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Four new members have joined the Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Educational Foundation Board, it was announced today by Executive Director Dr. James Cook. All were appointed to three-year terms.

The new members, who each have had many years of experience in the field of education, are Dr. Kathleen Bogacz, Susan Friski and Elizabeth Ramsey, all of Lexington, and Kathleen M. Burant of Natural Bridge Station.

“The DSLCC Foundation board looks forward to having our new members join in serving the DSLCC region,” said Nick Moga, Foundation Board President. “Our mission to provide support to the college, students and area businesses will be well served with these new members.”

 

Dr. Kathleen Bogacz

Dr. Bogacz is a board-certified physician specializing in internal medical, with 37 years of clinical and teaching experience. She is currently a primary care provider with Augusta Health, serving patients in Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County.

Dr. Bogacz was an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Lynchburg, and for five years was the medical college’s course director of various courses including Cardio-Pulmonary, Geriatrics-End of Life, Hematology-Oncology and Gastroenterology. She also served as the college’s Chief Medical Officer during that time, participating in the planning of regional one-day health clinics for the underserved in Lynchburg and Martinsville, as well as multiple international mission trips to Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. She also mentored three 4th-year medical students during an international rotation in Kenya, in concert with Samaritan’s Purse/World Medical Mission program.

For several years, she provided medical care at the Free Clinic of Central Virginia in Lynchburg, as well as the Liberty Mountain Medical Group.

Dr. Bogacz earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois, and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Illinois School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency at Evanston (IL) Hospital and later was the Chief Medical Resident there.

Among the many awards she has received are: “Educator of the Year” and “Clinical Educator of the Year,” at Liberty University’s medical college; and the Red Cross “Hometown Medical Hero,” Lynchburg. She was also honored for her dedication to the mission of the Free Clinic.

Dr. Bogacz and her husband of 40 years, Jerry, have three children and one grandchild.

 

Kathleen M. Burant

Kathleen M. Burant retired from a long and distinguished career in education in 2012 and returned to Rockbridge County, where she spent many years as the Business and Cooperative Education Teacher (1993-2002), and later, as Assistant Principal (2002-2006) at Rockbridge County High School.

Her most recent position was serving as Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the Stafford County (VA) School Division. Also during that time, she was an adjunct instructor of business and marketing for the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.

She has served in a variety of leadership positions in several workforce and career and technical education organizations; coordinated business partnerships with CTE programs; and concentrated on student internships and employment opportunities.

During her tenure in Stafford, she supervised over 150 CTE instructors and had complete responsibility for all of the CTE programs in the county. She also created one of the first Governor's STEM Academies -- Stafford Academy for Technology.

Ms. Burant earned a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction and Vocational Director Endorsement from Virginia Tech, and an Administration and Supervision Endorsement from James Madison University.

Prior to coming to Rockbridge County High School, she was a business education teacher for the Lee County school district in Florida.

After her retirement, she served for four years as a member of the Rockbridge County Public Schools Foundation, and recently she was elected to a four-year term to the Rockbridge County Public School Board. She is a member of the Parish Pastoral Council at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Lexington.

Kathy is married to Dr. B. Harper Donahoe, a retired educator, and they have a small farm in Natural Bridge Station raising four rescue donkeys and a rescue black lab. They have five children and six grandchildren.

 

Susan Friski

Another retired educator with 35 years of experience, Susan Friski has served as a school counselor, supervisor, social worker, high school math teacher and middle school developmental reading teacher during her long career.

From 2018 -2020, she co-owned and operated House Mountain Yarn Company, a small business that sold yarn with the aim of nurturing the love of knitting and crocheting.

Her last position before retiring was as a school counselor, providing individual and group educational, vocational and guidance services. Prior to that, she implemented the regional adult education program that served Bath, Highland and Rockbridge Counties, as well as Lexington and Buena Vista. That program was successful in decreasing the dropout rate for the area, and assisted students in earning their GED.

Ms. Friski says she has a “sincere commitment to the academic and physical welfare of students of all ages” and is experienced in researching, developing, implementing and evaluating new and innovative programs.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Longwood College; a Master of Education degree in counseling from James Madison University; and an Education Specialist degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of Virginia.

She and her husband Mike have two children and two grandchildren.

 

Elizabeth Ramsey

Elizabeth Ramsey is also a retired educator, serving most of her long career in Rockbridge County schools.

She has chaired the Social Studies Department at Rockbridge County High School; was a member of the Lexington/Rockbridge Chamber of Commerce Education Committee; and was a coordinator for the “High Schools that Work” Site Team.

Ms. Ramsey taught economics, government and Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment U.S. History at RCHS from 1988 through 2013. Most recently she was an adjunct instructor of United States History and World Civilization at Virginia Military Institute, and she has also been an adjunct history instructor at DSLCC.

She has been honored as Educator of the Year by the local Chamber, and five times as a Virginia Governor’s School Outstanding Educator.

Ms. Ramsey earned bachelors and master’s degrees, both in history, from the College of William and Mary. Her master’s degree concentrated on American diplomatic history.

“The newest members to the Education Foundation Board will add to the dynamic and passionate group of amazing and talented professionals who enjoy watching our students receive the resources to succeed,” noted James Cook, Executive Director of the DSLCC Educational Foundation. “The Board represents the varied programs we offer at the College and proportionally the geographic area DSLCC services.”

Established as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, the DSLCC Educational Foundation exists solely to support and promote DSLCC. The Foundation's primary focus is to keep education affordable through the awarding of student scholarships and to provide students the support they need to achieve their goals. The Foundation also supports the college through the purchase of enhanced technology and classroom equipment and assists in funding innovative programming. The Foundation has awarded more than $220,000 in scholarships to 133 students for the current academic year.

For more information regarding the Foundation and scholarship opportunities or to make a donation, contact Executive Director Dr. James Cook at (540) 863-2837 or email jcook@dslcc.edu.