Board of Directors

Amber Leake, President

Amber Leake, President – Term CY24-26

Amber Leake is the Victim Services Director for the Department of Corrections. She is a Victim Offender Dialogue facilitator, a NOVA Crisis Responder, and a Critical Incident Peer Supporter. Amber oversees the Department of Corrections’ victim advocacy, notification, training, and support. The Victim Services Unit (VSU) tripled in size in 2017, and Amber now leads a dynamic team of ten staff members serving victims statewide during the post-sentencing phase of the criminal justice system.

Robin L. Bostic, Past President – Term CY24-26

Robin Bostic is Victim/Witness Director for the counties of King William and King & Queen, serving in the position since 2009. Previously, Robin worked as a Deputy Clerk in the King William Circuit Court handling civil and criminal cases as well as the collection of restitution. She has a BS in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Cristi Lawton, Treasurer – Term CY24-26

Previously the Executive Director of The Network, Cristi Lawton has over two decades of work experience in public service and nonprofit organizations.  She previously served as an executive director of two organizations, in addition to positions in fund development and planning.  Cristi holds a master’s degree in Urban & Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia.

Brad Lehmann

Dr. Brad Lehmann – Term CY24-26

Dr. Brad Lehmann, Ph.D., a former Police Sergeant with the Henrico County (VA) Police Department, a triple graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, and an experienced educator previously with the VCU Honors College and the Virginia Community College System brings over twenty years of experience in academia and practice in criminal justice and education as a Criminal Justice Faculty Member in the Wilder School. In 2023, Dr. Lehmann was awarded status as Visiting Scholar in the Summer Research Institute of the University of Oxford (UK) at Harris Manchester College.

Michael Milnor – Term CY24-26

Co-founder of the Justice 3D training and consulting firm, Mike was involved in law enforcement for over 34 years, most recently retiring as Police Chief of Altavista, Virginia. Over the years he has worked in various positions which include Interim Sheriff, Director of Public Safety, Coordinator of an FBI/Virginia State Police multi-jurisdictional task force, Senior Supervisory Investigator, uniformed Deputy Sheriff and Polygraph Examiner.

In addition to being involved in thousands of investigations, Mike has also done an extensive amount of teaching in criminal justice with an emphasis in the areas of sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, and domestic violence. He has been a Professor of Criminal Justice at Liberty University, as well as lecturing across both Virginia and the United States. In 2016, Mike was selected to the core faculty of the National Center for Campus Public Safety. This position allowed him the opportunity to instruct at colleges and universities across the country in the areas of sexual assault investigation, Title IX and Cleary Act compliance, and campus violence. Mike also co-authored Virginia’s Model Law Enforcement Protocol in the areas of Domestic Violence, Stalking and Child Homicide Investigation.

Laura Pho – Term CY24-26

Laura Pho has been a Homicide Support Group member since 2020 after the tragic loss of her mother Lucy. She credits the group with her post-traumatic growth which ignited her advocacy for victims as they navigate the criminal justice system. Since immigrating to the U.S. from Vietnam with her family in 1979, Laura has called Virginia her home. She earned her B.A. from Virginia Tech in 1997 and J.D. from the George Washington School of Law in 2001. Laura has dedicated her 20+ year career to public service and community advocacy, including testifying before the Virginia General Assembly in support of pedestrian and cycling traffic safety laws and child body safety education in public schools. As a VVAN Board member, Laura continues Lucy’s legacy of service guided by the Buddhist precept of reducing suffering in the world. She resides in Henrico County with her husband Eric, two children Margot and Phoebe, and her mother-in-law Barbara. These days, Laura enjoys perfecting her mother’s pho recipe, reading memoirs and historical fiction, and rucking.

Sharron Saunders – Term CY24-26

Sharron Saunders is a Victim/Witness Services Director for the City of Richmond, serving in the position since 2016. Sharron has been employed with the program since 2004. She has a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling: Criminal Justice from Liberty University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University.