Welcome to Safe Harbor Title, where our team is the heart of everything we do!

President, Melissa McPherson is very likely the inspiration for John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Authority Song.” She much prefers asking for forgiveness than permission and her least favorite word is “no.”  Having said that, is it really surprising that she feels more comfortable working thousands of times harder for herself than giving herself a break and letting someone else run the show?

As the fearless leader of Safe Harbor Title, Melissa’s famous management philosophy is, “please don’t make me manage you.”  This approach has proven to empower team members to rise to their greatest potential, confident that they are appreciated beyond measure for their individual talents and abilities and trusted to make decisions independently that are in the best interest of the company, their colleagues, clients, co-workers and themselves.

In her professional capacity, Melissa unabashedly loves to be a title insurance super hero!  The more complex and complicated the problem, the more she digs in to find a balanced, reasonable solution that satisfies all parties and moves the deal forward.  As her personal title insurance super hero, Jerry Sklar, the smartest title man in all the land, always says, “there’s no such thing as uninsurable title!”

Melissa is a Richmond, VA native so, if you ask her where she went to school, she will proudly say, “Godwin,” however, for those interested in higher education, she graduated from George Mason University with a BA in Government and Politics.  She started her career in title insurance shortly thereafter and was pleasantly surprised to find that it had nothing to do with repossessed cars.  Nearly 3 decades later, she can’t imagine a more fulfilling and rewarding career.

She is the proud mom of AK and Jack, bonus mom of Dylan and Michaela, adoring yia-yia of Ava and Austin, hopelessly devoted wife of Scott and fiercely loyal friend to her amazing “girls.”  As if that’s not enough, she also has 3 very bad dogs; Scout, Joey and Julio.

As the Senior Underwriter and Director of Commercial Underwriting, Cindy Balsly often jokes that her title is just a polite way of saying she’s the most “seasoned” person in the room. In reality, it signifies a massive wealth of knowledge. Since joining Safe Harbor Title in 2012, Cindy has leveraged over 30 years of deep-dive experience in commercial underwriting to navigate even the most complex transactions.

A self-described “title nerd,” Cindy has an unrivaled passion for the fine print. She approaches every file with a sharp eye for detail and a B.A. in English from Christopher Newport University, ensuring every “i” is dotted and every “t” is crossed. For Cindy, title work isn’t just a job—it’s a puzzle she’s spent three decades perfecting.

Originally a Newport News native, she now calls Gloucester—affectionately known as “God’s Country”—home. When she’s not solving title mysteries, you can find her tending to her garden, lounging on the beach with her husband, or catching up with her three adult sons. At her side through it all is her faithful dog, Luna, who helps keep life in “God’s Country” exactly as it should be.

Meet Rachel Bender, our Commercial Title Coordinator and the organizational heartbeat of our commercial team! Since joining Safe Harbor Title Company in May 2021, Rachel has mastered the art of “keeping it all together”—from ordering and sorting title searches to managing the commercial title calendar and everything in between.

After a 20-year “tenure” as a stay-at-home mom, Rachel brought her expert multitasking skills to the professional world. When she isn’t keeping busy in the title world, she’s likely spending quality time with her husband, Mike, and their two adult daughters, Rhianna and Morgen.

At home, she’s managed by her two feline overlords, Djinn and Gryphon, whose furry antics provide endless entertainment. A true lover of the arts and technology, Rachel is an avid gamer and a pillar of the local community theater scene. Whether she’s gracing the stage, working hard behind the scenes as a stagehand, or enjoying a show from the front row, Rachel brings the same passion and dedication to the theater as she does to every title search she handles.

If adaptability was a sport, Taylor Betke would already be a Olympian. From managing the chaos of fast-paced restaurants while earning her Interdisciplinary Studies degree at VCU (concentrating in Business and Mass Communications!) to diving headfirst into the high-speed world of seller-side real estate settlements, Taylor thrives where things move fast. She’s built a reputation for cracking the code on tough problems, asking the right questions, and injecting creativity into everything she touches.

Learning the ins and outs of a closing file requires serious focus, but Taylor tackles it with endless curiosity and a much-needed sense of humor. Plus, as a twin, she has a lifelong certification in teamwork, compromise, and fighting for the last slice of pizza. That natural ability to connect with people makes her a perfect fit for our client-first culture.

When she’s off the clock, Taylor is busy adding “just one more” plant to her jungle, getting lost in a book, winning at Fortnite, or experimenting with paint and bleach art. She believes the best work happens when you care deeply and stay curious—and she brings that exact spark to our team every single day.

Mary Brown Leachman has been the Director of Business Development at Safe Harbor Title for over 12 years, almost as long as Safe Harbor Title has existed!  She serves as the liaison between our diverse and growing group of clients and our closing teams, ensuring you and your transaction are given much deserved love and attention. 

For Mary Brown, business is personal; she is a natural networker, thrives on building authentic connections and has an overdeveloped sense of FOMO (fear of missing out). In short, there’s rarely an event you won’t find her at and she’s almost always the most well-connected person in the room!

An alum of Mary Baldwin College with a BA in Marketing Communications, Mary Brown started her career as a residential real estate agent and then joined the commercial real estate world as a retail broker.  She then spent many years in corporate real estate for SunTrust Bank before being recruited by her high school friend, Melissa, to join Safe Harbor Title.

Mary Brown and her husband, Thomas, are proud parents to two sons, Manning, a student at the University of Alabama, and Rawlings, a rising freshman and swimmer for Duke University.  They are fanatic UVA Cavaliers basketball fans and can be found center court in Charlottesville, and sometimes on the road, during the season.  Wahoowa! 

In the unlikely event that you are in the real estate industry on the east coast and haven’t met Mary Brown, you simply must!  She would love to meet you!

After a decade-long “sabbatical” as a domestic COO, Kristin joined Safe Harbor in 2022. As our Residential Title Insurance Underwriter, she specializes in finding needles in haystacks and ensuring every deal is ironclad.

With a borderline-obsessive love for land records and an eye for detail sharp enough to spot a missing notary seal from across the room, Kristin guarantees the only surprises at closing are the good kind. Having navigated the industry as both a paralegal and a real estate agent, she’s seen the “Sold” sign from every possible angle.

She’s spent years falling in love with property history—though she’s still waiting for a title search to reveal she’s the secret heir to a private island. Until that happens, she spends her “free” time tackling DIY projects with her husband, serving as a chaos coordinator for four teenagers, and hanging out with her dog, Reece.

Lorelei is the friendly face that keeps things flowing at Safe Harbor Title Company—because every smooth closing starts with a great first impression. As Front Office Administrator, she’s the go-to for keeping the office organized, clients informed, and the day running right on track.

Armed with a detail-oriented mindset and a natural ability to make others feel instantly at ease, Lorelei ensures no question goes unanswered and no client feels lost, confused, or like they’ve walked into the wrong office. She takes pride in creating a seamless, supportive experience for both clients and her team.

Outside the office, Lorelei is a student at Virginia Commonwealth University and a devoted animal lover. She spends her time walking her two dogs, Chug and Millie, and with her cats, Olive and Loki. When she’s not handling final file scans or answering phones, she enjoys getting creative with crafts and spending time with her family—especially somewhere with sand, sun, and zero emails.

Virginia Duley is a Commercial Settlement Officer and Licensed Title Insurance Underwriter with Safe Harbor Title Company.  She has a degree in Psychology from James Madison University and a Master’s in Forensic Psychology from Purdue University, making her uniquely qualified for an illustrious career in commercial title insurance!  She approaches every transaction as if it is a cold case waiting to be solved and profiles all parties involved to determine how best to serve them. Delays in closing are a rarity as Virginia preemptively hunts down potential problems and determines reasonable resolutions with time to spare.

Safe Harbor Title was lucky enough to discover Virginia in 2021 where she is mostly revered and only slightly feared.

She is a native of Richmond, VA and having scrutinized so many plats, surveys, legal descriptions and easements, may know the City better than Kay Scarpetta.

Whether she and her furry side-kick, Gizmo are soaking up the sun with family and friends or hiding on the couch behind a book, (criminal fiction, of course), Virginia is fueled exclusively by iced coffee. In fact, if you listen closely during a conversation regarding an upcoming closing,  you can hear the faint rattle of ice cubes—the official soundtrack of her productivity.

With over four decades of legal expertise, Janie is a powerhouse in the real estate world. After years of closing residential and commercial loans and serving as an Executive Assistant to a Circuit Court judge—where she famously mastered the art of shorthand—she tried retirement. It didn’t stick. Two years later, she brought her sharp eye for detail to our team as Commercial Title Processor.

When she isn’t meticulously reviewing titles, Janie is likely chasing the sun. Whether she’s whale watching and snorkeling in Cabo or tending to her vibrant flower gardens at home in Poquoson, she stays inspired and on the move. A Hampton native and dedicated volunteer at her church, Janie balances her busy professional life with a love for reading, crocheting, and spending quality time with her two fur babies, Pancho and Gabby.

Maria has worked as an escrow account reconciliation expert and auditor for various title companies and service providers for over 28 years.  In 2021, while the country sheltered in place, and corporate America sent everyone home to tele-work, she joined Safe Harbor Title Company, an in-person, essential business.  She credits the move with preserving both her marriage and sanity.

Prior to the lockdown, she served 5 years at Virginia Commonwealth University, ultimately being released with a Bachelor’s of Science.  As previously noted, she then married and, in very short order, brought two wonderful children into the world, all of whom agree that only one parent should work from home at a time.

She was born and raised in Richmond during a time when you could drink out of a garden hose, seat belts were optional, phones were attached to a wall and smoking was encouraged.  Also known as the 80’s.  She knows how to read a paper map and cursive, crucial skills in the title insurance industry!

When she is not tending to her highly allergic shelter dog, Zoe, or volunteering at her church, St. Anthony’s, evidence of her presence can be found in the tiny Jesus statues she places on the desk of anyone who seems particularly in need of prayer.

In addition to her primary role as Quality Assurance Officer at Safe Harbor Title, Maria is also committed to making National Grilled Cheese Day a paid holiday for all, including the lactose intolerant and gluten free. 

Jill Johnson may be the newest member of the Safe Harbor Title team, but she brings nearly 18 years’ experience in the commercial and residential industry with her! In her role as Commercial Transaction Coordinator, Jill is a master of organization and the glue that holds our files together—managing everything from the initial file opening to the final recording. Most importantly, after having worked closely with Brokers, Realtors and lenders, she has a unique understanding that every closing is the most important closing!

When she isn’t at Safe Harbor, Jill can be found hitting the trails. She is an avid mountain biker and has enjoyed the sport for more than 35 years. Having graduated from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania, Jill is a true “Fighting Scot,” resilient, practical and hospitable – all of which come in quite handy in just one day at Safe Harbor Title!

Jaimee Maddox doesn’t just close deals; she builds success. A Richmond native and Radford University alum, Jaimee has been a cornerstone of the residential real estate world since 2006. Joining Safe Harbor Title in 2012, she has cemented her reputation as a new construction specialist who understands every nuance of a transaction—from the first shovel in the ground to the final signature at the table.

Jaimee is known for her “grit and grace” approach, often going the extra ten miles to ensure her clients feel supported and her coworkers have a helping hand. When she’s not orchestrating real estate magic, Jaimee is likely “shaking it off” to her favorite Taylor Swift anthems or hunting for hidden gems at local thrift stores. At home, she’s a culinary artist in the kitchen, sharing life and laughter with her husband, two kids, and their loyal pup.

From unearthing Roman ruins to navigating the Richmond housing market, Maddie Martin’s career path is anything but ordinary. While working as an archaeological technician in Pompeii, she never imagined that her expertise in ancient cemeteries and the deceased would become her secret weapon in real estate. Today, she uses those same investigative skills to “dig deep” into complex title issues, clearing hurdles that would leave others stumped.

Maddie approaches every deal with the precision of an excavator and the urgency of a pyroclastic flow—closing transactions faster than an erupting volcano.

Originally a native of Silver Spring, Maryland, Maddie moved south to earn her Bachelor’s in Anthropology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She fell hard for Richmond’s grit and charm and decided to make the River City her permanent home. When she isn’t unearthing the perfect property for her clients, you can find her:

• Taking scenic treks across Belle Isle.
• Catching a live set at The Broadberry.
• Fueling up with a lox sandwich from Nate’s Bagels.
• Getting lost in the galleries at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Whether you’re looking for a historic gem or a modern masterpiece, Maddie has the tools, the tenacity, and the local “dirt” to make your next real estate transaction legendary.

Elizabeth Mauck satisfies her need to be needed as a Commercial Underwriter and Commercial Transaction Representative at Safe Harbor Title, excelling beyond measure at both!

A Richmond native, Elizabeth detoured to Clemson University just in time to witness a National Championship (Go Tigers!). After a two-year stint in Charlotte, she brought her talents back home to join the Safe Harbor team.

Whether she’s cheering on her sister at lacrosse games or exploring Richmond’s food scene, Elizabeth tackles every task with a smile. When she’s off the clock, she’s busy honing her skills on the golf course or the pickleball court. She’s currently aiming for “Pro” status in both; however, if the Olympics don’t call, she’s ready to pivot to her backup plan: becoming a professional sommelier.

CEO of the Household turned Amanda’s processing sidekick, Kathy spent 20 years managing a high-stakes startup (also known as two children) and finally transitioned back into the corporate world where her coworkers actually listen.

With two grown kids out of the nest—including one currently bleeding orange at the University of Tennessee—She has redirected her “Mom Radar” toward an obsessive attention to detail and a personal vendetta against procrastination. If there is a deadline, she will meet it; if there is a typo, she will find it; and if there is a silence, she will fill it with the entire soundtrack of Les Misérables.

When she’s not checking off to-do lists with surgical precision, she’s likely cooking something elaborate enough to win a reality show or buried in a book trying to ignore the fact that her kitchen is finally quiet. She brings two decades of crisis management experience and a vocal range that brings spreadsheets and settlement statements to life!

As Director of Residential Settlements, Amanda Nester is known for exceptional organization skills, a love of structured processes, and a firm belief that most problems can be solved with a well-managed schedule.

Since August 2016, Amanda has been the calm in the chaos—keeping transactions on track, details in check, and deadlines firmly under control.

 She is the kind of person who notices what others overlook—the small inconsistencies, the missing details, the opportunities to make something just a little bit better. With a natural precision and a deep appreciation for structure, she thrives in environments where organization and follow-through matter. Calendars, checklists, and well-planned schedules aren’t just tools for her—they’re a language she speaks fluently, bringing clarity and momentum to everything she touches.

At home, Amanda runs an equally complex operation with three sports-playing boys and a supportive husband, where evenings and weekends are a carefully coordinated mix of practices, games, and snacks. When not managing schedules like a pro, she enjoys traveling (mostly Caribbean islands!), diving into a good book, and tending to a flock of chickens—because nothing says “unwinding” like fresh eggs and a little backyard chaos.

After nearly 30 years in accounting, Ja’Net Penn still hasn’t lost her mind—or her sense of humor.

As Safe Harbor Title’s Post Closing Coordinator, Ja’Net handles the critical final steps of your real estate transaction with the precision of a seasoned pro and the energy of someone on their third espresso.

A proud California native, Ja’Net traded the West Coast for Virginia many years ago. Between her own time in active-duty military and life as a military spouse, she spent decades moving on Uncle Sam’s schedule. When her husband finally retired, they happily dropped permanent anchors in Chesterfield to raise their two boys, James and Jacob, and their fur baby, Rocket (who is secretly everyone’s favorite).

Ja’Net’s career spans three decades of banking, AP automation, property management, and a highly unprofitable side hustle doing tax returns for friends and family (seriously, don’t ask). While Accounts Payable used to be her self-proclaimed “jam,” she has officially pivoted to making post-closing her new obsession.

When she isn’t wrangling files and balancing spreadsheets, you can find her shopping, dancing, or being forced by her retired husband to help pull weeds in the garden.

Karla Smith puts the “fun” in “funding” as our Funding & Post-Closing Specialist for residential and commercial transactions.  She joined Safe Harbor Title in 2015, bringing 12 years of banking “street cred” to the team. As our dedicated “Numbers Girl,” she ensures that every cent is sent exactly where it’s supposed to, exactly when it’s supposed to. If money had a GPS, its name would be Karla. From coordinating recordings to hunting down receipts and issuing reimbursements, her attention to detail is so sharp hawks are jealous.

After balancing the universe one settlement statement at a time, you would think she would need a break, however, Karla is always up to something! Reading, singing, and learning the piano keep her busy when she’s off the clock. She also loves shopping, trying new recipes, and spending time with family and friends.

They say if you want something done, give it to a busy mom. Enter Taylor Terrell. At Safe Harbor Title, Taylor bridges the gap between a fresh foundation and a finished home, managing the vital communication and documentation that keeps new construction projects moving. She’s known for a unique superpower: maintaining perfect sync across a dozen moving parts without ever losing sight of the smallest detail.

Taylor is a Richmond native and a die-hard JMU Duke who believes life is best lived in the details—and on the go!  Off the clock, Taylor is a professional beach-chaser and kid-chaser to 2 daughters, while awaiting the arrival of her son.  She is also an amateur home renovator, and a dedicated foodie who lets her chef husband take the lead in the kitchen while she handles the taste-testing. For Taylor, whether it’s a closing day or a weekend DIY project, it’s all about building something great and keeping the process smooth for everyone involved.

Known as the family “busy body,” Candace doesn’t just do it all—she makes it look effortless. Since joining Safe Harbor Title as a receptionist in 2013, her grit and determination have fueled a steady rise to her current role as Commercial Settlement Director.

A proud VCU alum, Candace now commands multimillion-dollar transactions, masterfully balancing complex settlement statements with high-touch client communication. When the deals are done, she stays in motion: traveling with her crew (Kavon, Kiyah, and Manny), hosting epic parties, or crafting her next masterpiece. You’ll also find her teaming up with her husband to run their catering business, proving that while she’s always busy, she’s never boring.

Meet Jamie Young, the Director of Strategic Operations at Safe Harbor Title—a fancy way of saying she’s our resident “Master of Everything.” From ensuring every license is perfectly in line with regulatory authorities to spearheading our marketing efforts and event presence, Jamie keeps our ship sailing smoothly.

When a new process or software launches, Jamie is in the captain’s chair, training the team and ensuring we don’t just survive the change, but ace it. With over 18 years in commercial real estate (formerly with Commonwealth Commercial Partners), she brings a wealth of expertise we’re lucky to lean on daily.

A proud Virginia native, Jamie spent several years at J. Sargeant Reynolds and VCU perfecting the art of deciding on a major before ultimately landing on Business Administration and Marketing.

When she’s not keeping things moving at Safe Harbor, Jamie and her husband are busy raising their two amazing daughters and their very cute (and probably slightly spoiled) Havapoo. Most weekends you’ll find them on the softball field, knee-deep in a home improvement project, or enjoying time on the bay. Jamie loves being on the water searching for treasures, spending time with friends and family, and squeezing in yoga or a craft project whenever life gives her a minute.