Leadership
Board and Staff Impact
board of directors
1,357
hours were contributed by board members, valued at nearly $90,000
Volunteer Team
6,327
volunteers were recruited and managed by the NVFS Volunteer Team
Staff
400+
staff members help provide the breadth and depth of services that our community needs
Board of Directors
Officers
Jennifer Lindsey, M.D., FAAP, FACC
Chair
Inova Children's Cardiology
Jennifer Lindsey, M.D., FAAP, FACC
Chair
Inova Children's Cardiology
Xenia Garofalo
Vice Chair
Eversheds Sutherland
Xenia Garofalo
Vice Chair
Eversheds Sutherland
Luanne Gutermuth
Secretary
LSG Solutions LLC & Co-Owner, Good Spirit Farm
Luanne Gutermuth
Secretary
LSG Solutions LLC & Co-Owner, Good Spirit Farm
Kevin DeSanto
Treasurer
KippsDeSanto & Co.
Kevin DeSanto
Treasurer
KippsDeSanto & Co.
Stephanie Berkowitz President & Chief Executive Officer
Stephanie Berkowitz President & Chief Executive Officer
Congratulations , NVFS President & Chief Executive Officer. The just named you to their Power 100 of 2023 as a community Advocate & Game Changer.
Stephanie Berkowitz is President & CEO of Northern Virginia Family Service, a human services organization recognized locally and nationally as a leader and innovator of social impact. NVFS delivers responsive programs that address evolving community needs, providing over 35,000 individuals and families in need each year with the essential building blocks for financial, emotional, and physical wellbeing and economic independence. Stephanie has spent her career working in the nonprofit sector building public and private partnerships, and architecting innovative responses to community needs. Stephanie’s keen business acumen coupled with her strategic leadership and focus on impact have been instrumental in NVFS’ growth and development. Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Stephanie served as the Director of the Survivors’ Fund Project, a $25 million long-term recovery program for victims of the attacks. The Survivors’ Fund became recognized nationally as a model program for community response following a disaster. Stephanie has served on numerous boards focused on strengthening the greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan region, and improving opportunities for children and families. Stephanie currently serves on the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Virginia Nonprofit Leadership Council, and Leadership Fairfax Board. Stephanie also serves on the Northern Virginia Chamber’s DE&I Advisory Board, and was appointed as an inaugural member of the Leadership Fairfax Equity Council. In 2019, Stephanie was selected as a award winner by the Washington Business Journal. Stephanie earned a BA in Psychology from Lafayette College and an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice. She loves spending time with her family, enjoys the theater, and is a lifelong tennis enthusiast. *******- Washington Business Journal
- Washington Business Journal
- Honoree
Members
Marjie Alloy Alloy Family Foundation
Marjie Alloy Alloy Family Foundation
Lynda Boggs Deloitte Consulting
Lynda Boggs Deloitte Consulting
Jessica (Jessie) Clark Carefree Boat Club
Jessica (Jessie) Clark Carefree Boat Club
Lucas Collazo, M.D. Inova/LJ Murphy Children's Hospital
Lucas Collazo, M.D. Inova/LJ Murphy Children's Hospital
Steve Gladis, Ph.D. Steve Gladis Leadership Partners
Steve Gladis, Ph.D. Steve Gladis Leadership Partners
An executive coach, author, and speaker, Dr. Steve Gladis is an authority on the subject of leadership. CEO of Steve Gladis Leadership Partners — a leadership development company — he is the author of 19 books on leadership and a professor at George Mason University. His company works with businesses, associations and U.S. government agencies, and he speaks regularly at conferences and corporate gatherings. A former faculty member at the University of Virginia, Dr. Gladis also served as an FBI special agent and was a decorated officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. His company donates a significant portion of corporate profits back to the community. His newest book, Positive Leadership: The Game Changer at Work, was released in 2013 and is available on Amazon.
Lynne Halbrooks, J.D. Nichols Liu
Lynne Halbrooks, J.D. Nichols Liu
Richmond Hill Ed.D Northern Virginia Community College
Richmond Hill Ed.D Northern Virginia Community College
Sam Hill, Ed.D. Retired
Sam Hill, Ed.D. Retired
Katie Joyce
Katie Joyce
Marc Katz Custom Ink
Marc Katz Custom Ink
Sonia McCormick PNC Financial Services Group
Sonia McCormick PNC Financial Services Group
Kris Manning Clark Construction
Kris Manning Clark Construction
L. Alexander McDonald, J.D. Capital Impact Partners
L. Alexander McDonald, J.D. Capital Impact Partners
Rose Odenyo, CPA EY
Rose Odenyo, CPA EY
Lauren Peterson The Peterson Companies
Lauren Peterson The Peterson Companies
Deborah Rosenberg Independent
Deborah Rosenberg Independent
Rene Salas, CPA Retired
Rene Salas, CPA Retired
Vandana Sinha Washington Business Journal
Vandana Sinha Washington Business Journal
Casey Veatch Veatch Commercial Real Estate
Casey Veatch Veatch Commercial Real Estate
Leadership Team
Stephanie Berkowitz President & Chief Executive Officer
Stephanie Berkowitz President & Chief Executive Officer
Congratulations , NVFS President & Chief Executive Officer. The just named you to their Power 100 of 2023 as a community Advocate & Game Changer.
Stephanie Berkowitz is President & CEO of Northern Virginia Family Service, a human services organization recognized locally and nationally as a leader and innovator of social impact. NVFS delivers responsive programs that address evolving community needs, providing over 35,000 individuals and families in need each year with the essential building blocks for financial, emotional, and physical wellbeing and economic independence. Stephanie has spent her career working in the nonprofit sector building public and private partnerships, and architecting innovative responses to community needs. Stephanie’s keen business acumen coupled with her strategic leadership and focus on impact have been instrumental in NVFS’ growth and development. Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Stephanie served as the Director of the Survivors’ Fund Project, a $25 million long-term recovery program for victims of the attacks. The Survivors’ Fund became recognized nationally as a model program for community response following a disaster. Stephanie has served on numerous boards focused on strengthening the greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan region, and improving opportunities for children and families. Stephanie currently serves on the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Virginia Nonprofit Leadership Council, and Leadership Fairfax Board. Stephanie also serves on the Northern Virginia Chamber’s DE&I Advisory Board, and was appointed as an inaugural member of the Leadership Fairfax Equity Council. In 2019, Stephanie was selected as a award winner by the Washington Business Journal. Stephanie earned a BA in Psychology from Lafayette College and an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice. She loves spending time with her family, enjoys the theater, and is a lifelong tennis enthusiast. *******- Washington Business Journal
- Washington Business Journal
- Honoree
Jacqueline Dendievel, SPHR Executive Vice President, Human Resources
Jacqueline Dendievel, SPHR Executive Vice President, Human Resources
Jacqueline Dendievel, SPHR, joined Northern Virginia Family Service as its Vice President of Human Resources in September 2013 and has served as Executive Vice President, Human Resources since 2017.
Most recently, Jacqueline was a Senior Human Resource Manager at Leidos (formerly SAIC), part of a team supporting the company’s national security sector. Prior to SAIC she was a Senior Consultant with Helios HR, working with a variety of clients in the nonprofit and for-profit arenas, including healthcare, professional services, technology, higher education and international development. While at Helios, Jacqueline volunteered with NVFS, offering job preparation training for Training Futures trainees. Her career also includes positions with International Data Group (IDG), Georgetown University Medical Center, American University Career Center, and Cable Publications, Inc. Jacqueline earned an MBA from the Babson Graduate School of Business in Wellesley, Mass., and her BS in Public Relations from Boston University’s College of Communication. She holds a Certificate in Organization Development from Georgetown University, Certificate in Employee Relations from Cornell University, eCornell, Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification, and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management. She also earned a “Cours de Civilisation Francaise” certificate and diploma from La Sorbonne in Paris. She is an avid runner, with numerous marathons and other competitive races to her credit.Contact: jdendievel@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2525
Andrea Eck Executive Vice President, Programs
Andrea Eck Executive Vice President, Programs
Andrea Eck has worked in the nonprofit human service field for 25 years and has been an employee of Northern Virginia Family Service for 20 of those years. She has held several positions from direct service to executive leadership, administering programs for individuals and families with low incomes in Northern Virginia. As the executive vice president of programs, Andrea provides critical leadership in the key areas of strategic planning, program development, quality assurance and grants administration. Andrea has a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Marymount University in Arlington, VA., and a master’s degree in public administration and a certificate in nonprofit management from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.
Contact: aeck@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2601
Kathleen McMahon Executive Vice President, Development & Communications
Kathleen McMahon Executive Vice President, Development & Communications
kmcmahon@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2535
Clifford Yee Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Clifford Yee Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Clifford Yee joined Northern Virginia Family Service in March 2018 as its Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer with responsibility for the Agency’s Finance, Information Technology, Risk Management, Procurement, Facilities Management, and NVFS Ventures social enterprise functions.
Cliff brings over two decades of professional experience gained in the consulting, financial services, and nonprofit sectors delivering business results and social value. Prior to NVFS, Cliff was the Managing Director of Corporate Social Responsibility consulting services at Raffa-Marcum where he advised organizations on assessing, improving, and implementing their social impact and partnership strategies. Earlier in his career, Cliff was the SVP/Senior Director of Community Affairs & Market President Network at Capital One, a strategy consultant with CAST Management Consultants, the Associate Executive Director of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity & Foundation, and an information technology consultant with Broughton Systems.Cliff earned an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University and a BS in Business Administration cum laude from the E. Claiborne Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond. He also holds a Certificate in Social Sector Leadership from the University of California – Berkeley, a Certificate in Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School, a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is a Certified ScrumMaster with the Scrum Alliance.
Additionally, Cliff is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Greater Washington, Virginia Business magazine’s 2021 CFO of the Year (Large Nonprofit) award winner, a 2020 Washington Business Journal Minority Business Leader Award winner, a DCA Live Star Nonprofit CFO honoree, a NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award recipient, and an Adjunct Professor in Nonprofit Studies at George Mason University. In July 2020, then-Virginia Governor Northam appointed Cliff to serve on the Advisory Board on Service & Volunteerism for the Commonwealth. He was re-appointed by Governor Youngkin in 2023 and is currently Chair. Cliff also serves on the Virginia Service Foundation (Treasurer, Past Chair), Fairfax County Economic Advisory Commission, as well as the MPA Advisory Council at GMU’s Schar School of Policy & Government. His previous civic engagement includes volunteer roles with Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Omicron Delta Kappa (National Treasurer), Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington (Treasurer), Northern Virginia Workforce Development Board, Leadership Greater Washington, Tahirih Justice Center, Points of Light Civic Accelerator, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, and both his alma maters. Cliff and his wife reside in Fairfax, Virginia.
Contact: cyee@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2510
Malinda Langford Senior Vice President, Programs
Malinda Langford Senior Vice President, Programs
Malinda Langford serves as the Senior Vice President of Programs for Northern Virginia Family Service. Malinda manages the early childhood education, therapeutic foster care, and the access to health and nutrition services within the agency. Malinda previously served as training and technical assistance specialist for the Office of Head Start’s Region Three Division in Philadelphia, PA
She holds a bachelor’s degree in human relations from Trinity University in Washington, D.C., and has worked in the field of early childhood education for the past 42 years. She has one daughter who is a stage actress and resides in Los Angeles
Contact: mlangford@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2555
Sarah Crosley Vice President, Development
Sarah Crosley Vice President, Development
Contact: scrosley@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2502
Kendra Dunbar Vice President, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Kendra Dunbar Vice President, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Kendra is the vice president of equity, diversity, and inclusion and joined the NVFS community in August 2022. Previously, Kendra served as the assistant director for equity and inclusion at Fordham University, where she worked alongside the chief diversity officer to deepen Fordham’s institutional commitment to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable campus environment. Kendra focused on strengthening students’ sense of belonging, enhancing campus discourse, and advancing the development of a university-wide strategic plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Kendra is a Maryland native, committed to equity, peacebuilding, racial justice, and the transformation of communities through education, engagement, and leadership formation. She brings approximately 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, human rights, social justice education, and strategic planning to her role. Kendra has extensive domestic and international experience, having worked with communities and institutions in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the United States, and Europe. Kendra received a bachelor of arts degree from Williams College, a master of divinity from Union Theological Seminary, and a master’s of science degree in clinical mental health counseling from Loyola University Maryland.
Sara Kreitzer Vice President, Development
Sara Kreitzer Vice President, Development
Sara joined Northern Virginia Family Service in December 2018 and oversees the private fundraising efforts for the agency. A leader in the nonprofit sector for more than a decade, Sara works to create meaningful partnerships with stakeholders and donors to build capacity and drive social change. She has spent much of her career focused on corporate engagement, establishing and enhancing employee volunteer programs and cause marketing campaigns for corporations across the globe. Most recently, Sara worked for First Book, facilitating a variety of corporate partnerships aimed at providing access to educational resources for children in need. Prior to First Book, Sara worked for Volunteer Fairfax, connecting individuals and corporations with meaningful volunteer opportunities in support of local nonprofits.
Sara is originally from Madison, WI, but has called Northern Virginia home since 2011. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and History from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Sara is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Fairfax and a 2022 Northern Virginia 40 Under 40 Award recipient. She lives in Gainesville, VA with her husband, three kids, and yellow lab.
Contact: skreitzer@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2560
Jay Liverman Vice President, Technology & Workplace Solutions
Jay Liverman Vice President, Technology & Workplace Solutions
Contact: jliverman@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2532
Meredith McKeen Vice President, Programs
Meredith McKeen Vice President, Programs
Contact: mmckeen@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2574
Beth Dargatis Director, Finance
Beth Dargatis Director, Finance
Contact: bdargatis@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2511
Lane Falcon Director, Individual Giving & Major Gifts
Lane Falcon Director, Individual Giving & Major Gifts
Contact: lfalcon@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2901
Karen Horowitz Director, Community & Volunteer Engagement
Karen Horowitz Director, Community & Volunteer Engagement
Contact: khorowitz@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2626
Adrianne Hosein Director, Community Housing
Adrianne Hosein Director, Community Housing
Contact: ahosein@alfredogarrido.com, 571-356-5499
Nita Lescher Director, Therapeutic Foster Care
Nita Lescher Director, Therapeutic Foster Care
Nita Lescher is the director of the therapeutic foster care program and has been with Northern Virginia Family Service since 2014. A licensed clinical social worker, she has more than 25 years of experience serving children and families involved in the public child welfare systems in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Vermont, and Virginia.
Since earning her master’s degree in social work (MSW) at Catholic University in 1995, Nita has focused on improving the lives of underserved populations, including adults living with AIDS and children orphaned by the disease. In her current position, she leads a team of clinical case managers, foster parent trainers and recruiters who are committed to helping children/teens heal from trauma, abuse and neglect and, when it is safe and appropriate, return to live with their biological families.
Before joining NVFS, Nita did direct service work and held leadership positions at Whitman-Walker Clinic, The Consortium for Child Welfare, and Child and Family Services Agency in Washington, DC, and Maryland. As director of program planning for Children Services at American Humane Association (Denver, CO) in the early 2000s, Nita evaluated child welfare systems throughout the US. From 2004 through 2013, she served as director of the Annie E. Casey Foundations’ Casey Family Services division in Vermont.
Nita earned a bachelor’s degree in German from The College of William and Mary and a bachelor’s in fine arts from the University of Cincinnati School of Design, Architecture and Art.
Contact: nlescher@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2505
Jackie Maldonado Director, Work, Life, and Innovation
Jackie Maldonado Director, Work, Life, and Innovation
Jackie Maldonado joined NVFS in June 2022, as the director of work, life, and innovation. Jackie brings more than 19 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector focusing on health and human services.
Most recently, Jackie worked at Greater Prince William Health Center (FQHC) in Prince William County, where she held multiple positions, and most recently served as the director of public relations and community partnerships.
Jackie is a powerful advocate for communities. Her focus has been increasing awareness of all social determinants of health and ensuring communities have access to comprehensive services that lift and support individuals and families.
Jackie holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Universidad Mayor de San Simon. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and her fur babies.
Nanci Pedulla Director, Healthy Families
Nanci Pedulla Director, Healthy Families
Nanci Pedulla is the director of the regional Healthy Families program and has been with Northern Virginia Family Service since 2006. Nanci has more than 35 years of experience in international and domestic agencies serving families in need.
Throughout her career, Nanci has focused on improving maternal and child health outcomes among marginalized populations in the U.S. and abroad. In her current position, Nanci leads a team of 41 Healthy Families staff, serving more than 800 vulnerable families each year in Alexandria city and Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William counties. The Healthy Families program provides intensive and comprehensive home visiting services to expectant and new parents, successfully mitigating children’s risk for poor childhood outcomes including child maltreatment.
Previously, Nanci managed reproductive health programs in Latin America for Pathfinder International and INTRAH and provided a variety of health education services to immigrant families and populations with low incomes in New York City and Washington, D.C. Nanci lived in Latin America and Europe for nearly 10 years, including a four-year tour as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, and is fluent in English and Spanish. She received a Bachelor’s degree in American Culture from Vassar College and a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in maternal and child health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Contact: npedulla@alfredogarrido.com, 571.462.7219
Michael Perini, Ph.D. Director, Quality Assurance
Michael Perini, Ph.D. Director, Quality Assurance
Marvin Quintero Director, Community In Reach
Marvin Quintero Director, Community In Reach
Marvin A. Quintero is the Director of Community In Reach at Northern Virginia Family Service. He leads a fantastic team helping individuals and communities impacted by a lack of resources and investments. This department will leverage outreach and resource navigation to conduct in-reach in specific, targeted neighborhoods, and partner with residents and other trusted stakeholders to build and strengthen community resiliency.
Marvin has more than 20 years of professional experience in human services in management, healthcare, and human resources. He has served as chief business officer at HealthWorks for Northern Virginia, director of human resources at Bluepoint Medical Associates, and most recently at Inova’s Ambulatory Patient Relations Department. Marvin believes all stakeholders deserve the finest support and service, including clients, community leaders and partners, volunteers, and coworkers. He loves to be a resource for his team and superiors, supporting common goals that promote a thriving community and environment.
Marvin holds a business administration bachelors’ degree from Washington Adventist University, summa cum laude, and received his MBA in medical services management from the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School.
Marvin has lived in Northern Virginia for most of his life. Marvin enjoys volunteering at a local food bank every Saturday, hiking in the local parks, and cooking for his family.
Contact: mquintero@alfredogarrido.com
Kate Reen Director, Youth Initiatives
Kate Reen Director, Youth Initiatives
Contact: kreen@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2808
Madeline Robison Director, Human Resources
Madeline Robison Director, Human Resources
Madeline Robison is the human resources director and joined NVFS in November 2017. Madi enjoys managing employee benefits and wellbeing programs. Prior to joining NVFS, Madi worked in employee benefits for nearly five years and spent a majority of that time in the role of population health management director, developing customized wellness programs with employers she supported.
As a champion of NVFS’ five-dimensional wellbeing model, Madeline enjoys facilitating NVFS’ internal Wellbeing Committee, a group of employees from across programs and departments. This group of well-being champions develops and communicates activities that will best support health and wellness across the agency.
Madi earned her bachelor of arts degree in integrative studies from George Mason University and her master of arts in human resource management from Marymount University. She enjoys practicing and teaching yoga, hiking the great outdoors, and trying new activities with her husband and two daughters.
Contact: mrobison@alfredogarrido.com
Paola Sandoval-Moshenberg Director, Multicultural Center
Paola Sandoval-Moshenberg Director, Multicultural Center
Contact: psandoval@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2827
Charlene Sarmiento Director, Marketing & Communications
Charlene Sarmiento Director, Marketing & Communications
Anna Shermeyer Director of Grants Administration
Anna Shermeyer Director of Grants Administration
Anna joined Northern Virginia Family Service in January 2018 and transitioned into the role of Director of Grants Administration in May 2022. Anna is responsible for oversight and management of the agency’s government grants and contracts, serving as a compliance resource to administrative leadership to assess, elevate, and manage agency workflows pertaining to grants administration. Prior to assuming this role, Anna authored and guided the development of grant proposals for private, local, state, and federal grant opportunities in collaboration with NVFS program, finance, and leadership teams.
Before relocating to Northern Virginia, Anna worked at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia where she supported strategic initiatives, developed new academic programs, and managed academic enrichment programs. She earned both her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Master of Business Administration from Widener University. Anna is the current Chair of the Widener-PMC Alumni Council.
In her spare time, you can find Anna spending time with her family, reading, hiking, baking pies, and/or watching the Phillies.
Glenda Blake Senior Advisor, EDI
Glenda Blake Senior Advisor, EDI
Contact: gblake@alfredogarrido.com, 571.748.2575