
Our Mission
To help older adults in the Charlottesville area maintain independence, mobility, and social connections within a mutually supportive community of members and volunteers.
Our Board of Directors
Maryann Long
Past President and Member-at-Large
Maryann practiced and taught midwifery for over 35 years, in New York City, New Jersey, Cambridge MA, and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She and her husband retired to Charlottesville in 2018 to be near their daughter and family. Maryann got inspired by the Village concept while volunteering with Capital City Village in Austin, TX. Her goal is to see Cville Village grow and thrive.
Maitland Sharpe
President
Maitland worked in environmental and natural resource policy in Washington for many years. With his wife, Susan, he settled in Charlottesville to enjoy retirement close to their daughter and her family. Reading about something called the “Village Movement,” based on mutual support for people aging-in-place, led them to join with people working to launch a Village here in Charlottesville.
Ellen Hayes
Treasurer
Ellen is a UVA graduate who returned to Charlottesville in 2013 after living in Chicago, New York, London, Providence, and Austin. She and her husband, Steve, raised three boys in the area. She joined Cville Village as a volunteer driver, inspired to do so after caring for her elderly father. Ellen retired after a career in corporate finance and investment management and became our treasurer in 2026.
Jan Dix
Membership Coordinator
A native Virginian, Jan retired after a career as a physician assistant. She has been involved in other local nonprofits over the years. She joined Cville Village in 2022 and was instrumental in getting our first successful grant proposal written in 2023.
Marla Ziegler
Social Activities Coordinator
Having lived in Charlottesville twice before, Marla came back permanently in 1993 to raise her young daughter. A retired lawyer and university professor, she’s been interested in the idea of a Village Movement since
first hearing of it in the mid-90’s. Marla began volunteering as a driver for Cville Village in February 2026. She enjoys helping people age in place and
making opportunities for social engagement available to anyone who wants it.
Susan Sharpe
Volunteer Coordinator
Susan Sharpe began working for the Village as a volunteer driver in January of 2024. After 30 years teaching English at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, she and her husband moved to Charlottesville in 2019 to be near their four grandchildren. She is happy to be making new friends through her Village activities, in addition to teaching at OLLI and struggling with oil painting.
Carter Atkinson
Membership Co-Coordinator
Carter grew up in the northern suburbs of Washington, D.C. and has deep family roots in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. After a long career as a research microbiologist with the U.S. Department of the Interior, he retired from Hawaii to Charlottesville to be closer to his daughters. He joined Cville Village as a volunteer in early 2025 and enjoys the opportunities the organization provides to meet new people and engage in community service.
Milestones
- October 2012 – First organizational meeting of Cville Village held.
- January 2013 – Established core coordinating group that became founding board of directors.
- June 2013 – Cville Village is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- November 2023 – Welcomed first cohort of volunteers and began enrolling members.
- January 2024 – Service offerings went live in Charlottesville City + 1 mile urban ring of Albemarle County.
- June 2025 – Expanded service area to include Charlottesville, plus Albemarle County south to Biscuit Run Park; north on US 29 to Polo Grounds Rd.; east to the intersection of I-64 and US 250 (Richmond Rd.); and west to Old Garth Rd and Ednam.
Our service area expansion in 2025 was possible because we attracted more volunteers. Geography and the number of active volunteers are the factors constraining further growth of our footprint.
Will we grow further? We don’t know yet! More active volunteers from more distant parts of Albemarle County will be key to future expansion.
Maybe you and your neighbors would like to have a village where you are. There are lots of resources, and we can help you get started. Contact us at info@cvillevillage.org.
