The honorees for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 40 under 40 awards will be celebrated at a reception, sponsored by Potomac Conference Center, to be held July 27 at the United Way Worldwide building.
The 40 under 40 program was established in 2016 by the chamber to recognize top men and women, age 40 and under, engaged in a variety of fields including business, technology, nonprofit management, civic life, public service, education, and the arts, who are shaping Alexandria for the future.
Andrew D. Watson
Andrew D. Watson, the recipient of the 2015 Art Education Technology Outstanding Teacher Award from the National Art Education Association, is a leading arts educator. As the fine arts instructional specialist for the Alexandria City Public Schools, he supervises the curriculum and professional development of the ACPS art, music, and theatre teachers. He regularly writes and speaks on issues involving design thinking, arts integration, and STEAM education. He is a founding member of the board of directors for the Innovation Collaborative and previously served as an advisor to the National Art Honor Society and the Smithsonian Institute's National Portrait Gallery.
Aseel Elborno
Aseel Elborno is the executive director for MAS DC Community Center. In this capacity, she reports directly to the board of trustees and has overall strategic and operational responsibility of the chapter and the execution of its mission. She is responsible for the development and execution of MAS DC’s community center programs in addition to developing and expanding its members, core staff, volunteers, and the community it serves. Elborno did her graduate studies in political communication at Johns Hopkins University and earned her BA in political science from North Carolina State University.
Bill Rausch
Bill Rausch is executive director at Got Your 6. He is a former Army major with 10 years of service including 17 months in Iraq serving under Generals Casey and Petraeus. Rausch is an active Alexandria community leader serving as chapter captain for Team RWB, member of the board of directors at Volunteer Alexandria, and recently appointed by the city manager as a board member of the Veterans Commission Advisory Group. He received his Bachelor of Science in Geospatial Information Science from the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. He lives in Alexandria with his wife and son.
Brent McKenzie
Brent McKenzie's career and public service have been dedicated to improving the lives of children. Growing up in Virginia Beach, he was one of the youngest elected officials in that city’s history, winning a seat on the School Board at 30. Today, he and his wife, Anna, live in the Quaker Hill neighborhood with their daughter, Sorrell. He is the chief of staff to state Sen. Dave Marsden, where he leads efforts to improve education opportunities for all students and reform Virginia’s criminal justice system. Previously, he was a high school leadership teacher and a former member of the Governor’s Advisory Board on Juvenile Justice.
Brian Kearney
Brian Kearney is the COO of Kearney & Company, a CPA firm with over 600 employees headquartered in Alexandria. He is committed to the firm’s mission of making Kearney a “Best Place to Work.” As a result, Kearney is a major player in Federal financial management. He graduated from George Washington University in 2006 with an MBA. He received his BA from George Mason University. A dedicated volunteer, Kearney donates his time as a fundraiser and coach to non-profit organizations and area schools. He enjoys spending time with his wife, two daughters as well as traveling and playing golf.
Craig Fifer
Craig Fifer is the communications director for the City of Alexandria, where he has worked since 2003. He is a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for children, served on the United Way Regional Council, and volunteers in politics and his faith community. He co-chairs the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership’s regional board, served on the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council, and was president of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government. Fifer holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in public administration from GMU. In his free time, he is a Nationals season ticketholder and an inconsistent triathlete.
Crystal Nosal
Crystal Newcombe Nosal balances work in policing and crisis communication as commander of the Public Information Office for the Alexandria Police Department. She has significantly expanded the department’s use of social media and online interactions with the Alexandria community. She was formerly a police officer for neighboring Arlington County, where she was a patrol officer, crime-scene investigator and a public information officer. While with Arlington, she received two valor awards and a law enforcement commendation.She graduated from Mary Baldwin College and the Virginia Women’s Institute of Leadership and served on the MBC Alumni board of directors for six years.
David Lord
David Lord is a senior assistant commonwealth’s attorney for the City of Alexandria and has been employed as a prosecutor for 11 years. Lord presently supervises the Violent Crimes/Narcotics Unit. He teaches extensively in the fields of legal ethics, white collar crime, and the prosecution of sexual offenses. He has previously worked as an adjunct professor in Appellate Writing for George Mason University’s School of Law. He attends Wesley Theological Seminary during the evenings and is a member of Commonwealth Baptist Church in Alexandria. He is also the current president of the Alexandria Bar Association.
David Ramos
David Ramos joined BB&T Bank in 2007. His experience consists of mortgage credit underwriting, retail branch management and small business lending. Today, he is responsible for the bank’s multicultural banking operations for five of the corporation’s mid-Atlantic regions.
In 2016, he was appointed by Governor McAuliffe to serve on the board of commissioners of the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) to help Virginians attain quality, affordable housing. Ramos serves on The Chief’s Council on Diversity Recruitment for Fairfax County Police Department and the board of directors of Ayuda, offering legal and social services to low-income immigrants in the Washington, D.C. community.
Elizabeth Bennett Parker
Elizabeth Bennett Parker is the co-director of Together We Bake, a nonprofit job training and personal development program for women in need of a second chance. She also serves on Alexandria’s Commission on Employment. She is the founder of Fruitcycle, a social enterprise providing second chances for women who need them and for fruit that would have otherwise gone to waste. She previously served as the director of communications and outreach for the United States Healthful Food Council. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Cornell University, is a former Fulbright Fellow, and has a Master’s in the anthropology of food.
Emily McMahan
Emily McMahan is the executive director of Capitol Post and Bunker Labs DC. Capitol Post is 501(c)(3) that inspires veterans and spouses to find clarity professionally to achieve fulfillment. In addition to providing modern co-working space, Capitol Post is also the host of Bunker Labs DC, a 501(c)(3) that empowers veterans as leaders in entrepreneurship and innovation. After graduating from West Point, McMahan was commissioned as a military police officer, and her military experience includes deployments supporting Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Noble Eagle. She holds an MBA from UVA’s Darden School of Business and a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point. She is an active member of the local community with her husband and three children.
Erica Russell
Erica A. Russell received her B.A. in speech communications and theatre (2005) and M.A.Ed. in exercise science (2007) from Tennessee State University. She works with United Way of the National Capital Area (Washington, D.C.) as a community impact manager and as an adjunct professor in the Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Department at Northern Virginia Community College (Alexandria). She serves on the Dance Place, center of dance activity, board of directors (Washington, D.C.). Her first love for ballet developed her appreciation of the health benefits related to the fine art and sparked her commitment to promoting physical activity.
Fernando M. Torrez
Fernando Torrez is a natural born leader who honorably served in the United States Air Force. In 2003 he was awarded Supply Airman of the Year, the highest worldwide award within Air Force Space Command.
Fernando founded NanoTech in 2008, a firm which provides IT services and network security while supporting small and mid-size business in the metropolitan area. Torrez is very involved in local community. He is a board member of the Alexandria Sheriff's Office's Correctional Services Advisory Board, the Government Relations Committee for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and also serves in the Alexandria Commission on Employment, Department of Community and Human Services & Center for Economic Support.
Hope Nelson
Hope Nelson, 36, is a marketing manager at The Motley Fool. A native of Tallahassee, Fla., she earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees at Florida State University. She is also the “Appetite” columnist for the Alexandria Gazette Packet and a longtime volunteer at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. She lives in Old Town with her husband, Michael Pope, and their cats, Humboldt and Pliny.
Ingris M. Chavez Moran
Ingris Moran born and raised in Arlandria-Chirilagua neighborhood. Her parents arrived in the late 1980s from El Salvador. She joined Tenants and Workers United youth group in high school to ensure that Alexandria City Public Schools were providing a high-quality education for youth of color. She was also involved in 2007-08 with New Virginia Majority and coordinated with teams of canvassers that encouraged local residents to vote. While in VCU she was 1 in 12 founding sisters to have created a chapter (Zata Alpha) on campus of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Incorporated. She currently enjoys working to organize youth in Alexandria, and continues to facilitate leadership development skills for youth of color in the city.
Jeff Swedarsky
Founder/president, largest Food Tour company in North/South/Central America, with seven-figure annual revenues. Averaging 30 percent annual growth since founding in 2008. Manages a team of 100-plus in 24 cities nationwide. Established sister companies, 4Lobe, WelcomeDMC, GimmelTravel, and Thirst to focus on events, Destination Management, International Tours and Crawls. Highlighted by local, national, and international media in tourism and entrepreneurship. Noted speaker on tourism/entrepreneurship, and arm/hand transplants. A second-term ACVA board member. Former board member, DC Event Planners Association. Former amputee and recipient of rare arm transplant, continues to work to overcome complex rehab and chronic pain, while leading and growing the FTC4Lobe Group.
Jennifer Mellon
Jennifer Mellon is the founder of Trustify, the first technology platform to connect clients and businesses across the United States to a nationwide network of highly vetted private investigators. Previously, Mellon served as executive director of Joint Council on International Children’s Services based in Alexandria and program director for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. Trustify is the third company she founded. She is also the founder of Aqua Pure Technologies and Oh My Darling Designs. She is a graduate of Bucknell University and currently working on her MBA. She resides in Alexandria with her husband, Danny Boice and their five children.
Jesse O'Connell
Jesse O’Connell is a deputy director at Lumina Foundation, a private foundation committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all Americans. O’Connell leads work to develop and support models of postsecondary finance as well as advance federal policy to increase the attainment of high-quality credentials. Prior to joining Lumina, he served as the assistant director for federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. He holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, and was an All-American as a member of the track and field team. In addition to his professional work, he is involved in his community of Alexandria where he lives with his wife and two children.
Jessica Ruth Killeen
Jessica Ruth Killeen graduated from James Madison University, cum laude, and from the University of Maryland School of Law. Killeen is a community activist, volunteering with the Alexandria Democratic Committee, Alexandria Bar Association, Alexandria Sister Cities Committee, her church Fairlington United Methodist and as a mentor to a young girl with Space of Her Own. Killeen is a native of Alexandria, product of Alexandria City Public Schools and an attorney at Rich Rosenthal Brincefield Manitta Dzubin & Kroeger, LLP.
Jordan L. Costen
Jordan L. Costen wears several hats. The first and most prominent is as manager of a Service Delivery Management Team for NTT America. Another hat he wears is as entrepreneur and real estate investor. In 2012 he launched Alexandria City Properties, LLC which oversees the day-to-day management of condos in the Virginia and Washington, D.C. area. Lastly, he is the founding executive director of a nonprofit, Safe Space, Inc. which provides positive programming for LGBT+ youth. Costen holds a BA in TV Production from Howard University and a MA in Public Communications from American University.
Joseph J. Valenti
For over a decade, Joe Valenti has advanced the cause of economic fairness and inclusive finance. He is the director of Consumer Finance at the Center for American Progress. Prior to joining CAP in 2012, he held research and policy roles at the U.S. Treasury Department, New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, and the Aspen Institute, and was a graduate intern for the U.S. Senate Banking Committee under Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-CT). From 2012 to 2016, he served on the Alexandria Economic Opportunities Commission, including two years as chair. He holds degrees from Columbia and Georgetown universities.
Karim Guirguis
Karim Guirguis is chief strategic and innovation officer of the American Bankruptcy Institute. As the CSIO, Guirguis provides vision and leadership in transforming and conducting the company's internal and external technology and develops strategic partnerships with major firms in the insolvency industry. Guirguis’s work has earned several awards from his peers, including the prestigious Horizon Award for ABI’s video honoring its founders, as well as the Webby Award for his work with Tiffany Inc. and Polo.com. He is a regular presenter on cutting-edge technology issues for professional educators such as the American Society of Association Executives, where he serves on its technology board. Guirguis received his Master’s from George Mason University and his B.S. from Cambridge University in England and currently is in an executive MBA program at the Harvard Business School.
Kathy Dalby
Kathy Dalby serves as CEO for Pacers Running, a specialty retail, events, and media company. Her responsibilities include: lead on strategy development and execution of high level objectives for all Pacers Running business units; serves as chief creative and marketer for branding and integrated marketing efforts; oversees business operations and administration including legal and finance; is the managing partner of Pacers Events, its race management division; and is publisher of the award-winning publication, RunWashington. Pacers Running also hosts the largest road race in the City of Alexandria, the George Washington Parkway Classic, benefiting the Boys & Girls Club. She has 20 years experience in the run specialty industry and was named to the SGB 40 under 40 in 2016.
Katie Linn Leonard
Katie Leonard, MAURP, MPH, AICP works to achieve equitable mental, physical, and social health outcomes in Alexandria. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and her Master of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Florida. She later received her Master of Public Health from the University of South Florida where she specialized in Socio-Health Sciences. She also holds a certificate in Community Real Estate Development from the University of South Florida and is a certified urban planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Kelly Booz
Spanning a full career in education, Kelly Carmichael Booz currently serves as associate director for the American Federation of Teacher’s ShareMyLesson.com. In the community, Booz serves as the education advisor to state Del. Mark Levine and on two community boards: Kathy Wilson Foundation and Advocates for Alexandria Aquatics. Appointed by Governor McAuliffe in 2014, she served on the Virginia Standards of Learning Innovation Committee. She was elected to the Alexandria School Board and served from 2013-2015. Working in various civic education capacities, she served as director of Civic Education at James Madison’s Montpelier and as manager of Teacher Programs at Alexandria’s Close Up Foundation. she has a M.Ed. from the University of Virginia a B.A. from Carleton College.
Lauren O'Brien
Lauren O’Brien is part of The O'Brien Team, which specializes in investment management, retirement planning, retirement income generation, and multi-generation legacy planning. The team has collectively over 35 years of wealth management experience and the distinguished credentials of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Certified Financial Planner. O'Brien's comprehensive wealth management practice showcases her family values: doing the right thing, making a difference, serving the community and forging long-term, meaningful relationships.
Lekeisha Terrell
Dr. Lekeisha Terrell M.D., is physician passionate about adolescent healthcare. She’s the medical director for Adolescent Health Services and School-Based Health Centers at Unity Health Care, serving over 100,000 patients, including 12,000 adolescents. Terrell is committed to addressing the underrepresentation of minorities in STEM professions by generating youth interest in health and STEM careers. Supporting pipeline programming and mentorship in Alexandria, she leads health career workshops, reaching over 400 youths. She currently serves as a volunteer for ASBC and director of membership for the NoVA Urban League Young Professionals Network and has been honored for her service.
Lindsey Swanson
Lindsey Swanson is a lifelong Alexandrian who helped establish her family’s charity, the Kelley Cares Foundation, after her sister Kelley’s tragic passing in 2006. Lindsey has served as the executive director since its founding in 2006, successfully organizing and fundraising for many projects benefiting the Therapeutic Recreation Program of Alexandria. She also serves as the vice-chair of the Miracle League of Alexandria, the volunteer chair for Art on the Avenue, was a Planning District II representative with the Alexandria Parks & Recreation Commission, and also served on the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria Gala Committee.
Matthew Stensrud
Matthew Stensrud moved to Alexandria after receiving his music education degree with Distinguished Honors from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He has served as general music teacher for a Title I elementary school in Fairfax County since 2010 and is joining the ACPS music team at George Mason elementary this fall. He is certified in Orff Schulwerk, is on the national Orff Editorial Board, and he provides graduate-level professional development to teachers across the country. Recently, he contributed to the book “Responsive Classroom for Music, Art, PE and Other Special Areas.” As an advocate and activist, he serves as chair of Alexandria’s Commission for the Arts and is an influence leader for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Michael Detomo
Michael Detomo is a principal at Cole & Denny Architects and registered architect with 13 years of professional experience. He received his Bachelors and Masters of Architecture degrees from Virginia Tech. He is an Alexandria City Commissioner of the Arts and recently the president of the board of directors of the Torpedo Factory Art Center. As a resident of Alexandria and a member of the Del Ray Business Association, Detomo participates in community planning and policy; he is a co-author of the Waterfront Small Area Plan and a designer of the future Del Ray Splash Park & Dunning Garden.
Michelle Jorie Millben
After six years as a youth pastor in Oklahoma, Michelle Jorie Millben switched gears to enter the legal profession. After law school she served an advisor to the chairman of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, an attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, and most recently served in the White House as an advisor to President Barack Obama. She served on Alexandria’s Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board, and remains an advocate for affordable housing. She is an associate minister at the Alfred Street Baptist Church, where she conducts a vibrant program that welcomes over 1,000 people to Alexandria every summer.
Noraine Buttar
Noraine Buttar serves as the youth development team leader within the city’s Department of Community and Human Services, where she leads a team of eight individuals, to promote healthy social emotional development of children and youth through evidence-based prevention initiatives, subsequently preventing costly risk outcomes such as alcohol and drug use, pregnancy, school drop-out, smoking and violence. Outside of work, Buttar volunteers for Alexandria’s Domestic Violence Program. She enjoys living, working, and volunteering in Alexandria. Buttar holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in public health from The George Washington University.
Paul Holland
Paul Holland is a senior analyst for Marstel-Day, where he provides strategic planning and analytical advisory services to federal clients on conservation and environmental security policy. A lifelong resident of Northern Virginia, he chaired the Arlington County Park and Recreation Commission from 2011-2013, where he worked closely with park leaders in Alexandria on the Four Mile Run Restoration project. In 2014, he was a candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates and was appointed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe to serve on the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin. He lives with his wife and two children in Arlington.
Peter Balas
Peter Balas earned a BA in history from Hofstra University. Balas became the principal at Mount Vernon Community School in 2012, and is now in his 15th year of service with Alexandria City Public Schools. He started his ACPS career as a ninth grade teacher at Minnie Howard School in 2001 and became an administrator at T.C. Williams High School in 2007. He has earned two MA degrees in education from George Mason University. As a transformational school leader, Balas views a collaborative school environment as the key to creating successful teachers and students. Under Balas’ leadership Mount Vernon Community School improved overall operations, student achievement, and staff retention rates. In 2017 Balas was named principal at T.C. Williams High School.
Quan Leysath
As the manager of Operations Support Team at Alexandria-based National Industries for the Blind (NIB), Quan Leysath works to create and maintain employment opportunities for people who are blind by breaking down the barriers people encounter looking for employment. He graduated from Winthorp University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and worked in banking before moving to Virginia to work for NIB. He started as a price analyst and was promoted to his current managerial position. He is currently pursuing his MBA from LSU Shreveport. His wife Priscilla and daughter Helen reside with him in Manassas.
Randy Borland
Randy Borland is a personable and innovative IT professional leader with 20-years experience mentoring personnel, managing resources, knowledgeable in information technology policy and other telecommunications matters related to cybersecurity, national security, and homeland security matters. Senior technical expert in communications security, records management, security planning and evaluation, and incident detection, reporting and evaluation. Enjoys inspiring others, and coaching them along their journey towards achieving their personal goals and their organization’s objectives. Awarded the 2017 Copernicus Award by AFCEA and the U.S. Naval Institute for specific and demonstrable contributions to the advancement of communications security. Serves on the ACPS Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee.
Ryan Michael Hayes
Ryan Michael Hayes has endeavored to be a leader in every aspect of his professional, personal, cultural, and philanthropic life. He is a leading event and wedding planner for corporations, non-profits, cultural institutions, and personal social events. He is an unrepentant cultural evangelist; volunteering with local arts organizations in musical theater, dance, Shakespeare, and visual art. He also serves as executive producer for the Chance for Life Foundation's annual benefit for childhood cancer research. Hayes is a proud graduate of American University and currently serves as director of Strategic Partnerships and Event Management at RedPeg Marketing in Alexandria.
Sean Kumar
Sean Sullivan Kumar was born in Alexandria, living in Del Ray until joining the Army JAG Corps in 2010. He graduated from T.C. Williams, UVA, and Richmond Law. Before joining the Army he practiced law, volunteered as a voter protection attorney, advisor/treasurer for Mayor Euille, served on the DASH board of directors, and chaired the Alexandria Transportation Commission. He worked as a prosecutor and operational law attorney serving in Korea, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. He is the JAG for the Old Guard and will begin his MBA at UVA this summer. He is on the BZA and NOVA Parks Board.
Shanyn Ronis
Shanyn Ronis is the founder and executive director of the Education Global Access Program (E-Gap). She is a member of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2017, a finalist for the Forbes $1 Million Change the World Award, and winner of the 2015 $50,000 Gifted Citizen Award for her work in international education. Her works are published in the Huffington Post, Devex, and the World Post. An anthropologist by training, she holds a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago. Ronis is fluent in German and Spanish.
Thomas Park
Tommy Park was hired as Alexandria Soccer Association's executive director in 2011 as their first ever full time employee. Alongside the board of directors he developed a new vision for better supporting the community pulling from his experiences at nationally recognized DeMatha H.S. and D.C. United. In the Georgetown University Sports Industry Management program he learned best practices across all business focus areas that guided his strategic plan for ASA. Since 2011, ASA has doubled in capacity now serving over 4,000 youths year round with over 500 volunteers, a full time staff of 10 and 50 part-time staff coaches.