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December 2022
Brian Thrower
Brian began his tenure as Southampton CountyAdministrator on June 1, 2022. He has over 20 years of local governmentexperience, including having served as City Manager and Town Manager in severallocalities in Virginia. Brian is a graduate of Virginia Tech havingearned both a bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree inpublic administration. In addition, he is a credentialed manager(ICMA-CM) through the International City/County Management Association (ICMA)and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Virginia LocalGovernment Management Association (VLGMA). Brian is a native ofSouthampton County and graduated from Franklin High School (class of 94) priorto attending Virginia Tech. While inhigh school Brian participated in several sports including varsity football,wrestling, and tennis. His senior yearhe won the Bronco Award and Marine Corp Distinguished Athlete Award. He was also a member of the Beta Club andTroop 125 Boy Scout unit, earning the rank of Eagle Scout. In his downtime, he enjoys spending time withhis family, running, playing tennis, and watching sports, particularly VTfootball and UNC basketball. He is the proud father of two children,Ayden (13) and Annelee (6).
November 2022
Wynndolyn Copeland
Wynndolyn H. Copelandwas born in Franklin, Virginia. Shegraduated fromFranklin High School in 1983. While attending FHS, Wynndolyn played on the girls’basketball and softball teams.
Wynndolyn graduatedfrom Virginia Union University with a B.A. in Psychologyin 1987. She is a member of the Franklin Tri CountyAlumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Currently a Casework Counselor, Wynndolyn hasbeen a Virginia State Employee for 34 years.
Wynndolyn is married to JoelM. Copeland; they have a daughter, Patina Copeland. Wynndolyn’s mother is Mary Hilliard.
In 2018, Wynndolyn was electedas a Franklin City Council Member, Ward 5.In 2022, she was re-elected as a Franklin City Council Member, Ward 5.
October 2022
Amy Gay-Biggs
Mrs. Amy Gay-Biggs is exactly where she has long wanted tobe in her life - the Physical Education teacher at S.P. Morton ElementarySchool. She knows the place well, havingbeen born in Franklin and attended the city’s schools. Her own daughter,Chandler Turner, is a junior at Franklin High School.
At FHS, Mrs. Gay-Biggs was a member of the school band, andalso played on the girls’ basketball and volleyball teams. In track and fieldevents, her performances in shot-put and discus broke district and regionalrecords. The team qualified for state-level competition for three years in arow. She was named Most Valuable Player for two years in girls’ track. During hersenior year – 1995 – Mrs. Gay-Biggs received the Bronkette Award.
Following graduation, Mrs. Gay-Biggs majored in P.E. atChristopher Newport University and was a member of its track team, in which shethrew the discus and hammer. Mrs. Gay-Biggs was named All-American in Division3 in 1998 for hammer throw.
“I’ve always wanted to be an elementary PE teacher; I justwasn’t ready upon graduation, and that’s why I went to International Paper towork for 10 years,” Mrs. Gay-Biggs said. For six of those years she stayedactive in athletics, including coaching basketball at the YMCA.
Mrs. Gay Biggs returned to school, earned a master’s degreein business management, and graduated with a 4.0 in 2019 from StrayerUniversity.
As stated earlier, being at SPM is her dream job.
“I love working with the students,” Mrs. Gay-Biggs said.“They make coming to work fun, not a job.”
When not at the school, Mrs. Gay-Biggs coaches varsityvolleyball (for two years) and JV softball at FHS. Her hobbies include camping,landscaping and working out.
September 2022
Laurel Peterson
Laurel was born in Orlando,Florida, and lived in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, before coming to Franklin High her senioryear of high school.
After graduating fromFranklin High in 2014, Laurel went on to study at Gallaudet University inWashington, D.C., where she learned American Sign Language and was a doublemajor in International Studies and Government with a Specialization in Law.
Laurel held severalinternships during her college years. She worked as an intern at CNN during theDemocratic National Committee convention in 2016 and became a Democrat NationalCongressional Campaign Committee Scholar.She also interned at a law firm. Hermost notable internship is her internship in Chiang Mai, Thailand. While shewas in Chiang Mai she worked at Anusansunthon School for the Deaf teaching deafelementary students American Sign Language and English. Laurel graduated withtwo bachelor’s degrees in 2018 and earned a Master’s in Public Administration in2020.
In August of 2020 Laurel andJaKwon Cross, another Franklin alumnus, purchased a house in Washington D.C.where they live with two dogs, Hazel and King. Laurel and JaKwon married on May4, 2021.
Laurel currently works as anAssociate Human Resources Coordinator and a part time Adjunct Professor forGallaudet University.
May 2022
Rosemary Idisi
Rosemarywas born in Lagos, Nigeria, where she grew up performing in numerous schoolplays and musicals. During her Freshman year at Franklin High School, shejoined the Drama Club and was a part of every play produced by FHS until hergraduation. She was directed by Terry Zurfluh and Jennifer Miguel.
After graduating from FranklinHigh School, Rosemary went on to study at George Mason University, where shewas a Communications major and a Theatre minor. While at GMU, Rosemary was castin multiple student films, web series, and GMU theatrical productions,ultimately deciding that acting was really what she wanted to focus on.
Rosemary received her Bachelor ofArts degree from GMU and immediately started traveling to New York to furtherstudy acting and break into the Film/TV industry. She then decided to face herfears and move to “Hollywood” to chase her dreams. Shortly after moving to LosAngeles, Rosemary landed a role as Pastel on Season 5 Episode 8 of Snowfall onFX. She also stars in “The Nest” a short film that is circulating through filmfestivals right now.
Rosemary currently resides in LosAngeles where she is still pursuing acting and she cannot wait for herbreakthrough role!
March 2022
Toni McKinley
Toni is a Mathematician that recently joined the Center for Clinical Management Research(CCMR) as a Budget Analyst on the administration team. Toni received her MBA from the University ofPhoenix in 2014. She is originally fromFranklin, Virginia, where she obtained her B.S. in mathematics from VirginiaState University. Toni spent nine yearsworking as a Cartographer/Budget Analyst for the NationalGeospatial-Intelligence Agency, and six years teaching mathematics in bothTexas and Virginia. Most recently, Toni worked as a Budget Analyst for the 127thComptroller office on Selfridge Air National Guard Base. In her spare time, she enjoys sewing and homedecorating.
February 2022
Janelle Majette
Thismonth’s bio highlights Franklin’s very own Janelle Majette. Janelle spent her entire childhood inFranklin where she attended Franklin City Public Schools from kindergartenuntil graduating in 2003. During her timeat FHS she was a cheerleader, a member of the girls’ basketball team, the girls’softball team, the track and field team and she even ran cross country. In addition to athletics, Majette was also avaluable member of the Broncos marching band.
Afterhigh school, Janelle decided that she needed a change of scenery and moved toFayetteville, NC. During her time in North Carolina, Janelle married and becamea mother to two wonderful sons - Lavarius Majette Jr., who is currently in 7thgrade at JP King Middle School, and Jourdon Majette, who is in the 3rdgrade at SP Morton Elementary School.After having her children and moving back to Franklin, Janelle decidedthat she would go back to school to pursue a degree in Early ChildhoodEducation. She enrolled in RasmussenCollege, where she graduated in 2016.
Uponcompletion of college, Janelle worked for KinderCare Learning Center where she taught Pre-K for 2 years and then becamea center director for 4 years. It wasthen that Janelle decided to pursue a career in public education and was hiredto teach for Franklin City Public Schools in 2018. While at SP Morton Elementary, she has taught1st grade and is currently teaching 3rd grade. Janelle loves being back in her hometownteaching in the same school system where she was raised.
In addition to her teaching duties, in 2019Janelle also acquired the job of becoming the head girls’ softball coach atFranklin High School. In addition, sheis also the JV volleyball coach as well as the JV girls’ basketball coach.
WhenJanelle is not at work or coaching for the Franklin Broncos, you can find herspending time with family, mostly her sons.Usually you will find her sitting beside a ball field, whether it befootball, basketball or baseball, rooting for LJ and Jourdon as their numberone fan. In addition to her sons’ sports,Janelle is also a loyal and diehard fan of the Atlanta Braves. From time to time, you may catch her sittingat the Braves stadium catching a few innings of a baseball game in the summer.
January 2022
David Rabil
Bornand raised in Franklin, David attended all 12 grades in Franklin City PublicSchools. While at FHS, he played JV and varsity football and basketball and wasalso a member of the golf team and the HI-Y club.
Aftergraduating from FHS in 1971, David attended the University of Richmond where hereceived a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. He just celebrated his 50thhigh school reunion last summer!
Aftercollege David ran a Dairy Queen business in Norfolk until he returned home to Franklinin 1980 to work with his dad at Fred’s. He has been there ever since servingthe Franklin community he so loves.
Davidhas been married to his college “blind-date” Patti since 1976. She taught inthe Franklin school system for 35 years. He is known by her former students asMr. Patti Rabil. David and Patti havetwo children who both graduated from Franklin High School: Vaughan in ’99, andLittle David in ‘03.
Someof his favorite memories are watching Little D kick the football for JMU andwatching them win the National Championship! Spending time with familyanywhere, but especially the beach, playing with his two grandsons, going toDisney and other vacation spots, and having a good time with friends is how helikes to spend his free time. Hisfavorite saying is, “You haven’t been to Franklin, if you haven’t been toFred’s!” Come on down and say hi!
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