Meet Casey Roberts: Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development for VersAbility Resources

As a man of faith, Casey Roberts holds fast to the belief that his path in life led him to his position as Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development for VersAbility Resources.

“I never thought I would go down the route of nonprofit leadership,” Roberts says. “But God has a way of building parts of your life.”

A Hampton native, Roberts grew up just around the corner from VersAbility’s headquarters and attended Hampton High School.

He entered Virginia Tech intending to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering and even had dreams of becoming a military pilot, but that changed when he realized he enjoyed working with people more than working with computers.

Roberts switched his major and graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s in history with a minor in leadership studies. He also holds a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Regent University and an education specialist degree in educational leadership and administration from the George Washington University, where he is nearing completion of a doctorate in educational administration and policy studies.

Though he didn’t plan it, Roberts’ shift toward education and teaching made sense. He comes from a long line of educators, starting with his great-great-grandmother Mary Todd Park, who was among the first African Americans in Surry County to teach formerly enslaved people how to read and write.

It was his experience as a member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets that showed him he had a knack for instruction.  

“I had experience instructing cadets both in high school and college and discovered I was generally good with teaching high school students,” he said.

From there, Roberts began his career at Hampton City Schools as a social studies teacher. At 30, he became principal at Smithfield High School in 2015. In the summer of 2018, he accepted the position of Executive Director at New Horizons Regional Education Center – where they train and educate students from the six Greater Peninsula School Divisions, preparing them for college and the workforce. Some students with autism and intellectual and emotional disabilities receive community readiness skills training and credentialing.

He learned about VersAbility during his time at New Horizons.

“The intersection of education, workforce development, and working with vulnerable populations led me here,” Roberts says.

Roberts was asked to join VersAbility’s volunteer Board in 2022, where he advocated for them on various community committees and councils. He came on full-time in his current role in August of 2024, where he’s helping shape the future of VersAbility, and couldn’t be happier.

“It’s hard work here. I love the saying that we’re opening hearts and minds to all populations in our society,” says Roberts.

One of the major pillars of VersAbility is advocacy for those with disabilities – especially in the workforce.

“People tend to think of people with disabilities as on the outskirts of society, but some of them are more productive than people without disabilities,” he says.

Roberts is ready for the tough conversations that lie ahead.

“It’s about tearing down biases and false narratives to allow them to unlock their future. Going forward, we want every individual who is capable to be an active participant in our society. Whether it be in the workforce, or community living, or in our community as a whole,” Roberts says.

A self-professed “Trekkie,” Roberts draws inspiration from the beloved show his mom introduced him to as a child.

“It was one of the first times she had seen someone of color on TV not in a service role but in an officer role,” Roberts recalled.

That change in perception and break from the stereotypical norm is what he wants for those with disabilities.

“Going where no individual with a disability has gone before — that is going to be the future.”

A husband and father, Roberts is excited to be part of such an important mission, and he’s looking forward to telling VersAbility’s story.

“VersAbility has been a staple in our community and I am thrilled to support our President and CEO Kasia Grzelkowski,” he says. “We are poised to be an absolute powerhouse and leader in innovation and workforce development. We aren’t doing charity work here. We’re trying to make an impact and move the needle of the economic vitality of our region, our nation.”