Recreation, Parks & Open Space Commission
The Recreation, Parks & Open Space Commission plays a vital role in communicating the needs of the citizens and the desires of the department to City Council. The Commission is appointed by City Council to be their eyes and ears in the community and to work directly with the Recreation, Parks, & Open Space Director in matters pertaining to the health and welfare of our great City. To contact the RPOS Commission, please email RPOSCommission@Norfolk.gov.Commission Members
Captain Mike O'Hearn is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He served for 28 years as a Naval Aviator fighting for our country from Vietnam to Desert Storm where he served as Commanding Officer of the USS Iwo Jima. Following his retirement from the Navy, Captain O’Hearn worked for several government contractors and retired from GDAIS, a software and systems engineering company. Captain O'Hearn has been very active in the civilian community for more than twenty years. He is past President and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Larchmont Edgewater Civic League. He is also a past President and member of the Board of Governors for the American Hellenic and Education Association. Captain O’Hearn continues to serve the Navy League as a member of the Board of Governors acting as the Sea Cadet Liaison Officer. He has been an active member of the Lafayette Wetlands Partnership and has recently been appointed to the board of the Norfolk Historical Society.
Paul Ballance is a lifelong Norfolk resident and graduate of Norfolk Public Schools. He retired in 2003 from the Norfolk Fire Department after 25 years of service. Mr. Ballance now works as the Safety Coordinator for the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office. He joined the Tarrallton Recreation Center Advisory Board in 1996 and for the next 9 years he worked almost daily with RPOS staff to create programs and provide assistance in any way he could from arts and crafts shows to teen dances. Part of the advisory board’s mission was to help offset some of the budget cuts and to enhance programs so they constantly raised funds in pursuit of these goals. Mr. Ballance became an RPOS Commissioner in 2005 at the request of his two City Council representatives based on his commitment to the quality and effectiveness of RPOS community programs. He is also Past Chairman of the Commission and was succeeded by Captain Mike O’Hearn in 2011.
George Curtis (US SSA) grew up in the Ghent section of Norfolk. He attended Norfolk Public Schools, attended Old Dominion University, and graduated from the NORSHIPCO Apprentice School. Mr. Curtis has worked for NORSHIPCO for 35 years and is currently a Ship Superintendent. He has coached youth baseball, basketball, and swimming but his great love is coaching the West End Dukes football team which he has done for 33 years. Mr. Curtis is also an assistant football coach at Maury High School. He was nominated to the RPOS Commission by Councilman Barclay Winn several years ago based on his knowledge of the City’s many athletic associations. Interestingly, Mr. Curtis’s initial appointment letter was mailed to his father, George Curtis III who was retired and was honored to serve. Our Mr. Curtis (the IV) waited until his father (the III) passed away several years later to take his place on the Commission, serving out the last two months of his father’s term. He has been chosen to continue serving ever since. 
Courtney Doyle
is currently the Director of Corporate Marketing at Sentara Healthcare. She previously held Marketing Manager and Marketing Consulting positions at Sentara after serving as the Director of the International Air Services with the Airports Council International-North America. Mrs. Doyle received her B.A. from the University of Maryland College Park and her MBA from Old Dominion University. In addition to her role as an RPOS Commissioner, Mrs. Doyle is a member of the West Ghent Civic League and is Past President as well. Mrs. Doyle got involved with RPOS because she believes that a healthy community is vital to a successful Norfolk. To have the opportunity to serve as a part of Norfolk’s ongoing development and growth is important to her and, as someone who works in healthcare, she more than understands the value of good health. Mrs. Doyle believes that convenient access to recreation centers, community programs, and green spaces results in a community of busy, active, and healthy citizens.
Captain Charles P. Melcher
was raised in Lexington, Massachusetts. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1984 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and completed Naval Nuclear Power and Submarine Training in March 1986. Capt Melcher earned an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and is a certified DoD Program Manager.
Captain Melcher has been stationed across the United States and served on several Nuclear Submarines including: USS PROVIDENCE, OMAHA, BOISE and SCRANTON. He has deployed 8 times to all corners of the world and completed his sea tours here in Norfolk, as commanding officer of USS Scranton. Captain Melcher has held senior leadership tours in large DoD programs and facilities, most recently Commanding Officer of NSA Hampton Roads, the second largest Naval Base on the East Coast of the United States.
He has lived in Norfolk since 1997 and is involved in many aspects of the community including serving on the boards of the The Up Center, the USO, and Norfolk Youth Sports Organizations as well as participated in development forums with Norfolk Public Schools and the Mayors Ocean View Task Force.
He and his wife Traci have four children: two Marine sons, Jack and Andrew, and two daughters, Grace and Charlotte attending Maury High School and Blair Middle School.
Donald J. Musacchio
retired from a notable 36 year federal career. He last served as the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Management of the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Post September 1, 2001, Mr. Musacchio also had responsibilities in the programs of Continuity of Government (COG) and Continuity of Operations (COOP). Prior to entering the Senior Executive Service, he was the Director of Labor and Employee Relations for FSIS from 1994 to 1999. From 1974 to 1994, he served in various Labor Relations/Employee Relations and Equal Opportunity Employer counselor positions through the Department of the Navy. Mr. Musacchio is a trained and experienced mediator and facilitator with expertise in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and interest based problem solving techniques. He is a founding member and former Vice-Chair of the Interagency Labor Relations Forum. Currently Mr. Musacchio serves on the Board of Directors of several organizations including the Society of Federal Labor and Employee Relations Professionals and the Darden College of Education at Old Dominion University. He is also licensed by the International Rugby Board as an educator and evaluator of rugby referees. Since his retirement, he has provided consultant services to several federal agencies including DoD, DHS, USDA, HHS, NIH, and NOAA.Mr. Musacchio received his B.S. and M.S. from Old Dominion University. He is co-author of The Federal Supervisor’s Guide to Drug Testing, The Federal Employee’s Guide to Drug Testing, and Managing Leave and Attendance Problems: A Guide for Federal Managers. Mr. Musacchio is an entertaining and sought after speaker and trainer. He has conducted hundreds of labor and employee relations courses and trained thousands of federal managers. He often presents at major national conferences including FPMI’s Annual Labor and Employee Relations Conference, OPM’s SOELR Conference, Society of Federal Labor Relations Professionals, and the Federal Dispute Resolution Annual Conferences as well as the DOD Labor Relations and Employee Relations Conference.
Debra Rocke
Charlette Williams
is a native of Pittsburgh, PA and has lived in Norfolk since 1985. She is a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer who has embarked upon a second career as an educator. Ms. Williams has an interest in and experience with neighborhood and youth development and is an asset to the RPOS Commission team.
