
John Shinholser serves as the President of The McShin Foundation, which was founded in 2004 and named for its two recovering co-founders, John Shinholser and Carol McDaid. Shinholser and McDaid have dedicated their lives to helping individuals and families in or seeking recovery from the disease of addiction. The McShin Foundation operates on the founders' belief that by helping others find and sustain recovery, they can better sustain their own recovery. Shinholser and McDaid decided to establish a non-profit recovery community resource foundation based on this belief and on the work Shinholser had been engaged in with individuals in the recovering community since 1982.
John is a United States Marine Corps veteran. He owned and managed a successful contracting business for over 30 years, during which time he served as President of the Richmond Chapter of the Painting and Decorating Contractors Association and was twice recognized as a national award winning Original Design Faux Finisher.
John Shinholser served as President of SAARA of Central Virginia Affiliate and is a former board member of SAARA of Virginia.
Shinholser also served as Chairman of the board of Rubicon, Inc. (2012-2014), Virginia's most comprehensive substance abuse treatment facility (230 beds).
In 2005, Shinholser received the prestigious America Honors Recovery Award from the Johnson Institute -- one of six recognized (nationally) who have been affected or afflicted by alcohol and other drug addictions, and have given back to their communities so that future generations may know the possibility and power of recovery.
In 2005, he also received, along with his wife Carol McDaid, the Caron Foundation's Outstanding Alumni Award.
In 2006, Shinholser received the coveted OSAS (Virginia Office of Substance Abuse Services) Award of Virginia for Significant Contributions to the Field of Substance Use Disorder Recovery. This award is typically given to professionals in the field. Mr. Shinholser was the first recovering community member to receive this award.
Under John’s leadership McShin won the Recovery Community Organization of the year Award for the United States AKA The Joel Hernandez Award presented by Faces and Voices of Recovery in a Washington D.C. ceremony in June of 2011.
Also under John’s tutelage McShin won the national SAMHSA Recovery Month 2011 Flicker Award.
John Shinholser has been featured in Addiction Professional Magazine, Newsweek, The Richmond Times Dispatch (Flair, Metro, and Business sections), The Mechanicsville Local, Richmond Free Press, and Virginia Association of Community Service Boards 2005 Annual Report.
John also has been in many news broadcasts and national documentaries to include The Anonymous People.
John is an appointed citizen member of the 2008, 2009, 2010 Virginia General Assembly joint Senate /House sub-committee on substance abuse (SJ77). John co wrote the Recovery Coach Manual and travels the country providing Authentic Recovery Coach Training.
John and Carol traveled to Whales in 2011 to participate in the first recovery walk as well help launch The Living Room in Cardiff, a Recovery Community Center.
John was appointed an Honorary Deputy of the Richmond City Sheriff Office in July 2013.
John is a member of Henrico County Drug Court "Advisory Council" and "McShin Board Member Emeritus".
John currently resides in Hanover with his wife Carol and his daughter Mary Page. He has been clean and in successful long-term recovery since August 10th 1982.
John In The News:




Brenda joined the McShin Foundation family in September 2015.
Brenda was born and raised in the Richmond area. She graduated from Douglas Freeman High school and continued her education at the Bon Secours School of Practical Nursing. She worked in the medical field for 25 years as a Licensed Practical Nurse at various locations in the Richmond area
Brenda has a history of a substance use disorder and after being charged with prescription fraud, entered into the Health Practitioners Intervention Program in 2002 and was introduced to 12 step recovery at that time. She has been an active member of the recovery community and has maintained her sobriety since January 17, 2002.






From Charlottesville, Virginia. Daniel attended Berklee College of Music where he studied Music Business and Artist Management. A musician, recording artist, and person in long-term recovery, Daniel excels in a creative environment. Daniel had been using alcohol and drugs to cope with the loss of his father at a young age. His addiction would lead him to have numerous encounters with the criminal justice system and would eventually be incarcerated for a year. Upon his release, he enrolled into our intensive program at The McShin Foundation in 2017. He would become a peer-leader and assistant house manager at Dumbarton House. Daniel is not afraid to share his experience, strength, and hope with others who are struggling and he continues to work towards his dreams of being a performing artist, audio engineer, and entrepreneur.





Ginny was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. She moved to Richmond in 2011. She has battled with her addiction since she was a teenager. Today, she is a person in recovery from a Substance Use Disorder who has been in recovery since July 8, 2016. Ginny is an alum of The McShin Foundation. She went through the female recovery residential program and was a house and peer leader for six and a half months. Ginny is extremely grateful to The McShin Foundation for helping her learn the tools to find a new way to live and for reintroducing her to 12 step recovery. Her favorite part of McShin is the peer to peer recovery model. Most of the staff members are in recovery and are examples to our participants that recovery works. Ginny enjoys being able to be that example to other participants now that she is part of this staff.





Judicial Staff

Karen was born in Illinois and moved to Virginia in 1989. She graduated Orange County High School with an Academic Letter and a separate degree in Printing and Graphics. Karen studied English, Creative Writing and World Religions at Virginia Commonwealth University. She found recovery in 2017 after coming to the McShin Foundation. Karen loves her life in recovery and the support she has found at McShin. She feels a deep sense of gratitude and a passion for sharing her recovery in her new position as a Jail Program Facilitator with the McShin Foundation.

Marshall is a person in long term recovery from a Substance Use Disorder, which means he has not found it necessary to use any mood or mind altering substances since September 1, 1988. He is from the Richmond area, attended the Engineering program at VCU in the 70’s and loves math. Marshall retired from Quebecor Printing Company in 2011 as a Quality Control Analyst, and he currently hold certificates for Recovery Coach and Peer Leadership Skills as well as Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. He has been committed to carrying recovery’s message of hope to jails and institutions as a meeting facilitator for over 20 years and loves working with the forgotten people…the castaways of our society. Marshall is married with two children, both of whom are lawyers.