We’re very excited to officially present Ghent Neighborhood League’s 2026 Election Slate. Our slate this year is uncontested, but votes are still required and your vote counts! Ballots will be emailed on April 21st. If you’re a member in good standing and don’t receive a ballot please email us and we’ll send you one. Voting runs from April 21st to May 5th and the new Board and Officers will be sworn in at the May Monthly Neighborhood meeting.
2026 Slate
President: Eleise Theuer
Eleise has enjoyed helping the GNL Board reinvent the League, creating lots of events and activities for Ghent residents and advocating for services and policies that best serve all residents of the neighborhood. Green Spaces, beautification and neighborly areas of peace, recreation and respite are her particular focus. She and her husband Jim renovated their Ghent house and raised their sons there.
Vice President - Jennifer Dawn
Jennifer Dawn moved to Ghent and quickly embraced the spirit and character of this historic neighborhood. Her front porch has become a gathering place, where neighbors can stop by for chats as they walk the tree-lined streets. The unique architecture, sense of community, and walkability are what make Ghent truly special to her.
Since becoming Vice President of the Ghent Neighborhood League, Jennifer has collaborated on initiatives such as the Ghent Longest Table, community clean-ups, and neighborhood beautification projects with city stakeholders. Her approach is hands-on, strategic, and deeply collaborative, reflecting her passion for preserving the neighborhood's historic charm while fostering community connection.
In addition to her role in the League, Jennifer is President of the Friends of the Fred Heutte Foundation, where she champions urban gardening and community engagement. She also served on the NFK2050 Advisory Committee for the City of Norfolk, contributing to the long-term vision for Norfolk's growth and community development.
Professionally, Jennifer is a REALTOR® in Hampton Roads, serving on the Hampton Roads REALTOR® Association Board of Directors and as the Government Affairs Committee Chair. She is also an active member of the Virginia Association of REALTORS® Public Policy Committee and is an alumna of the prestigious Virginia Leadership Academy. Jennifer proudly represents the National Association of REALTORS® as a Commitment to Excellence State Ambassador, reflecting her dedication to ethical and professional standards in real estate.
Prior to her real estate career, Jennifer was a National Board-Certified educator, mentor, and coach for nearly two decades, where she honed her leadership, mentorship, and strategic planning skills. This experience fortified her commitment to community engagement, advocacy, and servant leadership—qualities she brings into every role she serves.
Jennifer is committed to fostering deeper community connections, preserving Ghent’s historic charm, and enhancing neighborhood collaboration. Her vision for Ghent is one of connectedness, beauty, and continued growth, ensuring it remains a hallmark neighborhood for generations to come.
2nd Vice President - Shawn Z. Tarrant
Shawn Z. Tarrant, Candidate for 2nd Vice President GNL Shawn was born and raised in Long Island, New York. Shawn spent most of his professional career in Baltimore, Maryland. He and his wife Latisha recently moved to Ghent from Chesapeake with their youngest son and have a blended family of five adult children.
Shawn is the Graduate Advisor Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc, at Old Dominion University Eta Omega Chapter and the past President of Norfolk State University, Chesapeake Alumni Chapter. Shawn was also elected to Maryland General Assembly House of Delegates and the Baltimore State Delegate serving two 4-year terms.
He is also the Past President/Vice President of Ashburton Area Association and he has served on the Boards of the Maryland Zoo, SPCA & Baltimore City Community College Foundation.
Secretary-Lynne Seagle
Lynne Seagle has lived in Ghent for over 40 years. She attended ODU and received her bachelor’s degree in special education and master’s degree in public administration. She was hired at Hope House Foundation in 1978 while living on Redgate Ave, and then later moved to Graydon Ave, where she resides today.
Under Lynne’s leadership, Hope House has become internationally known for its innovative, person-centered approach. One of her proudest accomplishments was guiding Hope House through its transition from group homes to supporting people in their own apartments in the early nineties.
In 1986, Lynne was honored as the Virginia Administrator of the Year by the Virginia Community Living Association (CLAMR), and also received an Innovation Award from the same organization. In 1990, she received the Leadership Award from the American Association on Intellectual Disabilities, and in 1998, she received the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation's International Future Leader Award. In 2011, she was appointed to the Arc of Virginia’s board of directors. She has also served on the President's Commission on Intellectual Disabilities and is on the advisory board of the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation.
Lynne is passionate about social justice and equality for all people, particularly those with intellectual or developmental disabilities. She also enjoys reading, travel, Mexican cuisine, and the beach. Having recently retired Lynne is very interested in her community and contributing to the success and continued improvement of her neighborhood. Lynne is concurrently a consultant for not for profits and corporations, specifically concerning leadership and strategic planning.
Treasurer: Debbie Walsh
Debbie Walsh moved to Norfolk 2 years ago, previously residing in San Diego and Indiana. She has been an RN for 30 years, 17 years as a family nurse practitioner. She is currently. a nurse practitioner with Sentara Community Care, working at various mobile sites in the city of Norfolk and the Union Mission shelter. She and her husband are members of the Norfolk community garden, and joined the GNL earlier this year. She is a member of the book club. Issues regarding social justice are her passion. They love living in Ghent and look forward to seeing continued community and business development.
Board Member: Brooks Johnson
Germaine Clair and I purchased our home on Stockley Gardens in 1988 and moved in on April Fools’ Day 1990. For more than three decades, we restored and modernized our home with respect for its architectural integrity and for the historic character that defines Ghent. Germaine, my partner and wife of 43 years, passed away in June 2025. Our shared love of this neighborhood, the arts, and travel shaped not only our lives here but also my life’s work.
Born a stone’s throw away from the Chrysler Museum in the original Leigh Memorial Hospital and raised beside the historic Johnson family pre-Civil War home in Deep Creek, I have long been rooted in places where history and culture meet. After earning a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, I spent 31 years building the photography program at the Chrysler Museum while completing an MA from ODU in 1985. That program required developing the collection, organizing nationally recognized exhibitions with publications, cultivating patrons, fundraising, and community engagement. By the time I departed as Curator of Photography and 21st Century Art, the museum had achieved an international reputation for photography — the only area of art that Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. did not meaningfully include in his expansive collection.
In 2008, I joined Harmony Investments Inc./Harmony Hospitality Inc., where we develop hotels and multifamily housing projects from concept through completion, navigating zoning, infrastructure, financial feasibility, and marketing strategy. Although I retired in 2023, I continue to consult with Harmony on new developments.
I seek to serve on the board because I am committed to safeguarding Ghent’s unique character, historic authenticity, and wide diversity of residents while strengthening our shared sense of neighborhood.
Board Member: Catherine Kilduff
Catherine (Ware) Kilduff first moved to Ghent when she was six years old and is thrilled to have moved back as an adult. She lives in her childhood home with her husband, two children, dog and two cats. In the past Catherinehas served as Secretary of the GNL Board and participated in the GNL Flooding Committee's work. You may have met her in Stockley Gardens walking the family dog, a fluffy Siberian husky. She especially appreciates Ghent's walkability and is enthusiastic about increasing the tree canopy and other beautification efforts. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. She currently works to protect endangered ocean wildlife at a non-profit organization, the Center for Biological Diversity. She would appreciate your vote for a position as a general board member!