Inspiring at Any Age: 20 Over 50

The story below is from our March/April 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!

From bold career pivots to inspiring new ventures, these women are redefining success, embracing empowerment and proving it’s never too late to chase their dreams.

After the overwhelming positive response to last year’s celebration of 20 amazing women over 50 (inspired by our 40 Under 40 feature), we knew we had to do it again! Our vibrant community is brimming with incredible women over 50 who continue to inspire, lead and create lasting impacts. This year, our writers are thrilled to introduce you to another group of remarkable women whose stories prove that life after 50 is as vibrant as ever. Thank you to all who continue to pave the way for others and show what it means to live life to the fullest!

Written & photographed by Dan Smith

Danielle Alexander, 55

Community Outreach Coordinator, Good Samaritan Advanced Illness Care, Hospice, Roanoke

Danielle Alexander has always had a soft spot for those in need of a gentle, loving hand. She has worked with special needs children, and for the past 13 years that focused attention has been concentrated on those in the final weeks or months of life itself. Her goal is “to educate the community about what hospice is … and to alleviate the fear. Often people [moving to hospice care] think they will die tomorrow and give up hope and all control.”

Her goal: to help patients “live life to the fullest in the time they have left: go to the beach, do the things they want to do.” Good Sam is a non-profit organization, supported by Medicare and grants. 

Alexander knows the fear of the end, having overcome aggressive cancer nine years ago. “This is where I’m supposed to be,” she says.

Betty Whittaker, 67

Regional Volunteer Service Officer, Regional COO American Red Cross in Roanoke

“I’m one of the old-school people,” says Betty Whittaker, who has her mission permanently etched: “To alleviate human suffering in the face of an emergency through the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.” She’s practiced that for the past 50 years. As the woman responsible for all the 3,000 Red Cross volunteers in Virginia, “I’ve done just about everything but fundraise.”

At the core of it all, she says, she is “the person who is there on the worst day of somebody’s life. … It is gratifying  [because] it is not about me; it is about others. We put people where they feel valued, where they feel most useful.”

The Red Cross, she insists, “is a melting pot. You may think you have no skills, but we have something for everyone” who volunteers.

Sandra Craft, 50

Commercial Loan Manager, First Bank, Daleville

When she was in 10th grade at Lord Botetourt High School, Sandra Craft got a part-time job with the Bank of Fincastle. She loved the work and especially the customers. With the bank underwriting the cost, she earned an AA degree in banking at Virginia Western Community College, then a bachelor’s in business management and banking from Radford University, and the deal was sealed for a career.

It was customer relations that turned into a specialty for Craft. “You get so involved with people’s lives,” she says. Recently, she helped a customer buy a business he had worked for since high school. “I want our customers to be satisfied with our service and I want them to do well.”

It’s the personal touch that makes her “happy where I am. I like the ability to hand-hold. It perks the ego.”

Bhavna Sheth, 53

Owner, co-founder Curapure, Doctor of Naturopathy, Roanoke

Her divorce a few years ago marked an intense moment of self-discovery for India-native Bhavna Sheth. Not only did she start a new business, but she volunteers for the Fieldale Rescue Squad, takes classes at Radford University and is active in a load of organizations. She says her “commitment to healthcare extends from the fast-paced urgency of emergency services to the nurturing principles of Ayurveda at All-India Alternative Medical Council.”

She lives in Roanoke but puts many miles weekly on her car with her involvements. Curapure is a holistic approach to health. Sheth insists that “the doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and the cause and prevention of disease.”

She practices acupressure (a cousin of acupuncture, using fingers and pressure instead of needles). The treatment, she says, “elevates pain management” with “no pills, no side effects.” Her ambition: “To give part of every day to help people.”

Written by Lindsey Hull

Jennifer Pfister, 53

Adventure Enthusiast

How do you measure a year of adventure? By the number of days on a calendar, according to Jennifer Pfister, who intentionally plans a fun activity for most days of the year. Every day, every week, according to weather. Yoga. Coffee. A run up to the Star. On the weekends, longer — waterfall hikes, scavenger hunts, day trips.

“My adventure only needs to be one hour,” she says. “After working, it’s a little bit harder to find that time, but I’m like — one hour.” 

She puts out an invitation to friends. “It’s the sisterhood of being with your girly friends. It just makes things brighter in my life,” she says. She points out wildlife to the group; she notices the bird calls. 

Pfister comes alive when her feet hit a trail. When she picks up the pace, she often wins awards as a trail runner. Though Pfister now walks over roots and rocks, she’s still moving full steam ahead. She keeps a spreadsheet of things she wants to experience. The North Mountain trail system is on there. So is ice climbing and snow-shoeing. Long-distance sledding, maybe ATVs. 

“You never know what your next true love’s gonna be,” she says. If she doesn’t meet every goal? “I’ll just either do it next week or I’ll do it next year.” 

Mignon Smith, 61

Triathlete

When Mignon Smith registered for the Smith Mountain Lake triathlon, her first, she couldn’t swim the length of a pool. With six months to prepare, Smith got to work. The goal: 750 meters in open water, plus a bike and run.

“I could tread water and dog paddle. That’s it,” she says, adding that she’s never been afraid of the water. About a month into her training, world champion triathlete Beni Thompson heard about Smith’s goal and agreed to coach her. “I had said, ‘I just signed up for a triathlon and I don’t know how to swim.” 

“There were days I wanted to get out of the pool and quit, but I just kept going,” Smith says. After weekend swims, she would head out for training walks and tough-as-nails bike rides — Smith has been a cyclist for thirty years and took up walking long distances in 2015. Her dedication paid off. She completed that first triathlon in May 2023, and then four more.

Smith challenges herself for the fun of it, for the excitement of conquering a new feat. She says that her friends push her to try new things; she pushes them to keep moving forward. “If you surround yourself with people who try things, then you try them,” Smith says. 

Dr. Dolores Yuille Johns, 90

Civil Rights Leader, Retired Educator

Dr. Dolores Yuille Johns, Ph.D. was the first African American faculty administrator at Virginia Western Community College. While there, Johns opened a satellite office to recruit Black students to VWCC. The young folks believed she cared because she had already been hard at work in the community. 

In 1965, Johns was hired to teach marketing distributive education at Lucy Addison  — then an all-Black high school. She was tasked with identifying retail internships for her students, a responsibility which led her to directly influence the integration of Roanoke’s retail establishments. 

“They had challenges getting along. They were pioneers,” she says of her students. “No retail stores had Black sales people at that time. I had to sort of sell the stores on the idea.” One manager “didn’t think his customers would receive a Black student as a salesperson,” Johns recalls. She sent him one of her best. Subsequently, he received three letters from customers complimenting the student’s service.

Johns tallied several firsts in her career and accrued multiple national awards in her final role as an instrumental force in Roanoke City Public Schools’  Title I department. She retired from there in 2000. Each career opportunity challenged Johns and gave her a new means for helping people succeed. 

When obstacles inevitably came, her stout determination helped her find her way around them. “I wanted to do it, and I was willing to take the chances,” she says.

Ann McGhee, 60

Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker and Educator

As a teenager, Ann McGhee spent a week backpacking with her Girl Scout troop. After that, she knew she wanted to hike the entire Appalachian Trail — in one go. Over 138 days last year, she and her husband Mack completed the 2,190-mile trail.

“It was hard to believe it was actually happening,” McGhee recalls, thinking of the first day on the trail. Close friends hiked to the top of McAfee with the couple to see them off. The McGhees had planned a flip-flop hike; they would hike from Roanoke to Maine first, and then from Georgia back to Roanoke. “We kept asking ourselves, ‘Do we feel like thru-hikers, yet?’

“Every mile was a gift, even the really, really hard ones,” she says. The most difficult miles were in New Hampshire, where the terrain is steep and full of boulders. McGhee slowed down, not wanting to get hurt. Emotionally, it was taxing. That experience made everything else feel easy, she says. 

“Sometimes when you think you can’t go on, you really can.” 

After New Hampshire came Vermont, and then Maine, where McGhee had her best day. “There was an incredible sunrise. The sky was purple, the water was purple and there was this moose eating breakfast in the pond.” She had been waiting to see a moose.

Written by Aila Boyd

Dr. Elizabeth Dulemba, 57

Director of Graduate Programs in Children’s Literature and Illustration at Hollins University

Dr. Elizabeth Dulemba’s journey to the Roanoke Valley is as colorful as the children’s books she illustrates. Growing up in Atlanta, Dulemba spent summers with her grandparents in Lexington and lived briefly in Manassas. Those Virginia roots deepened in 2012 when, while researching Jack Tales, she was invited by illustrator Ruth Sanderson to give a talk at Hollins University. The visit turned into an opportunity of a lifetime. “I apparently filled all the holes [Ruth] felt needed filling, and she hired me on the spot to return to teach,” Dulemba says.

Now the director of graduate programs in Children’s Literature and Illustration at Hollins, Dulemba has written and illustrated more than 36 books. Her creative journey started with “The Golden Book of Elves and Fairies,” a childhood treasure that inspired her dream of bringing joy to others through art. That passion led to a BFA in graphic design from the University of Georgia and a career designing products for children.

In 2015, Dulemba and her late husband, Stan, sold everything they owned and moved to Scotland, where she pursued an MFA in illustration and a Ph.D. in children’s literature. “My MFA was pivotal on many levels,” she said. “I wanted a more mature color palette and to work with traditional media.”

Dulemba’s story is also one of resilience. After losing her husband in 2022, she embraced life with renewed purpose. “We lived OUT LOUD while we were together, so I have no regrets,” she shares.

These days, Dulemba splits her time between teaching, writing, illustrating and enjoying Roanoke’s Greenway on her e-bike. For her, life over 50 is liberating. “I’ve always had a clear vision… Being 50+ has been freeing,” she says. “I’m turning out to be quite active in this new chapter, which is whipping me into good shape … for my age — ha!”

Anne Marie Green, 68

Salem City Council Member

At 68, Anne Marie Green continues to defy expectations. Originally from Alexandria, Green moved to the Roanoke Valley in 1989 after meeting her husband at a conference. Her professional journey has been anything but linear, reflecting a career built on adaptability and a passion for public service.

Green’s path began with a history degree from the College of William and Mary and a law degree from the Catholic University of America. After practicing law for three years, she pivoted to local government, working as an administrative assistant to the City Manager of Alexandria. This shift, spurred by her interest in public administration, became a defining moment in her life. “Making the decision to leave the practice of law and go into local government probably had the biggest effect on my life,” Green says. “Everything in my personal and private life has been shaped by that decision.”

In Roanoke County, Green’s impact grew. She served as Public Information Officer, General Services Director and Human Resources Director before retiring in 2019. Her contributions included founding RVTV, renovating critical infrastructure and implementing a new HR system. “All of these things made Roanoke County a better place to live and work,” she says.

Green recently added another accomplishment to her list: becoming a member of Salem City Council. Her election reflects her enduring commitment to the community and her belief that age should never limit ambition. “Age doesn’t define you,” Green says. “I earned a graduate certificate in local government management at 54 and became HR Director at 59. Now, I’m back in local government.”

Green’s advice for women over 50 is simple yet profound: “Stay active, keep learning and surround yourself with supportive people. You can have it all; just define what that means for you.”

Jill Green, 56

Principal of Northside High School, Roanoke County Public Schools

Jill Green, principal of Northside High School, has spent her entire career in public education. Originally from Rural Retreat, Green attended the same school from kindergarten through high school. After earning her teaching degree from Radford University, she started as a sixth-grade science and English teacher at Andrew Lewis Middle School, where she also coached girls’ basketball.

Green discovered her passion for education during her first year of college. She was inspired by her time as a walk-on for Radford University’s women’s basketball team, eventually earning a full scholarship. Her coach served as a role model, instilling the importance of leadership, service and ethics—principles that have guided Green throughout her career.

At 30, Green became an administrator and has now spent 27 years in school leadership. Early in her career, she balanced her demanding role with being a single mother to two daughters, both of whom have excelled in their own paths. Hannah is a math teacher, and Haley is pursuing a Ph.D. in computer engineering.

In her five years at Northside, Green has focused on building a strong staff dedicated to meeting the needs of all students. “The students at Northside are extremely fortunate to have such amazing staff,” she says. After 34 years in education, Green still finds joy in her work. “I love coming to school every day. It has never seemed like a ‘job.’”

Green believes students thrive when they feel supported and valued. “They need to know you care and believe in them,” she says. As a principal, she remains deeply involved, walking the halls and visiting classrooms daily. For Green, the successes of her students and staff continue to motivate her, reinforcing her passion for education and commitment to making a difference.

Bettina C. Altizer

Altizer Law, P.C.

Bettina C. Altizer, founder of Altizer Law, P.C., has built a career defined by persistence and a commitment to excellence. A Roanoke resident since elementary school, Altizer graduated from the University of Virginia and returned to the area to practice law with her father.

Altizer knew from an early age that she wanted to pursue a career in law. “I decided to be a lawyer at an early age — at the ripe age of three — when I knew law was my calling,” she says. However, her path wasn’t without challenges. During law school, she encountered gender-based disparities that continued into her early professional career. “I had naively assumed that mutual respect transcended gender, race and other differences,” Altizer says. Those experiences inspired her to mentor female trial lawyers, helping them build the confidence and resilience needed to navigate the profession.

Now, Altizer remains focused on growth and staying at the top of her field. She emphasizes the importance of staying flexible and embracing change. “I stay up to date with technology because, let’s face it, I do not want to rely on the young ones in the office to send an attachment to an email!” she says. Her self-care routine, which includes weightlifting, journaling and meditation, is another key to her success. “Optimizing my physical and emotional health is truly a secret weapon against the aging process,” she adds.

Altizer’s accomplishments extend beyond her legal career. She is a former world champion powerlifter who competed drug-free, an achievement that she says kept her true to herself. Reflecting on her journey, Altizer says her priority now is to share her expertise with others. “I genuinely look forward to sharing my ever-evolving knowledge and skills with other lawyers and aspiring professionals.”

Written by Laura Wade

Gil Harrington, 67

Founder, Help Save the Next Girl

Gil Harrington survived the most grievous loss a parent can experience and emerged with a considerable degree of wholeness.

“I have not just survived, but have become a better, stronger, more compassionate individual as a direct response to the death of our daughter, Morgan,” says Harrington. 

Harrington and her husband, Dan, founded Help Save the Next Girl to help other parents avoid the anguish they lived through when their daughter went missing. The organization focuses on safety education and crime prevention, providing support to families of missing persons and advocacy. 

“It is the most trying time, and you have to be the most functional,” she shares. “We have demonstrated a positive way forward despite tragedy.” 

Now, they help others navigate that path. 

A caregiver at her core, Harrington gravitated to nursing, primarily in oncology. She traveled for 16 years with Orphan Medical Network International in Zambia as a leader of wound care.

Harrington finds inspiration everywhere, especially in the humility and love of her husband who cared diligently for his patients even as his heart was broken following Morgan’s murder.

“We have received as much richness and love as we lost,” says Harrington.

Yvette LeFlore, 58

Healing with Yvette, co-author of “Divine Synchronicity” and “Life Shifts”

It is no surprise Yvette LeFlore is inspired by people who are authentic and shine from within even when their life circumstances are challenging since she is a shining example of that.

LeFlore and her husband, Walter, moved to Roanoke from New York State in August 2020, during the height of the pandemic, for his job as a Unitarian Universalist minister. When he was diagnosed with lung cancer in December 2022, she began sharing her journey as a caretaker. She shared anticipatory grief and the importance of self-care while caring for a loved one. 

“My willingness to share my voyage with grief has enabled others to delve into and work to heal their unresolved grief,” LeFlore shares. 

With a BS in psychology and elementary education and a Master’s in correctional/special education, she taught in drug rehabs and prisons for 10 years. She was a sales leader with Pampered Chef for 29 years. 

An energy healer, teacher and author, LeFlore uses her intuition and understanding of energy systems to identify, balance and clear energetic imbalances in a person’s body, mind and spirit. She teaches others how to do the same.  

Thankful to have connected with a robust spiritual community, she now considers Roanoke home. 

Deb Squire, 74

Career Whisperer

“Being a career pivot coach is who I am — not what I do,” says Deb Squire. “Being where you belong in your career for where you are in your life creates a grounding of well-being.”

As a data-driven career strategist, Squire focuses on mid-to-late career professionals. After being diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (a rare blood cancer) in late 2022, she underwent a stem cell transplant, and added a new focus — to guide people with cancer and facilitate workshops on integrating people with cancer in the workplace. 

Squire adamantly believes that “if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem,” so she focuses on possible solutions and encourages others to do the same.

Being strategic, she connects dots and sees possibilities before others do. She practices intentional serendipity, the practice of creating opportunities for the unexpected to happen and putting oneself in situations where unlikely conversations can lead to new ideas.

As Squire navigated her diagnosis and treatment, she sought possibilities in her life and in how she can serve others. 

LeeRay Costa, 57

Executive Director of Leadership Studies and the Batten Leadership Institute and Professor, Gender and Women’s Studies and Anthropology at Hollins University

Having dedicated her life to education, LeeRay Costa inspires people as a teacher and life-long learner.

She earned a BA from University of California, MA from NYU and Ph.D. from University of Hawaii and is a graduate of the HERS Institute.

She served as director of faculty development and chair of women’s studies at Hollins. Now, she is spearheading an update to the undergraduate leadership program and Leading Together, a speaker series on collaborative, relational leadership.

In 2012, she co-founded Girls Rock Roanoke and served as executive director until 2018.

Her mission to transform higher education to make it more inclusive and just is reflected in her leadership in the Women’s National Studies Association and Compassionate Leadership Training International and the book she co-edited on contemplative practices in higher education.

She says it is important to go inward and ground self, find self then go back out into the world and do the work.

At the end of the day, Costa asks herself, “How did I move towards what I want to be known for… how did I help others learn and grow and how did I advocate for justice?”

Written by Ashley Wilson Fellers

Elizabeth Saleeba Baker, 66

Donor & Volunteer, Saleeba’s Store of Hope

Elizabeth Saleeba Baker’s local roots run deep: Her grandparents emigrated from Lebanon to found Saleeba’s Grocery in Southeast Roanoke — a beloved neighborhood gathering-place. The Saleebas passed the store onto two more generations, and Baker — a fulltime nurse — took the helm in the late nineties with her husband, Cliff. So when it came time to retire, the couple decided to turn their legacy into something special: a pet pantry, Saleeba’s Store of Hope, built in partnership with Angels of Assisi, where folks could acquire free staples for their four-legged friends. 

“Growing up in the store influenced me more than anything else,” says Baker. “I think that’s where I learned that sometimes, people just need a little help.”

Today, Baker still volunteers in the pet pantry she helped to found: “Cliff and I talk about it, and we both say it’s the best thing we’ve ever done. We’re just so grateful we could give back to this community that did so much for us.”

Donna Davis, 66

Director of Community Engagement, Goodwill Industries of the Valleys

 Donna Davis was born in Northwest Roanoke, to a long line of women deeply invested in their community. So it feels especially meaningful that she’s helping lead the Melrose Plaza project in the neighborhood where she grew up. “I want my community to have joy. They deserve to walk down the street and see something amazing,” says Davis. “It’s a deeply personal thing for me.”

The neighborhood hub — a first of its kind for Goodwill — will contain a community grocery store, bank, adult high school, wellness center and a place for local creatives to showcase their art ... something that excites Davis, who paints and who volunteers with the Roanoke Arts Commission. “This community is just so full of culture and history, and sometimes I think it’s been swept under the rug,” she says, pointing to urban renewal projects that fractured the Gainsboro and Northwest neighborhoods, leaving under-resourced areas in their wake. Davis — who calls her daughter her proudest achievement — hopes the Melrose Plaza project will leave a different kind of legacy: “We’re doing something here for generations to come.”

Laurie Gunn, 58

Community Volunteer 

 Laurie Gunn’s career was studded with executive-level roles in the healthcare industry. But these days, if you look her up on LinkedIn, you’ll see a different kind of job description: “Making an Impact Through Volunteering.”

Gunn moved to Virginia in 2020 with her husband, Bill, to a quiet hobby farm in Fincastle. But when she decided to retire early — a choice she recognizes as a privilege — she didn’t slow down. Instead, she threw herself into volunteer roles where she believed she could do good. In the throes of COVID-19, she participated in vaccination clinics with the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps. She began serving with Heartland Homehealth & Hospice, Meals on Wheels and Kindred Souls Canine Sanctuary. She also became an elections officer and a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) — a role she’s found particularly meaningful. “I’ve been able to advocate for children and their families in the foster system as they experience separation from one another,” says Gunn. “It’s such important work, and I’ve learned so much along the way.”

Through it all, Gunn hopes her work encourages other women to make a difference, too — especially as they approach retirement. “We’ve got so much wisdom and experience to share,” she says. “And the benefits go both ways!”

Leah Thompson, 55

Fine Artist and Art Educator

 As a college student, Leah Thompson wanted two things: to teach art and to create fine art of her own. But plenty of people told her she couldn’t do both. “A professor said, if you’re interested in art education, you should not be interested in art,” Thompson remembers. “He said, that’s just not possible.”

But Thompson has proven otherwise. She’s taught art for years at Round Hill Elementary, and meanwhile, she’s become a respected painter in her own right. And while the balancing act is challenging, “for me, education goes hand in hand with my art,” says Thompson, who credits her faith with keeping her grounded. “I believe art comes from the community, and the community should be a part of it.”

That philosophy shows up in Thompson’s gestural, colorful paintings, which feature dancers, athletes or figures moving through public spaces. And lately, that work has been attracting attention. Thompson was recently awarded third prize at the Taubman Museum’s sidewalk art show, and she was invited to join the museum’s exhibition, “All She Surveys” — an achievement that she calls her highest honor: “I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”

The story above is from our March/April 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!