CPRI Key Personnel
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Administration
Regional Directors
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Founder & Director....Bobbie Atristain
Bobbie founded CPRI in the Spring of 2000 with the help of Matt Didier of the the Toronto Ghosts and Hauntings Research Society.Bobbie and her husband Rick reside in Nottoway County, VA. She is a researcher and writer for the print edition of Ghost! Magazine, Haunted Times Magazine, The UK's Mystery Mag, T.A.P.S. Para Magazine and has even written article for FATE magazine. Her first book entitled Haunted Minds, Haunted People, was published in 2006. In early 2005 she was awarded an honorary certificate in Parapsychology from the Southeastern Institute of Parapsychology for her research into the paranormal. She is also a member of the International High I.Q. Society.
Bobbie's interest in the paranormal began at an early age which prompted her to read anything and everything related to the paranormal and the occult. She spent summers at her grandmother's home in Gretna, Virginia where lots of "unexplainable" events frequently occurred. These events only fueled her interest.
Bobbie studied art history and political science at Sweet Briar College where there were plenty of ghost stories. Once she finished college she moved to Lynchburg where she lived in an old house where plenty of unexplainable events occurred. She had the opportunity to utilize her investigative techniques on a daily basis. Since she founded CPRI in May of 2000 she has had the chance to serve as a paranormal consultant for PBS's Things that Go Bump in the Night 2,a Sci Fi series, Fangoria TV, Discovery Kids and for two of the Travel Channel's productions including the World's Most Cursed Places. She has guest starred on the SciFi hit series "Ghost Hunters". She also consulted with L.B. Taylor to give him some ideas for stories to use in his Ghost of Virginia book series. She along with the CPRI, Inc have been covered by such mainstream periodicals as The New York Times, The New York Daily News, The Washington Post, The Roanoke Times, The Richmond Times Dispatch and The Washington Times concerning the paranormal in Virginia. She has also visited numerous "allegedly" haunted locations worldwide including the infamous Woodchester Mansion in England.When she's not conducting paranormal research she is busying either flying an airplane, jumping out of one or piercing people with a foil. Bobbie has FINALLY finished her first book covering her scientific research findings from CPRI, Inc field investigations - it's called Haunted Minds, Haunted People.
QUOTE:"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
--George Bernard Shaw"
You can email Bobbie at
bobbie@virginiaghosts.com
Technical Guru....Brad Bradley
Brad was appointed the Technical Guru in November 2011.Brad began his working career as a chemist fresh out of college with the WV Air Pollution Control Commission while continuing to perform and teach as a musician. This brought valuable attributes to his work experience. He then moved on to Union Carbide and further expanded into musician representation as a union leader, finding his organizational and management skills were in need there. This led to many roles including stage manager/entertainment director for the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta. Dow Chemical Corporation saw fit to make him a laboratory information technology site expert which later led to his career as a distance learning coordinator, beginning at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences where he was also tapped for a house manager and artist liaison position due to his previous experience. Union Carbide and then Dow Chemical also trained him in facilitation, team building, Six Sigma and Apollo Root Cause Analysis, among many other subjects. Finally, he found his niche in distance learning, video conferencing and audio/visual technologies at the Virginia Department of Health in Richmond. You can email Brad at brad@virginiaghosts.com.
Regional Director for Roanoke, VA and Executive Vice President.....Tommy Amos
Tommy was appointed as the Regional Director for Roanoke, VA area in the Fall of 2001.
He was born and raised in Franklin County, Virginia. Tommy earned his
Associate of Applied Science degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering
Technology and has continued his studies at Old Dominion University. He
is married and has three daughters.He became interested in the world of the paranormal during his early teens. After discovering that there are few chances to make a comfortable living in the paranormal field, his interest took him into the field of electronics, where he spent twelve years working as a broadcast engineer with Blue Ridge Public Television in Roanoke, VA. His strong interest in computers has ultimately culminated in his current career in computer technology with Virginia Western Community College. He intends to use his background in electronics and computers to pursue his continued interest in paranormal phenomena.
His personal experiences before becoming a member of the CPRI include Poltergeist activity, Astral projection, possession and Angelic intervention. He believes there are intertwining truths between Christian Fundamentalism, Pure Science and Paranormal Phenomena and he intends to continually search for them.
You can email Tommy at tommy@virginiaghosts.com
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Regional Director for NOVA, VA.....Brian Parrish
Brian was
appointed as Regional Director for NOVA in 2005.
Brian was born in Westmont, Illinois. In 1971 he moved to the Washington DC metro area. He's been there ever since. After graduation he enrolled in various art
and design classes at Prince George's College. He has been a
telecommunications draftsman since the mid 1980's. He is also an artist - to pursue his artistic side he does
freelance art and design. At an early age Brian remembers his entire family dealing with paranormal activity in their home. These experiences with paranormal activity gave Brian a
strong interest in the paranormal. As a result of his curiosity he decided to
join CPRI to learn more from the professionals (a.k.a CPRI, Inc.) about this subject.
You can email Brian at bparrish@virginiaghosts.com.
{TOP}Regional Director for North Western, VA.....Ladona Gorham
Ladona was
appointed as Regional Director for North Western VA in Fall of 2007.
Ladona became interested in the paranormal at a very young age. Before the age of 10, she was reading every book about the paranormal she could get her hands on. She began searching for the answer to that age old question, "Do ghosts exist?" She joined CPRI in 2005, very pleased to have found a group of professionals that approached the question in a scientific manner. She hopes to one day see paranormal research viewed as a mainstream science.
Ladona was raised, not far away from the Northwest region of Virginia, in Mineral County, WV. She moved to Virginia in 1991.
She received a Bachelor's of Science in Education from West Virginia University, a Master's in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia, and a Post-Master's Certificate in Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University. She currently works in the education field.
Ladona lives in Spotsylvania with her very supportive husband, Jeff and their Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Wyatt.
You can email ladona at ladona@virginiaghosts.com.
{TOP}Regional Director for the Greater Richmond area, VA and PR/Media Contact.....Allen Slonaker
Allen was appointed as Regional Director for the Central VA area in 2009.
A native of the City of Richmond, Allen grew up in a Victorian era home in the city's downtown. It was there that he had his first brushes with the paranormal. Allen was exposed to the city's history and lore at a very early age. That sparked a lifelong interest in history and the paranormal which ultimately lead him to join CPRI in 2007. In joining CPRI, he was thrilled to find a group that approached the study of the paranormal in such an interesting and professional manner. In addition to working as the Public Affairs Officer for CPRI, Allen also serves as investigator with the Central Virginia regional team. Allen has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University with minor courses of study in sociology and urban planning. He has spent nearly twenty years involved in the public safety field including search and rescue, EMS and law enforcement. Allen has spent the last thirteen years serving in law enforcement and currently works as a criminal investigator. His interests include almost anything involving history (especially WWII), collecting and reproducing sci-fi movie props and costumes, traveling, and reading. Allen currently lives in Richmond with his very patient wife, Monica, his young daughter and their canine son, Ned.
You can email Allen at allen@virginiaghosts.com.
CPRI is an Official Member of TAPS