GRASP is fortunate to have professionals who not only encourage and value educational achievement in others but also in themselves.
Our Staff
Bettsy Heggie, MBA
Our Chief Executive Officer, Bettsy Heggie is a graduate of Salem
College and has an MBA from Wake Forest University. Prior
to joining GRASP, she worked at as a senior director of
information technology, managing information technology
national contracts, human resources, and fiduciary
responsibilities for the U.S. market.
Approximately five years ago, following a break to raise a family, she began working with GRASP, beginning as a financial aid counselor. Until being named Executive Director, she was the Director of Advisors and In-School Programming at GRASP for almost three years, managing our counselors and in-school services in forty schools.
She is passionate about our work of removing financial barriers to higher education. Years ago her own father received financial assistance in order to attend Columbia University during the Great Depression; early in her life she realized the connection between higher education and a life as an accomplished, effective citizen. Thus, GRASP’s goal of moving young people towards productive and successful lives and careers makes sense to her. She welcomes your participation in achieving GRASP’s commitment so that, together, we can make GRASP’s fulfillment of its mission even stronger in the coming years.
Contact Bettsy at bheggie@grasp4virginia.com or 804-527-7717.
Karen C. Doran, MSW, Esq.
Our Chief Operating Officer, Karen Doran, holds
her undergraduate degree from Duke University as
well as graduate degrees from Boston College (MSW)
and the University of Virginia (JD). Prior to becoming
involved in secondary education, Mrs. Doran was the
clinical director of a mental health center and later
practiced law at a major Richmond firm. She has held
numerous volunteer positions with a variety of community organizations, including being the president of both elementary
and middle school PTAs, president of the athletic booster club
of a high school, and a member of the Board of Trustees of her
church. She is very active with the Duke Alumni Association
and as an advisor for the collegiate chapter of her sorority at the University of Richmond. She has three children, all of whom have graduated from Duke, so she is personally familiar with the challenges that families face in funding college education.
As the GRASP Chief Operating Officer, she is responsible for a wide variety of areas, including the web site and GRASP 's various newsletters and marketing materials, grant-writing and foundation relations, advisor management, and the College Success Program, to name a few.
Contact Karen at kdoran@grasp4virginia.com or 804-527-7785.
Barbara Leasure
Our part-time payroll assistant and hotline operator, Barbara Leasure, is a graduate of Strayer University, who joined GRASP in the fall of 2008. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, her skills cover the duties of a
legal secretary, and an administrative aide in the
Office of the Attorney General in Maryland. Since
moving to Virginia over 20 years ago, Barbara has
been active in a variety of volunteer positions as
well as part-time positions, including
Superintendent of children’s Sunday School,
serving on the Vestry at her church, participating
in a mission trip to New Orleans to rebuild from
Hurricane Katrina, serving as a Board Member for her
community civic association, delivering for Meals on Wheels,
church administrator, and office assistant for a private
educational tutoring firm. While attending Strayer College (now
Strayer University) Barbara assisted the instructors to pay for
her tuition so she understands the need for financial assistance.
Contact Barbara at bleasure@grasp4virginia.com.
Kelly Adams
A native of Baltimore, Kelly is a graduate of Randolph Macon College, and has worked in finance for the past 6 years, most recently at Davenport. She majored in Political Science, with a minor in
Speech Communication. Kelly has joined the GRASP staff as a
Program Specialist on a part-time basis, utilizing her strong
technology skills to work with our database, event planning and communication needs, marketing, and advisor training. Kelly also
serves as the College Success Advisor for GRASP. Kelly and her
husband, who is from Richmond, have one young son.
Contact Kelly at kadams@grasp4virginia.com or 804-527-7726.
Janet Andrews
A graduate of Salem College, Janet has long been an active member of the community. Janet has three children, all of whom have graduated from college -- two from the University of Virginia and one from
Princeton. A past president of the PTA at her children's school,
Janet has actively volunteered with a variety of organizations,
including her church. Janet enjoys running and in competing in various 10K races. In addition to working as the GRASP Advisor at Freeman High School, Janet is part of the GRASP office
staff as a Program Specialist on a part-time basis and coordinates the GRASP Last Dollar Scholarship Program and Library Programs,
as well as assisting in other programmatic areas.
Contact Janet at jandrews@grasp4virginia.com or 804-527-7772.
Cait Seargent
A native of Richmond, Cait graduated from Douglas Freeman High School in Henrico County. She received her undergraduate degree in 2010 from Virginia Tech, with a major in finance. Cait is hoping to pursue a masters degree in strategy and mass communications, and is working for GRASP in the meantime. Cait is working on the GRASP bookkeeping system as well as on various marketing and public relations projects.
Contact Cait at cseargent@grasp4virginia.com or 804-527-7726.
Helping today's youth GRASP infinite opportunities
“Thank you so much for your time, and the e-mail about the nursing program. You have been a wealth of information. I have already got started on some scholarships all because of your encouraging words. I really appreciate all that you did for me, as well as all the other overwhelmed students who come to your office.” Heather Vaughan
GReat Aspirations Scholarship Program, Inc., 4551 Cox Road, Suite 110, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 804-527-7726
