Board of Directors

In selecting our Board of Directors, we identified business and community leaders with reputations as "boundary crossers," people representing the diverse interests of the region capable of coming together across the boundaries of race, income, sector, and geography that so often divide us.

Harry Belin (DC), Evermay
HARRY BELIN is the director of Evermay, president of the Potomac Heritage Partnership, and a member of the board of the National Capital Bicentennial Celebration. A graduate of Tulane University, Harry previously taught at the Webb School in Claremont, California. He lives, works, and grew up in Washington, DC. Harry and his wife Susan have two sons and a daughter. His personal passions are "life in general and America and our nation's capital."

Roger R. Blunt (MD), CEO, Blunt Enterprises LLC
ROGER R. BLUNT is the chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Blunt Enterprises LLC. Roger serves as co-chair of the National Capital Task Force of the Greater Washington Board of Trade and as a board member of Leadership Maryland. He previously served as Commanding General, 97th Army Reserve Command; senior associate of Harbride House, an international consulting firm; chair of the DC Contractors' Association; and chair of the Prince Georges County United Way. Roger grew up in East Providence, RI; works in Oxon Hill, Prince George's County; and lives with his wife De Rosette in Lusby in Calvert County, Maryland. He is a graduate of West Point and holds master's degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in nuclear engineering and civil engineering.

Richard H. Bradley (DC), Executive Director, Downtown Business Improvement Corporation
RICHARD H. BRADLEY is the executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) Corporation. Rich previously served as president of the International Downtown Association; executive director of the Downtown Hartford Council; deputy commissioner of Public Transportation for the State of Connecticut; and board member of the Program for Community Problem Solving and the Murch Development Coordinating Council. Rich holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Cornell University. He is a former teacher in Westport, Connecticut and a current little league baseball coach. Rich and his wife, Ellen McCarthy, and their two children live in Washington, DC. His personal passion is traveling with family.

W. Lyles Carr III (VA), Senior Vice President, The McCormick Group
W. LYLES CARR III is senior vice president of The McCormick Group. A past president of Leadership Washington and of the Jubilee Support Alliance, Lyles serves currently on the Boards of Directors of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, The Federal City Council, Greater D.C. Cares, Leadership Washington, Leadership Arlington, and Speaking From the Heart. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Lyles lives in Arlington with his wife, Sarah King. Growing up in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC and on Maryland's Eastern Shore, he is an avid waterfowl hunter and fisherman.

Bernard Demczuk (DC) Assistant Vice President, The George Washington University
BERNARD DEMCZUK came to the George Washington University in spring of 1998 after serving two terms in the cabinet of both Mayor Kelly and Mayor Barry as Director of Intergovernmental Relations. Mr. Demczuk now serves as the Assistant Vice President for Government Relations and reports to the Vice President and Treasurer Lou Katz and President Trachtenberg. In his role as Assistant Vice President, Mr. Demczuk focuses on legislative, regulatory and political matters that affect both the University and the District of Columbia.

Mr. Demczuk has spent 30 years in the areas of civil rights, labor rights and human rights. He has been involved with extensive international travel working for social justice, trade unions and the civil rights movement. He was senior staff member for Jesse Jackson’s “Rainbow Coalition” and his two Presidential campaigns. Mr. Demczuk is currently drawing from his past experience writing and researching his dissertation on African American History for the George Washington University. Mr. Demczuk is a long time resident of the historical community of Shaw and is married with one child named Ché Marley Demczuk.

Paul Farragut (MD), Executive Director, Baltimore Metropolitan Council
PAUL FARRAGUT is the executive director of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. Previously, Paul served as chair of the Howard County Council and of the Howard County Zoning Board; manager in the sales department of the Maryland Port Administration; and board member of the Columbia Association. Paul grew up in Rhode Island and holds a master's degree in community planning. He lives with his wife and two children in Howard County, Maryland. His personal passions are hiking, gardening, reading, and traveling.

Chris Gergen (DC), CEO and co-founder of SMARTHINKING
CHRIS GERGEN is the CEO and co-founder of SMARTHINKING. Previously, Chris was a senior project manager for Explore, an educational enrichment program for public high school students. Chris is the founder and director of LEAD! (Leadership Enterprise Action Directive), Chris is the founder and owner of Cafe Nunoa in Santiago, Chile. He grew up in Northern Virginia, and works and lives in Washington DC. Chris is a graduate of Duke University and holds a master's in public policy with a focus in education from George Washington University and a masters in business administration from Georgetown University. He has studied and/or worked on five continents. Washingtonian magazine recently recognized Chris as one of "100 People to Watch in the New Millennium."

James O. Gibson (DC), President, DC Agenda
JAMES O. GIBSON is a Senior Fellow in residence at the Center for the Study of Social Policy in Washington, DC. He also works with PolicyLink, DC Agenda, and the Urban Institute. Previously, Jim has served as director of the Equal Opportunity Program at The Rockefeller Foundation; president of the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation; assistant city administrator for Planning and Development for Washington, DC; and executive associate of The Potomac Institute. He has been involved with a host of cultural and arts organizations in the city. Jim and his wife Kathryn live in Washington, DC. They have three adult children and three grandchildren.

Mary Frances leMat (DC), President and CEO, Social Scientific Systems, Inc.
MARY FRANCES LEMAT is a co-founder of Social Scientific Systems, Inc., and has been the President and CEO since 1997. She serves on the boards of directors of the Montgomery County Workforce Development Corporation, the Career Transition Center, the Technology Council of Maryland, the Greater Washington Board of Trade and the Easter Seal Society. Mary Frances also serves on the Inclusiveness Committee of the Potomac Conference, is a member of the Leadership Washington class of 2001, and has been active on the Economic Development and Jobs Committee of the Washington Interfaith Network. Mary Frances and her husband, Harold Beebout, reside in Washington, DC and enjoy spending their weekends at her family farm in Highland County, Virginia, and his cabin in Sperryville, Virginia. Mary Frances has two grown daughters, who reside in the Washington, DC area.

Rev. Clark Lobenstine (DC), Executive Director, Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington
CLARK LOBENSTINE is the executive director of the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington (IFC) and volunteer assistant minister at the Silver Spring Presbyterian Church. Through the IFC, the Baha'i, Hindu/Jain, Islamic, Jewish, Latter-day Saints, Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Sikh faith communities in this region work together to build a more just community and to deepen dialogue. Clark is a founding member of the Washington Metropolitan Dialogue and serves on Mayor Anthony Williams' Faith Advisory Committee, the Interfaith Advisory Committee of the Washington Hospital Center, and W*USA TV-9's Community Advisory Board. A graduate of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, Clark holds a master of divinity degree from the Louisville Presbyterian Seminary and a master of social work degree from the University of Louisville. His Doctor of Ministry degree is from McCormick Presbyterian Seminary. The grandson of a Presbyterian missionary in China, Clark lived in five countries by the age of ten as the son of a Foreign Service Officer. He lives in Washington with his wife the Rev. Canon Carole Crumley. Clark has 27-year-old twin sons, a twin brother, and twin nieces.

Sue Marshall (DC), Executive Director, Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness
SUE MARSHALL is the executive director of the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness, vice chair of the board of the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency, and vice chair of the board of the Washington Council of Agencies. Previously, Sue has served as senior research associate at the Urban Institute, staff economist for the District of Columbia City Council Committee on Finance and Revenue, and as the Mayor's Homeless Coordinator. Sue grew up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland and now lives and works in Washington, DC. She has an undergraduate degree in economics, and her personal passions are travel and the pursuit of happiness, justice, and peace.

Harold McDougall (MD), Professor, Columbus School of Law, Catholic University
HAROLD McDOUGALL is a professor of law at Catholic University. Harold has served as national legislative director for the NAACP; executive vice president of the Montgomery County branch of the NAACP; United Nations Delegate, National Conference of Black Lawyers; and staff attorney, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation. He is the author of Black Baltimore: A New Theory of Community. Harold grew up in New York, works in Washington, DC, and lives with his wife and three of his five children in Silver Spring, Maryland. Harold is a graduate of Harvard University and the Yale University Law School. His personal passion is "The Movement, networking people interested in social justice and social change."

Robert McLean III (MD), Cushman & Wakefield
ROBERT McLEAN III is the executive director of Cushman Wakefield, the founding member of Metropolitan Dialogue, and a board member of the National Building Museum. Previously, Bob has served as a chapter member of the Washington National Cathedral; a board member of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce; and as a marketing consultant of the Old Philadelphia Development Corporation and marketing executive of Owens-Illinois in Toledo, Ohio. Bob grew up in Baltimore, works in McLean, Virginia, and lives with his wife, Lily, in Gibson Island, Maryland. They have four adult children and two grandchildren. A graduate of Yale University with a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Bob's personal passions are Japanese gardens, tennis, and golf.

Esther Newman (MD), Founder & Executive Director, Leadership Montgomery
ESTHER NEWMAN has been the executive director of Leadership Montgomery since she founded the organization in 1989. Leadership Montgomery offers continuing education programs for its 400 graduates and sponsors a youth leadership program for high school students, an Outstanding Leader Award, and Youth Community Service Awards. The Founder of the Family Life Center of Montgomery County, Esther has worked in leadership positions at Montgomery General Hospital, YWCA, and the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. Esther is a Founding Board member of Leadership Maryland and the immediate past-president of the Montgomery College Alumni Board. She has served three County Executives on the County Executive's Ball for the Arts and has served on the Task Force on the Future of the Arts in Montgomery County. Esther, a graduate of Montgomery College, received her B.A. degree from Antioch University and her M.S. degree from the Johns Hopkins University. Esther and her husband Stuart have two children and four grandchildren. They live in Rockville and can be found most weekends on the Chesapeake Bay.

Patricia Nicoson (VA), President, Chesapeake & Potomac Regional Alliance
PATRICIA NICOSON is the president of the Chesapeake & Potomac Regional Alliance, secretary of the George Washington chapter of Lambda Alpha, and a member of the steering committee of Dulles Rail. Previously, Patty has served as president of the National Capital Area Chapter of the American Planning Association and trustee of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City. Patty grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and Bethesda, Maryland. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds a master's degree from the Pratt Institute. She lives in Reston, Virginia with her husband, William. They have two adult children. Patty's personal passions are reading, exercise, and travel.

Beatriz Otero (DC), Executive Director, Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center
BEATRIZ "BB" OTERO is the Founder and Executive Director of Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center, a child development/family support service organization in the Columbia Heights neighborhood. Ms. Otero is a highly recognized community leader, and has received a number of service awards including Leadership Washington's 1993 Betty Whaley Award and the Association of Hispanic Employees 1994 Leadership Award. BB serves on numerous boards, advisory panels and committees, including the Mayor's committee on Early Childhood Development, DC Agenda, the Public Charter Board and chairs the Columbia Heights/Shaw Family support Collaborative as well as the Collaborative Council. Beatriz Otero is a native of Bolivia, South America is a 35 year resident of the District of Columbia and the mother of three children. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Ms. Otero has over 20 years of experience in designing and implementing community-based bilingual multicultural programs.

Brenda Lee Richardson (DC), Women Like Us
BRENDA LEE RICHARDSON runs Women Like Us, is managing director of Metropolitan Dialogue, is coordinator of a brownfields project based in Anacostia, and serves as co-chair of the outreach and education subcommittee of the Medicaid/Managed Care Eligibility Committee. Brenda has served as director of Resident Services for the District of Columbia Housing Authority and executive director of the Anacostia/Congress Heights Partnership. Brenda grew up in El Paso and is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a masters of social work from The University of Maryland. She lives and works in Washington, DC, and her personal passion is writing.

Michael Rogers (DC), Executive Director, Council of Governments
MICHAEL C. ROGERS has served as the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's (COG) executive director since July of 1998. COG, founded in 1957, is an independent non-profit association of the 17 major local governments in the Washington metropolitan area. An active member of the COG Board of Directors, Michael served as vice president of COG in 1996 and as president in 1997. Before being named COG executive director, he chaired the District of Columbia Water & Sewer Authority. Previously, Michael Rogers served as City Administrator and Deputy Mayor for Operations for the District of Columbia, Director of the Minority Business Development Agency at the Department of Commerce, and as Chief Procurement Officer and Director of the Mayor's Office of Contracts in New York City. From 1981-91, Michael was vice president of Ogden Services Corporation and the deputy general manager of the Washington Convention Center. He began his career in the office of the city administrator in Ann Arbor, Michigan and at the International City/County Management Association. A graduate of Clark Atlanta University, Michael has a masters degree in public policy from the University of Michigan and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Georgetown University Law Center. He also served as Distinguished Executive in Residence, George Washington University, School of Business and Public Management and as a member of the faculty of the Brookings Institution's Center for Public Policy.

Robert H. Rosen (VA), President, Healthy Companies Institute
BOB ROSEN is the founder and president of the Healthy Companies International. Bob, who recently launched LeadingPeople, a global e-learning company, is the director of the Global Leadership Forum and a consultant to Fortune 500 companies, governments, communities, and growth companies. presenting the strategies and lessons of 60 global business leaders. He is the author of Leading People: Transforming Business from the Inside Out and Global Literacies (named Fortune Magazine's "best business book). He has served on the board of Leadership Washington. Bob is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. Bob and his partner live in Arlington, Virginia. His personal passions are athletics, travel, and family.

John Sherman (VA), Innkeeper, The Ashby Inn
JOHN SHERMAN is the owner of The Ashby Inn. A former congressional staff member for the House Ways & Means Committee and reporter for Newsweek magazine, John is active with the Piedmont Environmental Council and the Committee for Excellence in Education. John grew up in New York and Washington and graduated from Bucknell University. John has been active with Friends of the State Arboretum. He lives with his wife Roma in Paris, Fauquier County, Virginia. John has two children, and his passions are reading, fishing, and hunting.

Beverly Silverberg (MD), Former Chair, Leadership Washington
BEVERLY SILVERBERG is president of BRSCI. Bev is active with Women for Washington and the National Conference for Community & Justice. She has served as the spokesperson for METRO and chair of Leadership Washington and has been active with the Washington Urban League. Bev grew up in Passaic, New Jersey and now lives in Hyattsville with her husband Robert. They have an adult daughter. Bev has a bachelor's degree and her personal passions are truth, reading, and gardening.

Lisa Y. Sullivan (DC), LISTEN
LISA Y. SULLIVAN is the founder and president of Local Initiative, Support, Training, and Education Network, Inc. (LISTEN). She has served as a program consultant for the Rockefeller Foundation's Next Generation Leadership. Lisa is co-chair of the board of Public Allies-DC and a member of the board of the Friendship House Association. She has served as director of the field division of the Children's Defense Fund, project coordinator of Operation Big Vote, a member of the executive committee of the Alexandria NAACP, and a senior advisor to the New Haven, Connecticut NAACP Youth Council. Lisa grew up and works in Washington, DC and lives in Alexandria, Virginia. She graduated from Clark Atlanta University and has a master's degree in political science from Yale University. Lisa's personal passions are reading, music, photography, tennis, and women's basketball.

Margaret Vanderhye (VA), National Capital Planning Commissioner
MARGARET VANDERHYE is a National Capital Planning Commissioner. Margi serves on the board of the Claude Moore Colonial Farm, Inc. and is co-chair of the St. John's Church Capital Campaign. She has served as a public affairs officer at the National Security Council and a policy and research consultant in international economics and national security. Margi also has served as president of the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissioners and chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee on the 2010 Subregional Transportation Plan. Margi grew up in the Chicago area and graduated from Northwestern University. She has a master's degree from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Margi lives in McLean, Virginia with her husband, Robert, and two children. Margi's personal passions are art, running, hiking, gardening, Jane Austen, and "big picture" planning.

Jan Verhage

Jack Walter (VA), Former President, National Trust for Historic Preservation
JACK WALTER is a private consultant. He is a director of the Country Life Center in Loudoun County and chairman of the board of an internet-based heritage tourism company, Tourism, Technology & Marketing, Inc. Jack has served as president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, president of the National Academy of Public Administration, director of the federal Office of Government Ethics, and secretary of the Department of Business Regulation for the State of Florida. Jack grew up in Swathmore, Pennsylvania and graduated from Amherst College and Yale University Law School. He works and lives in Waterford, Loudoun County, Virginia with his wife, Susan.

Susan J. Williams (VA), Bracy Williams & Company
SUSAN J. WILLIAMS is the president of Bracy Williams & Company and is the immediate past president of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. Susan serves on numerous business and regional boards, including DC Agenda. She has served as a top aide on Capitol Hill, as Assistant Secretary of Transportation in the Carter Administration, and as Virginia's representative on the Southern Growth Policies Board. Susan grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, works in Washington, DC, and lives in McLean, Virginia.

David Winstead
DAVID WINSTEAD is a Partner in Wilkes Artis, Chartered, a regional Washington-based law firm specializing in land-use, transportation and growth management issues. David was Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation from 1995-1999, and currently Chairs the Transportation Committee of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and a Transportation Task Force of the Potomac Conference. On the national level, he has been President of the National of State Highway and Transportation Officials (ASSHTO), and is currently Honorary Chair of National Transportation Week 2001. Prior to his association with Wilkes Artis, David served as Executive Director of the Washington/Baltimore Regional Association, a public/private economic development alliance of the metropolitan Washington and Baltimore areas. He was awarded the l993 Washington Council of Governments' Regional Partnership award.

Alice H. Yang Yeh (MD), Peace Technology, Inc.
ALICE YANG YEH is the Director of Human Resources of Peace Technology, Inc., a computer consulting firm in Laurel. She is the past president of the Greater Washington, DC Chapter of the Organization of Chinese American. She was the co-chair of the Organization of Chinese Americans" 1998 National Convention. Alice is a member of Leadership Montgomery, the Asian American Political Alliance, the Monte Jade Science & Technology Association, the Multicultural Partnership under the Montgomery County Branch of the NAACP and a trustee of the Montgomery County Friends of the Library. Previously, she served as treasurer of the Committee for Montgomery, a board of director of the Chinese American Retirement Enterprises, Inc. and a board member of the Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families. Alice grew up in Taipei, Bangkok, and San Francisco. She has lived in the Washington, DC area since 1989. Alice is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds a master's in business administration from Loyola University of Chicago.