RidgeView Dermatology was founded on the principle of providing Central Virginia with convenient, local access to expert skin care. From diagnosing and treating skin conditions to performing advanced surgical procedures and offering a range of cosmetic services, we are committed to delivering a comprehensive approach to care. With our team of skilled and compassionate board-certified general dermatologists, board-certified Mohs surgeon, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, you will feel confident in the hands of the premier providers of quality comprehensive skin care.
RIDGEVIEW DERMATOLOGY, A FOREFRONT DERMATOLOGY PRACTICE 101 Candlewood Court, Lynchburg, VA 24502 434-363-4190
278 Westlake Road, Hardy, VA 24101 540-759-7500
300 Enterprise Drive, Ste. E, Forest, VA 24551 434-333-7370
1380 American Way, Unit D, Bedford, VA 24523 540-583-7114
Pictured (Right to Left): Jason Givan, MD, FAAD, FACMS, Jamie Martin, PA-C, Kamal Chantal, PA-C, Mandy Wilkes-Hoffmeister, FNP-C
NOT PICTURED: Sarah Simpson, MD, Kate Craighead NP-C, Christine Hicks, FNP-C, Amanda Hullett, PA-C
The Face of CPR & Fire Protection: Fire & Safety Equipment Co.
SPONSORED CONTENT
Fire & Safety has been family-owned and operated since 1968, providing trusted fire protection and life safety solutions to businesses, organizations, and communities. From fire extinguishers, kitchen suppression systems, and sprinkler systems to comprehensive inspection, maintenance, and compliance services, we deliver the products and expertise needed to help protect people and property.
In addition to serving commercial customers, we proudly support fire departments and first responder agencies throughout Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and North Carolina. We supply and service a wide range of fire and emergency response equipment, helping those who protect our communities stay prepared and equipped for the job.
Over the decades, Fire & Safety has grown from a local business into a regional provider with a team of more than 40 dedicated employees. While our company has expanded, our commitment to personalized service, strong customer relationships, and community support remains at the core of everything we do.
Pictured (Left to Right): Emily Lawson Mullins, Brennen Lawson
The Face of Fine Jewelry: Fink’s Jewelers
SPONSORED CONTENT
Since 1930, Fink’s Jewelers has taken pride in our rich heritage founded on our extensive knowledge of fine jewelry. Specializing in the highest quality diamonds and designer collections, our customers will experience unsurpassed customer service in every location. Currently owned and operated by the third and fourth generation of the Fink Family, we cherish the close relationships with our customers and value the opportunity to help them celebrate special moments in their lives. Our in-house repair services ensure your fine jewelry purchases sparkle as bright as the day you bought them. As one of America’s Top 50 Jewelers, we proudly offer Lynchburg and the surrounding communities the finest selection for the absolute best value.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Fink’s Jewelers 16960 Forest Road, Forest, VA 24551 434-237-6301 www.finks.com
Pictured Above: (Left to Right) Ashley Reynolds, Craig Barnett, Donna Young, Patty Mattingley Ryan Paine, Robert Moses, Kelli Worsham
The Face of Self Defense: FEKS Martial Arts Center
SPONSORED CONTENT
For over 50 years, the Rubinberg family has been dedicated to teaching authentic Israeli martial arts, self-defense, and leadership. At FEKS Martial Arts Center in Forest, Virginia, David and Bruce Rubinberg have trained more than 8,000 students throughout Central Virginia. Bruce Rubinberg is a 5th Degree Black Belt in Krav Maga, 5th Degree Black Belt in Karate, John Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, two-time National Fighting Champion, and Head of the Israeli Martial Arts Federation in Virginia. David Rubinberg holds 8th Degree Black Belts in Kapap Krav Maga and Karate, a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Judo, and is internationally respected for his leadership and instruction.
FEKS Martial Arts Center 18478 Forest Road, Forest, VA 24551 434-219-4207 lynchburgkarate.com
Pictured Above: David Rubinberg, Bruce Rubinberg
The Face of Wills, Trusts & Estates: Davies & Davies
SPONSORED CONTENT
A local law firm serving Central Virginia since the 1950s, Davies & Davies is a multi-generational practice specializing in wills, trusts, estate planning, and tax planning. “By focusing on one area of the law, we are able to efficiently provide quality advice and legal documents to our clients. We don’t try to do it all. Rather, we try to do what we do as well as it can be done,” said attorney Peter Davies.
Pictured: (Left to Right) Jonathan Davies, Peter Davies
The Face of Real Estate: CENTURY 21 ALL-SERVICE
SPONSORED CONTENT
Situated in the heart of Central Virginia you will find CENTURY 21 ALL-SERVICE. With five offices and 90+ Real Estate Professionals, they are a local brokerage with International Brand name recognition as “Most Respected in the Industry.” Broker/Owner Kevin Turner and Associate Broker Becky Turner have worked hard together to establish a Company that “Defies Mediocrity and Delivers Extraordinary Experiences” for their Buyers and Sellers, continually earning Quality Service recognition with an average 98% Customer Satisfaction rating.
The Company believes in a culture of family and teamwork, which encourages success for all associates. By educating their team of professionals through mentoring and agent led training, along with a support staff that is second to none, they give their clients 121% every day. These accomplishments are acknowledged through the growth of the Company as well as recognition as one of “The Best Places to Work” and runner up as “Top CEO” by the Lynchburg Business magazine, nine years in a row voted #1 as the “Reader’s Choice Top Real Estate Company” in the News & Advance, as well as seven years placing in “The Best of” by the Lynchburg Living magazine for top real estate companies.
Amherst Office • 434-946-0580 105 S Main St., Amherst, VA 24521
Appomattox Office • 434-352-2318 2071 Confederate Blvd., Appomattox, VA 24522
Bedford Office • 540-586-5500 415 East Main St., Bedford, VA 24523
Forest Office • 434-525-1212 15243 Forest Rd., Suite C, Forest, VA 24551
Lynchburg Office • 434-237-7777 20886 Timberlake Rd., Lynchburg, VA 24502
Pictured (Left to Right): Becky Turner, Associate Broker, Kevin Turner, Broker/Owner
The Face of Orthodontics: Central Virginia Orthodontics
At Central Virginia Orthodontics, exceptional smiles begin with an exceptional team. Dr. Eric Baugher and Dr. Jennifer Claiborne combine advanced orthodontic expertise with compassionate, personalized care to create confident smiles for patients of all ages. Supported by a dedicated team committed to excellence, innovation, and patient experience, they make every visit comfortable, fun, and rewarding.
From braces to clear aligners, their passion is helping the community smile brighter—one patient, one family, and one transformation at a time.
Central Virginia Orthodontics 7802 Timberlake Road Lynchburg, VA 24502 434-385-4746 bracesbycvo.com
Pictured (Left to Right): Front Row: Kay, Kala, Madison; Middle Row: Kaitlyn, Kiala, Christina, Kamryn; Back Row: Crystal, Tammy, Leslie, Kim R., Sara, Jordan, King
The Sweetest Legacy
Ry’s Pies ‘N Cobblers blends fresh ingredients, Southern baking traditions, and nearly 100 years of family history into desserts that feel like home.
Photos By: Ashlee Glen
Some family recipes are written on stained index cards and tucked into kitchen drawers. Others live entirely in memory.
For Delilah White and Ryan Davis, the team behind Ry’s Pies ‘N Cobblers, preserving Grandma Nellie Belle’s baking legacy meant spending two years translating decades of instinct, observation, and tradition into written recipes.
“It literally took me two full years to write down all of Grandma’s recipes that had lived only in my head,” said Davis, who serves as head baker of Ry’s Pies. “Every pie crust, cobbler, and dessert was learned by watching her hands, standing beside her in the kitchen, and hearing her say, ‘You have to feel it.'”
That legacy began long before the bakery itself. Some of Davis’ earliest memories involve gathering ingredients alongside cousins and family members. When the grandchildren wanted dessert, Grandma Nellie Belle had a simple response.
“If you want something sweet, go pick the berries and I’ll make it for you!”
The children would spend hours in the blackberry patch before returning home, where those berries became warm cobblers shared around a crowded family table. Today, those lessons still shape the business.
“We still believe in using fresh, quality ingredients, and we use fresh-picked fruit in our desserts,” Davis said. “More importantly, we strive to create the same feeling Grandma created around her table—a sense of comfort, connection, and love in every bite.”
That commitment to craftsmanship has earned recognition well beyond Southern Virginia. Among the bakery’s accolades is a win in the King Arthur Flour Harvest Competition for its Caramel Apple Crumb Pie. Another memorable moment came when a customer shared that a representative from Nothing Bundt Cakes had recommended Ry’s Pies ‘N Cobblers instead.
Yet awards are only part of the story. The bakery remains deeply rooted in the traditions that inspired it, from classic Sweet Potato Pie and Blackberry Cobbler to seasonal desserts that celebrate Virginia’s agricultural heritage.
If there is one dessert that captures the heart of the business, Davis points to the Sweet Potato Cheesecake. Built on Grandma Nellie Belle’s sweet potato pie recipe and paired with a homemade cream cheese filling, graham cracker crust, and signature Brown Suga Glaze, it represents both preservation and innovation.
“In many ways, our Sweet Potato Cheesecake is Ry’s Pies ‘N Cobblers on a plate,” Davis said. “It’s rooted in family history, handcrafted with care, and creatively reimagines tradition while staying true to the flavors and values that started it all.”
Visitors can find Ry’s Pies ‘N Cobblers each Saturday at the Lynchburg Community Market, where Davis and White continue sharing desserts inspired by nearly a century of family tradition. Whether it’s a slice of pie, a cobbler, or a cheesecake, every dessert is designed to offer something more than sweetness.
“We hope they’re experiencing a little piece of those summer afternoons in Grandma’s blackberry patch and the sweet moment of gathering around the table with the people you love.”
Artist Profile: Leah Weiss
Returning to the Creek
Nearly five years after Lynchburg Living first profiled author Leah Weiss, the Virginia writer is inviting readers back to the Appalachian world that first captured their imaginations.
Her newest novel, The Creek, the Crone, and the Crow, returns to the fictional community of Baines Creek, North Carolina, a place longtime readers will recognize from Weiss’s previous novels If the Creek Don’t Rise and All the Little Hopes. While the new release stands on its own, it also serves as a homecoming of sorts, revisiting familiar landscapes and beloved characters while exploring new mysteries hidden deep within the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Set during the summer of 1980, the story follows Kate Shaw, a schoolteacher who has spent a decade in Baines Creek but remains skeptical of the folklore and superstitions that shape the community. Her practical worldview is challenged when Birdie Rocas—a reclusive local woman often described as a witch—dies and leaves Kate an unusual inheritance: a collection of illuminated manuscripts, journals, and a mysterious Book of Truths that traces a lineage stretching back centuries to Scotland.
At the same time, Lydia Brown arrives in Appalachia carrying grief of her own. Once gifted with psychic visions, Lydia lost her abilities after the death of her parents and has come searching for Birdie in hopes of finding answers. Instead, she finds herself drawn into Birdie’s unfinished story and an unlikely partnership with Kate.
Together, the two women begin unraveling secrets hidden among forgotten graveyards, underground passageways, and mountain legends. What emerges is both a mystery and a meditation on grief, resilience, and the bonds that connect women across generations.
Weiss has long been celebrated for her ability to capture the complexity of Appalachian life without relying on stereotypes. Her stories are steeped in folklore and regional history, yet grounded in deeply human experiences. In The Creek, the Crone, and the Crow, she once again blends magical elements with emotional realism, creating a world where ghosts and legends feel as natural as the mountain landscapes they inhabit.
The novel also reflects Weiss’s enduring fascination with the stories communities tell themselves—and the truths buried beneath them. As Baines Creek struggles against decline, the characters confront questions about legacy, belonging, and what should be preserved when the past refuses to stay silent.
For readers who discovered Weiss through her earlier novels, the return to Baines Creek offers a welcome reunion. For newcomers, The Creek, the Crone, and the Crow provides an atmospheric introduction to a writer whose work continues to illuminate the beauty, hardship, and enduring mysteries of Appalachia.
2026 Top Docs of the Roanoke Valley & Greater Lynchburg
We’re excited to present this year’s Top Doctors, recognized by the colleagues who know their work best.
Through peer voting, this list highlights outstanding physicians across our region, reflecting the strength, depth, and collaboration of our local healthcare community. These professionals play a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of patients right here at home, and we’re proud to spotlight the incredible practitioners and partners who make high-quality care accessible in our area.
This list is meant as a guide and a starting point in your search for a physician. There are many reasons excellent doctors may not appear here, including hospital affiliations, recent moves, or specialties not captured in the survey. These results do not suggest you should change from a doctor with whom you have a positive relationship. When choosing a physician, consider all available resources, including recommendations from family and friends.
Methodology & Disclaimers
Summary. DataJoe Research is a software and research company specializing in data collection and verification, and conducts various nominations across the United States on behalf of publishers. To create the “top doctors” list, DataJoe Research facilitated an online peer-nomination process, also referencing government sources. In addition, DataJoe often conducts media analysis through Internet research to factor in public perception. DataJoe then tallied the nominations per category for each doctor to isolate the top nominees in each category. After collecting nominations and factoring additional information from the media analysis, DataJoe checked and confirmed that each published winner had a current, active license status with the state regulatory board. If we were not able to find evidence of a doctor’s current, active registration with the state regulatory board, that doctor was excluded from the list. In addition, any doctor who has been disciplined, up to the time-frame of our review process for an infraction by the state regulatory board, was excluded from the list. Finally, DataJoe presented the tallied result to the magazine staff for final review and adjustments.
Final note. We recognize that there are many good doctors who are not shown in this representative list. This is only a sampling of the huge array of talented professionals within the region. Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding doctors in the region and the results of our research campaign. We take time and energy to ensure fair voting, although we understand that the results of this survey nomination are not an objective metric. We certainly do not discount the fact that many, many good and effective doctors may not appear on the list.
Disclaimers. DataJoe uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. DataJoe does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate. DataJoe does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. All rights reserved. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without written permission from DataJoe.
Questions? For research/methodology questions, contact the research team at surveys@datajoe.com.
