Contact: Nicholle Granger
ngranger@voaches.org
September 17, 2025
Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas (VOACC) is pleased to welcome Dr. John M. Thompson, an accomplished public servant, educator, and ordained minister, to its Board of Directors. Dr. Thompson officially joined the Board on July 1, 2025, bringing with him two decades of executive leadership in government, nonprofit, and community development.
A Certified Public Manager, Dr. Thompson currently serves as Assistant County Administrator for Richland County, South Carolina, where he oversees departments dedicated to public safety, infrastructure, and human services. His career includes senior leadership roles in Richland County, Fulton County, Georgia, and the District of Columbia, where he guided policy development and realigned agencies to improve service delivery. Beyond his government service, Dr. Thompson has worked as an organizational development consultant and as executive director of a community development corporation in Richland County.
For over 20 years, Dr. Thompson has also served as a professor, program director, and faculty chair, teaching in the fields of nonprofit leadership, healthcare administration, human services, and public administration. He is well-versed in grant writing, federal grant review, and contract management.
Dr. Thompson’s educational background reflects both depth and breadth, with a Ph.D. in Health Services Management from Walden University, three master’s degrees, including Business Administration, Health Services, and Divinity, and a bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Psychology from the University of South Carolina. His faith and service also extend into the community as a licensed and ordained minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a certified Reserve Deputy with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
For Dr. Thompson, VOACC’s guiding theme Called to Care resonates on both a personal and spiritual level:
“Called to Care’ means that one possesses a spirit of humility and makes it his life’s mission to serve fellow human beings who find themselves in difficult situations. This service to others is done with concern, empathy, and compassion using a nonjudgmental approach. Called to Care is reflected in Matthew 25:40, ‘And the King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’ One who is called to care will ensure that they are genuinely addressing the needs of those who are experiencing a number of issues, but not limited to, hunger, thirst, nakedness, illness, or imprisonment.”
– Dr. John M. Thompson, VOACC Board of Directors
Looking ahead, Dr. Thompson is eager to help VOACC expand its impact in South Carolina:
“As a board member, I am looking forward to working closely with VOACC in assessing service needs and gaps in my home state of South Carolina. It would be a blessing to be a part of a movement in which we are filling critical gaps in service that improve the quality of life of vulnerable citizens such as treatment programs for substance users, human trafficking victims, and victims of domestic violence.”
– Dr. John M. Thompson, VOACC Board of Directors
Please join us in welcoming Dr. John M. Thompson to the Board of Directors of Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas!
About Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas
Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas (“VOACC”) is a faith-based, nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire self-reliance, dignity, and hope through housing, health and human services.
At VOACC, we have been helping to create Healthy Communities for All for over 129 years by aligning housing, health and human services. We actively pursue health equity by filling the gap in housing and care for underserved populations, including those who are experiencing homelessness, low-income, underinsured or uninsured, justice-involved and veterans. By offering integrated housing and care, we address the social determinants that impact the long-term stability for those in need.
Through a dedicated team of management, staff and volunteers who are guided by our Core Values – Visionary, One Body, Integrity, Compassion, Excellence, and Faith – we are the safety net for thousands of men, women and children each year across Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia and the Carolinas. We operate over 49 programs focused on 8 areas of service: homeless services, affordable housing, mental health, substance use recovery, intellectual/developmental disabilities services, community re-entry, veteran services and workforce development.
VOACC has over 800 staff members and more than 2,000 volunteers. The organization helps over 9,675 individuals and families every year from Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and the Carolinas. For more information on VOACC, please visit www.voachesapeake.org.