Team Leader Profile – Mark Heslep

Mark HeslepElectrical Engineer Completes the Circuit

Growing up in Richmond, Va., Mark Heslep learned building techniques working summers and weekends with his parents’ residential and commercial construction company.

Initially mostly shoveling or hauling plywood sheets up to a rooftop, “the work was back-breaking. But by late high school and college, I was picking up skills from some really good carpenter crews.”

Now retired after a career developing advanced electronics systems for military and aviation uses, Mark has come full circle—volunteering with us to support homeowners who need assistance maintaining their homes and aging in place.

Like his father—a civil engineering graduate of Virginia Military Institute—Mark attended VMI, majoring in electrical engineering. He then earned a master’s in electrical engineering at the University of Virginia in 1985.

Moving to Dallas, he worked for LTV Corp., integrating aerial photography for realistic flight simulators for military pilots, among other projects. When the huge conglomerate struggled financially during an economic downturn in the mid-1980s, Mark moved to Northern Virginia, ultimately joining a friend’s startup company developing radar equipment and technology. “We were constantly solving really hard problems that had to be done fast. I got a big kick out of doing that and learned a tremendous amount,“ he says.

In 1996, he moved to the MITRE Corp., “once again putting electronics into military vehicles” that endure harsh environments, including amphibious tanks for the U.S. Marine Corps. In 2003, he met his wife Catherine. Their oldest son is now studying engineering at Virginia Tech, while another son and daughter are in high school.

Racing on Land and Water

While at MITRE, Mark participated in a competition sponsored by the U.S. Defense

Advanced Research Projects Agency to stimulate research and development of self-driving vehicles. The 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge was a driverless race over a rugged off-road course in California’s Mojave Desert. MITRE’s entry, a pickup truck named Meteor, excelled in preliminary rounds but failed in the final round when dust and debris blew across the course and the truck’s laser sensors could not discern the way to go.

Racing robots isn’t the only type of racing Mark has done. After moving to NoVa, a roommate who had been on the U.S. Olympic rowing team introduced him to that sport. “Right away it piqued my interest and I took some classes and wanted to go further.”

In 1994, a Russian émigré who had been a championship rower and coach of the Soviet Olympic team became a coach at the Capital Rowing Club in Washington, D.C., and began more intensive year-round training for members. The club’s teams steadily improved and started winning medals at national and international competitions. In 2001, Mark’s team won the age 40 and over flight at the FISA World Masters Regatta in Montreal. Mark continues to work out several mornings a week at the club’s D.C. boathouse along the Anacostia River.

After retiring in 2013, Mark first started volunteering with RT-AFF on a National Rebuilding Day team organized by his church. He was later invited to become an RT Express Team Leader when the staff learned about extensive energy-saving improvements he had made to his home. Team leaders do assessments of needed repairs at clients’ homes, prepare work plans, assemble needed supplies and tools, and supervise a team’s work.

Mark advises potential volunteers to “think about what your skills are and then offer them up to your team leader so we can put you on that kind of task. But be adaptable to whatever the leader needs you to do.”

He loves that “you get people with a lot of skills and you orchestrate them with a good plan. And you can accomplish a tremendous amount in five or six hours.

“It’s hard to give money or do charity work where I think you can be sure that you’re really making an impact. But you can clearly see what RT-AFF does is worthwhile and it’s really helping people.”

Links:

2005 DARPA Grand Challenge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DARPA_Grand_Challenge_(2005)

MITRE Sponsors Team for the DARPA Grand Challenge ’05

https://web.archive.org/web/20070815133723/http:/www.mitre.org/tech/meteor/

Capital Rowing Club

https://capitalrowing.org/

2001 FISA World Masters Regatta

2001 FISA World Masters Regatta is Honoured in Quebec – World Rowing

Ken Mittelholtz

Team Leader Profile – Ken Mittelholtz

Ken Mittelholtz

Ken Mittelholtz

Public Service Is Deeply Ingrained in Ken Mittelholtz

Commitment to public service is deep-rooted in Ken Mittelholtz. The long-time Rebuilding Together team leader has put his altruism to work as a teacher, a two-time Peace Corps volunteer, and a federal employee for the U.S. Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency.

Ken credits much of his public spirit to his parents. His father worked in education and management roles for the Bureau of Indian Affairs while raising Ken and his brother in New Mexico, Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota. “My dad was by far the biggest one that influenced me in terms of helping others. And that probably got me also heavily involved in public service.”

After graduating from Bemidji State University in Minnesota in 1967 with a degree in chemistry, Ken taught science in high school for several years. He joined the Peace Corps in the early 1970s, teaching science in junior and secondary schools in the Republic of The Gambia, an English-speaking former British colony.

Ken then taught science in a private school in Maryland for four years before returning to The Gambia for another two years with the Peace Corps, this time working in the attorney general’s office on environmental legislation to protect wildlife.

It takes a village

The Peace Corps left a deep impression on Ken. “You learn more about them than they do about you. You’re enmeshed in the culture and you really do learn the issues that they’re facing,” he says. “Anybody who has come back from the Peace Corps gets involved with service stuff back here.”

Ken notes that “everybody wants to be part of a village [and] have people come and help you. But to be part of a village, you also need to be a villager. You need to do things.”

The Peace Corps was followed by an environmental job with the Coast Guard, issuing permits for bridges. In 1984 he moved to the EPA, doing environmental reviews of roads, airports, military and other federal construction projects until retiring in 2010.

When he worked for the government, people would often tell Ken he could earn more as a consultant. But he always felt that “it’s important for us to do these types of things. The public service has always been kind of important to me.”

In the 1980s Ken began volunteering with Annandale Christian Community for Action, a group of 21 churches in the Annandale area. ACCA sponsors a variety of food pantry, daycare, furniture donation, financial aid, transportation and other programs for Northern Virginia families, as well as partnering with Rebuilding Together.

Ken’s wife Camille and their two daughters are also longtime volunteers with ACCA. Both have served as presidents, and the couple was honored with the Volunteer Fairfax Community Champion award in 2013.

Ken Mittelholtz collage

Helping people age in place

Unlike some Rebuilding Together team leaders with engineering and construction backgrounds, Ken’s do-it-yourself skills are mostly self-taught from working on his previous and current homes.

His first project was in 1994 when ACCA sponsored teams to repair two houses on National Rebuilding Day for the nonprofit, then called Christmas in April. He has continued every year since, stepping up his involvement when the organization began repairing homes year-round.

He lauds the nonprofit as ”a very neat program of helping people stay in their homes. As we get older now, it rings true a little bit more of trying to stay in your home for a longer period of time.”

Many elderly clients, he notes, are “house rich and money poor. They’re living on Social Security and don’t have enough money to do any of the maintenance” and are unable to do repairs themselves.

He cites installing grab bars in bathrooms and adding a second handrail to stairways as among the most useful improvements commonly made. He believes grab bars could eventually be required by building codes because “you don’t have to be old to slip in the tub and fall.”

Ken enjoys the camaraderie of working with other volunteers “as we all have this kind of commitment of helping people” to stay in and enjoy their homes.

He tells potential volunteers: “You’ll get a big benefit from it. I think you’ll feel good. It’s a neat feeling of helping people out.”

Links:

County Residents Ken and Camille Mittelholtz Named Community Champions

https://patch.com/virginia/annandale/an–county-residents-ken-and-camille-mittelholtz-nameb0521a1c1e

Annandale Christian Community Action Service Programs

https://accacares.org/service-programs

Ken Mittelholtz collage

Volunteer Profiles are a continuing series celebrating the dedicated Rebuilding Together Team Leaders and volunteers, who come from all walks of life—engineering, construction, government, diplomacy, the military, and more.

The profiles are written by Leon Rubis, a retired journalist and editor who started volunteering with us in 2021. A long-time DIYer, Leon says, “I thought I knew a lot, but I’ve learned so much more from working alongside our experienced teams. Every project feels like an episode of This Old House.”

In addition to making repairs and modifications with us as part of the RT Express program, Leon is now using his writing skills to spotlight the amazing people who make our work possible.

Doers Profiles – Meet Some of our Dedicated Volunteers

Leon RubisOur volunteer profiles are written by Leon Rubis (pictured at right), a retired journalist and editor who started volunteering with us in 2021. A long-time DIYer, Leon says, “I thought I knew a lot, but I’ve learned so much more from working alongside our experienced teams. Every project feels like an episode of This Old House.”

In addition to making repairs and modifications with us as part of the RT Express program, Leon is now using his writing skills to spotlight the amazing people who make our work possible.

Leon coined the name “Doers Profiles” as a playful nod to the iconic Dewar’s Profiles ads of the 1980’s. We’ll be highlighting our volunteers by sharing their answers to a curated list of 14 questions—ranging from favorite learning moments to biggest blunder on a personal project as well as their hobbies or other volunteer work. Leon gathers these insights to help us get to know the dedicated individuals who make our mission possible.

 

 

 

three volunteers working on a project

Scott Campbell (c) with Kevin (l) and Gordon (r)

Scott Campbell

Career: Retired Army officer and diplomat. Field artillery for 10 years, then development and testing of cannon systems for 18 years. Lots of fun to blow stuff up!

How I learned about home repair: As a teenager I helped my dad convert row homes into apartments, so I learned basic carpentry, electrical and plumbing from him.

Most significant home project: I added a 2,000-square-foot deck at the back of my house.

Biggest blunder on my own project: Not securing a ladder. I once fell one floor when my ladder slipped. Got knocked out and a concussion.

Other volunteer work: Volunteer ski patroller and instructor 1991-2019. I still teach avalanche rescue training for the Ski Patrol, and serve on boards of autism non-profits.

 

 

Patricia Hupalo

Career: College administrator at George Mason University.

Other volunteer work: Services for senior citizens at Arlington Neighborhood Village and garden maintenance and harvesting for Arlington Food Assistance Center.

Tips for do-it-yourselfers: Have the right tool. Be patient as jobs always take longer than you expect. Use online tutorials.

Advice for would-be RT-AFF volunteers: Volunteering can be whenever your schedule permits. It’s a great way to pick up new skills and work with some great people.

 

 

 

 

Chris Loda

Career: Retired union electrician with master’s license. Was part owner of a small electrical contracting business.

Personal highlights: Raising a family and putting all four children through college debt-free.

Most significant home project: I put a second story on my house. The most challenging part was installing stair railings.

Most impactful RT-AFF job: Enlarging a bathroom for two children using wheelchairs. We made a great impact on their lives.

 

 

 

 

Kevin Bruestle

 

Kevin Bruestle

Career: Satellite communications engineer.

Personal highlights: I biked across America and earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Most significant home project: Building a screened-in porch with skylights, ceiling fan and music speakers.

Other volunteer work: I volunteer at the National Air and Space Museum’s Astronomy Department.

 

 

 

 

 

Dan Feighery (l) with Don Ryan.

Dan Feighery (l) with Don Ryan.

Dan Feighery

Career: U.S. Air Force officer 1961-88. As a B-52 bomber pilot, completed about 400 combat missions over Vietnam. I was also a flight instructor and director for Strategic Air Command’s flight training.

Favorite tool: I’m a volunteer photographer for RT-AFF. My only tool is my Canon 1Dx camera.

Other volunteer work: I taught photography at the Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University. In September 2025, I’ll be the official photographer for some events in the Senior Olympics.

 

 

 

John Maher

John Maher

Career: U.S. Foreign Service Officer for 32 years. I served in Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Armenia and Washington, D.C. I learned Chinese and Japanese, as well as some Korean and Armenian.

Repair skill most proud of learning: Installing grab bars on tiled showers so I could do it for my parents.

Biggest blunder on a personal project: Almost cutting off an index finger with an electric hedge trimmer. A hand surgeon was able to save the finger.

Most impactful RT-AFF job: Installing air conditioners for low-income residents in metal trailers during a heat wave.

 

Bard Jackson

Team Leader Profile – Bard Jackson

Working with Electricity from a Big-Picture Perspectivephoto of Bard Jackson

Rebuilding Together Team Leader Bard Jackson doesn’t just know how to install an electrical fixture—he can electrify an entire region.

For more than 30 years of his career before retiring in 2014, Bard worked for the U.S. Rural Electrification Administration and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. At the REA (later renamed the Rural Utilities Association), he worked with electric cooperatives to plan, fund and inspect their distribution lines, including land acquisition and eminent domain proceedings.

At the NRECA, he did similar work in Africa and Latin America, doing feasibility studies and cost analyses for Third World countries needing electricity. Bard’s most memorable projects were developing small hydroelectric plants that brought power to rural areas of Costa Rica and Zaire, (now the Republic of Congo), where remote villagers had only portable generators to power refrigerators and small businesses.

After graduating with an electrical engineering degree from Long Beach State University in 1969, Bard’s first experience developing electrical grids came with the Peace Corps in Brazil, where he worked on electric cooperatives to supply power to rural areas.

Bard then joined the U.S. Navy for four years, first working on its nuclear power program and later serving as the electrical engineering officer on the USS Sanctuary, a World War II hospital ship that was undergoing extensive renovations for stationing in Greece. The Navy cancelled that plan, but not before Bard met his wife Susan, a nurse who was also serving on the ship.

After Navy service, Bard attended graduate school at Georgia Tech before starting his career of developing electric utilities.

Learning by doing

Growing up in the Los Angeles area, Bard acquired handyman skills at an early age. His father, a chemical engineer, “never paid anybody to do anything at our house; he did it all.”

The family had a small ranch in the Sierra Mountains. “We had a few head of cattle on it. When you’re a rancher/famer, you do everything,” he said. In summers during high school, Bard helped build a future retirement home there for his parents. More recently, he did repairs and maintenance on a couple rental properties he previously owned in Northern Virginia. His advice for do-it-yourselfers: Look at YouTube, then “do it right the first time—that’s the fastest way to do a job!”

Bard stays active with sports, volunteer work and visiting his two children and five grandchildren in Connecticut and California. In 2013, he played on an over-65 team that competed in the National Volleyball Association’s open national tournament in the Chesapeake Region. He now plays pickup soccer with friends who call themselves the ROMEOs—retired old men enjoying outdoor soccer.

His other volunteer work includes salvaging and nurturing landscaping plants at his home for the Falls Church Garden Club’s annual plant sale fundraiser. Owners of homes that are being torn down offer landscaping plants to the club. Bard digs up the plants, replants some at his home and keeps some in pots until transporting them to the spring sale site.

Bard started volunteering for RT-AFF’s predecessor, Christmas in April, through his church’s volunteer team. In 2015, he became a regular volunteer and team leader as the nonprofit expanded its services to year-round projects. In 2017, he won the Senior Volunteer award from Volunteer Fairfax. Today, Bard usually volunteers one day a week and serves as team leader for one project a month. Team leaders do initial assessments of clients’ homes, prepare work plans, assemble needed supplies and tools, and supervise the team’s work.

Bard enjoys that “every project is different—I learn something. It keeps me active and going to new places.” He encourages would-be volunteers for Rebuilding Together to “give it a try—see if it’s for you.”

 

Links:

USS Sanctuary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sanctuary

Falls Church Garden Club

https://www.fallschurchgardenclub.org/

Fairfax celebrates spirit of volunteerism at awards ceremony

https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/fairfax-celebrates-spirit-of-volunteerism-at-awards-ceremony/article_be4fb322-29a0-11e7-a5a4-375545225e4d.html#google_vignette

Volunteer Profiles are a continuing series celebrating the dedicated Rebuilding Together Team Leaders and volunteers, who come from all walks of life—engineering, construction, government, diplomacy, the military, and more.

The profiles are written by Leon Rubis, a retired journalist and editor who started volunteering with us in 2021. A long-time DIYer, Leon says, “I thought I knew a lot, but I’ve learned so much more from working alongside our experienced teams. Every project feels like an episode of This Old House.”

In addition to making repairs and modifications with us as part of the RT Express program, Leon is now using his writing skills to spotlight the amazing people who make our work possible.

 

Jim Dillon

Team Leader and Volunteer Profiles

Leon RubisWelcome to our new series celebrating the dedicated Rebuilding Together Team Leaders and volunteers, who come from all walks of life—engineering, construction, government, diplomacy, the military, and more.

The profiles are written by Leon Rubis (pictured at right), a retired journalist and editor who started volunteering with us in 2021. A long-time DIYer, Leon says, “I thought I knew a lot, but I’ve learned so much more from working alongside our experienced teams. Every project feels like an episode of This Old House.”

In addition to making repairs and modifications with us as part of the RT Express program, Leon is now using his writing skills to spotlight the amazing people who make our work possible.

Team Leader Profile – Jim Dillon

Jim Applies Do-it-Yourself Skills to VolunteeringJim Dillon

When people need help, Jim Dillon doesn’t wait for nonprofit agencies to organize a response. The long-time Rebuilding Together volunteer often jumps in on his own.

After Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast in 2005, Jim leaped into action—ultimately making six trips to Mississippi and New Orleans to repair damaged homes.

He first helped a family friend in Bay St. Louis, Miss., whose two brothers’ low-lying homes were flooded. Jim and a friend stayed for three weeks in another damaged house owned by a sister while repairing it and other homes.

That led to volunteering for a small Catholic church in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. Many of the parishioners had left their flooded homes, leading the pastor to fund home repairs and recruit volunteer workers “just so we can bring people back to his parish.” Jim and other volunteers stayed on the second floor of the church school. “They found houses for you to work on during the day, and just gave you an address, [saying] go on over and help these folks as best you can.”

Collage of three photos of Jim Dillon volunteering his time.

All in the family

Jim, raised in Hamburg, N.Y., perhaps inherited some mechanical talent along with a desire to help others. His father was a civil engineer and two older brothers also became civil and mechanical engineers. A sister became a missionary with the Maryknoll nuns and has “traveled all over the world doing all kinds of good things for all kinds of different folks.”

Jim graduated from the University of Buffalo in 1971 with a mechanical engineering degree. He moved to Northern Virginia for a civilian job with a U.S. Army research and development center at Fort Belvoir until retiring in 2003.

Jim initially wrote specifications for construction equipment the Army purchased, and later designed vehicles and systems that could clear land mines. Other work involved retrofitting vehicles like Humvees and cargo trucks with mine blast protection such as deflectors, seats that absorb blast impacts, fragment-resistant floor mats, and extra seat restraints.

Despite his independent self-starter streak, Jim has volunteered with a variety of nonprofit service organizations.

He started working for Rebuilding Together’s predecessor, Christmas in April, after seeing a television news report about one of its local repair projects in 1994 and thinking “Wow, that’s pretty cool. I’d like to do that.”

In 1996, Jim also started working with the Catholic Diocese of Arlington’s Work Camp summer program, in which high-school-age parishioners stay for a week at a school in Virginia while working on repairs for local homeowners referred by local governments, churches and word-of-mouth.

“We started working on maybe a couple of dozen houses during the mid ‘90s. And over the years that has grown to maybe 800 kids working on over 100 homes for four days.”

The teens are accompanied by adult chaperones and “contractors” like Jim who provide technical training and supervision to the work crews. “I hand them all the tools and show them how to do it. And then I watch them for a while and if they feel comfortable with it—go for it.”

A Travellin’ Van

Even with Work Camp, Jim has independently extended his efforts beyond the organized summer program.

He and others visit and evaluate houses in the fall to work on next June. But “when you go into a house and see that the hot water heater’s leaking or the furnace doesn’t work, well, you can’t just tell the family, ‘I’ll be back in six months to help you’—they need it right now. So [with] a few friends of mine that I met at Rebuilding Together, we volunteered our time to go out and do some of these projects ahead of time.

“And then, like with Rebuilding Together, once you get into these projects and sometimes you can’t finish them during the day, you may have to go back a time or two after that. And that was the same thing with summer camp with the high school kids. You got to go back the next week or the next month and try to finish off all the projects.”

Such dedication prompted Jim to buy himself a retirement gift in 2004—a 2003 Chevrolet van that serves as a traveling hardware store. “I learned from summer camp that when you work far away from the local hardware store, you try to bring as much of the stuff as you can.” Jim’s wife Joan, who was supportive of his sometimes lengthy volunteer trips, first saw the van for sale and encouraged him to buy it.

One of Jim’s most challenging projects with Rebuilding Together was a small condemned house it renovated in 2017 in Fairfax City. Foundation leaks from rain and plumbing led to termite infestations and structural deterioration making the house uninhabitable. Rebuilding Together volunteers worked more than 2,400 hours on the house—1,000 of them by Jim—aided by volunteers, funding and supplies from many other local nonprofits, government agencies and contractors. While Jim credits “a whole team effort for all the different things that needed to be done in the house,” his own contributions earned him the 2018 Senior Volunteer award from Volunteer Fairfax.

A Job For Everyone

Jim emphasizes that you don’t need extensive knowledge or tools to volunteer for Rebuilding Together. He encourages amateur handymen and women at all skill levels to volunteer and learn on the job. “There are always projects, parts of a task that can be done by people who have little or no skills. So, don’t be afraid that you don’t know how to do all these things.”

Even with Jim’s extensive background, “Every project I work on is a learning experience, whether it’s the technical aspects or just dealing with different groups of individuals.”

Jim enjoys the “challenge of going into different situations and being able to finish it all in a relatively short amount of time.” And he appreciates that Rebuilding Together offers flexible scheduling and local opportunities. “One thing that made it attractive for me was that these are my neighbors that I drive by quite frequently. You’re helping your local neighbors.”

Links:

Catholic Diocese of Arlington Work Camp

Nonprofit welcomes Fairfax City resident back home

Love Your Neighbor Made Manifest – Community Rebuilds Fairfax Home

‘Celebrating the Magic of Giving Back’ in Fairfax County

 

Another collage of 3 photos of Jim Dillon volunteering

Bill Marshall’s Impact at Rebuilding Together AFF

After retiring from a successful home-building career, Bill Marshall was eager for a new way to channel his energy and expertise. He found the perfect fit with Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church (RT-AFF) through Volunteer Arlington and quickly became a dedicated member of our Rebuilding Together Express (RT Express) program. Bill’s extensive background in construction and business management made an immediate difference and he became an active member of our Board of Directors as well as Chair of the Program Committee. During his six-year tenure on the Board, he played a vital role in shaping RT-AFF’s repair and modification initiatives.

“Bill was instrumental in leading RT-AFF’s repair program through the pandemic,” said Executive Director Patti Klein. “He worked in partnership with staff to develop a solid plan to implement COVID safety protocols, allowing a small group of our most experienced RT Express volunteers to continue making critical home repairs for those in need.”

Beyond his leadership on the board, Bill has worked on more than 120 homes, improving the lives of countless neighbors. He has also designed and led teams in building more than 15 wheelchair ramps—one of the most transformative modifications for homeowners with mobility challenges.

Bill was especially touched by a project he led in Arlington, where a team of volunteers modified a bathroom in a small home to make it fully accessible for twins with disabilities. This transformation gave them the independence to use the bathroom on their own as they grew into their teen years.

Reflecting on his service, Bill shared, “I am grateful for my time on the RT-AFF board. My experience running my own construction business and serving on other boards allowed me to contribute meaningfully. The Jesuits in high school instilled in me the belief that we should be ‘men (and women) for others,’ and I’m proud to uphold that value with this incredible organization.”

Though stepping down from the board, Bill remains deeply committed to RT-AFF’s mission. As an RT Express team leader, he’s continuing to roll up his sleeves to help homeowners in need. “It’s amazing what a small group of volunteers can accomplish in just a few hours with a few hundred dollars in materials,” he said. “I’m constantly impressed by the impact we make, the camaraderie we share, and the dedication of everyone involved.”

We are incredibly grateful for Bill’s leadership and ongoing contributions. His work continues to make a lasting difference, and we look forward to seeing him in action with our RT Express program for years to come.

 

Andrew Dumont Recognized as 40 Under 40 Leader

Andrew Dumont, Chair of the Rebuilding Together-AFF Board, was recognized as an emerging leader in the Leadership Center for Excellence and Leadership Fairfax 40 Under 40 program. The 40 young honorees were recognized for their exceptional and impactful leadership in their professional and personal spheres within the Northern Virginia region. “This year’s honorees demonstrate exemplary vision, adaptability, and care of others,” said Lisa Fikes, President and CEO of the Leadership Center for Excellence. “With so much changing in the world today, these leadership traits are needed and worth celebrating.

CEO and President of Leadership Fairfax, Karen Cleveland, stated, “We at Leadership Fairfax are beyond ecstatic to partner with our friends at the Leadership Center for Excellence to honor some of the best and brightest young leaders in our community. Each and every one is exceptional, and I cannot wait to see the impact they make in the future.

Andrew joined the RT-AFF Board in 2016 and became Chair in 2021 after serving as Vice Chair for two years. Andrew was a key member of RT-AFF’s leadership team for the NeighborWorks America Excellence in Governance (EIG) Program and has helped RT-AFF achieve lasting and adaptive change by creating the framework and process for our strategic planning. He has transformed the way the board operates and makes high level strategic and critical decisions.

“Andrew is passionate about our mission and takes every opportunity to improve Rebuilding Together-AFF,” said Patti Klein, Executive Director. “He has continually increased his leadership role and has created an inclusive and positive environment for all who serve and are served. We are grateful for his leadership in our mission of repairing homes, revitalizing communities and rebuilding lives.”

Bob Austin Head shot

Bob Austin Receives 2022 Privilege Award

Bob Austin, a longtime Rebuilding Together-AFF volunteer was honored with the Bernie L. Bates Foundation Privilege Award for 2022. This is the highest form of recognition bestowed by the Board of Directors of the Foundation and was presented to Bob for his outstanding service to the Fairfax County community. This year’s award recognizes a person who most closely follows the tenets and principals practiced by the late Col. (Ret.) Marion “Barney” Barnwell. Barney served on the RT-AFF board and served as a House Captain for more than 30 National Rebuilding Day projects. Barney consistently demonstrated his passion to “pay it forward” through his community involvement and volunteerism.

Bob’s lifelong service to others epitomizes the example that Barney set for us all in helping others at every opportunity.

Bob started volunteering with us 18 years ago as a member of his church team for National Rebuilding Day. After retiring he joined our pool of skilled individual volunteers and started volunteering with us year-round.

Bob’s skills and savvy home remodeling skills and his desire to do more prompted him to become a Rebuilding Together Express team leader to help low-income seniors continue to live safely in their homes. As a member of the Rebuilding Together AFF Program Committee, Bob helped develop Worksite Safety COVID-19 Protocols to keep our clients and volunteers safe – and allow our small teams to continue working through the pandemic to help those at great risk of health and safety hazards in their homes. Over the past five years Bob has led or worked on more than 75 projects and was one of a handful of volunteers who worked tirelessly through the pandemic. This past year Bob and our other RT Express Team Leaders were recognized by Volunteer Fairfax as Social Advocacy Group of the Year.

In keeping with the inspiring example that Barney set, Bob exemplifies the meaning of volunteerism through the amazing work he does with Rebuilding Together and for so many other community groups including co-chairing a co-op that provides food to over 200 families each month and picking up 2,000 pounds of food each week. He is actively involved in the Fairfax County Faith Community in Action volunteer program, a trustee and building manager for a nonprofit on the Rt. 1 Corridor and volunteers with several other groups. We are very fortunate that Bob lives in our community and takes the time and effort to make a tangible difference for those in need.

We offer our most sincere congratulations and thanks to Bob.

 

Graphic

Welcome New Board Members

We are pleased to announce that Christy Plunkett-Barese and Condalisa “Lisa” Smith have joined our Board of Directors.

Christy Plunkett-BareseChristy Plunkett-Barese is a Financial Advisor partnered with Northwestern Mutual, helping clients build a road map for financial security and achieving their personal goals. Prior to joining Northwestern Mutual, Christy spent fourteen years working for two of the nation’s largest non-profit organizations – The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the American Red Cross, National Headquarters.

Christy’s first exposure to Rebuilding Together was working on a block build with her former employer, Georgia Pacific Corporation, in Atlanta, GA. Their team of 45 volunteers helped elderly homeowners in a tight-knit neighborhood with deferred maintenance, yard work, painting, repairing hand railings, and some roofing too. Helping these homeowners had a huge impact on Christy and led her to change her career path. She joined the staff of the American Red Cross a few years later so she could focus her work on helping people in need.

During her 14-year tenure in the nonprofit sector Christy was a successful fundraiser and public policy advocate. She helped to raise nearly $14 million from high-net worth individual donors including a national campaign to provide naming opportunities for donors at the historic American Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. She developed strategic communications, fundraising campaigns, and shaped public policy that directly impacts people’s lives.

“I have a passion for giving back to my community and to do work that helps others to have a better life,” said Christy. “I look forward to contributing my expertise and skills to Rebuilding Together-AFF.”


Lisa SmithLisa Smith is an Aging Life Care Manager™, Certified Dementia Practitioner, Virginia Licensed Social Worker and Certified Social Work Case Manager.  She’s the founder and owner of Healthcare Transition Partners, LLC. “I’m very proud and honored to have helped many families as they navigated care for their loved ones during the pandemic,” Lisa said. “It’s a beautiful thing to see a mother and daughter embrace after spending months being isolated from each other.”

Lisa has 30 years’ experience in diverse healthcare settings including 17 years as a social worker in a hospital setting. She graduated from Wright State University with a BA in Social Work and Psychology, and earned her MSM in management, specializing in Human Resources Management, from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Lisa has extensive expertise with, and deep understanding of the responsibilities of caregivers, and how to serve families by providing support and education. Her approach is to work with clients, families, caregivers and healthcare providers collectively to develop individual care plans that will meet her clients’ immediate and future needs. “Helping people and keeping our loved ones safe in their homes are my passions,” said Lisa. “I’m excited about working with Rebuilding Together to help our neighbors in need live safely. Everyone deserves a safe home.”

 

Welcome New Board Members

We are very pleased to announce that Scott E. Brideau, Tamara Fye, Shanton Kittler and Norris Middleton have joined our Board of Directors.

Scott Brideau is the Workplace Studio Principal for Little Diversified Architectural Consulting’s Arlington office. With over 35 years of experience in the industry including seven in construction, he leads a team focused on office base building, mixed use and corporate interiors. He is responsible for client relationship management, business development, project coordination and scheduling, as well as staff development and growth.

As Co-Chair of the Community Outreach Committee for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of CoreNet, Scott became familiar with RT-AFF and RT-AFF’s excellent charity ratings sold him on becoming involved with us. Scott served as the CoreNet Team Leader for two projects with RT-AFF. For their 2015 project, the team worked on one of New Hope Housing’s homes in Alexandria making electrical repairs, replacing cabinets, power washing, caulking openings and securing loose siding, and cleaning gutters to reduce insects and to prevent water from entering the group home.

Scott is founding and current Co-Chair of the Urban Land Institute Washington Sustainability Initiative Council, serves on an Arlington County Advisory Board that helped develop the 40-year comprehensive community energy sustainability plan, and is a 2018 graduate of Leadership Arlington, a nine-month program for established leaders, designed to strengthen and build community and increase the cohort’s impact on the organizations they serve.

“I am excited to join the RT-AFF board. My involvement as a team member and team leader on Rebuilding Together projects gave me a good background in the direct services that RT-AFF provides and how hands-on volunteers can make a big impact for homeowners in need and for nonprofit housing organizations,” said Scott. “I am looking forward to sharing my expertise and skills with the team. Everyone faces different challenges with the built environment and helping people live safely in their own homes is an essential community service.”

Tamara Fye is a well-respected and dedicated Licensed Nursing Home Administrator and Physical Therapist. Currently she is a consultant providing education and guidance to seniors and their families as they navigate independent living, assisted living and memory care placement. During her career she became known for creating operational stability and becoming personally engaged with the residents, families and staffs of the nursing homes where she served as Administrator or Executive Director. Her goal was to enhance successful and purposeful aging for the residents she served.

“I’m really pleased to bring my 34 years of experience and a deep understanding of seniors and their needs to Rebuilding Together – AFF,” said Tamara.

As a physical therapist Tamara developed a thorough understanding of how people move through and live in their homes and how to make homes safer. “People who choose to age in place, like many of the homeowners RT-AFF serves, have different needs than those who live in a structured environment,” Tamara said. “I feel privileged to serve on the RT-AFF board and to share my knowledge and expertise to make our community a better place for everyone.”

Shanton KittlerShanton Kittler, Senior Vice President, SBA Lending Manager at MainStreet Bank brings more than 15 years of banking experience to our board. Her passion for the small business community and her background in banking is extremely beneficial to Rebuilding Together – AFF as we continue to strengthen our financial position.

She is active in the banking community through her involvement with Business Network International, and she serves on the Board of Directors for FSC First, a certified development corporation, and Maryland Commercial Lenders Association. Shanton is also a mentor in the VBA Women’s Mentorship Pilot Program.

“I’m excited to serve on the Board of Rebuilding Together – AFF and to give back to the community, especially our seniors,” said Shanton. “As I’ve watched my mother age I’ve gained a lot of experience and understanding of the needs of seniors.” She continued saying “I’m in more of a caregiver role with my mother now, and I’ve been able to help her adapt her home to her mobility issues. I can only imagine what it’s like for seniors who don’t have families or the funds to take care of things like grab bars, high toilets and other modifications to keep them safe at home. I’m really excited to be part of the solution.”

Norris MiddletonNorris Middleton is the President and CEO of Management Support Technology, Inc, (MSTI), a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs. He has over 50 years of professional experience in project management, systems engineering and integration, design, development, life cycle methodologies, testing and documentation. Norris is a U.S. Army veteran and has been volunteering with Rebuilding Together – AFF for more than 30 years on National Rebuilding Day as a member of the Psi Alpha Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity team. He comes to our board with the highest of recommendations from long-time RT-AFF Board Member Col. (Ret.) Marion “Barney” Barnwell.

Norris brings extensive financial, strategic planning, management and mentorship skills to our Board. Norris’ management style is critical to the success of MSTI. He explained “even though we have government customers, our first customers are our employees – if they are happy, then the customers that they serve are happy resulting in excellent evaluations and recommendations.” He continued by saying “getting people to buy-in and feel as though the project is their own is critical to both my corporate work and my volunteer work.”

In addition to being a very active leader and member of Psi Alpha Alpha, Norris serves as the Treasurer for the National Veterans Small Business Coalition, Treasurer of RMOA Business Alliance and on the Board of Directors for the Bernie L. Bates Memorial Scholarship Fund.

“I’ve really enjoyed being part of National Rebuilding Day with Barney and our team,” said Norris. “Each of the projects we’ve worked on has been memorable and unique. It’s important to take care of members of our community and help make their lives easier.”