Fairfax County police officers issued almost 5,700 citations and warnings during the first phase of their year-long “Road Shark” safety campaign, the department announced this morning (Wednesday).
A collaboration with the Virginia State Police, the initiative aims to crack down on aggressive and unsafe driving by increasing patrols in high-crash areas and promoting education about traffic laws and responsible driving behavior.
“Our dedicated officers and Virginia State Troopers play a pivotal role in the effectiveness of this campaign aimed at curbing the presence of reckless drivers in Fairfax County,” the Fairfax County Police Department said.
The first wave of this year’s campaign took place during the week of March 17-23. Some drivers were caught speeding over 100 mph, including in a 35-mph zone in at least one case, according to the FCPD.
The 5,695 warnings and citations issued exceeded the 3,786 violations recorded in the first wave of last year’s “Road Shark” campaign, which launched around the same time in response to a surge of pedestrian fatalities in 2022.
Like last year’s effort, the 2024 campaign will consist of four week-long waves. The second one will begin on April 22, the FCPD says.
Photo via FCPD
One restaurant has closed, but another will soon open in the Shops at Avenir Place near the Dunn Loring Metro station.
Burger 7 is no longer serving up patties and gyro wraps at 2670-A Avenir Place. The doors of the fast-casual eatery were fastened shut with a padlocked chain, and the interior looked partially deserted when FFXnow recently stopped by, though there was no sign announcing or explaining the closure.
A Burger 7 employee in Pimmit Hills (7505 Leesburg Pike) confirmed that the Dunn Loring location is permanently closed, but they didn’t know precisely when or why it shuttered, noting that the franchise has a different owner. Emails to the company weren’t answered by press time.
Burger 7 opened at Avenir Place in 2017, replacing a Smashburger, according to its first Yelp review. In addition to Pimmit Hills, where the business originally started in 2011, Burger 7 can still be found in Alexandria and Arlington.
The 2,094-square-foot space is now listed as available on the Shops at Avenir Place’s retail site plan.
New Japanese restaurant on the way
The transit-oriented development won’t be down a restaurant for too long, though. On the other end of the strip, near Salon Lofts and The Casual Pint, signs advertise the impending arrival of Japomen.
This will be the first standalone location for the sushi and ramen restaurant, which can currently be found in the Pike Kitchen Food Hall in Rockville, EpiQ Food Hall in Woodbridge and Lotte Supermarket’s food court in Sterling, co-owner James Park says.
“Fairfax County has demographics to fit [the] Japomen concept,” Park told FFXnow.
Park joined Japomen, which was started by sushi chef Peter Yoo at Pike Kitchen in 2018, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The partners expanded to Woodbridge in summer 2022 and to Sterling when Lotte opened there last year.
Park and Yoo are also behind Tilly Kitchen, a small food hall in Chantilly that complements Japomen’s menu with Korean and Vietnamese dishes.
Expected to open at 2767-J Avenir Place in May, Japomen will serve food similar to what can be found at the EpiQ Food Hall, including sushi rolls, ramen and udon noodle soups and rice bowls. Park says the team will also “continue to innovate new menu items in catering to Dunn Loring customers.”
“We are very excited and look forward to serving the Dunn Loring community,” he said.
Inova Health Systems is working to boost the capacity of its emergency room in Merrifield with the help of a $10 million gift from the co-founder of an international IT consulting firm.
The nonprofit announced last Thursday (March 21) that it received the planned gift commitment from Apex Systems co-founder Win Sheridan. The money will go to Inova’s Greatest Needs fund, which is administered by its CEO to support “critical projects and initiatives.”
Right now, those critical projects include a $161 million expansion of Inova Fairfax Hospital’s emergency department, the Washington Business Journal reported.
“Every gift to our Greatest Needs fund is a vote of confidence in our team, our shared vision and our enduring ability to care for our community,” Inova CEO and President Dr. J. Stephen Jones said in a press release. “Win’s commitment takes this a step further, with the conviction that Inova is the right partner to entrust with this most important task — the health of our community, now and into the future.”
Inova Health Foundation President and Chief Philanthropy Officer Sage Bolte told the WBJ that the expansion will help ease “surges in patient volumes” at the 923-bed hospital (3300 Gallows Road), which currently has limited space for patients to get care in private bays.
According to the WBJ, the expansion will include renovations, and the first phase is expected to be completed this year.
A venture capitalist who currently works as a partner in Alexandria Restaurant Partners, Sheridan co-founded Apex Systems in 1995 and later started his own investment firm, BDW Investments LLC. Apex is headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia, but it has an office in Fairview Park, just on the other side of I-495 from Inova’s Fairfax campus.
According to Inova, Sheridan also donated $1 million in 2021 to create the Sheridan Director, Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute. The board helps match people with rare or recurring advanced cancers with personalized treatment.
“When you’re battling a serious disease, having world-class care that you don’t have to travel for makes all the difference,” Sheridan, an Alexandria native, said. “At the end of the day, I want Inova to continue providing the best possible care, if and when it’s needed by me, by my family, my friends, my community.”
Recently rebranded with a new logo, Inova is expanding its Franconia-Springfield HealthPlex campus with a planned hospital and developing a new campus in Alexandria, replacing the former Landmark Mall. The health care system has said it hopes to begin construction on both projects this year.
In addition to building up its campuses, Inova has been working to add services in the community, opening additional urgent care centers around Fairfax County and a pediatric sick clinic near Seven Corners earlier this year.
Arrests Made After Annandale Barricade — “Fairfax County Police arrested 13 people March 25 following a dispute at the Parliaments Apartments in Annandale. Police responded to a report of a brandishing incident in the 7300 block of Englewood Place at about 8:30 p.m.” A 19-year-old “displayed a firearm, then threatened to shoot” one of the occupants. [Annandale Today]
Trial Underway in Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against FCPS — “A 24-year-old woman told jurors Tuesday that she was repeatedly raped and sexually harassed a decade ago as a seventh-grade student in Virginia, and that school officials reacted to her pleas for help with indifference…The case involving B.R. stretches back to allegations she was raped and harassed as a 12-year-old student at Rachel Carson Middle School in Reston.” [Associated Press]
Virginia Reports Rise in Mpox Cases — “The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is closely monitoring a recent increase in mpox cases in Virginia. Since January 1, 2024, 12 mpox cases have been reported to VDH…Four patients required hospitalization, six were co-infected with HIV, and none had been previously vaccinated.” [VDH]
Herndon Consulting Firm Patents Software — “Herndon fintech and consulting firm Skience has received patent approval for part of its software that makes work more efficient for wealth management professionals and financial advisers.” The technology reduces the “number of programs and portals where advisers need to enter client information,” so it takes less time to open accounts, CEO and co-founder Sanjeev Kumar says. [Washington Business Journal]
Justice HS Teacher Wins National Award — “Congratulations to Justice HS teacher Kirsten Salonga, who has been awarded the 2023 Robert E. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA). Kristen is one of six winners who has received a cash award of $1,000.” [Fairfax County Public Schools/Facebook]
State Police Launch New Recruitment Program — “The Virginia State Police is offering a first-of-its-kind employment opportunity for those interested in becoming state troopers, but are too young to apply…The agency’s new ‘Pathway to Trooper’ program aims to help people 18 to 20 years old who need to find employment while waiting to apply to the Trooper Basic Session Academy.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Wednesday — Expect rain in the morning, transitioning to potential thunderstorms from noon to 3pm, followed by possible rain and storms later in the afternoon. The high will be near 53, and there’s an 80% chance of precipitation. Cloudy skies will persist at night, along with a 50% chance of rain and lows around 47. [NWS]
Fairfax County is taking steps to make affordable housing more accessible to people dealing with serious mental illness.
The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) will implement a major increase in rental assistance for people with serious mental illness, thanks to a $20 million agreement approved earlier this month with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS).
“The additional funding is expected to help prevent homelessness among individuals with serious mental illness, as well as reduce census at state psychiatric hospitals,” the FCRHA announced on March 15 reads.
Starting in May, the approved agreement will fund 300 new supportive rental assistance vouchers for Fairfax County residents over three years and three new staff positions to manage the program.
“The new Fairfax County program supports an identified need for permanent supportive housing as noted in the Fairfax County Countywide Strategic Plan,” FCRHA spokesperson Allyson Pearce told FFXnow, adding that funding needs will be evaluated over time.
Details on how the 300 recipients will be chosen are still coming together, Pearce said, but the program will prioritize:
- Individuals experiencing long-term or repeated episodes of homelessness
- Individuals and those whose housing instability frequently leads to crisis, hospital visits, or contact with criminal justice systems
- Individuals leaving state psychiatric hospitals
- People residing in congregate care settings with a high concentration of individuals with serious mental illness
The Fairfax County Community Services Board (CSB) will coordinate referrals from “various stakeholders,” such as state hospitals and the federal Continuum of Care program, according to the FCRHA release.
A separate partnership with the nonprofit Pathways Homes will allow the 300 participants to receive additional supportive services. Fifty of the participants will also have access to services like psychiatry and case management as well as funds for the expenses needed to lease a housing unit.
“The remaining 250 participants will be coupled with two Supportive Housing Teams under a separate contract,” the release states.
Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development Director Tom Fleetwood said in the release that increasing access to affordable housing reduces homelessness, and is essential in getting a person back on their feet.
“That is why this funding is so important,” Fleetwood said. “It provides critical support services along with rental assistance needed for people to be successful in their new home.”
Photo via Fairfax County
When you have concerns about an artificial intelligence-based technology, who are you going to call? For many federal government agencies, the answer is now the Mitre Corporation.
The not-for-profit research organization launched a new AI Assurance and Discovery Lab at its Tysons headquarters yesterday (Monday) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended Virginia Sen. Mark Warner and Reps. Gerry Connolly and Don Beyer.
Staffed by Mitre’s scientists and engineers, the lab will help federal agencies and, in the future, private companies assess the risks, security and effectiveness of AI systems that could be used in health care, national security, transportation and other fields, according to a press release.
“Government use of AI will have consequential impacts on the nation and world,” Mitre Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Charles Clancy said. “…However, in adopting these systems, we also need to mitigate risks. Providing an independent assessment of the security, safety, and efficacy of AI systems will play a critical role toward helping government and business realize the transformational power of AI in benefits processing, intelligence analysis, autonomous vehicles, and more.”
Clancy added that the lab is envisioned as “a blueprint for a national network of AI assurance facilities.”
Founded in 1958 in Bedford, Massachusetts, where it still maintains a headquarters, Mitre was started by MIT to develop and manage an air defense system designed to detect potential Soviet missiles. Now bringing in a reported $2.2 billion in revenue, the contractor has helped build everything from facial recognition tools for the FBI to a contact-tracing system used during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Forbes profile.
The new lab inside the Mitre 4 high-rise at 7525 Colshire Drive will provide a space for testing AI technology, which is already being used by federal agencies to analyze drone photos, study volcanoes and match job seekers with openings, among other reported examples.
“The opening of MITRE’s AI Assurance and Discovery Lab is an exciting development in the most fertile frontier of technological progress — extracting maximum value from AI while mitigating some of its risks,” Warner said in a statement. “We need to have an all-hands-on-deck approach to studying and unleashing the potential of AI, and I look forward to seeing the discoveries and progress the lab will be able to make in this critical field.”
According to the press release, the lab’s physical space can be customized “for specific mission scenarios and workflows.”
The facility will be supported by more than 200 staff members from Mitre’s AI and Autonomy Innovation Center, according to AI Assurance Solutions Lead Miles Thompson, who oversees the lab. The space can accommodate 50 people at a time and “thousands of remote connections.”
“Federal agencies, and soon private companies, can bring AI-enabled systems to the lab to explore potential risks including whether they perform effectively, consistently, and safely in real-world contexts,” the release said. “MITRE will also use the lab to evaluate factors such as whether systems are secure and free from harmful bias, and allow users to control how their information is used.”
Connolly said Mitre’s lab will be “invaluable” for helping the government adopt AI “with the proper guardrails in place,” while Beyer noted that it suggests Northern Virginia will “continue to lead the way on tech innovation.”
(Updated at 3:30 p.m. on 3/29/2024) Clogged-up pipes will force Scott’s Run Nature Preserve to close for more than a month, starting later this week.
Contractors will begin work on the “emergency project” to clear and repair wastewater pipes in the McLean park this Thursday (March 28), the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services recently announced.
The 385-acre park at 7400 Georgetown Pike will be closed throughout the project’s first phase, which is expected to take about six weeks and will remove an estimated 80 tons of sediment from the pipes, according to DPWES.
Also known as siphons, the pipes carry wastewater from McLean across the Potomac River and into Maryland, connecting to a DC Water interceptor through Carderock National Park.
“During a recent inspection two of the three pipes at the wastewater siphon were found to be non-operational,” DPWES said in a news release. “An emergency repair is necessary, as there is no reasonable bypass alternative if the last pipe fails, which would mean millions of gallons of sewage per day going into the Potomac.”
According to the project page, the park needs to close during the project so construction crews and equipment can access the trails without creating conflicts for visitors or pushing pedestrians off-trail, which would damage the natural environment.
Work will take place Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., depending on the weather. The closure will apply to all trails and the east and west parking lots.
In addition to removing sediment, which will be transported out of Scott’s Run daily by truck, the project will involve replacing valves and cleaning the siphon barrels. The siphon barrel cleaning will be done in Carderock National Park.
A second phase of work focused on maintenance repairs is expected later, requiring another park closure, but the exact timing will be determined after “additional investigations are made during the cleaning process,” DPWES said.
In total, the work at Scott’s Run is expected to take three months, though the overall project has an anticipated timeline of six to nine months.
DPWES says no other properties should be affected by the project, and traffic into and out of the Scott’s Run parking lot will be “limited” after the contractors arrive Thursday morning.
“Materials and construction equipment for the project will be safely stored onsite,” the project page says. “Additionally, Fairfax County McLean District Police have been notified of the project and will be monitoring traffic patterns in the area to ensure safety of residents and commuters.”
The county says it’s identifying “methods to optimize and enhance its inspection and cleaning procedures to reduce the likelihood” that an emergency response of this level will be needed in the future.
Correction: DPWES says 80 tons of sediment are being removed from the Scott’s Run pipes, not 80,000 tons as first reported.
Local Figure Skater Wins World Championship — “Ilia Malinin, the 19-year-old from Fairfax, Virginia, put on a dominant display Saturday night in Montreal and took the world figure skating crown in record performance. His free program included a jaw-dropping six quadruple jumps — including his patented quad axel” and setting a record for the competition’s free skate. [WTOP]
Police Investigate “Suspicious Package” in Reston — Sunset Hills Road closed outside of the Reston Town Center Metro station yesterday (Monday) after Fairfax County police got a report of a “suspicious package” in the area at 4:40 p.m. An investigation determined the item wasn’t an explosive device, and there was “no apparent threat to the community at this time.” [Patch]
Data Center Company Sues County Over Reston Facility — CoreSite “has filed a civil suit against Fairfax County, alleging the county has overstepped its authority in demanding it hand over identifying information about its tenants” for tax purposes. The March 8 complaint argues that it’s not CoreSite’s responsibility to “know whether a given tenant is subject to or exempt from the state’s and county’s tax authority” and it would be “overly burdensome” for the company to make that determination. [Washington Business Journal]
Annandale Restaurants Near Launches — “Three new eateries — L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, Garden Social, and Tiger Sugar — are tentatively scheduled to have a soft opening the second week of April. All three are located in the same 5,000-square-foot space at 4363 John Marr Drive…in the Eastgate Shopping Center.” [Annandale Today]
Former Auto Dealerships in Tysons Acquired — Asbury Automotive Group “bought the 11.6-acre property at 8525 Leesburg Pike, until recently home to a Priority Nissan and a Priority Mazda, on Feb. 15 for $67 million.” The buyer and seller didn’t comment on the deal, which was reported by CoStar, but the site was once part of the planned Dominion Square West redevelopment. [WBJ]
Space Research Nonprofit Moves HQ to Chantilly — “The non-profit Aerospace Corp., which functions as a federal research lab focused on space, announced last week it relocated its corporate headquarters from El Segundo, California, to the Washington D.C. area.” The corporation’s president says the move “was driven by the evolving space landscape in the U.S. government and a need for closer proximity to key decision makers.” [Space News]
Lorton Thrift Shop Plans Refresh — “Lorton’s Attic, the thrift store at Williamsburg Square Shopping Center operated by the Lorton Community Action Center (LCAC), will close for the first two days of April before reopening April 3 with a new layout, fresh inventory and expanded hours.” [On the MoVe]
Homeless Shelter Clients Beautify County Gardens — “The gardens at the Herrity Building on the Fairfax County Government Center Complex have been given a renewed lease on life this spring, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Operation Stream Shield and guidance from landscape architects of the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services Stormwater Management Division.” [DPWES]
It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly cloudy skies with a high near 55 and an east wind around 6 mph. Moving into Tuesday night, there is a 30% chance of rain, primarily after 2am, and the temperature will drop to around 44 with a southeast wind at 7 mph. [NWS]
(Updated at 9:40 a.m. on 3/26/2024) A federal funding boost is coming to help improve pedestrian and bicycle facilities on the Town of Herndon’s main through street and more than a dozen other sites around Northern Virginia.
At its meeting last Thursday (March 21), the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) approved $19.5 million through the federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program for 15 non-highway transportation projects in the state.
Five of the projects to receive funds are in Fairfax County or its towns, led by $2.5 million for a plan to improve the safety, accessibility and walkability of Elden Street.
According to a Town of Herndon presentation, the project includes new ADA ramps and crosswalks, a widened sidewalk that moves around existing barriers, and a grass buffer. Spanning 0.3 miles between Center Street and Ferndale Avenue, the improvements will be in close proximity to the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, Herndon Middle School and St. Joseph’s School.
Over in the Town of Vienna, the Locust Street Trail project will get $1.3 million to facilitate the replacement of an existing sidewalk within a 10-foot-wide shared-use path. The project will also address drainage issues that “frequently make the existing path unusable for extended periods,” per a news release from the TPB.
The funding approved for Fairfax County will go to three different Safe Routes to Schools projects, including $140,000 for Shrevewood Elementary School in Idylwood. Developed in response to a fatal crash in 2019, the project will add three new crosswalks with a sidewalk or a shared use path connection.
“In addition to making it safer to walk or bike to school, this project will expand safe access for kids to the W&OD Trail, a key link in the National Capital Trail Network,” the TPB’s summary said.
The project has received another $1 million through other Transporation Alternatives Set-Aside funding, fulfilling the county’s full request, according to the board.
A Safe Routes to Schools program for Lake Braddock Elementary School in Annandale got around $356,000 to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity across the road and school entrance. It includes ADA ramps, new crosswalks and new pedestrian refuge islands.
More broadly, the school system’s overall SRTS program will get $276,000 to educate students on safe walking and bicycling.
“The project will develop maps with suggested safe routes, safety education, bike rodeos, walk and bike to school days, monthly challenges with rewards, build a bike give a bike programs, and the development of park and walk programs for students who live beyond the walking zone,” the press release said.
Two projects in Fairfax City also got funding from the Federal Highway Administration program:
Fern Street Neighborhood Connection, City of Fairfax: $285,119
Utilizing city property, this project will connect commercial and residential areas lacking a paved ADA-accessible pathway. The project prioritizes bikes and pedestrians by building a trail instead of a road extension and supports small area plan recommendations by initiating a pedestrian priority corridor and providing links to potential mixed-use redevelopments.
Chain Bridge Road Shared Use Path, City of Fairfax: $2,098,314
This project will provide a safer and higher quality bike and pedestrian facility along Chain Bridge Road, a busy arterial that feeds into I-66. The project will build a shared-use path between existing trails, including a connection to the National Capital Trail Network’s Custis/I-66 Trail. The project serves an Equity Emphasis area.
The total amount of approved funding from the Transportation Alternatives set-aside program has been corrected from $195 million to $19.5 million.
More than a dozen candidates will vie for six seats — four held by adults, two by teens — on the McLean Community Center’s governing board this spring.
The community center announced on Friday (March 22) that 10 adults and five teens have qualified to run in this year’s board election, which has one more open seat than usual with current board member Ari Ghasemian resigning at the end of March.
Ghasemian’s empty seat will be filled by the fourth-highest adult vote-getter, who will serve the remaining year in his term. The other adult seats are for three-year terms, while the two youth seats — one representing the McLean High School area and the other representing Langley High School — have one-year terms.
Two existing board members — Lisa Mariam and Matt Colsia — are seeking to retain their seats, but they will need to fend off eight newcomers: Tarek Atia, Jonathan “Slade” Broom, Mike Drabyk, Doug Jeffery, Ronald Keesing, Michael Monroe, Peter Pin and Peggy Richardson.
There are three candidates for the Langley seat — Anastasiia Dudnik-Dubiniak, Sonya Thott and Luke Understein — and two for the McLean High School seat — Aanya Jain and Aaron Stark.
Open to residents of MCC’s tax district, absentee voting will begin this Wednesday (March 27) and continue until 5 p.m. on Monday, May 13. Ballots can be requested in person at MCC (1234 Ingleside Avenue), online, by phone at 703-744-9348 or by email at [email protected].
The election will conclude with a day of in-person voting during McLean Day, which will take place from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road).
MCC’s 11-person volunteer governing board guides policy and oversees the organization’s budget and strategic planning.
Provided by MCC in a press release, statements from each of the candidates can be found below. The statements will be available on the community center’s website once absentee voting begins.
Adult Candidates
Tarek Atia
I am a longtime McLean resident seeking to use my passion for the arts to benefit my community. If elected, I will collaborate with fellow board members to advance MCC’s critical mission. Throughout my career, I have leveraged my diverse experience as a journalist, entrepreneur and teacher to drive cultural engagement at home and overseas, most recently as director of a major arts and culture center at the American University in Cairo. An alumnus of Churchill, Cooper, Langley and UVA, and father of two adult sons, I am currently writing a book called “Ten Days in America’s Next Great City.”
Jonathan “Slade” Broom
I moved to McLean in 2013 with my wife, Katie. Our three children perform at the Alden Theatre and enjoy the Old Firehouse and the MCC summer camps. I volunteer in our community, primarily coaching McLean Little League. I bring two decades of public service experience. I have honed skills in international negotiations, managing large federal budgets and delivering aid in emergency situations. At CFPB, I protect consumers from financial harm, improve processes and manage organizational change. As a board member, I will focus on expanding family-focused and sensory-friendly events, listening and finding collaborative solutions and providing responsible financial management.
Matt Colsia
As a dedicated member of the MCC Governing Board, I’ve championed accessibility, modernization, and fiscal responsibility. With 26 years of Army service and deep involvement in our schools and community organizations, I bring a unique perspective and unwavering commitment to service. My vision is to foster a thriving, inclusive community center that enriches the lives of residents. I’m excited to shape MCC’s 50th anniversary celebration and beyond, ensuring it remains a beacon of learning, growth, and unity. With your support, I will continue to lead with integrity, advocate for your needs, and tirelessly work towards a stronger, more vibrant community.
Mike Drabyk
My name is Mike Drabyk. As a McLean resident for more than 25 years, I have watched my family grow and thrive. The benefits of being here include the McLean Community Center, the Old Firehouse and events like McLean Day. My family and I have an annual tradition where I play the carnival games at McLean Day for prizes for my wife and family. I want to do my part so others can continue enjoying this local experience as well. I ask for your vote for the McLean Community Center Board. Thank you.
Doug Jeffery
I moved to Northern Virginia in 1997. I attended Chantilly High School and later the University of Virginia. In 2019, my wife and I decided to make McLean our home. Since then, we welcomed our first daughter, now nearly 2, and are expecting our second this spring. I have worked for a large financial services firm in Tysons Corner for 16 years and am a CFA Charterholder. As a father and finance professional, I will make sure that the MCC produces an inclusive and family-friendly environment and that it uses its resources prudently. I am excited to serve our community!
Ronald Keesing
As a 20-year resident, I feel fortunate to live in McLean. I’ve raised two daughters who received world-class educations here. Our family has spent countless hours enjoying local performances, events, classes, parks and the library. I believe the quality of life we’ve enjoyed is only possible through decades of responsible, non-partisan, inclusive leadership. Now, I’d like to give back, continuing that tradition while serving on the MCC Governing Board. I believe I have much to offer, particularly through my expertise in technology and ethics. I’m excited to continue MCC’s important work bringing arts, events and education to our diverse community.
Lisa Mariam
It has been an honor to serve on the McLean Community Center Board for the last three years. I helped guide MCC through strategic planning and chaired the 50th Anniversary Committee. I look forward to continuing to support McLean traditions and exploring new opportunities to engage residents of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. With over 20 years of experience in nonprofit programs and administration, I bring a broad community perspective to represent the residents of our special tax district. I’ll prioritize increasing awareness of MCC, being responsive to community needs and interests and bringing people together to strengthen our community.
Michael Monroe
It would be an honor to serve McLean and I was thrilled to be asked to do so. I live, work and raise my three children here in the Langley pyramid. My finance experience over the past 20 years and relationships in multiple industries, including Hollywood, can help drive amazing activity and efficiency at MCC. I’m a graduate of Leadership Fairfax and the Political Leaders Program through UVA Sorenson, have a master’s in real estate from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s from James Madison University. I’m a life member of Sharon Lodge #327. I’d appreciate your vote.
Peter Pin
It is my pleasure to submit my application for candidate for the MCC Governing Board. As a resident of McLean for 24 years and Northern Virginia for 40, I have a deep commitment to the wellbeing of our community. Having served for over 30 years as a leader in the business community, I hope to bring my spirit of innovation and collaboration along with my skills in leadership and communications to create and advance a wonderful agenda for the community. I thank those that have been here before me and look forward to serving you.
Peggy Richardson
My name is Peggy Richardson, and I would be honored to serve on McLean Community Center’s Governing Board. I’ve lived in the area for over 20 years and have always enjoyed being an active member of my community. Having served on several different volunteer boards such as the Women’s Civic Alliance and the Arlington Community Foundation, I’m confident that my 25-plus years of experience spearheading fundraising campaigns and coordinating philanthropic events would directly benefit MCC and its constituency. As a board member, I would ensure that the programs represent the needs and wants of all the McLean community.
Langley High School Boundary Area Candidates
Anastasiia Dudnik-Dubiniak
I am Anastasiia Dudnik-Dubiniak, a freshman at Langley High, and I am running for the MCC Board. My candidacy is rooted in genuine desire to enhance McLean’s liveliness, vibrance and responsiveness to the diverse needs of its residents. I aim to create a lively and welcoming community, uniting us all by organizing inclusive and engaging events, such as cultural festivals, movie nights, outdoor activities, parties, fundraising events and promoting teen nonprofit startups. With my fresh perspective and dedication, I intend to amplify the voices of teens, fostering a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere for McLean youths.
Sonya Thott
My name is Sonya Thott and I’m a junior at Langley High School. My ambition to incorporate cultural diversity and inclusivity within our community is the core of my campaign. I have showcased my culture via dance and music by performing at Capital One Hall and I am also very involved in my school by being an officer in Langley’s student government, where I help organize school events, learn how to be an efficient leader and listen to students’ opinions. With these experiences, I hope to enhance MCC’s inclusivity statement further and support the betterment of the community for all.
Luke Understein
I am running for board member because I want to make a difference in our community and promote MCC’s outreach, growth and innovation as a cultural resource for residents of McLean. I am familiar with the interests of young people in McLean, and I will bring the perspectives of my peers to aid the decisions of the board. I will also make strong contributions to the committees I serve, because I have good communication and organizational skills and I am very detail oriented. So, I am asking for your vote to represent the Langley district.
McLean High School Boundary Area Candidates
Aanya Jain
Hello, I’m Aanya Jain and I’m running for MCC Governing Board. I was born in McLean and MCC has played a pivotal role in my active involvement within my community. I was exposed to summer activities and plays sponsored by MCC (and let’s not forget McLean Day)! I realized the importance of community engagement and advocacy and am part of Raising Student Voices and Debate clubs, which strengthened my skills in diplomacy, advocacy and teamwork! By serving on MCC’s Board, I’ll strive to promote the magnificent programs MCC offers to those of all backgrounds and will represent my fellow Highlanders!
Aaron Stark
My name is Aaron Stark. I’m a junior and the president of the class of 2025 at McLean High School. I’ve had extensive experience working alongside the MCC and other McLean-based service programs, including the MCC’s Youth Ambassador Program and the Safe Community Coalition’s Youth Advisory Council. I’ve spent nearly all my life growing up in the area, so I figured it was about time to start giving back. As a member of the Governing Board, I would work to add resources and activities for older teens. Vote Aaron Stark for the MCC Governing Board!
