About NSTS

Monique Turner-Lopez is a seasoned administrator with more than 30 years of experience in the non-profit sector both in the United States and Latin America.

She has designed, implemented and overseen multi-site agencies and programs focusing on family support services, bilingual education, extended day programming, positive youth development, teen parenting, re-entry, financial counseling/education, family economic success, and workforce development services for various nonprofit organizations.

Her career began in international development. She was the U.S.-based liaison on several educational projects focusing on Honduras, as well as other countries in Latin America and the countries of Pakistan, Spain and South Africa. A former Peace Corps volunteer, she served in the Dominican Republic. She also created and developed one of the first AmeriCorps programs in 1994 in Washington, D.C. under the Latin American Youth Center. Prior roles included serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Bilingual Education for Central America, CEO of The Family Center of Columbus, Georgia, and CPO for the YWCA of the Hartford Region.

As Founder and Chairman of the Board, Chuck is honored to represent his fellow Directors (William A. Prince, Donald F. Price, Michael K. Kerner and Kevin M. Sweeney) on the Next Step to Success leadership team, where Chuck’s title is simply, “Team Member”.

In 2013, Chuck was appointed by Norfolk City Council to serve on the Mayor’s Commission on Poverty Reduction. During this service, Chuck closely examined the “success sequence” as a strategy for enabling individuals from all walks of life to assume personal responsibility for escaping or avoiding poverty. From this experience, the dream of launching Next Step to Success was conceived, and after several years of conversation and planning with our CEO, Rob McCartney, it was born.

From 2000 to 2009, Chuck served as Founding Chairman of Saint Patrick Catholic School, where he continues to serve as a Director at the School. Saint Patrick’s mission is to cultivate future generations of courageous servant leaders who will lead lives of consequence.

Chuck currently serves as Chairman of the Barry Robinson Center, a Catholic charitable organization helping children overcome emotional and behavioral health afflictions through both residential and community-based programs.

From 2009 to 2017, Chuck served as the Chairman of the McMahon-Parater Foundation as it raised an endowment fund to provide financial aid to students of Catholic schools through the Diocese of Richmond. Chuck currently serves as a Director on the Catholic Community Foundation, where those endowment monies now reside.

Chuck has received the papal honor of Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice from His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. He has also received Humanitarian Awards from Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia and the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities. Chuck has been inducted into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a Catholic order placed under the protection of the Holy See.

A shareholder of Kaufman and Canoles, P.C., Chuck practices law in the area of public-private partnerships, equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, government-contractor business transactions and real estate joint ventures, Chuck previously served as Executive Vice President for Practice Management and as a member of the Executive Committee and Compensation Committee of Kaufman and Canoles.

Chuck is a 1982 graduate of Hampden-Sydney College (Phi Beta Kappa) and a 1985 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law (Order of the Coif).

Robert E. McCartney MSW, “Rob,” is the Chief Executive Officer for Next Step To Success, The James Barry Robinson Institute, and The Barry Robinson Center.

As the son of a CPA and a Professor of Nursing, Rob says he was destined to become a social worker. He started his journey of helping young people while in college, working at a juvenile detention facility. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University, Rob took time off to see the United States, but after several years of what his mother called “wander lust,” he returned to Michigan State to earn his Masters in Social Work.

The first half of Rob’s career was clinically focused working in a variety of settings including foster care, residential, hospitals, and outpatient, serving clients from age 5 to age 85. Those that know Rob will tell you he has never truly grown up and that is why he always migrates back to working with children. The second half of his career Rob has focused on clinical and operational leadership. He has served as a Clinical Supervisor, Executive Director, Regional Director of Operations, Chief Operations Officer, and Chief Executive Director. Rob has experienced success in starting up new programs and turning around struggling programs. He credits this success to the teams he has been able to develop. “I hire good people and try to stay out of their way.”

Rob is a compassionate leader who puts the needs of our youth participants and their families first. He has strong operational skills and can become laser focused when needed. We have been successful because of his leadership.

Rob lives in Virginia Beach with his wife, Shirley. They have four adult children and are proud grandparents to their three grandchildren.