Today we’d like to introduce you to Hope Sinclair.
Hi Hope, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised in Hampton Roads and grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia, with an older brother and a younger sister. My mother spent more than 30 years teaching in Norfolk Public Schools, so education was an important part of my world from the beginning. I was very active in school and graduated with honors from Oscar Smith High School.
My interest in understanding people led me to study psychology at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte and North Carolina Central University in Durham. When I returned to Virginia in 2005, I entered the nonprofit sector. I often say that this work chose me. I began providing counseling services to young people and families involved in the court system, working with them through difficult circumstances and helping them find a path forward.
After eight years, I joined Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads. Moving into a school setting felt like a natural extension of my passion for helping young people succeed. It was an opportunity to work alongside schools and families and connect students with support that could make a difference in their everyday lives and their futures.
I spent years on the program side before being selected as Executive Director in 2017. Today, I serve as CEO. Having worked directly with young people and families, I bring that perspective into my leadership. Behind every partnership, funding request, and organizational decision are students who deserve access to opportunities and people who will show up for them.
Leading this work in the region that raised me is especially meaningful. My story began here, and now I have the privilege of helping other young people build their own stories. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve received, and I believe in sharing opportunities, opening doors, and giving back.
Outside of work, I enjoy traveling with my son, working out, going to the movies, and volunteering. Service is an important part of who I am, both professionally and personally. Wherever I can help someone move forward, I want to do my part.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. Like many nonprofits, we have faced difficult decisions about how to sustain our work while responding to the needs of the people we serve. There was a time when we faced the very real possibility of closing our doors. That was especially difficult because we knew what was at stake for the schools, students, and families who depended on us.
Our leadership fought hard to keep those doors open. We leaned heavily on our supporters, relationships, and community network. Their willingness to stand with us helped us continue ensuring that students had someone in their corner. That experience reinforced something I carry with me today: sustaining this work takes a community, and we cannot take that support for granted.
One ongoing challenge is funding. Hampton Roads has so many wonderful organizations doing meaningful, necessary work, and we are often seeking support from the same limited pool of resources. I don’t believe we have to diminish another organization’s importance to demonstrate our own. Our community needs all of us.
That is why collaboration is central to our approach. Our goal is to avoid duplicating services and instead bring the strengths and resources of our community into schools. A service can exist, but if a student or family cannot access it—or does not know it is available—the gap remains. We help bridge that gap by connecting students with the support they need and building relationships that make those connections possible.
Communities In Schools has a proven model, and we want it to remain a dependable presence in Hampton Roads for years to come. The challenges have made me more determined to build lasting partnerships and a strong foundation so that students can continue counting on us.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. At the heart of our work is a belief that every child deserves someone who sees their potential and is willing to help them reach it.
We specialize in school-based, integrated student supports. That means our Site Coordinators work inside schools, building relationships with students, families, and educators to understand what students need and connect them with resources. That support may include food, clothing, academic assistance, mentoring, help navigating attendance challenges, or opportunities to explore college and careers. We bring community resources into schools, making support more accessible to the students and families who need it.
What sets our approach apart is the consistent presence of a caring adult who looks beyond the surface. A student who is frequently absent, falling behind, or withdrawing from others has a story. Before we can help, we need to understand what that student is experiencing. Our Site Coordinators build trust, coordinate support, and follow through as students work toward their goals.
Partnership is essential to that process. Hampton Roads has tremendous resources and organizations doing meaningful work. We help bridge the gap between those services and students who might otherwise never reach them. By working alongside families, schools, and community partners, we can respond to needs together.
What I am most proud of is the trust our team builds. When a student feels comfortable asking for help, a parent knows they have someone to call, or a school sees us as a dependable partner, that means something. We see success in a student’s growing confidence, improved engagement, and the moment they reach graduation with people cheering them on.
We often say, “Being Present Matters.” That is the commitment we want people to associate with CISofHR. We show up, we listen, and we keep working alongside students. I want readers to know that they can be part of that community of support, too—through partnership, sharing resources, or investing in the work. Every connection can help create another opportunity for a young person.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I’m drawn to resources that empower people and challenge us to think differently. Books like What Happened to You?, The Deepest Well by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, and Think Again by Adam Grant reflect the themes I value: understanding people’s experiences, questioning our assumptions, and remaining open to growth.
Those ideas connect closely to my work. When we support students and families, we have to look beyond what we see on the surface and be willing to listen. I appreciate resources that encourage us to approach people with curiosity and compassion.
Podcasts such as Brené Brown’s Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead, along with Adam Grant’s ReThinking, explore those same themes through conversations about connection, courageous leadership, and reconsidering familiar perspectives.
For me, the most valuable resources leave us with something to reflect on or put into practice. They remind us that doing our best—for ourselves and for others—requires a willingness to keep learning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://CISofHR.org
- Instagram: @cisofhr
- Facebook: @cisofhr
- LinkedIn: @cisofhr
- Twitter: @cisofhr
