Sarah Scarbrough
Real Life
Sarah@reallifeprogram.org

President of the Board

Dr. Sarah Scarbrough is the founder and director of REAL LIFE, a nonprofit focused on helping individuals overcome barriers to successful community integration post incarceration.  Her vision was born out of her work in the Richmond City Justice Center where, prior to founding REAL LIFE, she worked for more than a decade.  Her innovative approach and effective solutions has garnered international attention and her work at REAL LIFE continues to expand on that success.

Most recently, Sarah was named a “Hometown Hero” by Allen, Allen, Allen, & Allen and in 2018, she was one of the People of the Year honorees from the Richmond Times Dispatch. She was awarded the Edward Peoples Award for Social Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University, and was named one of the Top 40 under 40 in Richmond, VA. She received her Ph.D. and Master’s from Virginia Commonwealth University and bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia. When not working, Sarah stays busy with her three young children and husband.

Melissa Hinton
Loudoun Serenity House
melissa@loudounserenity.org

Treasurer

Melissa Hinton, Founder & Executive Director of Loudoun Serenity House is a Loudoun, Virginia resident and a recovery advocate with past experience working in the addiction treatment field. Melissa has 33 years of personal recovery and is actively involved with women in the recovery community. In 2018, in partnership with Community Foundation of Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties, Melissa spearheaded an initiative to open the first women’s recovery house in Loudoun County. Loudoun Serenity House opened in the town of Leesburg, VA in October 2020 after the tragic loss of Melissa’s younger sister Rachel in 2019 from her addiction.

In her professional life, Melissa is Vice President of Axcend, Inc in Fairfax, Virginia. Her career background is in technology leadership as a trusted advisor to the Federal Government with a technical expertise as a Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) and a B.S. in Business Management. She has directed and led large project teams in the area of Enterprise Cloud Computing and Cyber Security.

Donnie Newton

Donnie Newton is a retired Deputy Sheriff with the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, having served 37 years. Donnie worked through the ranks of the organization and retired as a Lieutenant
Colonel in March 2017. Donnie had many assignments over his career to include Deputy, Jail Security Commander, Jail Administrator, Director of Training, Inspector, Chief Deputy of Professional Standards and finally as Chief Deputy of Operations. He was a Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) instructor for the majority of his career.

Donnie began volunteering with the Helping Addicts Recover Progressively (HARP) program at the Chesterfield County Jail in the fall of 2021 ministering to the participants and just being a good listener to what was being said. In early 2022 the non-profit HARP RVA, Inc was established with Donnie being selected as the Boards first Chairman which he still serves.

In his spare time Donnie enjoys attending his Church, spending time at the Chesapeake Bay with his family and friends, playing golf, fishing, hunting and most importantly serving others.

UT PROSIM