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Author: maria

Aaron VanDyke

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

Aaron VanDyke serves on the Board of Directors of Roc Solid Foundation, where he brings his professional experience and a strong commitment to supporting children and families facing pediatric cancer. He previously served as Chairman of the Board, helping guide the organization’s strategy and long-term impact. Aaron works for NVR as a Market Manager of Land, focusing on strategic land acquisition and development initiatives across the region. He lives in Milton, Georgia, with his wife, Stephanie, and their two children, Lila and Camden. As a family, they are actively involved in their church and local community. In his free time, Aaron coaches youth football and lacrosse, is an avid outdoor sportsman and enjoys watching sports.

Krissy Finch

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

“I knew my bucket list career goal was to work at Roc Solid Foundation.” After years delivering Roc Solid Ready Bags to families just after their cancer diagnosis, Krissy joined the Roc Solid team. Krissy has been a Certified Child Life Specialist for over 13 years, with many of those years spent working in pediatric oncology—including at CHKD in Norfolk, VA.

“Working in a hospital, I was blessed with the opportunity to hand out Ready Bags to families who just received the worst news of their lives. Then being able to watch these kiddos receive the gift of play and be reminded they are still kids showed me this foundation is something special,” Krissy testifies. The resilience of this population inspired her to complete her Masters in Crisis and Trauma Counseling, and now she serves as our Director of Hospital and Family Services.

Lauren Henderson 

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

Our Georgia peach, Lauren, couldn’t be sweeter. Lauren got to experience the Roc Solid impact through several play projects as a sponsor volunteer during her time in the sports industry. Now, she gets to be on the other side—part of creating that same incredible experience for the next sponsors.

Lauren shared, “I believe it was meant to be once the opportunity came along as I have always enjoyed making an impact and serving others any way I can. And what better way to do it than through the power of play? Now, to be able to provide the same incredible experience that I received for other sponsors is so fulfilling!”

A USC graduate and Savannah, GA native, Lauren brings the sunshine to our team and the sponsors she works with, and we are thrilled to have her!

Lizzie Bankowski

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

“Have the best day ever, everybody!” Lizzie’s advice to us is exactly how she lives her life. As a family engagement coordinator, Lizzie brings that same joy and compassion to our Roc Solid families every day.

A Virginia Beach native and then a UNCW grad, Lizzie found her way back home to join the team at Roc Solid after working in the video production industry for a few years. She uses her attention to detail and storytelling skills to communicate with the families we serve through our Ready Bag and Play Programs.

Why does Lizzie love being on the Roc Solid team?—”Unwavering positivity in the face of a tough mission is absolutely key, and no one does this better than Roc Solid. I get to keep the human-to-human connection that I loved from production work and pair that with my type A, logistics brain. So basically I’m living the dream. Best job ever.”

We agree 😉

Will Forrest

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

If you’re looking for Will, check the nearest airport or build site—he’s always on the move leading playset builds across the country. After volunteering with Roc Solid as a Build Leader for too many years to count, he finally joined the team officially and has built hundreds of playsets for families fighting pediatric cancer… and has probably racked up enough travel miles to rival a pilot. We’ll get a quote from him just as soon as we can get him to stay in one state long enough to write it!

Riley Taylor

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

Riley is a ray of sunshine on our Marketing team! She helps share the Roc Solid mission with the world through dreaming up new, wildly creative, multi-media content ideas for our social media pages, The Journal and special projects and events.

Riley is always up for an adventure or a challenge. She spent 5 months playing semi-pro field hockey in the UK, and was able to squeeze in trips to 11 countries during her time there. She also got her Bachelors in Sport Management at Old Dominion University and her Masters in Sport Psychology at Penn State before joining the Roc Solid team as a Marketing Coordinator.

When she isn’t dreaming up new ideas, Riley can be found coaching women’s field hockey at Virginia Wesleyan University, watching a sunrise, trying new food, or learning a new skill or hobby.

“My favorite part of my job is getting to plan the magic behind the scenes. I love getting to be creative and dream of new ways we can promote building hope for families fighting pediatric cancer. It also helps that I work with an amazing team!”

We think she’s pretty amazing too.

Rachel Crowell

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

Despite being an introvert, Rachel Crowell loves working with people, especially volunteers! She graduated from Appalachian State University in 2022 and has held positions working with nonprofit volunteers since.

Even when things aren’t going to plan, Rachel finds a way to have fun and lighten the mood. Her friends and family describe her as a “spontaneous nomad,” and she believes life is too short to not do the things you want to do.

“My favorite part of my job is working with people who want to contribute to something bigger than themselves,” she says. “Volunteering can be hard – finding the time, energy, emotional capacity and sometimes physical capacity to give back. Getting to work with people who have fought off all the hesitations is the best part of my job.”

Paige Konitzer

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

When she’s not dreaming of hiking the Appalachian Trail, Paige is busy making sure our sponsors have the best experiences possible when they partner with us.

With a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Public Health, most of Paige’s experience lies within outdoor education, as well as patient support for families with rare and serious medical conditions. It’s an interesting combination and one that makes her a perfect fit for what we do at Roc Solid. Paige not only values play and supporting families, but she also works hard to make sure our supporters feel valued at every step in the process of sponsoring one of our projects or events.

Her friends describe her as the “caring one,” and she’s a glass half-full type of person. But watch out, because she says she’s also known for literally leaving her glass half full. If you see her leave an unfinished drink behind, she might need a nudge to finish it!

Jessica Kantor

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

In her perfect world, Jessica would be surrounded by animals at all times. And she practically is, with her three dogs, a 10-year old bunny and frequent foster puppies!

Jessica is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and worked in the corporate world for several years before joining the Roc Solid team. “I have volunteered for different organizations all my life and believe Roc Solid is where I’m supposed to be!” she says.

As a Roc Solid development coordinator, Jessica covers the North Carolina region… a perfect fit considering her outgoing personality and love for talking to new people about our mission.

We are lucky to have you on the team, Jessica!

Stephanie Ridley

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

Stephanie is Roc Solid’s Florida rep who loves meeting people and hearing their stories. Her friends know her as the one to call when they’re looking for adventure – sailing, scuba diving, flying a plane… you name it!

A graduate of East Carolina University, Stephanie left the corporate world to raise her two sons and then discovered the nonprofit world. She heard about Roc Solid’s mission some time after a good family friend lost their son, Hunter, to pediatric cancer. Hunter is still her “why” today as she builds awareness and sponsor support throughout the Sunshine State.

“Playset reveals are the best part of my job,” says Stephanie. “Each child we work with steals a piece of my heart and that memory is forever etched in my mind.”

Jasmine McHenry

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

Jasmine is known for welcoming every person she encounters with a bright, warm smile.

As Roc Solid’s volunteer coordinator, she enjoys getting to know all the people in our community. After graduating from Hampton University with a degree in Psychology, Jasmine worked in various roles in the for-profit sector before realizing her passion for meaningful, mission-driven work. She says her best quality is also sometimes her worst – she doesn’t like to say “no” to people she loves, because her nature is to serve.

Not only does she go out of her way to make sure people feel loved and appreciated, she is also constantly looking for ways to improve our volunteer efforts and outreach. Sounds like she found the right spot at Roc Solid Foundation!

Outside of work, Jasmine is a devoted football mom. You won’t see her light up more than when she’s talking about her three kids and all they do to make her proud!

Madelyn Haskett

Written by maria on . Posted in Leadership.

Madelyn is one of the sweetest souls you’ll ever meet, which makes her a perfect fit for her role working with Roc Solid families.

She was raised on a 30-acre farm with goats, chickens and a donkey, where her parents set a strong example to love God and serve people.

“Coming out of college, I knew I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” Madelyn says. “Cancer is a devastating diagnosis, and nobody should have to walk through it alone. I love working alongside servant-minded people who are so dedicated to providing the hope and love our families need.”

Madelyn is also fun-loving, very personable and a fantastic aunt. She can also be a bit stubborn – but only for the right reasons.