Gold Auctions; one in San Diego and four in Norfolk.

Charles B. Young
Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral
Member, Board of Directors

RADM Young served in the Navy for 36 years, retiring in June 2006 as the 11th Director
Strategic Systems Programs. His Navy career included tours on the USS ULYSSES S.
GRANT (SSBN 631) (Blue); USS PLUNGER (SSN 595); USS SAND LANCE (SSN 660); and
command of USS SAN JUAN (SSN 751) and USS HOLLAND (AS 32). In addition to the
DSF Board, he also serves as Director on the Boards for Water Mission and the Global
Water Center, and is Chair of the Advanced Technologies Internationals Board. He
resides in Mt Pleasant, SC. RADM Young has served on the DSF Board of Directors since 2020.

Charles J. Beers
Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral
Emeritus Member, Board of Directors

For over 20 years, RADM Beers led the DSF as Chairman of the Board and then with a change in organizational structure as President. He retired from the Navy in 1998 at Kings Bay, GA where he was Commander Submarine Group Eight and joined Lockheed Martin Corporation as Vice President of Navy Programs.

Merrill H. Dorman
Retired U.S. Navy Captain
Emeritus Member, Board of Directors

Captain Dorman served on four submarines: USS TECUMSEH (SSBN 628) (Gold), USS SUNFISH (SSN 649) as Engineer, USS PARCHE (SSN 683) as Executive Officer, and in command of USS SILVERSIDES (SSN 679) for 45 months.  His career assignments also included the following: staff instructor at Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit in West Milton NY; Squadron14 Engineer in Holy Loch, Scotland; Operations Officer at SUBLANT; Director, Arctic Submarine Laboratory in San Diego CA; and as Commander, Oceanographic System Atlantic in Norfolk VA.  In retirement, he worked as a defense contractor at EG&G Technical Services for 19 years.  He served as vice-president and president of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Naval Submarine League for a total of seven years.  In 1998 he joined the Board of Directors of the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation and served as Secretary-Treasurer for 22 years.

James C. Hay
Retired U.S. Navy Captain
Emeritus Member, Board of Directors

Executive Director

Andrew Clark, MBA, CFRE, CAP
Retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief

Mr. Clark has served as the executive director of the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation since 2013. He is the first executive director at DSF to have held every staff position prior to assuming his current role. He has been the driving force behind the foundation’s growth and the expansion of its mission over the last decade. Prior to joining the DSF team, Mr. Clark completed a 26-year career in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force that included service onboard four nuclear powered submarines: USS Scamp (SSN 588), USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730), USS Georgia (SSBN 729), and USS Alabama (SSBN 731). His career assignments also include tours at Commander, Submarine Group 2; Commander, Submarine Group 9; Trident Training Facility, Bangor, and Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic. Mr. Clark is credentialed as a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), and as a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) by the American College of Financial Services.

Advisory Board

General Counsel

Anita Poston, Esq. 

Anita Poston is a principal in the law firm Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC and serves as general counsel for the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation. She has represented the organization since 1988 when she worked with Joan D. Bacon to incorporate the Foundation and obtain tax exempt status from IRS. Ms. Poston is a highly respected leader in the legal profession and is known for her extensive involvement in local and statewide legal organizations and for her leadership of numerous charitable groups. She has served as the President of the Virginia Bar Association as well as the Chairman of the Norfolk Public School Board.
Appointed by the Virginia Supreme Court in 1990, Ms. Poston served for over thirty years on the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. She also served on the Board of Visitors of the College of William and Mary and on the State Board for the Virginia Community College System. Ms. Poston holds degrees from the University of Maryland and the College of William and Mary Law School. She is the mother of three children, and is married to the Honorable Charles E. Poston, Retired Judge of the Norfolk Circuit Court.

Financial Advisor

Charles H. Spence, Jr., CLU, ChFC
Retired U.S. Navy Captain

CAPT Spence has over fifty year’s experience providing insurance, investments and financial planning for his clientele in Hampton Roads and still serves as a consultant in these areas. With 5 years of Active Duty including service onboard USS Torsk (SS 423) and USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN 636) and another 21 years of Reserve participation with the Submarine Force, he served on the DSF Board for over 16 years, 5 of which as the Chairman. He has since served as DSF Financial Advisor since 2005. He is credentialed as a Chartered Life Underwriter and a Certified Financial Consultant by the American College of Financial Services.

Distinguished Advisory Board

Robert Ballard, Ph.D

ADM Frank L. Bowman, USN (Ret.)

John P. Casey

ADM Henry G. Chiles, Jr., USN (Ret.)

RADM Bruce B. Engelhardt, USN (Ret.)

John W. O’Neill

C. Michael Petters

Thomas C. Schievelbein

Michael W. Toner

John K. Welch