Bridging Communities Welcome Breakfast ~ A HUGE Success!

“We are so thrilled that the event was both a friend raiser and fundraiser”

Thank you to everyone who joined us for NVMS Conflict Resolution Center’s Bridging Communities Welcome Breakfast yesterday, including our distinguished speakers, table ambassadors, sponsors and generous individual donors, and members of the Route 1 community. Close to 100 guests attended, from a registered guest list of 110, including panel participant Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano, Virginia Senator Adam Ebbin, Virginia Delegate Paul Krizek, Fairfax County Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck and Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk, and Fairfax County School Board Mount Vernon District Member Karen Corbett Sanders. Our event was a huge success! The life stories shared by community members Articia Harrington of Washington, DC, and Emran Mohammed of the City of Alexandria, VA, touched nerves, warmed hearts, and inspired guests to offer ideas for collaboration and partnerships that NVMS can pursue to serve many more young audiences. More photos will be coming soon! Our Welcome Breakfast was both a friend raiser and fundraiser. We were gratified to meet members of the education communities, faith groups, nonprofit organizations, businesses, elected officials, and many more. As a fundraiser, close to $8,000 was donated – an impressive start for our first in-person event. Thank you to all our generous sponsors and supporters. It’s easy to make an online gift here. Additional donations today are most needed and welcome. Funding will provide community education training and facilitation that NVMS will offer to local residents, such as Coming Through the Pandemic, a community conversation with law enforcement that NVMS is coordinating with a local Fairfax County church on Thursday, Nov. 3. Speaker Biographies   Arleen Ramirez Borysiewicz, Executive Director, NVMS Conflict Resolution Center. Arleen has extensive nonprofit experience, with expertise in management, fundraising, external affairs, community relations, board development, branding, and marketing. She previously worked at United Community, Ayuda, and The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars.   Tygiia Carter, Student. Tygiia recently completed the Peer-To-Peer Mediation Training at the Alexandria City Public Schools in partnership with NVMS Conflict Resolution Center.   Hon. Steve Descano, Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney. Steve Descano is a veteran, former federal prosecutor, husband, and father. Steve has a reform agenda aimed at mitigating racial and socioeconomic disparities and countering mass incarceration in Fairfax County’s Justice System. Under his leadership, the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney has stopped requesting cash bail, implemented a new sentencing policy to address mass incarceration, and restructured the office to produce accountability around reforms, among other initiatives.   Geoffrey Drucker, Board President. Geoff is the Senior Director of the American Health Lawyers Association’s Dispute Resolution Service. He teaches mediation at the George Washington University School of Law. He presided over the transition of NVMS Conflict Resolution Center to a new name and new executive director. He also helped shape a new fundraising strategy geared toward community foundations.   Hon. Rodney Lusk, Lee District Board Supervisor. Prior to his election as Lee District Supervisor, Rodney served Fairfax County for 32 years as an employee in various roles, including delivering human services along the Historic Richmond Highway Corridor, serving on the staff of two former members of the Board of Supervisors, and as National Marketing Director for the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. Articia Harrington, Community Member. Articia is a University of District of Columbia student who benefited from restorative practices.   Susan Shearouse, Adjunct Instructor, American University. As a graduate student at George Mason University, Susan helped to found Northern Virginia Mediation Service (NVMS) more than 30 years ago. She has served as executive director of the National Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution and on the Advisory Board of the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University.   Hon. Dan Storck, Mount Vernon District Supervisor. Now in his second term, Supervisor Storck leads the Fairfax Green Initiatives, Embark and revitalization of Richmond Highway, Strategic Economic Development Taskforce, Tourism Taskforce, renovation of the original Mount Vernon High School, approval of the new Lorton Community Center and South County Police and Animal Shelter, and renovation of the Lorton Library.   John Thompson, Restorative Justice Specialist. John recently retired from the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Intake Office, where we worked as restorative justice coordinator and specialist. NVMS is awarding the 2022 Richard Bernhart Lifetime Achievement Award to John in recognition of his remarkable dedication and success in providing juveniles opportunities for a second chance. A Big Thank You To Our Event Sponsors   Community Bridgebuilder Eric and Georgene Assur Bob’s Printing Panera Bread – Carlyle Street, Alexandria Randy Jones Toll   Neighborhood Advocate Geoffrey Drucker CoreVision LLC, Tracey Cairnie Eleanor Saslaw   Peacemaker Arleen and Eric Borysiewicz Costco – Richmond Highway Party Depot – Hybla Valley Plaza Special thanks to the Hybla Valley Community Center for hosting our event!

Your Donations Are Still Needed

Additional donations today are most needed and welcome. Funding will provide community education training and facilitation that NVMS will offer to local residents, such as Coming Through the Pandemic, a community conversation with law enforcement that NVMS is coordinating with a local Fairfax County church on Thursday, Nov. 3.