Meet the Board
Debby Coleman - President
Debby assumed the position of President in July 2018. She has previously held the position of 1st Vice-president from June 2015. She was the Vice-Chair of the 2016 TQG Quilt Show Committee.
None of Debby’s family sews and so she is entirely self taught. She made her first quilt, a hand pieced sampler quilt using the Lynne Edwards Essential Sampler Quilt book in 2010. Debby has made a variety of quilts, usually as gifts and her list of pending projects is extremely long and added to on a daily basis. She particularly loves hand piecing and is about to begin a quilt using some 17,240 x 1" hexies !
Debby is from England and is currently here with her husband who serves with the UK Royal Air Force attached to NATO. She retired from her job as a Child Protection Lawyer in 2009 to accompany her husband who had been assigned to a job at the opposite end of the Uk. Shortly afterwards they, and their 2 dogs, were assigned to Germany before moving to Virginia Beach in September 2014. She loves English cricket and rugby as well as F1 motor racing.
Debby assumed the position of President in July 2018. She has previously held the position of 1st Vice-president from June 2015. She was the Vice-Chair of the 2016 TQG Quilt Show Committee.
None of Debby’s family sews and so she is entirely self taught. She made her first quilt, a hand pieced sampler quilt using the Lynne Edwards Essential Sampler Quilt book in 2010. Debby has made a variety of quilts, usually as gifts and her list of pending projects is extremely long and added to on a daily basis. She particularly loves hand piecing and is about to begin a quilt using some 17,240 x 1" hexies !
Debby is from England and is currently here with her husband who serves with the UK Royal Air Force attached to NATO. She retired from her job as a Child Protection Lawyer in 2009 to accompany her husband who had been assigned to a job at the opposite end of the Uk. Shortly afterwards they, and their 2 dogs, were assigned to Germany before moving to Virginia Beach in September 2014. She loves English cricket and rugby as well as F1 motor racing.
First Vice President- Pat Carney
Pat Carney Assumed the office of First Vice President in July 2018. She has held the Second Vice President position, as well as coordinating programs and many volunteer positions in the Guild.
Pat’s real sewing began with 7th grade home economics. Through the years, she enjoyed making clothes for herself and her daughter and curtains and duvet covers for the many houses in which she lived as a Navy wife. In the 1980s Pat became involved with making band flags for a marching band. A fellow flag-maker suggested she go to the local quilt guild (Clam Shell Quilters, Waterford, CT). Mary Ellen Hopkins presented a program and Pat was hooked. Most of her quilts have been made as gifts for others – so many baby quilts. The guilds have allowed Pat to take classes from some of the best teachers and she is inspired by what fellow guild members do. Her passion is hand applique using techniques she learned participating in guild workshops and, particularly, Spring Fling.
Pat’s professional life involved making hydrographic maps for companies in Virginia Beach and Connecticut. She and her husband have two children and two grandchildren. Her great pride is passing her on love of sewing and knitting to her granddaughter.
Pat Carney Assumed the office of First Vice President in July 2018. She has held the Second Vice President position, as well as coordinating programs and many volunteer positions in the Guild.
Pat’s real sewing began with 7th grade home economics. Through the years, she enjoyed making clothes for herself and her daughter and curtains and duvet covers for the many houses in which she lived as a Navy wife. In the 1980s Pat became involved with making band flags for a marching band. A fellow flag-maker suggested she go to the local quilt guild (Clam Shell Quilters, Waterford, CT). Mary Ellen Hopkins presented a program and Pat was hooked. Most of her quilts have been made as gifts for others – so many baby quilts. The guilds have allowed Pat to take classes from some of the best teachers and she is inspired by what fellow guild members do. Her passion is hand applique using techniques she learned participating in guild workshops and, particularly, Spring Fling.
Pat’s professional life involved making hydrographic maps for companies in Virginia Beach and Connecticut. She and her husband have two children and two grandchildren. Her great pride is passing her on love of sewing and knitting to her granddaughter.
Second Vice President- Linda Reynolds
Executive Secretary, Paula Harr
Paula’s first exposure to the art of quilting happened when she was a small child playing underneath her grandmother’s quilt frame while she quilted. This is also the origin of her love of traditional quilt making, especially scrap quilts.
She has been quilting since the 1980’s. In her hometown of Fairmont, W.Va. she owned Uncle Bertie’s Quilt Shop until 1996 when she moved to Virginia Beach.
In June 2014, she retired from a 47-year nursing career and was able to devote her time to Patchwork by Paula, which specializes in T-Shirt and Memory Quilts. She was commissioned by the Neptune Festival to make a raffle quilt for the 2014 Neptune Festival.
Paula’s first exposure to the art of quilting happened when she was a small child playing underneath her grandmother’s quilt frame while she quilted. This is also the origin of her love of traditional quilt making, especially scrap quilts.
She has been quilting since the 1980’s. In her hometown of Fairmont, W.Va. she owned Uncle Bertie’s Quilt Shop until 1996 when she moved to Virginia Beach.
In June 2014, she retired from a 47-year nursing career and was able to devote her time to Patchwork by Paula, which specializes in T-Shirt and Memory Quilts. She was commissioned by the Neptune Festival to make a raffle quilt for the 2014 Neptune Festival.
Webmistress, Diana Behling
Diana assumed the position of Webmistress in June of 2015. This is her first TQG Board position.
As a young girl, Diana learned to sew on a Kenmore machine, from her mother who was an accomplished seamstress. In 1997, she switched to quilting with her first “Trip Around the World” quilt made for her daughter Amanda. To date Diana has made hundreds of quilts, many donated for charity fundraisers. She is always willing to try something new and has a diverse fabric stash. She recently acquired a Juki sit down quilting machine and is enjoying free motion quilting many projects. She loves sewing holiday quilts, wall hangings and table toppers, especially Fall and “super loves” anything Halloween! Diana is not embarrassed to admit the number of sewing machines she owns. Find her at the next Guild meeting and ask her!
In her professional life, Diana is a doctoral prepared registered nurse who works full time an Associate Professor of Nursing at the Sentara College of Health Sciences, as well as serving as adjunct faculty in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program at Old Dominion University. She is happily married to her husband Chris and together they have 5 children ranging from late teens to mid-twenties. She is an adult member and volunteer for Girls Scouts of the Colonial Coast. She is a Philly girl at heart and a rabid “Philadelphia Eagles” fan (she has season tickets!) She loves to travel and is always ready for a new adventure!
Diana assumed the position of Webmistress in June of 2015. This is her first TQG Board position.
As a young girl, Diana learned to sew on a Kenmore machine, from her mother who was an accomplished seamstress. In 1997, she switched to quilting with her first “Trip Around the World” quilt made for her daughter Amanda. To date Diana has made hundreds of quilts, many donated for charity fundraisers. She is always willing to try something new and has a diverse fabric stash. She recently acquired a Juki sit down quilting machine and is enjoying free motion quilting many projects. She loves sewing holiday quilts, wall hangings and table toppers, especially Fall and “super loves” anything Halloween! Diana is not embarrassed to admit the number of sewing machines she owns. Find her at the next Guild meeting and ask her!
In her professional life, Diana is a doctoral prepared registered nurse who works full time an Associate Professor of Nursing at the Sentara College of Health Sciences, as well as serving as adjunct faculty in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program at Old Dominion University. She is happily married to her husband Chris and together they have 5 children ranging from late teens to mid-twenties. She is an adult member and volunteer for Girls Scouts of the Colonial Coast. She is a Philly girl at heart and a rabid “Philadelphia Eagles” fan (she has season tickets!) She loves to travel and is always ready for a new adventure!
Baseemah Cumberbatch-Smith- Night Chapter Coordinator
Norene Skiles- Newsletter Editor
Norene Skiles became the Newsletter Editor for TQG, July 2017. This is her first elected position, but has served the board in the past has Head Librarian, Web-mistress (before it was an elected position), and several Night Chapter appointed positions over the past 15 plus years as a TQG member.
She began sewing at age 9, making doll clothes for her Barbie. Over the years she sewed clothing for herself and her two daughters, as well as home items as she moved around following her husband’s Naval career. Norene worked as a public school teacher and then Library Media Specialist with Virginia Beach Public Schools. She is currently retired and reports that she quilts everyday. She has two daughters (both quilters) and 4 grandchildren. Her only granddaughter has shown an interest in sewing , and Norene enjoys spending time teaching her those skills.
She began quilting with the birth her first grandchild about 20 years ago and has not stopped. Over the years she has made many baby quilts for co-workers and family. Since retiring, she has began working on larger quilts. The creative aspect of design is her favorite part of quilting. Some of her quilts involve creating her own fabrics, and most of her quilts are self– drafted, pieced and quilted. Machine quilting and piecing are her primary means of creating quilts.
Norene Skiles became the Newsletter Editor for TQG, July 2017. This is her first elected position, but has served the board in the past has Head Librarian, Web-mistress (before it was an elected position), and several Night Chapter appointed positions over the past 15 plus years as a TQG member.
She began sewing at age 9, making doll clothes for her Barbie. Over the years she sewed clothing for herself and her two daughters, as well as home items as she moved around following her husband’s Naval career. Norene worked as a public school teacher and then Library Media Specialist with Virginia Beach Public Schools. She is currently retired and reports that she quilts everyday. She has two daughters (both quilters) and 4 grandchildren. Her only granddaughter has shown an interest in sewing , and Norene enjoys spending time teaching her those skills.
She began quilting with the birth her first grandchild about 20 years ago and has not stopped. Over the years she has made many baby quilts for co-workers and family. Since retiring, she has began working on larger quilts. The creative aspect of design is her favorite part of quilting. Some of her quilts involve creating her own fabrics, and most of her quilts are self– drafted, pieced and quilted. Machine quilting and piecing are her primary means of creating quilts.
Linda Kelly- Executive Membership Chair
Linda joined the Board in 2016 by assuming a part of the term of the previous Executive Membership Chair. In 2017, Linda was elected for a two-year term. She has served the Guild previously as Post Office Chair.
Linda is married to Steve Kelley and has a son, Wayne. She has been quilting since before Wayne was born; he is now over 30 years old. She prefers machine over hand work and quilts “by check.”
She has been in the legal field since 1972 and currently works with her boss of 16 years, a judge on the Virginia Court of Appeals. She plans to retire in October 2019 and hopes to have more time for quilting.
She loves everything to do with the beach and the ocean, including shelling and looking for sea glass.
Linda joined the Board in 2016 by assuming a part of the term of the previous Executive Membership Chair. In 2017, Linda was elected for a two-year term. She has served the Guild previously as Post Office Chair.
Linda is married to Steve Kelley and has a son, Wayne. She has been quilting since before Wayne was born; he is now over 30 years old. She prefers machine over hand work and quilts “by check.”
She has been in the legal field since 1972 and currently works with her boss of 16 years, a judge on the Virginia Court of Appeals. She plans to retire in October 2019 and hopes to have more time for quilting.
She loves everything to do with the beach and the ocean, including shelling and looking for sea glass.
Saturday Coordinator Christie Prenger