RKR Jan/Feb 2025 with VBRL - 34

40 UNDER 40
ALLISON
SHOK, 37
Chief Strategy Officer, Code
One Training Solutions;
Partner, AED Team
" In our search for a familyfriendly
city with a thriving
outdoor culture, we found
Roanoke, and we couldn't be
happier with our choice! An
unexpected bonus was finding a
thriving and supportive business
community and city leaders
willing to engage on issues close to
our hearts. "
Allison Shok is the Chief Strategy
Officer at Code One Training
Solutions, where she oversees
the establishment of over 60 CPR
training centers, including locations
in Roanoke and Blacksburg. With
clinical experience at Middlesex
Hospital, the Medical University of
South Carolina and Carilion Clinic,
Shok is a registered nurse dedicated
to improving community readiness
for emergencies. She innovated a
hybrid CPR training model during
COVID-19 and facilitates training
for over 20,000 individuals annually.
" I'm passionate about helping
everyday people feel confident and
competent in the simple steps of
hands-only CPR and the use of an
AED, " she says. " I'm also really proud
to be a member of the team that
brought nine outdoor AED enclosures
to popular Roanoke spaces. That
means these parks and other outdoor
attractions now have lifesaving
equipment ready for emergencies
24/7. This is huge for protecting
hearts in our beautiful city! "
* Bachelor of Science in Nursing,
University of Connecticut, 2010
* Provides free CPR training
through the Compress and
Shock Foundation
* Collaborating with the City
of Roanoke for HEARTSafe
Community designation
* Secretary of Virginia Heights
PTA
* Youth soccer coach
ERIC
SICHAU, 33
President & CEO,
Roanoke Regional Chamber
of Commerce
" I love the uniqueness of our
region. We have everything needed
to live, work, play and raise a
family. I love how we're aligned
on the common goal to grow,
evolve and thrive. There's so much
going on and so many leaders in
the region driving innovation and
change. "
Eric Sichau leads the Roanoke
Regional Chamber of Commerce as
its President and CEO, with a focus
on driving economic growth and
strengthening collaboration throughout
the region. Under his leadership,
the Chamber successfully navigated
significant staff turnover and organizational
changes, including the
transition out of its building after
30 years. Sichau's leadership helped
the Chamber achieve its most successful
year in history. He is currently
enrolled in the US Chamber's
'IOM' Program, which he will complete
in 2026.
Sichau serves on numerous local
boards and organizations, including
the Roanoke Kiwanis Club and
the Roanoke Valley Development
Corporation. " The region is poised
for a special future, " he says. " This
is what drives my passion to impact
the community. I will strive to keep
our regional business community
strong. It's about the region and
how we can work together. It is
humbling to be involved in shaping
the region. "
* Secretary/Treasurer, Roanoke
Regional Chamber of Commerce
Foundation
* Board Member, United Way of
Virginia's Blue Ridge
* Board Member, Roanoke County
Police Foundation
* Executive Committee Member,
Downtown Roanoke Inc.
* Board Member, Roanoke City
Market Building Foundation
* Board Member, Visit Virginia's
Blue Ridge
34
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025
MEG SMITH,
35
Chief Operating Officer,
MKB, REALTORS
" One thing I love about Roanoke
is that we are ever-evolving in
our industrial adaptivity and
stability. We're resilient and
economically diverse. I'm so in awe
of the diverse swaths of businesses
that we've been able to attract to
the area in recent years. "
Meg Smith has made a significant
impact on the real estate industry
and community in Southwest
Virginia through her leadership
as COO of MKB, REALTORS, the
largest independent brokerage in
SWVA. She oversees 215 agents
across seven offices with annual
sales of approximately $450 million.
The youngest elected President of
the Roanoke Valley Association of
REALTORS, Smith's passion for community
engagement is evident in her
volunteer work and initiatives, such
as the " 50 for 50 " campaign, which
encourages MKB agents to volunteer
and support local nonprofits.
Her extensive fundraising for
Renovation Alliance includes their
50th anniversary gala raising over
$131,000 for the organization. " I've
been lucky in a lot of ways that
have brought me to a position with
a voice in the community, " she says.
" Not everyone has the blessings that
I have been afforded, and I would be
remiss if I don't use my position to
make an impact outside of the normal
course of business. I hope that
I'm able to use that to benefit people
beyond myself. "
* Vice Chair, MLS Policy and
Credentials Committees
* Member, City of Roanoke Board
of Zoning Appeals
* Member, Salem Museum and
Historical Society
* Graduate, Virginia REALTORS
Leadership Academy (2022)
* Chair, Virginia REALTORS
Member Communications
Committee
LINDSAY
THORN, 34
Owner/Dentist,
LAT Dentistry
" I love how connected the
community of Roanoke is to
each other and to the local
environment. There's a sense of
caring and belonging you feel in
Roanoke that you just don't get
many other places. "
Dr. Lindsay Thorn is a Salem native
and the owner and dentist at LAT
Dentistry. A graduate of Virginia
Tech, Vanderbilt University and
the University of Alabama, Thorn
has a strong academic background,
graduating eighth in her class
for her DMD. She is an external
affiliate instructor at VCU School
of Dentistry, the president of the
Roanoke Valley Dental Society and
has advanced training in occlusion
and veneers.
Thorn is also an expert legal
witness for dental malpractice
cases. Beyond her practice, Thorn is
deeply involved in supporting local
charities and nonprofits, including
the Southwest Virginia Wildlife
Center and the Rescue Mission. Her
dedication to giving back is reflected
in her work and volunteer efforts.
" The biggest impact we make is in
the health and confidence we help
our patients build, " she says. " I
also get to use the business to do
good around the community for local
nonprofits. "
* Recipient, Smigel Scholarship,
American Academy of Aesthetic
Dentistry
* Advanced training in occlusion
and veneers through the
Hornbrook Program
* Volunteers at Bradley Free
Clinic
* BS Chemistry, Suma Cum
Laude, Virginia Tech, 2012
* Microbiology, Immunology and
Virology, Vanderbilt University,
2014
* DMD, University of Alabama,
2019
TheRoanoker.com
COURTESY OF ALLISON SHOK, ERIC SICHAU, MEG SMITH, STELLANOVA PHOTOGRAPHY
http://www.TheRoanoker.com
RKR Jan/Feb 2025 with VBRL

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