Business leaders Melissa Ballenger ’92, P ’22, P ’25, Eric Cantor JD ’88, LL.D. ’11 and Hillary Waldron ’02 – All the alumni of William & Mary – were appointed by the governor of Virginie Glenn Youngkin DPS ’22 to sit on the Council of Visitors at the University.
In addition, Ardine Williams, director of retired workforce development in Amazon, was renamed to a second term, the governor’s office announced today. Earlier this year, Williams was elected Vice-rector of the Board of Directors from July 1, 2025.
Ballenger, who is auxiliary professor at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business of W&M, held the post of financial director for several global companies. Cantor, a former American representative, now leads an investment bank. Waldron directs the commercial development of a global aerospace and defense company. All three remained deeply linked to their Alma Mater as a former student committed.
The conditions of the Board of Directors begin on July 1, 2025. The board of directors of 17 members is the university’s director, each appointed by the Governor of Virginia for a four -year term.
“We are happy to welcome three alumni of William & Mary to the visitors’ council. With distinguished business careers and in government, they will be precious partners and guides in the coming years, “said President Katherine A. Rowe. “And we joyfully celebrate the renewal of the renewal of Ardine Williams as a leader of confidence in our board of directors.”
Vice-rector Barbara L. Johnson JD ’84, John Rathbone and I Lincoln Saunders ’06.
“We are deeply grateful to Barbara, John and Lincoln for their service devoted to the board of directors. William & Mary is better because of your time and talents, “said rector Charles Poston JD ’74. “I worked particularly in close collaboration with Barbara and John as members of the Executive Committee and I greatly took advantage of their ideas and their leaders. Lincoln served eight years on the board of directors.
“I can’t wait to continue my work with Ardine, especially in her new vice-rector capacity that we guided Alma Mater of the Nation still forward.”
New members
Melissa (Kolonoski) Ballenger ’92, P ’22, P ’25
Ballenger has more than 30 years of experience in bank, payments and financial technology. Major in accounting at William & Mary, she remained closely linked to her Alma Mater and is a member of the board of directors of the business school foundation.
It is currently on the board of directors and the audit committee for EPLUS Inc. and the Board of Directors of Penn Mutual.
She worked as a financial director of Mosaic, a financial technological platform for improvements in sustainable houses, from 2020 to 2023 and as a main councilor on the board of directors from 2023 to 2024. Before that, she was executive vice-president and financial director of Cross River Bank, executive vice-president and financial director of State Street Corporation and Vice-President Executive, financial director and head of the company for Santander. Throughout his career, Ballenger has also held management positions with TD Bank, Mastercard Worldwide, Jpmorgan Chase & Co. and Freddie Mac. She started her career at Arthur Andersen.
Her husband, Geoff Ballenger ’91, is also a graduate of W&M.
Eric Cantor JD ’88, LL.D. ’11
A graduate of the William & Mary Law School, Cantor has often returned to the university to speak with law students and others. In 2011, he spoke at the William & Mary Charter Day and obtained an honorary diploma from the University.
Cantor is the director general and vice-president of Moelis & Company, a global independent investment bank. He also sits on the board of directors. As a leader in the company, he advises customers questions related to public policy and industry – based on more than 25 years of experience in business and politics.
From 2000 to 2014, Cantor represented the 7th district of the Virginia Congress. In 2010, he was elected majority leader in the House of Representatives of the United States. In this role, he led the agenda for public policies for the Chamber and supervised the adoption of the Business Our Business (JOBS) Startups law, which sought to help emerging companies to raise capital. Before serving at Congress, Cantor was a member of the Virginia delegates House.
In addition to his W & M Law diploma, Cantor holds a undergraduate diploma from George Washington University and a master’s degree from Columbia University.
Cantor is a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center Executive Council on infrastructure. He was a guest researcher at John F. Kennedy School of Government from Harvard University. Previously, he sat on the Policy Council of the United States Defense Ministry, who advised the defense secretary on political issues.
Hillary (Rollins) Waldron ’02
As a student at William & Mary, Waldron has studied government and international relations, with a concentration in the Middle East studies. She pursued a career of more than 20 years in the defense industry.
Waldron is currently Senior Director of International Commercial Development of General Dynamics Order and Tactical Systems, a global aerospace and defense company. Before playing this role in 2024, she was president of Convoy Group LLC for almost three years.
Previously, she worked for MLM International, a company that provides consulting and contracting services for ammunition and weapons systems for 19 years. She has spent most of her mandate as a principal director of international business development. From 2019 to 2021, she was also vice-president of the company.
Waldron is a founding member of the 1918 company, which seeks to honor women affiliated to the university by “growing commitment, leadership and philanthropy to the Alma Mater of the Nation”.
Her husband, Douglas D. “Rand” Waldron ’91, also graduated from W&M.
Renowned member
Ardine Williams
Williams was first appointed to the William & Mary Board of Visitors in 2021. She is currently on the executive committee, the audit, risk and compliance committee and chairs the administration, buildings and land committee. As such, she is also president of the Review Board design. In 2022, she was elected secretary of the board of directors and, in 2024, she was re -elected to this position. In April, she was elected vice-rector.
Amazon recruited Williams retired in 2014 for her Amazon Web Computing Computing Company Company, and she worked in the company until 2022. As a vice-president of the development of the workforce, she advised Amazon companies on the way of attracting and developing talents, helped advance the company withdrawal and worked with community and government leaders to develop Talent pipeline in the region.
Previously, she served Intel from 1997 to 2014 in several management positions, including Vice-President of human resources business services. Before her time at Intel, she worked for Hewlett-Packard and Behring Company.
Veteran of the American army, Williams recruited veterans and their spouses throughout his career. She was the executive sponsor of the American veterans of Intel and member of the work team of the membership initiative of the White House and the work team of the Chairman of the Employment Council.
Williams graduated from the Pacific Lutheran University and completed the Executive Program of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. She has received many honors throughout her career, including a Seven Seals Prize from the US Secretary for Defense. In addition to her service to the William & Mary visitors’ council, she is a member of the board of directors of the Strada Education Foundation.
Departure
Barbara L. Johnson JD ’84
Johnson is the founder of Bljohnsonlaw, PLLC and advisor with Potter & Murdock, PC. Over the past three decades, it has represented a myriad of employers on a range of work problems.
Johnson was appointed to the board of directors of William & Mary in 2017 and again in 2021. She was secretary from 2020 to 2022. In addition to her current role as vice-rector, she is president of the Academic Affairs and Vice-President of the Executive Committee. She is also a member of the Richard Bland College Committee. In addition to sitting on the board of directors, Johnson was a member of the board of directors of the W&M Law School Foundation, where she was president from 2014 to 2016 and vice-president from 2012 to 2014.
She obtained her undergraduate diploma from the University of Hampton and her law degree in William & Mary Law School in 1984. Her husband, John “Michael” Payne JD ’17, is also a graduate in W&M law.
John Rathbone P ’02, P ’05
Rathbone had a long career in business and finance. He helped lead Norfolk Southern for more than 30 years before retiring as an executive vice-president of finance and financial director in 2013. Even after his retirement, he continued to work for the company as a consultant until 2015.
Rathbone is a former student of William & Mary but obtained her undergraduate diploma by Virginia Tech before taking accounting lessons in William & Mary. The father of two former students, he chaired the parent & Family Council and was a director of the William & Mary Foundation.
He was appointed to the board of directors in 2021. He currently sits on the Executive Committee and the Financial Affairs Committee, and he chairs Richard Bland College Committee.
I Lincoln Saunders ’06
Saunders is Senior Director of Local Public Affairs for Capital Results Consulting, LLC in Richmond. Before this role, he was administrative director of the city of Richmond where he supervised the budget of $ 2.7 billion in the city and managed more than 3,000 employees. Before assuming this role in 2020, he was chief of staff to mayor Levar Mr. Stoney for four years.
Saunders obtained his baccalaureate in government from William & Mary. He began his career in government when he was a student, as a legislative assistant to the House of Delegates of Virginia. In 2014, he was appointed political advisor to the Governor and First Lady of Virginia.
He was appointed to William & Mary Board of Visitors in 2017 and was renamed in 2021. He is currently signed on the administration, buildings and land committee and the audit, risk and compliance committee.
Erin Jay,, Main associate director of new academics