Leadership
Dawn Hayden Conner, MBA
Executive Director
Dawn provides leadership to our programs and is the face of the Foundation in the community.
She is passionate about helping others and building relationships. Many people in our community recognize Dawn as being one of the familiar faces representing Safe Harbor. Prior to joining the nonprofit sector Dawn held various top medical sales positions for corporations such as LabCorp, DIANON, Genzyme Genetics, and Encompass Home Health, as well as being an independent Healthcare Consultant for a few startup medical companies.
She is originally from Baltimore and still loves the hometown teams (Orioles & Ravens). Dawn earned her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. After leaving Baltimore, Dawn received her MBA from Pfeiffer University while living in Charlotte.
She enjoys spending quality time with her husband Patrick, her children, Hayden and Delaney, and her close family and friends. She enjoys watching sports, traveling, reading, and coordinating fun game nights. She always strives to follow her beloved mother’s motto in life, “Keep Smiling & Laughing!”
Victoria Schronce
Strong Student Leader Program Director
Victoria provides leadership to our programs and is the face of the Foundation in the community.
She is full of passion and love for the people of her community. She attended Appalachian State and Liberty University. Her professional career has centered on growing people to reach their full God-given potential. She started off as a teacher, helped start-up a business and worked as a life coach for college athletes. She loves grabbing coffee with old and new friends, visiting new places, and most of all living life with her husband, Ethan and her son, Roman!
Kim Holbrook
Assistant Director
Kim provides support for the programs and operations of the Foundation.
She is a unique blend of compassion and competency. Many in our community know Kim from her work at First Presbyterian Preschool where she taught for a decade or from various volunteer roles with Hickory Public Schools throughout the years. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science degrees from Appalachian State University. The three things she enjoys most is spending time with her husband Guy, watching her son Will play trombone in the NC State Marching band and cheering on her son John as he plays basketball at UNC Chapel Hill. She feels that what is important in life is faith, family and friends.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors volunteer their time, talent, and energy to provide guidance, oversight, and encouragement to the Foundation. They are our chief fundraisers, advocates, and champions in the community.
Here’s what’s happening in your corner of the community:
Legacy Leader Dinner
The Legacy Leader Dinner is our premiere fundraiser for the year, helping raise support for the programs and impact of the Catawba Valley Leadership Foundation
The Annual Conference
Each year The Foundation hosts a leadership conference – a half-day experience designed to inform, inspire, and raise the leadership temperature of our community.
Strong Student Leadership
The Foundation invests in the lives high school students to help them clarify their identity, discover their strengths, and set themselves up for future success as they prepare for life beyond high school.