OUR LEADERSHIP & BOARD
Led by neighbors who care.
Meet the staff and volunteer board guiding Fauquier FISH.
Our people
The neighbors behind FISH
Fauquier FISH’s leadership team brings a range of experiences and backgrounds to our mission of strengthening our community through dignity and kindness. Our team includes our Executive Director, staff, and a volunteer Board of Directors.
Our Staff
Charity Furness
Executive Director
Charity leads Fauquier FISH with a deep commitment to serving our community and helping neighbors in need.
Read more
Charity Furness was appointed Executive Director of Fauquier FISH in 2021, after volunteering with FISH for over six years. Charity is an Orange County High School graduate with a degree in Nuclear Engineering from Purdue University. She and her husband Steve have called Warrenton home for over a decade.
Charity brings a wealth of leadership experience to Fauquier FISH, having served as Executive Director of Experience Old Town Warrenton (EOTW) from 2018 to 2021. Charity is the founding director of Fauquier FISH’s Weekend Power Pack program and served as the volunteer Executive Director of FISH from 2015 to 2018 and as a board member from 2018 to 2021.
Megan Oakley
Grant Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
Megan brings years of community service and leadership experience to our grant fundraising and volunteer programs.
Read more
Megan Oakley began volunteering with Fauquier FISH in 2014. A graduate of Fauquier’s Liberty High School, Megan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Administration of Justice and a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University.
After a 17-year career managing law enforcement research projects, Megan intentionally shifted her professional focus toward community-based service, first with Fauquier Reaches for Excellence in School Health (FRESH) and then by joining the FISH staff in August 2025. She previously served as FISH’s Board Chair for five years and now manages the organization’s grant and foundation fundraising while supporting the behind-the-scenes operations of the Weekend Power Pack program and overseeing volunteer management.
Megan believes strongly in the power of volunteerism and is grateful to be part of an organization that continues to inspire people to show up, give back, and care for their neighbors.
Chelby Steadman
Programs Manager
Chelby helps keep our Food Pantry running smoothly while making clients and volunteers feel welcome.
Read more
Chelby Steadman started volunteering in early 2022 and quickly fell in love with FISH’s Food Pantry. She immersed herself in the organization, managing the day-to-day flow of our open pantry sessions, served on the Board of Directors for two years, and officially joined staff in August 2025.
Chelby has a true gift for making everyone around her feel warm and welcomed, clients and volunteers alike!
Our Board of Directors
Lisa Tondreau
Board Chair
Retired Partner, IBM
Lisa started by packing Weekend Power Packs and now serves clients with dignity at the food pantry.
Read more
Lisa’s commitment to service began early, shaped by childhood lessons about caring for others and an understanding that hunger affects neighbors both near and far. She first became involved with Fauquier FISH by helping pack Weekend Power Packs. Today, Lisa primarily serves neighbors at the food pantry, where she values building personal connections and offering support with dignity and respect. A retired information technology executive and management consultant, Lisa lives in Warrenton. Outside of FISH, she volunteers with the historic Warrenton Horse Show and Fauquier Community Theatre. She is also a proud mom, animal lover, and gardener.
Rachael Brinson
Vice Chair
Town Administrator, Town of Remington
A longtime Remington leader and volunteer, from Girl Scouts to the Remington Farmers Market.
Read more
Rachael and her husband moved to Fauquier County in 2007 to raise their four children. Her commitment to community service spans nearly two decades of involvement with Girl Scouts, along with service as an auxiliary member of the Remington Volunteer Fire Department. Rachael has also contributed to the Remington Community Gardens Board, the Fall Festival and Town Car Show committees, and the Remington Farmers Market, where she served as volunteer manager. She serves on the boards of Fauquier FISH and the Virginia Association of Government Archives & Records Administrators. As Town Administrator for the Town of Remington, she brings her professional experience and community involvement to her work with FISH.
Julie Jones
Past Chair
Retired Insurance Analyst, Inova Health System
A FISH volunteer since 2017 who has led our Senior Supplemental Nutrition Program since 2021.
Read more
Julie has called Fauquier County home for 40 years and began volunteering with Fauquier FISH in 2017. She has been a consistent presence at both food pantry and Weekend Power Pack sessions. In September 2021, Julie began leading FISH’s monthly Senior Supplemental Nutrition Program in partnership with the Department of Social Services. Her husband, Gordon, also volunteers with the organization. Beyond FISH, Julie gives her time to Northern Virginia Food Rescue and the Hylton Performing Arts Center. Her years of service reflect her commitment to helping neighbors and supporting the community.
Elaine Harris
Treasurer
Retired Management Accountant
A FISH volunteer since 2000 and the creator of our DASH, the approach that guides all of our food.
Read more
Elaine has been a Fauquier FISH volunteer since 2000 and a Warrenton resident since 1984. Before retiring, she worked as a management accountant and QuickBooks coach and owned Small Business Support Services. Elaine was the driving force behind FISH’s 2015 transformation from a traditional food bank into the nutrition-focused Fauquier FISH Food Pantry. She also created DASH (Delicious. Affordable. Simple. Health.), the idea behind every meal we provide. Her long-standing involvement has helped shape the pantry’s approach to food and nutrition.
Linda Boaz
Secretary
Retired, Fairfax County Government
After 36 years with Fairfax County government, Linda now gives back to Fauquier through FISH.
Read more
Linda moved to Fauquier County in 1987, where she and her husband raised their two daughters. She began her career in information technology with Department of Defense contractors before joining Fairfax County government, where she served for 36 years and retired in 2024. Throughout her adult life, Linda has been active in volunteer leadership, including school PTOs, sports organizations, and other community committees. After retirement, she looked for broader ways to serve the Fauquier community and surrounding rural areas. Introduced to FISH through a family connection, Linda was drawn to its work addressing food insecurity and its compassionate, respectful approach to helping neighbors.