The Roanoker March/April 2024 - 33

women
firstborn walk across the stage and receive his college degree. In 2021,
she celebrated her 30th wedding anniversary. Two years ago, her daughter
transferred to her dream school, James Madison University. Last year,
she received a major job promotion.
Reflecting on how her childhood shaped her into the strong woman
she is today, she replied, " I couldn't have asked for a better mother. While
we didn't have much money, my two sisters and I were rich in the stuff
that mattered more - love, lessons and memories. "
Robinson attended William Fleming High, graduating in 1984. Long
before her current role at Member One Federal Credit Union, Robinson
was an entry-level worker at another bank.
" In the banking industry, similar to real life, competition is often
ruthless. I genuinely believe that dealing with adversity has made me a
much better overall person, " she says.
Robinson's life forever changed on September 14, 1991, when she
married her soulmate, Clarence.
Despite everything that she has accomplished, Robinson is nowhere
near satisfied. When she is not working or spending time with family,
she loves helping the less fortunate.
" My story serves as a reminder of what can be accomplished when
people believe in you. Without so many individuals over the years providing
me with guidance, I am not where I am today, " she says. " It's an
impossible task, but I will continue to try to give as much to the community
as it has given me throughout my life. "
EVA SHAW-GILL, 60
Community Servant
The number of times that Eva Shaw-Gill was told
she couldn't do something in life, only to use that
opinion as fuel to eventually accomplish the task at
hand is easily in the hundreds.
Growing up with two older brothers in a newspaper family thoroughly
prepared her for the chapters that would later come in life.
" My grandfather founded the Roanoke Tribune in 1939. The
paper took an early stand against segregation during the Jim Crow
era with the motto, 'Only Negro newspaper published in South
Western Virginia,' " Shaw-Gill says, adding, " In 1971, primarily due
to poor health from a car accident, my grandfather sold the paper to
my mother, Claudia Alexander, who at an early age taught me the
importance of hard work. I vividly remember sweeping floors, printing
tickets, folding papers and other tasks as a young child at the
Roanoke Tribune. "
Like many teenagers in the early 80s, Shaw-Gill was full of talent,
energy and potential. After graduating from William Fleming High in
1981, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend Bauder Fashion College
where she majored in Fashion Design and Modeling. While there, she
worked part-time at Macy's Department Store, eventually working herself
up to a store auditor.
In order to accomplish her goal of becoming a division auditor at
Macy's, she needed to earn a degree in accounting. It didn't happen
overnight, but in 1995, at age 29, Shaw-Gill graduated with a BS in
Accounting from Norfolk State University.
Four years later, she gave birth to triplets - Kenneth, Klaudia and
Kaitlyn.
Having confidence in yourself, she noted, is often the determining
factor between coming up short and crossing the finish line.
TheRoanoker.com
MARCH/APRIL 2024 33
Always willing to give back, among the local organizations Shaw-Gill
is involved with are the Roanoke Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Inc., Fidelity Chapter #54 of the Order of Eastern Star and Sophisticated
Sisters with Style Motorcycle Club (Triple S).
" With each organization, the main focus is taking care of the
community, whether that's fundraising for scholarships, making or
donating blankets for the homeless, collecting and donating books
to children, collecting toiletries or clothing for the battered women's
shelter, " says the former President of the Roanoke City Public School
PTA.
Paramount to everything Shaw-Gill has been able to accomplish, both
personally and professionally, has been her family. Perseverance is simply
rooted in her DNA. In December 2014, she tied the knot for the second
time, marrying her childhood friend Demare W. Gill, Sr.
What would Shaw-Gill say to her younger self if she could go back
in time? Beaming with confidence, she responded, " Don't be afraid to
ask questions, be willing to outwork any and everybody and listen to
your heart. "
LAVERNE NORMAN, 58
Vice President of Human Resources at
ETS Recruit
There are a lot of similarities between longtime
Roanoke resident LaVerne Norman and Pamela
Cooper-White, the Dean Emerita of Psychology
and Religion at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
Like Cooper-White, Norman had a normal childhood, overcame
many life obstacles and has never regretted giving her life to Christ.
Norman knew at an early age that words without actions are just lip
service. Her family instilled in her that while not always easy, doing the
right thing is always worth it in the end.
" My mother had the greatest impact on my life. Watching how she
handled the household left a lasting impression on me, " she says. " I grew
up in northwest Roanoke, and remember being bussed to elementary
school. That really opened my eyes. Experience has taught me that there
is so much more that unites us than separates us. "
When Norman graduated from Patrick Henry High in 1983, she
wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to do with her life.
" Long before it became popular, my family regularly emphasized that
a four-year college degree isn't the only way to enjoy success in life, " she
says. " They gave me grace as I figured things out. I took classes at Virginia
Western, which led to me working at Allstate Insurance. From there, I
was able to work my way up to bigger opportunities. "
For the better part of the past two decades, Norman has served as the
vice rresident of human resources at ETS Recruit. " I absolutely love what
I do. Part of my job is finding and placing doctors in different positions
all across the country, " she says.
Norman's story is not hers alone, something she would be the first
to admit. It also belongs to her children, mentors, lifelong friends and
additional loved ones.
In the words of Cooper-White, " The narcissistically wounded person
believes at the preconscious level that worldly benefits should accrue,
and rules should not apply, because he or she is special and deserving of
special consideration and rewards. " I
COURTESY OF EVA SHAW-GILL / COURTESY OF LAVERNE NORMAN
http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker March/April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker March/April 2024
