Washington Life Magazine - November 2019

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Innovators Rob Lake, Randy Altschuler and Perianne Boring

INNOVATORS & DISRUPTORS The Capital-Area Entrepreneurs Leading Change

Consumer Tech Trends and Climate Innovation at Area Colleges NATIONALS PRIDE: World Series Fan Elation CHAMPION CHAT: The Mystics’ Elena Delle Donne MY WASHINGTON: Rapper Wale

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EDITOR'S LETTER

'Ride to Thrive' Polo Classic ................................ Rock Creek Conservancy Gala ................................

FEATURES

Junior Achievement of Greater Washington Dinner ....

INNOVATORS & DISPRUPTORS

Children's National Heroes Gala ..........................

Diverse Faces in Tech ...........................................

CLIMATE CRISIS Innovation at Local Universities .. TREND REPORT Consumer Tech Trends ...........

FYIDC SOCIAL CALENDAR ................................... FYIDC ...........................................................

CHAMPION CHAT Washington Mystics' Elena Delle Donne ...................

NATIONALS PRIDE World Series Mania ..........

POLLYWOOD EMBASSY ROW Michelin Guide Party ............ National Symphony Orchestra Gala ....................... Elizabeth Dole Foundation's Heroes & Historymakers Gala ............................................ USAgainstAlzheimer's Gala ................................ International Student House Awards Dinner ............

Boys & Girls Club National Youth of the Year .........

LIFESTYLES FASHION Celebrating the '90s ..........................

WASHINGTON SOCIAL DIARY OVER THE MOON ..................................... Community of Hope's 'Night of Hope' ......................

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EverFi's 10th Anniversary ................................... Redskins Fashion Show ...................................... V Foundation Benefit in Napa .............................

PARTIES PARTIES PARTIES .........................

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HOME LIFE INSIDE HOMES Evelyn Tee and Daryl Sng's Tudor . REAL ESTATE NEWS ................................... OPEN HOUSE ............................................... MY WASHINGTON Multi-platinum rapper Wale ... COVER: Innovators Rob Lake, Randy Altschuler and Perianne Boring (Photo by Tony Powell); TOP LEFT: The Washington Nationals' first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and his wife, Heather, pose with the World Series Trophy after the team's win against the Houston Astros. (Heather Zimmerman/ Twitter); Washington Redskins' Vernon Davis and cheerleaders at the team's annual fashion show. (Photo by Vithaya Phongsavan); Washington Mystics' forward and WNBA league MVP Elena Delle Donne (Photo Courtesy Mystics); REBECCA MINKOFF Always on power tassel keychain ($50); Nordstrom, Pentagon City; Innovator Chip Paucek (Photo by Tony Powell); FASHION (Photo by Bruce Allen)

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T H E I N S I D E R’S G U I D E TO P OW E R , P H I L A N T H R O PY, A N D SO C I E T Y S I N C E 1 9 9 1

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Nancy Reynolds Bagley SENIOR EDITOR

Kevin Chaffee MANAGING EDITOR

Catherine Trifiletti EDITOR

Dara Klatt CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Roland Flamini ASSISTANT EDITOR

Katelyn Rutt COLUMNISTS AND CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Janet Donovan, Steve Houk,Vicky Moon, Stacey Grazier Pfarr and Donna Shor ART DIRECTOR

Matt Rippetoe PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Tony Powell CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Joy Asico, Ben Droz, Alfredo Flores,Yasmin Holman Naku Mayo,Vithaya Phongsavan, and Jay Snap

PUBLISHER & CEO

Soroush Richard Shehabi SALES AND MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE

John Arundel BOOKKEEPER

Tomeka Tolson WEB TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPMENT

Eddie Saleh,Triposs Mihail Iliev LEGAL

Mason Hammond Drake, Akerman, LLP EDITORIAL INTERN

Alexis McCowan

FOUNDER

Vicki Bagley CREATIVE DIRECTOR EMERITUS (*)

J.C. Suarès CHAIRMAN, EXECUTIVE BOARD

Gerry Byrne Washington Life magazine publishes ten times a year. Issues are distributed in February, March, April, May, June, July/August, September, November, and December and are hand-delivered on a rotating basis to over 150,000 homes throughout D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland. Additional copies are available at various upscale retailers, hotels, select newstands, and Whole Foods stores in the area. For a complete listing, please consult our website at www.washingtonlife.com. You can also subscribe online at www.washingtonlife.com or send a check for $79.95 (one year) to: Washington Life Magazine, 2301 Tracy Place NW, Washington D.C., 20008. BPA audited. Email us at info@washingtonlife.com with press releases, tips, and editorial comments. Copyright ©2011 by Washington Life. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial content or photos in any manner without permission is strictly prohibited. Printed in the United States. We will not be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. *deceased

EDITOR’S LETTER

FAST COMPANIES: WHO’S NEW AND WHAT’S NEXT A

mid the roiling political rancor of a capital in crisis there’s another sector where the news is almost always positive—the dynamic technology and start-up ďŹ rms. Led by an increasing number of local innovators, their ideas are creating products and services that could make a profound difference in our lives. These include exciting advances in STEM tools for kids, manufacturing efďŹ ciencies, services for working moms and wearable tech, as well as efforts to protect the environment, provide food for the hungry and ensure children’s safety (to name but a few). These titans of tech see a problem, create a solution and passionately strive to deliver. This is our ďŹ fth annual issue dedicated to innovators and disruptors, and those we’ve selected for our current issue are also noted for their diversity of backgrounds, ideas, funding journeys and pathways to success. Chip Paucek, for example, not only founded the digital higher ed company 2U nearly 12 years ago but has seen it through an IPO and the swings of setbacks and successes. Angel Rich, described by Fortune as “the next Steve Jobs,â€? candidly discusses discrimination in the tech ďŹ eld and the gumption to combat it. We also heard from former felon Marcus Bullock, who became inspired with justice reform and prison “connectivity.â€? These and the others spotlighted on our pages prove that innovation truly does live here. Our November issue also highlights cool new apps, trending tech accessories, modern architecture and local universities spearheading climate innovation. With the Nationals’ World Series win and the Mystics’ WNBA championship title under our belt, we are thrilled to highlight our local sports champions in FYIDC. Plus, we’ll take you into the elegant events of the season, including the WL-sponsored National Symphony Orchestra Gala, the International Student House Global Leadership Awards, and the Boys & Girls Club of America’s National Youth of the Year Gala. Next month look out for our coverage of THEARC and the David Lynch Foundation’s “Silence the Violenceâ€? concert, the Meridian Ball and National Portrait Gallery’s American Portrait Gala.

Nancy R. Bagley Editor in Chief Readers wishing to contact Nancy Bagley can email her at nbagley@washingtonlife.com

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Washington Life salutes our hometown team The Nationals for bringing home the World Series for the ďŹ rst time to the city since 1924. Hats o to ďŹ rst baseman Ryan Zimmerman, nicknamed “Mr. National,â€? a member of the Nats since 2005, when he was the team’s ďŹ rst ever dra pick when the franchise moved here from Montreal. Ryan posed for our cover in Summer 2015 -- the Nationals 10 year anniversary -- and has raised millions for charity over the years with his zIMS Foundation, dedicated to ďŹ nding a cure for Multiple Sclerosis.

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FYIDC | SOCIAL CALENDAR

FLI CKS4CHANGE FILM FESTIVAL Now in its second year, the festival will screen captivating international films that highlight various social issues facing the world today. After the screenings, guests will engage in town hall-style panel discussions with filmmakers, leading community activists and guests. Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center; 1:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.; $20; contact James Hawthorn james@flicks4change.org; visit flicks4change.org for more information.

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FIG HT NIGHT 2019 This festive event features boxing matches, silent and live auctions and a musical performance to raise funds for Fight For Children’s mission to foster the physical, social-emotional, and academic development of current and aspiring student athletes including quality youth sports programming in high-need communities throughout the District. Washington Hilton; 6:00 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.; black-tie; tables starting at $10,500; sponsorships start at $35,000; contact Judy Wrench (202) 772-0417, judy.wrench@FightForChildren.org.

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LAB SCHOOL OF WASHINGTON GALA The school’s mission is to unlock each child’s full potential by providing tools and resources for students with learning differences. The gala will highlight the exceptional services the Lab School has offered students for more than 45 years. National Building Museum; 6:00 p.m.; $275; sponsorships start at $7,500; contact Dia Ruocco (202) 944-2204, dia.ruocco@labschool.org.

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and its affiliates around the world. Proceeds benefit Mentor Foundation USA, which raises awareness about the importance of positive youth development and drug prevention at local and global levels. Embassy of Sweden;VIP reception 6:00 p.m.; dinner and dancing 7:00 p.m.; black-tie optional; $200; sponsorships start at $2,500; contact (571) 458-7050, melissa@mentorfoundationusa.org,

CAP ITAL CARING’S ‘PASSION FOR CARING’ GALA Join gala co-chairpersons Sharon and Donn Davis and Danni and Dave Lougee for an inspirational evening to advance care for those facing limiting illnesses. The event will highlight the impact of generous community support on patients and families through the wide range of programs offered by Capital Caring. The Ritz-Carlton,Tysons Corner; 5:30 p.m.; cocktail attire; $400; sponsorships start at $5,000; contact Katie Tran-Lam (703) 5312386, ktranlam@capitalcaring.org.

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NAT IONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY’S AMERICAN PORTRAIT GALA The American Portrait Gala recognizes the accomplishments of notable contemporary Americans who have made an impact on our history, development, and culture. Proceeds from this biannual event strengthen the museum’s exhibition endowment, which supports compelling exhibitions that reflect the diverse and dynamic story of America. This year’s honorees include Jeff Bezos, Anna Wintour and Lin-Manuel Miranda. National Portrait Gallery; 7:00 p.m.; blacktie; $5,000; sponsorships start at $50,000; contact (202) 633-8309, NPG_Gala.si.edu.

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SAVE THE DATE

DECEMBER The Washington Business Hall of Fame Gala

INO VA HONORS DINNER The evening will recognize three outstanding teams of healthcare professionals and clinicians who put patients and families first while serving our community. The program includes dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions. The Ritz-Carlton,Tysons Corner; 6:00 p.m.; cocktail attire; $500; sponsorship starts at $3,000; contact Kara Burke (703) 289-2077, Kara.Burke@inova.org.

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MENTOR INTERNATIONAL’S 25TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY Business and government leaders will gather to celebrate the work of Mentor International

Nicole Bernard, Cierra Gallub and Nancy Brinker at the 2018 Lab School Gala

DECEMBER Imagination Stage’s Winter Ball DECEMBER The Washington Ballet’s Nutcracker Tea Party DECEMBER Children’s National ‘Light Up The Season’ DECEMBER Choral Arts Society of Washington’s Holiday Concert & Gala

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American Portrait Gala Nation Prize

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P H OTO BY TO N Y P OW E L L

NOVEMBER

FYIDC The Insider’s Guide to Washington

Presidential Playground Walking Tour & Vintage Game Night

DOMINOS & DRINKS An evening stroll, old-timey games and scandalous stories are scheduled for this history-themed event. Guests can expect an intriguing guided tour of Dupont Circle and Embassy Row before waltzing back in time to Woodrow Wilson’s post-presidential home. The walking tour concludes there with guests invited to explore the period 1920s rooms, including the room where Woodrow withdrew to play his favorite board games.Tickets are available in two package options and include drink vouchers, snacks and a chance to play Uncle Wiggly, Kan You Go, Pit and other vintage games. Nov. 6, 6-8:00 p.m.,Woodrow Wilson House, woodrowwilsonhouse.org,Tickets are $15-35.

MetroCooking DC

CULINARY EXTRAVAGANZA Experience two days of culinary heaven at the 14th annual Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show. Whether you are a home cook or an expert chef, this culinary extravaganza provides a one-of-a kind experience for foodies at all levels. Guests will enjoy cooking demos and book signings with top celebrity chefs including Martha Stewart, Wolfgang Puck, Myron Mixon and others. Local brews from the Beer,Wine and Spirits Garden will also be available to help wash down delicious eats. Get ready to sharpen your kitchen skills, take a class at the pop-up cooking school and check out the hundreds of specialty food vendors in the exhibitor marketplace. Nov. 16-17,Washington Convention Center, metrocookingdc.com.

Ivy Pull & Thanksgiving Wreathmaking Workshop

FESTIVE FUN This festive wreathmaking class centers around the beauty of 18th century English ivy at the elegant Tudor Place Historic House & Garden in Georgetown. Help groundskeepers remove as much of the ivy as possible and replace it with native groundcovers. The best part? Bring home a gorgeous wreath, just in time for the holiday season. Nov. 23, 10 a.m.,Tudor Place Historic House & Garden, tudorplace.org,Tickets $20-30.

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An Unforgettable Evening with Sophia Loren

DAZZLING VOCALS The words grace, style, beauty and artistry describe Oscar awardwinning actress Sophia Loren to a T. In this enchanting evening, Loren — dubbed as one of the great legends of the golden age of Hollywood — will captivate audiences during an intimate onstage conversation about her life alongside film clips from her career and a Q&A with the audience. Nov. 20-21, 7:30 p.m., Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, montgomerycollege.edu,Tickets start at $100.

Nat Geo Nights: Earth Innovation

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE PLANET National Geographic’s night of fun and exploration features appearances by Microsoft and National Geographic AI for Earth Innovation grantees Lisa Mandle, Africa Flores and Heather J. Lynch, who will speak about their efforts to use big data, advanced computing and machine learning to help create a more sustainable future for the world. These special monthly happy hours feature live stories from National Geographic Explorers, fun interactive activities, lively music and food and drink specials. Nov. 21, 5:30-8:30 p.m., National Geographic Campus, nationalgeographic.org,Tickets $20.

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FYIDC | MYSTICS

GIVE HER A ‘HIGH TEN’ Celebrating Elena Delle Donne and the Washington Mystics’ Championship. BY DA R A K L AT T

our bond as a whole off the court really translated to our success on it. Having Emma [Meesseman] this season was clutch—she was our missing link—and it was awesome to see that playoff grit come out of her. Tasha Cloud is hilarious and can always brighten the mood and motivate the team after a game no matter what the outcome is. These women are passionate, selfless, leaders, the best of the best. I’m really lucky to call them my teammates.

TIPS FOR THE LITTLE GIRLS OUT THERE PLAYING BASKETBALL? They can do it too. Many people will probably tell you that you can’t or that you shouldn’t but hopefully my generation and I are changing that narrative. There will be setbacks and challenges along the way but as long as you put in the work and never lose sight of what is most WHAT DOES HAVING THE WNBA CROWN—AND YOUR FIRST important to you, you’ll accomplish your dream. TITLE—MEAN TO YOU? Honestly, it means everything to me. We battled for this and the amount of work that went into making it here is WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO ENJOY MORE NOW? Because of my incredible. It’s a representation of the talent, passion and determination Lyme Disease, I have to keep a pretty strict diet, especially during the of this team. season. It’s nice to be able to indulge in a glass of red wine every now and then. THE MYSTICS AS CHAMPIONS JOIN THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS WHO WON THE STANLEY CUP IN AND THE WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO IN THE OFF-SEASON? The offWASHINGTON NATIONALS WHO JUST WON THE WORLD season gives me a huge opportunity to rest, refocus and take care of SERIES WHAT’S THE FEELING OF BEING AN ATHLETE IN THIS my body. One of the benefits of not playing overseas during this time TOWN? Oh, it’s awesome. There’s such an incredible energy in the air. is that it allows me to spend more time with my wife, my family and Washington is an amazing city full of some of the most passionate sports our dogs. fans in the country and when one of the sports teams does well, it gives all the rest the confidence and motivation to do the same. DID YOU KNOW? WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR TEAM? DESCRIBE YOUR CAMARADERIE Oh man, I mean they’re my family. Everyone plays such an important role in the dynamic of this team and I think

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Elena Delle Donne has the best career free-throw-shooting percentage in WNBA and NBA history; with 97 percent of free-throw attempts made

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P H OTO CO U RT E SY WA S H I N GTO N M YST I C S

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here’s a lot to celebrate about Elena Delle Donne. The Washington Mystics superstar and WNBA player of the year led the franchise this year to its first WNBA title—all while fighting the severe and sleep-depriving pain of three herniated disks in her back. “Tough� is almost insufficient a word to describe her Herculean battle to the career-making crown. Already a two-time WNBA Most Valueable Player and an Olympic and World Cup gold medalist, she proved that she possessed the size, strength, agility and skill to win along the regular season path. But it was the mental prowess and the meditative focus through the sting of injury that actualized this legendary champion. Now presumably sleeping more soundly with a trophy on her pillow, we caught up with Delle Donne to ask about her road to victory.

NATS PRIDE

SWEET VICTORY HT THEFIG FINISH

After 95 years, they’ve officially done it and the city couldn’t be prouder. See how some of the District’s finest cheered on the Nationals and celebrated the World Series win. >>

Wolf Trap (@wolf_trap) celebrates the big win

Local Radio Personality Tommy McFly (@mrtommymcfly) cheers on the Nationals with a group of fans

P O L A R O I D FRA M E S BY B R E NDA C L AR KE

Eun Yang (@eunyangdc) celebrates World Series week on the field

Captain (@capspup) in the Nationals Park

Mayor Muriel Bowser (@mayor_bowser) decked out in Nationals gear with her daughter Miranda

Actress Lynda Carter (@reallyndacarter) enjoys her first World Series game

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Darlene Henry (@darchud) and husband and Nationals assistant coach Brett Henry

Bret and Amy Baier (@bretbaier) (@amyhbaier)

Rep. Matt Gaetz (@repmattgaetz) with President Trump (@realdonaldtrump) and First Lady Melania Trump (@flotus) 11

POLLYWOOD The Nexus of Politics﹐ Hollywood﹐ Media and Diplomacy | International Student House Awards Dinner, BGCA Youth of the Year and more!

Savannah Guthrie, Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Dole at the Heroes & Historymakers Gala (Photo by Tony Powell)

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POLLYWOOD | EMBASSY ROW

Awards and Accolades

Envoy’s boss gets peace prize – U.K. diplomats are no-shows – No French stars in newest Michelin Guide BY ROLAND FLAMINI | PHOTOS BY BEN DROZ

Aaron Silverman of Pineapple and Pearls, Little Pearl and Rose’s Luxury

REASON TO CELEBRATE: Ethiopian Ambassador Fitsum Arega has a personal reason for cel-

ebrating the Nobel Peace Prize 2019 award to his country’s prime minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali. Prior to moving to Washington seven months ago as that country’s envoy, Arega was Abiy’s chief-of-staff. As such, the ambassador was involved in the whirlwind peace negotiations between Ethiopia and its neighbor and rival Eritrea that ended close to 20 years of border tension between the two countries and landed Abiy the prestigious Swedish prize. Arega recalled that Abiy surprised Ethiopians by calling for reconciliation talks in his inauguration speech to parliament. The Eritreans accepted, “and almost the next thing we knew we were in Asmara (capital of Eritrea) to sign the peace agreement,” Arega said. The ambassador, a British-trained economist serving in his first diplomatic post, says he is still surprised at the speed of negotiations; but they turned out to be the launching pad for Abiy’s political and economic clean-up program of the second largest country in Africa and the economic powerhouse in the Horn of Africa. Among his reforms: introducing gender parity in his cabinet. Arega said he waited up for the announcement from Stockholm, and then tweeted, “Very happy, no words to express. Congratulations

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Fiola’s Maria and Fabio Trabocchi

French Amb. Philippe Étienne hosted the 2020 Michelin Guide for Washington reception.

#Ethiopia, your noble son Abiy Ahmed Ali @PMEthiopia wins the Noble Peace Prize!” Argea points out that his prime minister beat out Swedish teenage climate change activist Greta Thunberg. “Clearly,” he said, “the Swedes wanted to avoid favoritism.” EMPTY SEAT: The British Foreign Office didn’t wait for an eventual resolution to the Brexit chaos to launch the process of extrication from the European Union. In August, British diplomats received instructions from London to stop going to regular European Union meetings in their respective capitals. As a result, Michael Tatham, deputy chief of mission and, since Sir Kim Darroch’s departure, chargé d’affaires at the British Embassy in Washington, wrote to his E.U. counterparts that “U.K. diplomats will no longer attend routine E.U. coordination meetings in Washington, or elsewhere in the U.S.” European diplomats meet regularly at different levels to discuss common issues, and, where possible, coordinate policy and strategy. For example, the head of the E.U. mission in Washington, D.C. holds a monthly breakfast for his counterparts. A European ambassador said that at the E.U. envoy’s September breakfast there was an empty chair at the table with a British flag in front of it. What were British diplomats around the globe supposed to do with the spare

time gained by not having to attend E.U. meetings? In a statement, the U.K. government has a suggestion: spend it on “pioneering new trade deals and promoting truly Global Britain.” DIPLOMATIC DINING: Something was missing at a recent reception at the French Embassy residence: French food. An array of cheeses was on offer in one salon: but they were Italian cheeses; in another room Spanish jamon serrano, carved paper thin, was served; and in the dining room, guests lined up for miniscule slices of succulent pork. Where was the residence’s legendary cuisine Française? The answer was in the nature of the occasion hosted by Ambassador Philippe Étienne and his wife Patricia: presentation of the “Michelin Guide for Washington DC” 2020 edition. Food for the reception was mainly provided by the 18 area restaurants to which Michelin inspectors, in their infinite wisdom, had awarded coveted stars for excellence, and none of the winning restaurants were French.The Inn at Little Washington retained the highest accolade—three stars. José Andrés’ Minibar and Aaron Silverman’s Pineapple and Pearls have two stars, and 15 other restaurants a star each, including Fiola, Plume and Métier. Étienne had the best line of the evening:“Diplomats and chefs have a lot in common ... they’re always cooking something up.”

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Eleanor Maguire and Amanda Marshall

Jeanne Ruesch WL SPONSORED

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA GALA

David Rubenstein and Deborah Rutter

The Kennedy Center | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL

Dave and Jamie Dorros, Damir and Amra Fazlic, Amb. of Monaco Maguy Maccario Doyle and Theo Adamstein

THE RIGHT NOTES: The longest, warmest standing ovation at the National Symphony Orchestra’s season opening gala at the Kennedy Center was for Supreme Court Justice and noted music lover Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose contribution to a spectacular musical evening was a wave from her balcony seat in response to a shout-out from Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein. Considerably busier was musical director Gianandrea Noseda on the conductor’s podium. He literally danced his way through a high-level performance by the musicians of the NSO in a program celebrating the ties between classical music and jazz, reminiscent of Paris in the 1920s and ’30s. The glittering fixed point in Washington’s social calendar started with cocktails in The REACH, the new Kennedy Center extension, and ended with post-concert dinner and dancing.

Kristan King Nevins, Hannah Haberkamp, Eric Motley and Martha Ann Alito

Washington National Opera General Director Tim O’Leary, Justice Samuel Alito and Nina Totenberg

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Jane and Calvin Cafritz

Gala co-chairs Anne Altman and Dan Pelino

Sydney McNiff Johnson, Gwen Holliday and Jay Johnson

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Jo Ann Jenkins, Dale Mott and Joyce Moorehead

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POLLYWOOD

Tom Hanks, Michelle Obama and Rita Wilson WL SPONSORED

HEROES AND HISTORYMAKERS GALA The Anthem | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL AND LISA NIPP

Vitor and Paula Rocha Elizabeth and Bob Dole with Savannah Guthrie

Gina Adams, Dr. Kurt Newman and Michelle McGuire

HIDDEN HEROES: Tom Hanks, Michelle Obama and Savannah Guthrie joined former Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Bob Dole to shine light upon the nation’s 5.5 million military caregivers while raising $3 million for The Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Linda Hope, the daughter of Hollywood legend Bob Hope, chipped in with a $1 million pledge onstage from the Bob and Dolores Hope Foundation. The former first lady gave an emotional speech about her many visits to Walter Reed Hospital. “Often I’d sit in the room with wounded warriors and their loved ones for great lengths of time, the soldier still unconscious, while I just held their hands to support them,” Mrs. Obama said. Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Phil Roe were honored with the Congressional Caregiver Advocate Award, and Hanks’ wife, actress and singer Rita Wilson, gave a spirited musical performance. SUMMING UP: “Many of these Hidden Heroes lack the emotional, financial and systematic support they desperately need,” Elizabeth Dole said.

Robert and Harriet Dominique

Brenda and Mike Linnington

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Sen. Patty Murray and Steve Schwab

Linda Hope

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POLLYWOOD

Union Station

George Vradenburg and Susan Collins

WL SPONSORED

Lauren Miller Rogen and Seth Rogen

USAGAINSTALZHEIMER’S Union Station | PHOTOS BY BEN DROZ AND DANIEL MCGARRITTY

Fred Upton

Lisa Genova

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Diane Rehm

Karen Segal, Jeannine and Alissa Vradenburg and Jill Lesser

CONTINUING THE FIGHT: The 6th annual Trish Vradenburg Dinner proved to be a powerful evening of raising awareness, awarding pioneers in the cause and educating guests on recent organizational developments. Hosted by USAgainstAlzheimer’s — a non-profit formed in 2010 committed to stopping the disease — the event featured special speakers including Sens. Susan Collins and Debbie Stabenow, as well as, Reps. Chris Smith and Fred Upton. This year’s recipients of the Bea Lerner Award (awarded in honor of Trish Vradenburg’s mother who died as a result of Alzheimer’s disease) were keynote speakers and founders of Hilarity for Charity Lauren and Seth Rogen. Citizen Scientist Awards were also presented to Rochelle Long, Richard Apple and Barbara Silva for their work on clinical trials to advance research on the disease. “Tonight’s dinner is more than an event,” Co-Chair Jill Lesser said. “It is an important part of a movement to change the way we think about brain health in our lives. Maintaining brain health can play a crucial role in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and our Be Brain Powerful campaign puts women in the lead, helping everyone achieve better overall health outcomes.” The evening raised a total of $875,000.

Cathy Sulzberger, Joe Perpich, Kerry Kennedy and Carol Brown Goldberg

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POLLYWOOD

Didi Cutler and Shahin Mafi

Rear Adm. Dr. Susan Blumenthal WL SPONSORED

Minister Counselor Yang Xinyu, Lisa Barry, Kathryn Horlick and Yang Cancan

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT HOUSE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS The Whittemore House PHOTOS BY VITHAYA PHONGSAVAN AND DEREK PARKS

SOFT DIPLOMACY: The International Student House celebrated the power of soft diplomacy at its 2019 Global Leadership Awards, honoring the indomitable spirit of longtime public diplomacy leader and Washington hostess Esther Coopersmith along with Reps. Mark Meadows and Rick Larsen. “Esther is a mastermind of networking,” said Dr. Susan Blumenthal. “She’s hard-wired for politics and peacemaking, a mastermind of networking and must-have mentor for nearly every president since Harry Truman.” Since its founding in 1936, 15,000 students from 140 countries have lived at the house in Dupont Circle. “It is so important for young people to meet and get to know people from other countries and realize how much we all have in common,” said Coopersmith, who served in appointed positions at the United Nations under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. “Those friendships can help bridge nations.” The annual dinner was sponsored by the Embassy of the State of Qatar, Archer Daniels Midland Company, the Embassy of the UAE, Facebook, General Motors, NAFSA, Panasonic, UPS and prominent individuals. Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai served as Diplomatic Chair.

Shaista Mahmood and Shaikha Aisha Al Khalifa

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Geir Haarde, Inga Jona Thordardottir, Debbie Meadows and Rep. Mark Meadows

Al-Daana Al-Mulla, Jan du Plain and Annie Totah

Mary Papadopulos and Rep. Rick Larsen

Esther Coopersmith (seated) with International Student House residents Ada Sophia Hahn, Joshua Hellinger, Jorrit Beckings and Tejkaran Bains

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Mickey Mouse WL SPONSORED

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA NATIONAL YOUTH OF THE YEAR GALA

Josh Norman, Tony Orr and Landon Collins

The National Building Museum PHOTOS BY BEN DROZ YASMIN HOLMAN AND AP IMAGES

LEARNING TO LEAD: Blue-toned lights and décor set the stage for a magical night at BGCA’s annual Youth of the Year gala, presented by Disney with support from signature partner Toyota. For more than 70 years, the Youth of the Year program has recognized young people for their outstanding leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to a healthy lifestyle. The star-studded evening — with an audience including actress Taraji P. Henson, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Boys & Girls Club alumni Misty Copeland and J.B. Smoove — recognized the award finalists and honored Sabrina McFarland from San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley Clubhouse as its 2019 National Youth of the Year. McFarland, a member of the Club for 12 years, was greatly impacted by the strong community, as well as academic, career and character-building opportunities provided by the program. As a result, the teen has become a powerful leader in diversity and inclusion, and inspires many young activists across the United States. In addition to a $100,000 academic scholarship, McFarland also received a trip to Walt Disney World and a brand-new Toyota.

Alumni Misty Copeland with Sabrina McFarland

Taraji P. Henson and Carlos Polanco

Titus O’Neil and J.B. Smoove

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Boys & Girls Club members from clubs across the United States

U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

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FACES OF

INNOVATION BY DARA KLATT | PORTRAITS BY TONY POWELL

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or a city at the political epicenter, the technology and start-up sectors all too often get snubbed. That’s mistake number one. The tech community is mightier and more ambitious than many realize. Its energy pulsates from NoVa and Amazon HQ2’s future “National Landing” to downtown Washington, D.C., Bethesda, The Dulles corridor and beyond. Mistake number two is imagining that the faces behind innovation here are cut from the same metal, so to speak. Innovators of what could be world-changing products and services are strikingly diverse. In this issue, we profile this creative tech motley crew. There’s … s Girls in Tech, Black Professionals in Tech and Moms in Tech s A Combination or All of the Above in Tech s Non-Technologists in Tech (for real) s Lawyers in Tech s Lawyers in Tech trying to teach Congress about Tech (Slowly) (Really Slowly) s Soldiers in Tech s Former Felons in Tech s Former Addicts in Tech s Tech people who only speak Tech (Hmm, can you repeat that?) s Cyber Tech, Crypto Tech, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Tech, Predictive Analytics Tech, Virtual Reality Tech s The list goes on ... Such are the disparate visionaries with the drive, relentless passion and sheer guts required to carve the future of technology. Some scrape, claw and fight inch by inch, year by year, in their quest to approach titan level. Others hit the summit and slipped, but steadily climbed back. Others are still winding up. Mistake number three? Doubting their moxie. These people are real, their goals are admirable and they mean business. >>

Photos taken at The REACH at the Kennedy Center, and at EverFi headquarters. The REACH is Washington’s newest cultural destination for performances, conferences, weddings, intimate dinners, and other special events. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org. EverFi is a pioneer in the community engagement industry. Read more at everfi.com.

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Kavita Shukla, The FreshGlow Co; R. David Edelman, MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative (IPRI); Angel Rich, WealthyLife and Black Tech Matters; Joshua Haecker, Predata; and Elizabeth Lindsey, Byte Back

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YOSSUF ALBANAWI AND GAUTAM SAI CHEBROLU Co-founder and CEO; and Co-founder and CTO, Pilleve After struggling with substance abuse at a young age and then recovering after an early intervention from a loved one, Albanawi has been working on the front lines of the addiction crisis. Pilleve, which he founded with Sai Chebrolu, is an integrated pill bottle that monitors and screens for signs of opioid abuse and addiction using realtime data and sensory technology. The firm, which launched last year, counts The Johns Hopkins University Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital as partners, among others. A Needed Change: “The way we take and consume medication has not changed for decades.The process of haphazardly opening up a pill bottle, dumping several in your palm as a few drop out, and then consuming them as if they were gumdrops, can lead to unintended consequences.”

Yossuf Albanawi and Gautam Sai Chebrolu

SHARMI ALBRECHTSEN Founder and CEO, SmartGurlz When Albrechtsen couldn’t find a fun toy to help teach STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to her doll-loving daughter Nina, an impassioned labor of love evolved into creating the first self-balancing coding robot for girls. After a chance conversation with a producer from “Shark Tank,” Albrechtsen found herself accepted onto the popular ABC series, having bested nearly 40,000 other budding entrepreneurs. She pitched to Richard Branson, closed a deal with Daymond John and now has $2 million in revenue with partners that include BlackGirlsCode, Girls Scouts of America and DigitalGirl Inc. According to Albrechtsen, more than 30,000 girls have been educated with the product.

Sharmi Albrechtsen

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Fan Favorite: The Maria Doll, a “wizard with numbers, popular, an outgoing artist and loves animals.” Consumer reaction: “Many are so surprised that coding can be so engaging and fun.”

BAAN ALSINAWI Founder and President, TalaTek; Managing Director, Girls in Tech, D.C. Chapter She’s been called one of the “100 Fascinating Females Fighting Cybercrime” in the just released book “Women Know Cyber.” Alsinawi founded her company 13 years ago and brings more than two decades of information technology experience and a desire to create “state-of-the-art solutions” to the table. More than that, she is taking a leading role in mentoring and inspiring other girls in tech. “I want young aspiring innovative girls to know the opportunities in the tech field are limitless,” Alsinawi says. “It’s imperative

‘Focus on getting the work done, instead of being a perfectionist. Otherwise, you can easily miss out on opportunity while you are waiting for perfection!’

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— Baan Alsinawi

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Rob Lake, Five Network; Randy Altschuler, Xometry; and Perianne Boring, Chamber of Digital Commerce

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Dr. Sujuan Ba with Charlie Weatherspoon (front) and Franklin Salisbury, Jr.

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for women to participate in the data revolution taking place to help shape the future.” On Mentoring: “The role of a mentor is someone who walks the talk … We, as women, need to be supportive of one another.”

RANDY ALTSCHULER Founder and CEO, Xometry It takes grit to be a serial entrepreneur and Altschuler may just eat it for breakfast. Xometry, an on-demand industrial parts marketplace he launched in 2014, is his third business goround, following his successful founding and running of CloudBlue (it was acquired in 2013); and OfficeTiger, (acquired in 2006). Now the resilient Princeton and Harvard Business M.B.A. grad is eyeing a $100 billion manufacturing market in desperate need of efficiency.“We are taking what has been a very manual process and we’re digitizing it,” he says of the platform he’s developed to connect buyers to manufacturers instantly. Xometry has raised $118 million from investors including BMW, Dell, Bosch and GE and expects to bring in revenue this year of more than $80 million. On Taking Risks: “It’s got to be ethical, it’s got to be legal ... but otherwise, I’m willing to try new ideas.”

DR. SUJUAN BA President and CEO, National Foundation for Cancer Research; Founding President and CEO, AIM-HI Accelerator Fund Dr. Ba’s four-page, single-spaced bio might not do her career justice. Not only is she spearheading a research organization that supports some of the world’s most accomplished scientists in their quest to develop new cancer therapies and cures, but Ba has now—with her two co-founders Charlie Weatherspoon and Franklin Salisbury, Jr. —established an accelerator fund to back oncology startups.The idea is to advance more pioneering ideas from labs to clinics, because, she says, “realistically, cancer cures will only be commercialized by for-profit pharmaceutical and biotech companies.” With the Fund, Ba is able to “take more risk to invest in early stage companies which other investors are too hesitant” to touch.

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Brian Ballard and Jeff Jenkins

What It Takes: “Curing cancer requires people working collaboratively.”

BRIAN BALLARD AND JEFF JENKINS Co-Founder and CEO; and Co-Founder and CTO, Upskill While challenges still exist for augmented reality (AR) on the consumer side, Upskill (formerly APX Labs) has been thrusting ahead since 2011 to help enterprise companies implement AR technology, and presumably enable a more produtive workforce. Their software platform runs on smart glasses and other wearable devices to give workers instant, viewable access to data. GE is a client and the company has been named a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer. Earlier this year, Upskill announced that their Skylight platform is expanding to Android, iOS

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smartphones and tablets. Biggest Achievement: “The size and scope of customers we’re working with.” Favorite Tech Device: “Wearable augmented reality … it’s really game changing.” Least Favorite Buzz Word: : Jenkins: “leverage.” Ballard: “synergy. It gets under my skin the most except … I totally use it all the time.”

PERIANNE BORING Founder, Chamber of Digital Commerce Once a news anchor covering crypto-currencies and the blockchain economy, Boring recognized the need to create a member-driven trade association to promote the acceptance and use of the technologies. Now, the Chamber of Digital Commerce that she founded represents

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criminals housed) with the mission of using these social connections to decrease recidivism. Users now number 140,000 across all 50 states. Bullock also founded a program that teaches returning citizens life skills and entrepreneurship via coding and software development. Overview: “I’m a black man with a felony on his chest who wants to build a technology that none of the people even understand is important.” Celeb Backer: John Legend, a Flikshop user and investor. Knowing His Market: “There’s no way that someone who graduated number one out of their class from Stanford would have been able to understand the kind of solution we are building. They would never come up with it because they typically haven’t been in that environment.” Building An App: “I Googled ‘how to build a mobile app.’ And that’s a true story.”

Kari Clark

the industry and Boring is considered one of the most influential people in blockchain. “There is no Bitcoin headquarters and very few regulators and policymakers have tech backgrounds. That’s why Congress comes to us to learn about this industry,” she says. But there is still,“a long way to go before reaching a critical mass of policymakers and regulators who truly understand our industry.” A Woman in Tech: “I do feel like I have had to work harder and smarter than my male peers to achieve various goals and business objectives.”

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MARCUS BULLOCK Founder, Flikshop At age 15, Bullock and a friend approached a sleeping man in a car in a parking lot, tapped on his window with a firearm, demanded the keys, then jumped in and sped off.The impulsive, teenage mistake landed him in prison for eight years, but it also inspired his work for justice reform and his creation of software that helps incarcerated people stay connected to their families. The mobile app Flikshop allows users to send personalized, Instagram-type postcards to anyone in a U.S. cell (there are 2.3 million

KARI CLARK Founder and CEO, Upli Having a baby is life changing. For Clark, it meant deciding to rewrite the script on what being a working mom means. After eight years at Google and inventing their Live Case product (for which she holds a patent), Clark launched her online coaching platform, Uplift, that, she says increases working moms’ productivity and overall well-being. More than 150 moms at their career heights contributed to the program, including those in the C-suite of some Fortune 500 companies. What’s Needed: “Moms need support not just on the logistics of returning to work, but on the longer-term issues—struggles around work-life balance, maternal bias, and being too hard on themselves.” As a Working Mom: “I became more productive, leaned into work that challenged me, and stopped caring about the bullshit.” ALEXANDER COHEN Founder and CEO, TwentyTables For a decade, Cohen had a seat at the table for billion-dollar deals as an attorney with the global law firm Skadden. But social consciousness was always at his core. He launched TwentyTables to provide access to affordable food for those who can’t afford it from area restaurants. For every

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to emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles and AI. Now at MIT, and commuting weekly from Washington, D.C. to Cambridge, Mass., Edelman leads artificial intelligence policy research, with special interest in cyber security and national security. His forthcoming book to be published in 2020, explores whether we have to accept cyber attacks as the new normal in our lives.

how very primitive and flawed they still are.The systems that we have built to help us don’t know how to avoid hurting or dividing us; we have to teach them.”  Tech Heroes: “We’ve spent a lot of time as a society worshipping tech founders, but to be honest, some of my heroes are neither rich nor famous: they’re the dedicated public servants — from my early bosses, to teammates at State and the White House, to the thousands more I never met—who chose to serve their country. Some of them were tech-y, some less so, but what defined them all was a commitment to public integrity—and willingness to take a fraction of the paycheck so they could serve citizens they’ll never meet. In times like these, it’s a story that isn’t told often enough.” Alternative Profession: “I had an offer after college to become a restaurant reviewer in San Francisco. I would have spent my life eating, documenting it and sharing my opinion with complete strangers.”

R. DAVID EDELMAN Director of the Project on Technology, the Economy, & National Security (TENS), part of the MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative (IPRI) At the White House until 2017, Edelman led the team managing the digital economy and spearheaded the Administration’s approach

The Responsibility: “We have a once-in-alifetime opportunity to build a movement around responsible use of a transformational technology — AI. We’re at the top of the first inning in the development of AI, and we have the chance to build into those early systems some of our core values like fairness, equality of opportunity, and compassion.” Understand This: “Machine learning systems still have a lot to learn from us. There’s a lot to be impressed by in the world of AI, but the more one studies these systems, the more one sees

meal purchased on the app at local restaurants, TwentyTables donates another one (i.e. you get a meal, restaurants get business, the hungry get fed). He’s teamed up with food charities like the Capital Area Food Bank and DC Central Kitchen; integrated with George Washington University’s student dining program; and is eyeing an expansion into other cities. For his efforts, Cohen was awarded the “Best Bootstrap” Award at SXSW.

researching questions on “algorithmic fairness” and civil rights—or, in other words, grappling with how tech affects society. Not stopping there, Givens (whose father was “Superman” star Christopher Reeve) also launched the umbrella initiative BEACON, which pulls together resources for women entrepreneurs in the D.C. area and now advises Mayor Muriel Bowser on the city’s Innovation & Technology Inclusion Council.

learning to uncover behavior in web traffic data, has raised over $8 million to-date and expects to triple its user base (again) by the end of 2020.The mission: “to help people think more proactively about risk in a way that could ultimately help keep them safe.”

Early Inspiration: In the early 1990s, Cohen served as a student ambassador with the Children of Chernobyl Project, which President Bill Clinton recognized at the time as an example of “unselfish service in the spirit of generosity.”

A Tech-Lash: “More people need a seat at the table to make decisions about how major technologies are governed.”

AARON HIGBEE Co-Founder and CTO, Cofense (formerly PhishMe) Leading the vision of a cyber security company is a “fun, high wire act,” according to Higbee. But no matter what, it’s always about keeping his “threat intel skills sharp.” Cofense works with enterprise companies to help train their staffs to spot fraudulent emails. And it’s big business. Over the last 12 months, the firm has accelerated its efforts to bring phishing defense solutions globally, has produced two of its most successful revenue quarters, and now claims close to 2,000 clients in 150 countries.

I Help Clients … “Explore the frontiers of what is possible with technology for a problem they have always wanted to solve—what happens next?”

JOSHUA HAECKER Founding Member and Vice President of ALEXANDRA REEVE GIVENS Product and Analysis, Predata Executive Director, Institute for Technology Law Right out of high school, Haecker enlisted in the & Policy, Georgetown University Law Center; military, where he learned about life and death Co-Founder and Board Member, BEACON matters and “being part of a global organization The next generation of lawyers and lawmakers with an incredibly diverse workforce.” He may come to thank Reeve Givens who is helping transitioned from soldier to civilian (as an to reshape how future policy makers are taught intelligence analyst in the U.S. Department of technology. With her oversight, the Institute for Defense) and then to the private sector, and Technology Law and Policy has been operating thrived. The company he helped found, Predata, at Georgetown Law like a radical think tank, a predictive analytics startup that uses machine I feel my best, most powerful self when …

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Aaron Higbee

“I’m wearing one of my many Mexican ponchos and reverse engineering malware to protect our customers.” Favorite Tech Word: IOC—Indicator of Compromise. Election Predictions: There will be another [John] Podesta-like hack. It’s not a question of if—only when.

‘There are almost always women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, and others fully participating in much of the tech scene here. I know it looks very different than Silicon Valley, and I’m grateful for that.’ — Elizabeth Lindsey

TIFFANY OLSON KLEEMANN Vice President of Bot Management, Imperva In the last few years, Kleemann says the biggest change she’s seen in the cyber security industry is how advanced bot attacks, or internet threats, have gotten. A 20-year information technology industry veteran, with experience at the White House and U.S. Military, Kleemann spearheads the effort to stop bot attacks and saves her clients “millions of dollars a year.” In the last few months, Imperva was acquired by a private equity firm, named a “Best Database Security Provider” (SC Magazine) and one of the “coolest email, web and application security vendors” (CRN Magazine).

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Tiffany Olson Kleemann

Elizabeth Lindsey

ELIZABETH LINDSEY Executive Director, Byte Back When Lindsey was in her 20s, she thought of herself as practical, or more of an implementer. But now, approaching 40, she sees herself as both a visionary and someone who gets things done. It’s fortunate for Byte Back, a non-profit group she directs that focuses on inclusive tech training leading to livingROB LAKE wage careers. Students are 97 percent black Co-founder and President, Five Network and 59 percent women. An adult without Lake’s idea is simple: mentor young, talented any computer knowledge can move up a free individuals in some of the toughest areas training pathway to earn official certifications of the country in the most efficient way and go on to earn an average of $28,000 more possible. Utilizing digital software, mentoring per year than before their course of study. as a whole through the Five Network is Because of Lindsey’s leadership, attention to amplified: companies get in the “business” digital equality and support have followed. of mentoring; bright students have mentors Working in Tech … “doesn’t mean you have and broaden their network; and adults get to code.” meaning out of possibly unearthing the To Do Be er: “We need more women and next Mark Zuckerberg (well, that and hiring we need more African Americans [in tech], them, versus having them recruited by the but we also need people who are in their competition). 40s who are launching a second career, and people who didn’t go to college, and single Multi-pronged Background: English, History, mothers.” Literature, Artificial Intelligence, Advertising and FELIX BRANDON LLOYD Finance. Goal: “Put people in the position to expose their AND JORDAN LLOYD BOOKEY superpowers, identify issues and solve problems Co-Founder and CEO; Co-Founder and Chief Client Success Officer, Zoobean that they aren’t even envisioning now.” To Unplug: “I meditate ... I exercise every single Appearing on “Shark Tank”—and receiving an day. I try to read each evening and keep my initial $250,000 investment from investor Mark Cuban—didn’t mean overnight success, at least phone far away.”

The Coast Guard: “Taught me so many things that I have applied over the years. I am applying important leadership, coaching, project management, communication and prioritization skills in my current role,” Kleemann says of her four years as a U.S. Coast Guard Officer Mo o: “Be the change you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi

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CHRISTOPHER “CHIP” PAUCEK Co-founder and CEO, 2U t’s been a rough few months for Paucek. In July, his global education technology company’s stock tanked after he announced a business shift.That was followed by staff slashing and a commitment to transparency. Even so, Paucek is charging ahead with 2U – the company that he founded in 2008, grew and went public with in 2014 (Nasdaq:TWOU) and continues to run more than a decade later. That’s impressive. Rarely do entrepreneurs have the skills and stamina to successfully launch a company and persevere as long as Paucek has. Today the company claims to serve more than 150,000 students, support more than 250 digital and in-person educational offerings and partner with universities including Georgetown, Harvard and Oxford. For those innovators still at the early start-up stage, Paucek — who has been awarded Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2012, the Goldman Sachs 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs Award in 2013 and multiple Highest Rated CEO awards from Glassdoor — has veteran advice. In sum, “You are not as dumb as they think you are on your worst day, and you are not as smart as they think you are on your best.”

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WEATHERING THE UPS AND DOWNS “You have to always be learning.The day I stop learning is the day I shouldn’t be CEO anymore. Every day is different at this stage, I’m not saying I have seen everything in the world but I’ve seen a fair amount. I still love it more than I don’t.” TO STAY ON COURSE “All companies have to continue to evolve. If they don’t, the biggest and brightest will die. As a leader, I would say my job is fundamentally different than it was 12 years ago. It’s not even close. It’s vastly different than five years ago when we rang the bell [for the IPO]. Looking in the rear view mirror is important to understand how you got here and what you did, but if you rest on that too much, the world will pass you by real fast.” LEADING U “Part of the reason why I am still the right person for 2U is that I know very much that it’s not about me. It’s about this collective group of people who are trying to change the world.” ADVICE TO ENTREPRENEURS “People underestimate the power of focus.You’re unique if you can pull off having multiple business models. Startups are hard.They’re pretty lonely, most fail, and they fail often. If you do too much, you fail. I try to keep [entrepreneurs] really focused on the business model.” PERSONNEL STRATEGY Hire people that brighten the room. Life’s short.

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Tobin Moore

officials through discrete (or anonymous) two-way communications. It can be used to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and abuse as well as ascertain the safety of employees during emergency events. LiveSafe was recently adopted by the D.C. Mayor’s Office and rolled out to 20 area public schools.

is, ‘Just do what’s next.’”

For A More Peaceful World: “It begins with how well we care for our children. There is a direct link between the quality of a child’s care and well-being, and the outcomes in their life.” Core Characteristic: “I am deeply empathetic.”

SAMIER MANSUR Founder and CEO, No Limit Generation; Founder, LiveSafe A self-described “social entrepreneur, innovator and purpose-driven leadership coach,” Mansur is in the business of building a more peaceful and just world. He launched No Limit Generation, a global child wellbeing platform that equips aid-workers and caregivers with training to support displaced children. He also created LiveSafe, now a nationally recognized mobile app used at universities across the country, as well as companies, government agencies and school districts, that connects users and their safety

TOBIN MOORE Co-Founder and CEO, Optoro Every year, an estimated $400 billion worth of retail goods are returned in the U.S., and nearly an equal amount of goods, don’t sell. When products end up in a landfill, retailers and the environment lose. Moore’s company works to make retail more sustainable by eliminating waste from returns with a technology platform that routes goods to their next best home from their initial point of origin. And retailers can still make money off of unpurchased or returned goods. Moore, a District native and St. Alban’s grad, has raised over $200 million from investors and

Vijay Ravindran with son Manoj

for married co-founders Lloyd and Bookey. They pitched their children’s book discovery platform on the hit show in 2016 and … nothing. After a slight switch of direction, they created the Beanstack app, which tracks reading goals, and only then were able to hit the ground running. Now it’s the cornerstone of the ed-tech company (rated 4.7 out of 5 on Apple apps, based on 3,214 reviews). To date, their software is licensed by over 5,000 libraries and schools across the country and has been used by over three million readers. “Not-So-Secret” Secret to Success: “Hard work. Every day, we experience ups and downs. The trick is to keep moving forward and do the work. One of our favorite mantras

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counts Best Buy, Target, Staples and Under Armour as retail partners. Environmental Concerns: “The current trajectory that our planet is on is unsustainable. If we continue on the path we are on, by 2050 the U.N. projects that we’ll need three planets worth of resources to sustain our lifestyles. As a business owner, I am passionate about using technology and private sector innovation to help solve this problem.�

VIJAY RAVINDRAN Co-Founder and CEO, Floreo Ravindran has always been an innovator: he was part of the team that launched the original Amazon prime, led data mining technology for a company that worked with the Clinton and Obama 2007/2008 campaigns and became chief digital ofďŹ cer at the Washington Post. But it was when Ravindran’s autistic son Manoj became captivated with a virtual reality (VR) headset, that a new idea ruminated: could this digital world help people who have trouble engaging in the physical world? The concept led to Floreo, which develops VR programs to complement therapy for kids and teenagers on the autism spectrum. The program has now been put to use as a learning tool in schools such as KIPP DC, autism programs and hospitals including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Autism Research (CAR) and can be downloaded from the App Store. The 9-year-old Critique: “He’s been able to inuence the curriculum, give early feedback on beta content and he very much considers himself an employee,â€? Ravindran says of son Manoj.

KAVITA SHUKLA Founder and CEO, The FreshGlow Co Shukla is taking on global challenge of food waste with biodegradable paper sheets that keep food fresh. Her simple product, FreshPaper, was once a middle school science project that she developed and sold years later at a local farmer’s market. Now she’s landed on Forbes’ “30 under 30,� Fast Company’s “7 Entrepreneurs Changing the

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ANGEL RICH Founder and CEO, WealthyLife and Founder, Black Tech Ma ers

THE INNOVATOR IS A NINJA She’s stealth in business, but not silent about racism and sexism

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er rĂŠsumĂŠ goes something like this: created an algorithm for the stock market to win Goldman Sachs Portfolio Challenge; sold her ďŹ rst marketing plan to Prudential; became a founding employee of FINRA; authored the ďŹ rst ever African American Financial Experience study; invented the top ďŹ nancial literacy product in the world; and was named the “Next Steve Jobsâ€? by Fortune before age 30. Determined, candid, conďŹ dent and relentless —doubters can’t stop her if she has a goal in mind. Think you or anyone else can repeatedly deny her and her cohorts funding because of the color of their skin? Fine, she’ll start a PAC and ďŹ lm a documentary about the challenges of the black tech community. Don’t think a black woman knows tech or has the chops to fully lead an idea through? Fine, she’ll bring a white man along on a pitch if you feel more comfortable that way and want to deal with him like he’s the mastermind. But let’s be clear: she knows who’s who. You’d be<er, too.

Angel Rich (Photo credit: Armani Sharpe)

WHAT ARE YOUR QUALITIES THAT MAKE YOU A SUCCESSFUL INNOVATOR? My nickname in certain places is “The Ninja.â€? I move extremely swi ly and silently and by the time you know I am working on something I have already produced it and laid it out. WHAT ISSUES DO YOU FACE THE MOST? Not believing that you are the person who invented whatever you invented. Surely [people say] there’s some white or Asian male that helped you with this, there is no way that you did this on your own. That’s the number one thing that drives you crazy ‌ WHY ARE YOU THE ONE LEADING THE CHARGE AGAINST DISCRIMINATION IN THE FIELD? I feel like I’ve been put in a position with the titles [accolades] and things that I have, where I’m one of the few people that can almost sacriďŹ ce myself for the greater good of the community. WHAT GIVES YOU PEACE? When I have all of these entrepreneurs who thank me for the path that I was able to provide for them—and even the li<le ones who have no clue what I have done for them— and they walk around all cocky with their companies, it makes me smile.

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World” and TIME’s “Five Most Innovative Women in Food.” FreshPaper is used by farmers and families across the globe, and Shukla’s company has partnered with some of the largest retailers in the world, including Whole Foods, Amazon, Walmart and QVC.

‘There is ALWAYS a way forward—even if it may not be the path you’d expect.’ — Kavita Shukla Lessons learned: “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” As a Young, Female “Outsider”: “You have the freedom to approach challenges in unique ways, you are not bound by expectations of what your company or idea should look like, and so many will rise up to support you because you are different!” When Home: “It’s the little things that help me to slow down and get some perspective— visiting the amazing farmer’s markets in this region, walking in the woods with my puppy and spending time with my family and friends.”

KEZIA WILLIAMS Founder and CEO, The Black upStart The Black upStart philosophy is four-fold: “Think Black,” “Build Black,” “Plan Black” and “Test Black.” In this school training program that Williams leads, aspiring Black entrepreneurs learn to (1) brainstorm a profitable business idea; (2) build a prototype; (3) craft a business model canvas; and (4) validate a business idea. Since 2016, nearly 455 individuals have been trained, some of whom have received investments from venture capitalists and opened brick and mortar spaces. For Williams, the important part is not just starting a business, it’s job creation: “It’s imperative that black entrepreneurs realize the importance of becoming employers.”

Baan Alsinawi, TalaTek; Kezia Williams, The Black upStart; and Samier Mansur, No Limit Generation and LiveSafe

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The Approach: “Teaching business is not novel; however, teaching black people unapologetically how to start a business by turning the obstacle of race into profitable economic opportunities, is not only innovative, but necessary.”

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TECH

Felix Lloyd and Jordan Lloyd Bookey(front), Zoobean; Alexandra Reeve Givens, Institute for Technology Law & Policy, Georgetown University Law Center; Marcus Bullock, Flikshop (far back); and Alexander Cohen, TwentyTables

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SPECIAL FEATURE | CLIMATE CRISIS

Local Universities Tackle Climate Innovation Local universities score high in rankings of initiatives that increase awareness of climate change and offer solutions to its problems BY ROLAND FLAMINI | PHOTO BY KIRBY BROYLES

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ach year, Victoria Hill, a professor in the Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Richmond, journeys to Utqiagvik, Alaska. Her mission is to change monitors fixed to the ice in the Arctic Ocean that gather data about the melting surface as part of an ODU climate project called Warming and iRadiance Measurement (WARM). The monitors, which send hourly observations via satellite to ODU and to the National Science Foundation, last about one year before Hill has to replace them. Even as the Trump Administration was due to begin the formal process of withdrawal (which takes a whole year) from the Paris Climate Accord this month, projects and studies like WARM, designed to increase awareness and offer solutions to climate change, are a growth industry in the country’s universities—and nowhere more so than in the institutions in the District, Maryland and Virginia. A global ranking by the London-based Times Higher Education of the top 100 universities with climate programs shows the University of Maryland as the first American university on the list at number 23, American University at 44, and George Washington University at 95. Some notable initiatives based on their websites, interviews and other information: American University’s Center for Environmental Film Making’s aim is to “present solutions that make the audience feel empowered,” says the executive director, Emmy-winning filmmaker Maggie Stogner. Recent film:“Bahamian Queen,” about the threatened Bahamian conch, the large marine snail with a gorgeous pink, spiral shell that’s a cultural icon of the Caribbean. Poaching and over fishing reduced the conch in the Florida Keys to zero, and now threatens to do the same in the Bahamas. Still at AU, Claudia Persico, of the Department of Public Administration and Policy, specializes in environmental policy and helping communities to deal with environmental risks. She has done research showing that children living near federal

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Victoria Hill replacing a device that monitors ice melt in Alaska

toxic waste sites before they were cleaned up were more likely to have learning disabilities, be suspended from school and have lower test scores than younger siblings born after the hazards were removed. Such situations, Persico says, “are shaping our lives in ways we are just starting to understand.” Students from Georgetown University helped 51 small and mid-sized cities all across the country become more energy efficient as part of the $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize, awarded in 2018 to the winning town, Fargo, N. D. The university’s climate change effort extends overseas. Joanna Lewis, professor of science and international affairs at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, says, “I’ve had students work in small island nations looking at how you can deploy clean energy … and how to build resilience from sea level rise and severe weather, all of which are likely to increase in frequency.” Shoreline erosion in Chesapeake Bay as a result of rising sea levels is the focus of more than one study and initiative. The University of Maryland, in its 2018 publication “Sea Level Rise Projections,” warned that

if emissions continue to increase into the 21st century, water levels from melting ice will increase to between 2 feet and 4.2 feet over this century— in extremis, 5.2 feet—or twice to four times 20th century levels. In 2018, journalism students from the University of Maryland’s Howard Center for Investigative Journalism reported and wrote a series of stories on how climate change driven temperature increases affected people’s health. Among their findings: during a summer of 2018 heat wave, when the heat index reached 103F, emergency calls relating to psychiatric conditions jumped about 40 percent. On the Eastern Shore, the University of Virginia operates The Virginia Coast Reserve, the Long-Term Ecological Research program site that is a center for robust, world-class programs in coastal research science. In a separate project, university researchers are testing a prototype wind turbine that is both more resilient than existing turbines now in use, and larger so it can produce more energy. The university also has plans to develop low cost air filters for developing countries.The last two projects are being developed by the university’s recently established Environmental Resilience Institute. Earlier this year, a quartet of George Washington University students were assigned to study ways of improving the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in Alexandria,Va.The city hoped, among other proposals, to increase the number of side-street charging points. An earlier GW Environmental Research Project was to work with N.A.S.A. to develop new sensors for greenhouse gases. George Mason University’s periodic survey “Climate Change in the American Mind,” compiled by its Center for Climate Change Communication in conjunction with Yale University, is a valuable resource for tracking public concern over climate change, which has been steadily rising.The Center also feeds information to media meteorologists, and carries on a prolific campaign against climate misinformation and skepticism.

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TECH TREND

LEE RADZIWILL Silicone phone case iPhone X/XS ($118); Tory Burch, 1211 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202. 337. 1410

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY Solar-charging bluetooth outdoor rock speakers, set of 2 ($130); Bloomingdales, 5300 Western Ave. Chevy Chase 240. 744. 3700

PHILIPS Smartsleep sleep & wake-up light therapy lamp with sunrise alarm and sunset fading night light ($200); Amazon Books, 3040 M St. NW, 202. 333. 2315 OLLOCLIP Fisheye + Super-wide + Macro Essential iPhone Lenses ($100); olloclip.com

86)2(-2+ 8)', REBECCA MINKOFF Always on power tassel keychain ($50); Nordstrom at The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, 1100 S. Hayes St. 704. 415. 1121

Welcome the future with these forward-thinking accessories.

DYSON SUPERSONIC Professional edition hair dryer with intelligent heat control and acoustic tuning ($450); Dyson Demo at Tysons Corner Center, 1961 Chain Bridge Rd. Unit H002AU, 571. 210. 4317

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B Y K AT E LY N R U T T

APPLE iPad Air 256GB ($649); Apple, 1229 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202. 572. 1460

AWAY Carry-on suitcase with ejectable phone charger battery ($225); awaytravel.com

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LIFESTYLES

TRULY MADLY DEEPLY BIG HAIR FUR GLOVES AND LOTS OF GOLD – THERE’S SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE FROM THE S

PHOTOGRAPHY BRUCE ALLEN LEAD STYLIST JOY KINGSLEY-IBEH ASSISTED BY CURTIS BARNES HAIR STYLIST VICTOR PALERMO | KARMA BY ERWIN GOMEZ MAKEUP ARTIST MELISSA MARTINEZ | KARMA BY ERWIN GOMEZ MODELS JOY JEWELL AND ANASTASIA VAKULA | KINGSLEY MODEL > TALENT MANAGEMENT EDITORIAL DIRECTION CATHERINE TRIFILETTI’ EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS KATELYN RUTT AND ALEXIS MCCOWAN PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE RESIDENCES AT THE RITZ-CARLTON GEORGETOWN - PENTHOUSE D IT IS CURRENTLY LISTED AT BY RITZERT WEISS PARTNERS OF TTR SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

HUGO BOSS plaid yellow and black jacket ($445), ALICE AND OLIVIA black and emerald Samira pleated mini skirt ($285), Saks Fifth Avenue Tysons Galleria 2051 International Drive, 703-761-0700. A BEAUTIFUL CLOSET black top with white tie ($69), A Beautiful Closet 20 District Square, SW, 202-488-1809. Black fingerless gloves (stylist owned); Earrings (stylist owned).

On Anastasia: LAFAYETTE 148 NEW YORK Brown leather coat ($1,198), Saks Fifth Avenue Tysons Galleria 2051 International Drive, 703-761-0700. TIFFANY & CO Tiffany T square bracelet in 18k rose gold ($5,200), Tiffany & Co City Center 960 New York Avenue, NW, 202-772-1008. Versace scarf (stylist owned); Brown faux fur stole (stylist owned); Black cat eye sunglasses (stylist owned).

On Joy: LAFAYETTE 148 NEW YORK Turtleneck sweater ($448), TOLLEGNO 1900 camel top coat ($998), ELIE TAHARI leather animal print Tammy skirt ($319), Saks Fifth Avenue Tysons Galleria 2051 International Drive, 703-761-0700. TIFFANY & CO Tiffany HardWear wrap necklace in 18k gold ($14,700), TIFFANY & CO Tiffany HardWear triple drop earrings in 18k rose gold ($2,800), Tiffany & Co City Center 960 New York Avenue, NW, 202-772-1008. Red leather gloves (stylist owned); Fur collar (stylist owned).

A BEAUTIFUL CLOSET maxi sequin dress ($235), A Beautiful Closet 20 District Square, SW, 202-488-1809. Black silk gloves (stylist owned); Earrings (stylist owned).

On Joy: ALICE AND OLIVIA white silk shirt ($330), ALICE AND OLIVIA white pants ($295), Saks Fifth Avenue Tysons Galleria 2051 International Drive, 703-7610700. LENNI NAVARRO pearl drop necklace ($126), A Beautiful Closet 20 District Square, SW, 202-488-1809. Red leather gloves (stylist owned); Black faux fur stole (stylist owned). On Anastasia: ELIE TAHARI Stella jacket ($498), Saks Fifth Avenue Tysons Galleria 2051 International Drive, 703-761-0700. Black and gold belt (stylist owned); Black sheer skirt (stylist owned); Gold tiered necklaces (stylist owned).

WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y over the moon﹐ redskins fashion show﹐ ride to thrive polo classic﹐ rock creek conservancy gala and more!

Tom Davidson, Kenan Thompson and Mayor Muriel Bowser at EverFi’s 10th Anniversary (Photo by Daniel Swartz for EverFi)

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OVER THE MOON

Following Tradition Horseman Aleco Bravo-Greenberg focuses on the equestrian arts to enhance the skills of high-performance athletes.

Blackburn Architects are credited with the design of the barn at Rutledge Farm in Middleburg.

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leco Bravo-Greenberg is carrying on the horse tradition at Rutledge Farm in Middleburg. Following in the footsteps of his mother, Monica Greenberg, an accomplished side-saddle equestrian, and his stepfather, the late real estate developer and philanthropist Hermen Greenberg, who had thoroughbred race horses, the 113-acre facility is brimming with all things horse. On top of that, the dashing Aleco married into horse fascination. His wife, Sandra, is an avid rider. The buzz at Rutledge now involves a number of Olympic and international riders who have traveled from all corners to this posh pocket of Virginia for a series of clinics. The instruction gatherings have focused on show jumping, eventing, equitation and dressage. Aleco’s intention is to sanction continuing educational opportunities and offer access to high-performance athletes. This past year’s lineup included Olympic dressage medalist Debbie McDonald from Hailey, Idaho, who also serves as the technical advisor/chef d’equipe for the U.S. Olympic dressage team. Show jumper Will Simpson of Southern California was at Rutledge recently, prompting local horseman Snowden Clarke to say, “It was brilliant and everyone took home something to improve their riding skills.”

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Debbie McDonald takes a break from conducting a dressage clinic at Rutledge Farm with Aleco Bravo-Greenberg.

Stacia Madden from Central New Jersey is a trainer at the horse shows. She’ll be at Rutledge, Nov. 9-10 and a full schedule of clinics is planned for 2020. The setting at Rutledge is sublime. Originally, it was an “old cattle farm,” according to Washington, D.C.-based architect John Blackburn who said the project “included restoration of the stone residence, the addition of a carriage house and new barns for foaling and raising young Thoroughbreds.” Blackburn worked on Rutledge in the early 1980s when his firm was known as Smith Blackburn Architects, now Blackburn Architects. The pastoral view of fields, creosote fences, historic elms and elegant old barns also is part of the Hermen Greenberg legacy. Mr. Greenberg asked that the barns be designed to match the historic stone residence and vernacular of the surrounding countryside. The paint palette is intentionally in a subdued russet tone to echo the dry stone walls along the dirt roads. His tan and brown jockey silks can still be seen on an iron jockey in front of the Red Bar Sushi restaurant on East Washington Street in Middleburg. Once the office of the late local architect Billy Dew and later purchased by Hermen Greenberg, it’s now owned by Aleco. On the other end of the village, a

Miss Charlo e Noland, Foxcro School, Ellen Emmet Rand (American, 1875-1941), oil on canvas, 1929. (Collection of the Foxcro School, Middleburg, Va.)

breathtaking art exhibition, “Leading the Field: Ellen Emmet Rand” is on view through March 22, 2020 at the National Sporting Library and Museum. The museum’s head curator, Claudia Pfeiffer, spent three years on the exhibit. She’s an on the ball, always-there-for-every-detail dynamo who began her research by transcribing 767,000 words of the artist’s diaries, which she described as “the most daunting aspect” of the exhibition. Pfeiffer then set about tracking down paintings for the exhibit, which now includes portraits of well-known sportsman Fletcher Harper, a master of the Orange County Hounds, and sportswomen Evelyn Thayer Burr, Emily Davie and “Miss Charlotte” Noland, the cherished headmistress of Foxcroft School. Rand (1875-1941) was not only an intensely gifted artist, she was an accomplished sportswoman and equestrian who understood every nuance of sport. “Unlike institutional loans in which we navigate through a bureaucratic process of approvals and paperwork, securing private loans is about building relationships founded on trust,” Pfeiffer wrote in a blog. While Pfeiffer never met the artist, she had an intellectual relationship with her and wrote the accompanying catalog for this exquisite exhibition.

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E R I N KAT E CO U RT E SY O F B L AC KB U R N A RC H I T ECTS ; PHOTO BY VICKY MOON; PHOTO COURTE SY OF THE NSLM

BY VI C KY MO O N

“Voices of Our City” reception

Andy Miller, Melissa McGuire and Joe and Catherine Hall

WL SPONSORED

Tom Borger, Kelly Sweeney McShane and Gerry Borger

COMMUNITY OF HOPE ‘NIGHT OF HOPE’ RECEPTION Potomac View Terrace | PHOTOS BY BEN DROZ

Sherri and Scott Bohinc

HOPE FOR THE DISTRICT: Sponsors, host committee members and guests enjoyed a purplehued sunset on a spectacular rooftop terrace while raising more than $444,000 to support Community of Hope. Founded in 1980, the nonprofit creates opportunities and services for low-income families in the District—including homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid re-housing and permanent supportive housing. As a Federally Qualified Health Center, Community of Hope also offers medical, dental and emotional wellness centers, and reached a total of 12,744 people through its health services in 2018. It was recently named as one of the 24 U.S. nonprofit groups working to alleviate family homelessness that received initial investments from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund. Community of Hope plans to expand the homelessness prevention program, integrate healthcare supports in housing programs and increase interventions for youth-headed (ages 18-24) households.

Dr. Tabari Baker, Maria and Chris Earley and Trayon White

Sadina Montani, Amy Bess and Meg Inomato

Wayne Fortune and Brandon Clay

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James and Pam Del Vecchio

Dr. Faith Gibson Hubbard and Drew Hubbard

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Prem and Donna Devadas, Darrin Mollett, Sheila Johnson, Bill Ballhaus and Will Thomas

Barry Dixon and Anne Pratt WL SPONSORED

NORTHERN VIRGINIA THERAPEUTIC RIDING PROGRAM’S ‘RIDE TO THRIVE’ POLO CLASSIC Great Meadow, The Plains, Va. | PHOTOS BY NANCY KLECK

Sherrie Beckstead and Kelly Harbitter

Caroline Polhemus, Dina Mackney and Daphne Himelfarb

HORSE POWER: Beyond the beauty of horses is their therapeutic value, which research has shown significantly lowers blood pressure, alleviates stress and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression among other benefits. The Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program (NVTRP) has been harnessing the power of this stoic animal for 35 years by providing high quality equine-assisted activities to enrich the lives of children and adults with disabilities, at-risk youth and recovering military service personnel. More than $200,000 was raised at the non-profit organization’s 13th annual Polo Classic co-chaired by Sherrie Beckstead and Will Thomas, which saw record-breaking attendance and a sold-out VIP tent for the day’s festivities. SHOW-STOPPER: During half-time, NVTRP riders Carson Lee, Alyssa and Ryleigh Peterson and Henry Butler performed a choreographed equestrian riding drill pattern set to “A Million Dreams” from “The Greatest Showman” soundtrack. “I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place when the riders finished,” the organization’s executive director Kelsey Gallagher said, noting that “the joy on their faces lit up the arena and provided such pure testimony to the power of therapeutic riding.”

Michael Grams, Debbie Nash, Dana Streep, and Tano Vial

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Joseph Ruzzo

Jean and Ric Edelman

Kirk and Maria Galiani

St. Andrew’s Society Color Guard with Jennifer Rerbach

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Jane Paul, Julia Washburn, David DeSantis, New Zealand Amb. Rosemary Banks, Jeanne Braha and Gary Guzy Ed and Ann Norton

WL SPONSORED

ROCK CREEK CONSERVANCY GALA Embassy of New Zealand | PHOTOS BY BEN DROZ

Sarah Bloom Raskin and Rep. Jamie Raskin

CONSERVING URBAN WILDERNESS Rock Creek Park’s 1,754 acres represent a verdant respite from Washington’s bustling city streets. The park’s champion organization, Rock Creek Conservancy (RCC), gathered supporters and friends to celebrate the urban oasis with a gala that raised $220,000 for its conservation efforts. At the event hosted by the New Zealand Ambassador Rosemary Banks, park superintendent Julia Washburn and RCC’s executive director Jeanne Braha unveiled life-size prototypes for the comprehensive signage project in the works for the green expanse. Guests enjoyed a variety of bites from local restaurants including Equinox, The Crown and Crow, The Gibson and Teaism. THEMATIC SIPS: Total Wine & More transformed invasive plants into one-of-a-kind creative cocktails.

Chris Ullman and Ed Cohen Ed Grenier, CEO, Junior Achievement, Greater Washington

Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray

Rosy Leo, Bob Ghafouri, Sumit Nagpal and John Liu

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF GREATER WASHINGTON DINNER The Lemer Residence | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL

Stephanie and Keith Lemer 50

INFLUENTIAL LEADERS More than 100 of the metropolitan area’s most influential and innovative business leaders gathered at the home of Keith Lemer, CEO of WellNet Healthcare, and his wife Stephanie to celebrate the launch of Junior Achievement (JA) of Greater Washington’s vision for transformational education in the region and also herald the Washington Business Hall of Fame dinner in December. This year’s honorees include Bluemercury CEO Marla Beck; Daniel A. D’Aniello, founding partner of The Carlyle Group; Mike Daniels, CEO of Network Solutions; and Douglas Jemal, CEO of Douglas Development Corporation. JA of Greater Washington is a nonprofit organization that is changing the game for local youth with relevant experiential education in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship—impacting over 50,000 students annually. WA S H I N G T O N L I F E

Anna and John Mason

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Ande and Mae Grennan, Dr. Kurt Newman and Anne Angiolillo WL SPONSORED

HEROES CURING CHILDHOOD CANCER GALA Conrad, Washington DC | PHOTOS BY VITHAYA PHONGSAVAN A LASTING LEGACY OF HOPE More than 400 guests enjoyed cocktails, dinner, dancing and entertainment while raising nearly $1 million to benefit pediatric cancer programs and research at Children’s National Hospital. Over the years, the gala’s proceeds have totaled $5 million, a portion of which supports programs that help create positive experiences for resident patients and their families. Through world class care, cutting-edge research and innovative programs, Children’s National’s goal is to leave a legacy of compassion and hope that will touch lives for years to come.

Holly and Doug Kammerer

Eileen Walters, Brooke Bronner and Jessica Miley

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Tommy Billings, Claire Hughes, Jamie and Webb Hayes

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Linda Rabbit and Bret Baier Tom Davidson and Kenan Thompson

Jerome Williams, Jon Chapman, Tom Davidson, Kenan Thompson, Ray Martinez and Ellen Patterson

EVERFI 10TH ANNIVERSARY EverFi Offices | PHOTOS BY DANIEL SWARTZ FOR EVERFI

Mayor Muriel Bowser

NEW DIGS EverFi Founder and CEO Tom Davidson welcomed legendary “Saturday Night Live” comedian Kenan Thompson, D. C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other dignitaries to the grand opening of the education tech firm’s sleek, glassy and futuristic 80,000-square-foot offices in the West End. The company’s new two-story headquarters is four times the size of its previous Georgetown space, allowing more breathing room for its 550 employees, 300 of whom are locally based. Now celebrating its 10th year, EverFi is of one of the Washington, D.C. area’s best performing tech start ups.

Ryan and Jessica Kerrigan with Lincoln Georgie Kerrigan Tanya Snyder and Tiffanie Snyder

Dwayne Haskins and Savhana Cousin

Callie and Brad Nierenberg with Adrian Peterson

REDSKINS FASHION SHOW Bloomingdales, Tysons Corner | PHOTOS BY VITHAYA PHONGSAVAN BALLIN’ DOWN THE RUNWAY: Washington Redskins players had a different playbook to follow at a fashion show benefiting the team’s charitable foundation and its ‘Back to School Fair.’ From the blinding lights of the football field to the dazzling lights of the runway, players, cheerleaders, coaches and their wives strutted down the catwalk for the fifth annual affair showcasing the latest trends from Bloomingdales. The fun filled evening was bolstered by a silent auction featuring more than 35 one-of-a-kind items and experiences, including lunch in the team dining room with Doug Williams. 52

Gabby and Dustin Hopkins WA S H I N G T O N L I F E

Keith Cooke and Alex Smith

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Emeril Lagasse and Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski

V FOUNDATION WINE CELEBRATION Napa Valley | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE V FOUNDATION VICTORY OVER CANCER The V Foundation for Cancer Research raised an astounding $7 million from its vino-loving supporters during an action-filled August weekend in Napa Valley, Calif. Hosted by Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski, the legendary Duke University men’s basketball coach and V Foundation board member, the threeday fund-raising event included intimate winery dining, live entertainment and a cancer research symposium. The live auction alone brought in $2 million for 25 items, including tickets to a sold-out Eagles “Hotel California” concert in Las Vegas and cooking classes at the Culinary Institute of America. Nearly $5 million of the final tally was allocated to “Fund-A-Need” donations to support the foundation’s Canine Comparative Oncology program, an innovative grant-making program that works with cancer centers and veterinary colleges to develop better treatments for human and animal cancers. A $1 million collaboration with the Morris Animal Foundation was also announced, supporting groundbreaking research to advance the field of canine comparative oncology. “I am incredibly humbled and proud to be part of this amazing team,” said chairwoman Julie Maples. “The V Foundation is truly a source of inspiration and generosity. In the words of Jim Valvano, we will ‘never give up’ as we continue to raise funds to support cancer research and programs.” The V Foundation’s Virginia Vines event will be held April 25, 2020 at Stone Tower Winery.

Julie Chase

Dr. Joe Moore and Harry Rhoads

Ryan Hill, Brie Bella, Artem Chigvintsev, Nikki Bella, Courtney Force and Graham Rahal

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PARTIES PARTIES PARTIES

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE FASHION SHOW [MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE] P H OTO S BY K A R E N SAU N D E R S P H OTO G R A P H Y

Model Mollie Thorsen showcases a Chiara Boni dress

Irina Bartell in the show-stopping finale gown designed for the Museum of the Bible by Chiara Boni by Anthony Vecchione

Versace cross sheath dress modeled by Aminata Niaria

Fashion-enthusiasts “oohed” and “aahed” while enjoying a gourmet lunch and taking in the patterns, textures and colors displayed on the runway. With a glass-enclosed backdrop of the U.S. Capitol in the distance, models floated down the catwalk, showcasing biblically inspired couture and design—including crosses, crowns and flowy capes. The sold-out show was the first of its kind, taking place just two years after the museum opened its doors. Many of the gowns will be featured on rotation year-round on the Museum’s impact floor.

MARTHA’S TABLE BENEFIT [THE PLAINS, VA.] P H OTO BY N A N CY K L EC K

Guests converged in Southeast D.C. (headquarters) to raise critical funds for education, health and wellness and family support programming in the District. The evening honored Lonnie Bunch, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; Johnnetta Cole, president and chairwoman of the board of the National Council of Negro Women; and Philip Pannell, executive director of the Anacostia Coordinating Council, for their commitment to advancing equity in the nation’s capital and beyond.

Kenza Fourati, Amanda McClements and Simone Carrica

NOCHE DE GALA [THE MAYFLOWER HOTEL] P H O T O S B Y YA S M I N H O L M A N

Members of Congress, the diplomatic corps and Hispanic celebrities arrived in style at the annual Noche de Gala as the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts honored former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. To recognize those making a difference for Latinos in media and/or entertainment, Felix Sanchez, the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts’ (NHFA) chairman and co-founder, presented the 2019 Raul Julia Award to Castro, describing him as an “aspirational figure who validates our American Dreams, both big and small, reminding us all that anything is possible in this great nation we call home.” Accepting the award, Castro stated, “I believe just like Raul Julia chased his dreams and reached them that we are going to reach ours in this community.” Latino actors Justina Machado, Melissa Barrera and Alfonso Herrera were also honored.

Felix Sanchez, Merel Julia, Julian Castro, Melissa Barerra and Roman Rodriguez

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REDSKINS WELCOME LUNCH [WASHINGTON HILTON] P H O T O S B Y YA S M I N H O L M A N

Ryan Kerrigan, Jonathan Allen, Matthew McConaughey, Adrian Peterson and Vernon Davis

Dexter Manley and Jack Rainey

Darrell Green and Brad Edwards

Pat Fischer, Vicki Gowen, and Anaath Chawan

Players, management and supporters of the Washington Redskins kicked off the 2019 football season at the team’s annual Welcome Home Luncheon where several players and alum were recognized for their leadership on and off the field. Film fanatics were excited to hear from Oscarwinning actor and longtime ’Skins fan Matthew McConaughey, who participated in a Q&A session with emcee Lindsay Czarniak. The silent auction featured dozens of one-of a-kind sports experiences including tickets to Super Bowl LIV in Miami and a helmet covered with autographs of several Heisman Trophy winners. Proceeds benefited youth programs of the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation and the Redskins Alumni Association.

PREVIEWING THE PORTRAIT GALA [CECCHI RESIDENCE] P H OTO S BY TO N Y P OW E L L

Kim Sajet and Randi Levine

Chairpersons of this month’s National Portrait Gallery 2019 Gala honoring Jeff Bezos, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anna Wintour, Frances Arnold, Indra Nooyi and Earth, Wind & Fire hosted a kickoff reception in Georgetown. Special guests included the legendary musician Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire, and fashion designer Prabal Gurung.

Kristin Cecchi family with Verdine White (left) and Prabal Gurung (right)

WOLFGANG PUCK’S CUT OPENING [THE ROSEWOOD HOTEL] P H O T O S B Y DA N I E L S WA R T Z A N D B R U C E A L L E N

Power Diners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the newly renovated Rosewood Hotel and the grand opening of CUT, celebrity master chef Wolfgang Puck’s second restaurant in the nation’s capital--the other being The Source, of course. The evening’s drinking and dining extravaganza started with waiters serving specialty craft cocktails (the Negronis were a major hit) and signature wines from Puck’s collection and then moved to a massive raw bar showcasing jumbo shrimp, caviar, rock fish, tuna tartare and freshly shucked oysters. Other hits included Edwards country ham, mini beef heart skewers and a meat carving station featuring whole dry-aged New York strip steak and Peking duck tacos. Guests lingered well after the party was officially over to sample desserts that included mini hand pies, chocolate tartlets and black forest cherry cake. Puck proved to be a master outside the kitchen as he mingled with the A list crowd, taking the likes of Wolf Blitzer and Elena and Robert Allbritton behind the counter to sample sweet corn tortellini. “We’re not going to do the same CUT concept in every city,” he told Washington Life. “Each will have its own CUT, which should have a sense of place and a completely different menu. We want to fit in here, be modern but also comfortable.”

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Wolfgang Puck, Elena and Robert Allbritton and Wolf Blitzer

Paul Wharton, Vivica A. Fox and Frederic Yonnet

Kathleen Biden with Dallas and Dede Lea

Michael and Susan Pillsbury 55

home life Real Estate News and Open House I Inside Homes and my washington

Chasing Sunlight Evelyn Tee and Daryl Sng put a modern spin on their traditional brick Tudor in Bethesda. By catherine trifiletti portrait by tony powell Interior photos by Lauren Zillinger for Laura Metzler Photography exterior photo courtesy of paola one design

home life | Inside homes

n Singapore you always have 12 hours of sunlight.” Daryl Sng notes. “After 10 years in America you realize the darkness weighs on you.” In Sng and his wife Evelyn Tee’s tropical birthplace, nature seamlessly interplays with home design and lifestyle norms through communal outdoor courtyards, lush greenery and sun-filled open living spaces ripe for entertaining. When the couple began their home search in 2015, having these links to their homeland became non-negotiable. The pair, who met in Singapore, made their way to the District after Sng got a job with the Embassy of Singapore and Tee with the World Bank. It wasn’t long before Tee fell in love with the nation’s capital and while the two pursued graduate degrees at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University, respectively, they began scouring the market for a Washington area residence. Tee found the Bethesda house they now call home on Zillow, but with mounting pressure from several prospective buyers for the coveted neighborhood listing, they placed an offer without her ever stepping foot inside. The sellers settled on Sng and Tee’s bid over a developer based on the young couple’s promise not to tear down the existing structure. The 1938 brick Tudor sits on a 30,000-square-foot lot atop a 40-foot slope in a quiet suburban community surrounded by trees. Recognizing its stellar hilltop location and good bones, Tee and Sng imagined blending the traditional facade with a modern layout and addition. They lived in the space for a year to get acquainted with patterns of sunlight and seasons before embarking on the long challenging process of finding an architect with an aligning vision. On meeting Paola Amodeo Newman of Paola One Design, Tee says “we hired her on the spot because it was such a natural match.” Working off the premise that the integrity of the charming European-style structure should be maintained, Newman carefully considered old drawings to respect the proportions

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OPENING PAGE: Evelyn Tee and Daryl Sng with their eight-year old son, Robert.

THIS PAGE: (clockwise from top left) The home’s L shape helps maintain continuity between the two unique structures. Sng says the backyard Balineseinspired terraces help “soften the landscape” and hill grade; Tee envisioned the master bathroom to be spa-like and jokes that her young son gets the most use out of it. Brazilian Ipe wood surrounding the tub adds warmth to the lightfilled space. In an effort to avoid grout, they chose blue Venetian plaster for the walls instead of tiles; The dining room table is from Calligaris and the buffet is Indonesian teak. The light fixture is Sonneman. A pair of botanical photographs by Sng’s college friend Anna Laurent hang near the buffet; Kitchen cabinets are Arclinea from Georgetown. Backsplash and countertops are marble; Sng loves the shadows cast at different times of day throughout the house. The front entrance is decorated with plants and a treasured Ellsworth Kelly piece.

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Ashee

PREVIOUS PAGE: (clockwise from top left) The architect modeled the master bedroom window in the same proportions as the original structure. The couple embraces the light, waking up with the sun every morning. The artwork hanging over their bed is by Chinese artist Min Yiyao and from a gallery in Singapore; Being surrounded by plants help them feel tied to Singapore.

of the original design. During the one-and-a-half-year renovation, the couple lived in the basement with their young son Robert who referred to the experience as “one long camping trip.” The first step of the remodel was tearing down an addition from the 1980’s that had been haphazardly slapped onto the back of the kitchen. In a review of the project Newman writes, “To attach a modern addition to such a compact and elegant design required a careful study of the proportions and its placement on the site.” The result is an adjacent glass and steel cubic structure jutting out toward the woods giving the home an L shape. The courtyard, which was an important nod to the couple’s Singaporean roots, served a dual purpose by anchoring the space and facilitating a “continuous interaction between the original house and a separate, but connected, addition.” When it came to interiors, Tee and Sng took a worldly approach that was both modern and restrained, but never cold. “Cement and a lot of glass wouldn’t suit us,” Tee says. Keeping the house’s original wood floors helped maintain its warmth as do many of the large Indonesian teak furnishings, which are heirloom pieces the couple had shipped from Singapore. As for their countless houseplants, Tee says, “We grew up in a tropical country so having greenery all year round is something very natural for us.” The pair recently noticed that most pieces from their art collection are by Asian artists educated in the United States—further solidifying a connection to their own personal journeys. “The art is reflective of different times and phases of our lives,” Sng says. Tee adds that they have drawn inspiration from their international travels and admits she sometimes chooses hotels solely based on their design. Tee and Sng, who are expecting twins this month, have more on their punch list. ”Our home will constantly evolve with the growth of the family.” Tee says. “Because your home is a ref lection of you, as we grow it will naturally grow too.”

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HOME LIFE | REAL ESTATE NEWS

All Over Town Historic properties sell in Kalorama, Kent and Dupont Circle. BY STAC E Y G R A Z I E R P FA R R

Manny Fitzgerald and Carolyn Ratner-Fitzgerald purchased

MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW UNIT A for $3.995 million. Mr. Fitzgerald is an executive with CBRE commercial real estate. His wife is a psychologist. The 2015-built two-story boutique condominium is attached to the historic James G. Blaine mansion, which was built in 1881 and designed by architect John Fraser in the Château-esque/Second Empire style. It is the only surviving example of the many large mansions built during the late 1800s that once dominated the Dupont Circle neighborhood. The 5,400-square-foot unit includes four bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths, a private elevator, four balconies and three garage spaces. The professional-grade chef’s kitchen and hand-crafted artisan stairway will surely impress even the most discerning buyer. Compass’ Hans Wydler listed the property.

THE DISTRICT

the plans for the Marriott Wardman Park Anne Stephansky sold BANCROFT Hotel. The historic Beaux Arts townhouse PLACE NW in Kalorama for $2.1 million. boasts original details throughout and features Mrs. Stephanski shared the home with her five bedrooms along with a private in-law late husband, Ben, who served as President suite and roof deck views of the Washington John F. Kennedy’s ambassador to Bolivia. The Monument. TTR Sotheby’s International house was designed by Armenian-American Realty’s Jim Bell was the listing agent while architect Mihran Mesrobian, who also drew RE/Max Realty Services’ Sergei Goumilevski

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was the buyer’s agent. The former home of Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart at PALISADE LANE NW in Kent, sold for $4.95 million. Crystal and Ryan Wade sold the s eve n - b e d ro o m , s eve n - b a t h e s t a t e to Eric and Pamela Rosenthal. The 1941

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Rob and Robin Wilder sold BRADLEY LANE in the heart of Chevy Chase for $3.55 million. Mr. Wilder, the co-founder of ThinkFoodGroup with JosĂŠ AndrĂŠs, recently founded the investment group Food Tech Angels. The Georgian mansion, dubbed “Wirelawnâ€? by its former owners, Mr. and Mrs. C. Raymond Wire, was built in 1905 and was the site of President Harry Truman’s 1949 inaugural ball. The property is a former DC Design House and was once redecorated by 22 local designers. The 13,000-square-foot mansion features ten bedrooms, a ballroom with 12-foot ceiling and a swimming pool. TTR Sotheby’s International Realty’s Jonathan Taylor represented both sides of the transaction.

S STREET NW fetched $3 million when Karl and Erin Hirschhorn sold the property to an undisclosed buyer. The grand, light-filled Kalorama Federal was built in 2003 in what was the former Holton-Arms School. The townhouse includes five bedrooms, large entertaining spaces, outdoor terraces boasting views of the Washington monument and a private roof deck. TTR Sotheby’s International Realty’s Jim Bell was the listing agent while Michael Rankin, also of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty represented the buyer.

Colonial was recently renovated from top to bottom to include a gourmet kitchen, a movie theater, a golf simulator and multiple outdoor terraces and patio living spaces. Justice Stewart served on the Supreme court from 1958-1981. Ryan Wade is a founder of MRP Realty Commercial Realty. Kara Sheehan of Washington Fine Properties represented both

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DUMBARTON STREET NW changed hands when Robert and Ann Goldstein purchased the quintessential 1850 Georgetown abode from Barbara and Dean Smith for $3.1 million. The detached four-bedroom, fourbath Federal was completely renovated and features an enclosed upperlevel sunroom, an in-law suite, a private rear garden and a parking space. Nancy Taylor Bubes of Washington Fine Properties was the listing agent.

gardens, a pool, expansive lawns and a circular driveway, was built in 1998. It boasts over 12,000 VIRGINIA square feet of elegant living space including a The former residence of Lois Bean and her chef ’s kitchen, an upper-level master suite with late husband, Coleman, at

INNSBRUCK a fireplace, a tranquil sunroom and a walkAVENUE in Great Falls sold for $3.742 million out lower level with a recreation and billiard to the Innsbruck Group LLC. The Colonial room. Washington Fine Properties’ Piper Gioia style stone estate on five private acres with lush represented both sides of the transaction. sides of the transaction.

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HOME LIFE | REAL ESTATE NEWS

PROPERTY LINES

HELLO BOLLYWOOD: Shailender Gupta’s mansion at BRONSON DRIVE in Potomac is up for grabs with a price tag of $5.395 million. The sprawling, 21,000-square-foot estate was built by Bollywood producer Vijay Taneja and subsequently actioned in 2009 when Gupta purchased the property. It will be auctioned once again on Nov. 14. The residence is constructed of exceptional materials including gold leaf, copper and cherry wood and boasts a symmetrical layout on three floors complete with elevator access. Ideal for multi-generational living, there are two master suites and five additional ensuite bedrooms. The house also features a gourmet kitchen, a catering kitchen, a library, a sunroom/temple room, a wine cave, a movie theater and multiple recreation rooms. Rachel Rabinowitz of Guerilla Realty is the listing agent.

SITTING PRETTY IN POTOMAC: Healthcare company mogul and Catalyst Health Solutions founder, Thomas Blair, is selling his house for $4.5 million with the help of Washington Fine Properties’ Lori Leasure and Patty Daniels. The 12,000-square-foot abode at HIGHLAND FARM ROAD in Potomac sits adjacent to another two-acre parcel of land that is also available for purchase. The classic brick Colonial, on the market for the first time since being built-in 1987, features seven bedrooms in the main house and a two-bedroom guest house with a full kitchen. The property includes a fully lighted tennis court and pool and pool house with a kitchen and bathroom.

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CLASSIC CLEVELAND PARK COLONIAL: Lawyer Graeme Bush and his wife, Wendy Rudolph listed MACOMB STREET NW in Cleveland Park for $3.295 million. Bush is a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder, where he specializes in civil litigation and white-collar criminal investigations. The 1921 Colonial has seven bedrooms and four baths and was once the residence of former El Salvadoran Ambassador Francisco Altschul Fuentes. It features an open and airy floor plan, high ceilings, fine finishes and many large windows overlooking a serene woodland backdrop. Margot Wilson of Washington Fine Properties is the listing agent HISTORIC GEORGETOWN: One of the 20 oldest houses in Georgetown, TH STREET NW, which dates back to 1794 (or even earlier), is listed for $1.695 million. The 2,145-square-foot, semidetached pile boasts five fireplaces (four of which date to original

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construction), two bedrooms and three full baths. Kerry McLoughlin is selling the property with the help of Coldwell Banker’s Ann Young Send real estate news to Stacey Grazier Pfarr at editorial@ washingtonlife.com.

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OPEN HOUSE

Open House Luxury Living around the DMV EASTON SOUTH HARRISON STREET_ EASTON_ MD

ASKING PRICE: $ 2,000,000

This gracious Georgian property in downtown Easton, Md. is mere blocks from the Avalon Theater, the Academy of the Arts Museum and The Tidewater Inn, and offers charm with modern updates Sited on over half an acre with five bedrooms, five full bathrooms and over 6,600 square feet of living space, this 1920 residence is ideal for those looking to escape city life. Three wood-burning fireplaces, a gourmet chef ’s kitchen and plethora of entertaining spaces are among its many features.

LISTING AGENT: Trey Rider III, (443) 786-0235 TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

POTOMAC

FALLS ROAD

ASKING PRICE: $4,999,000

A private gated oasis in a sought-after area, this house offers over 15,000 square feet of luxury living space and is beautifully sited on more than two acres of landscaped grounds with a custom pool and cabana.With nine bedrooms and nine full and two half baths, the residence offers entertaining and hosting opportunities, and would be an ideal family compound. It was built in 2006 and renovated in 2008 and 2010.

LISTING AGENT: Mary Magner (301) 785-1601, Mary.Magner@ LongandFoster. com; Long & Foster | Christie’s

KENT

KLINGLE STREET NW ASKING PRICE: $2,995,000 When there is a full-size Sub-Zero freezer and LISTING AGENTS: refrigerator, a wine cooler and two refrigerator Daryl Judy, (202) 380-7219 drawers, you know no expense has been spared to and Kimberly Casey, (202) create a dream kitchen that the Barefoot Contessa 361-3228; Washington Fine might envy. A classic home with a modern edge Properties inspired by Santa Barbara design, this 7,000-squarefoot residence features seven bedrooms, six full baths and two half baths.This newly constructed house occupies a private corner lot and includes a garden and a two-car garage.

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MY WASHINGTON WALE Multi-platinum-selling rapper BY DA R A K L AT T

C

Photo by Danilo Lewis

MY TOP SPOTS

My Bed [in Upper Marlboro]. The little time that I got, I like to make good use of. I can’t chill anywhere but at home. It’s really hard ... The way I’m feeling right now, I need a three-week stay-cation.

[I’m a] big Redskins fan … it’s a tough season for sure.

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Carolina Kitchen (2350 Washington Pl. NW) is a favorite place to eat. (Traditional homestyle cooking and a “true taste of the South.”)

I pull up on the clubs to meet with friends, like Rosebar Lounge (1215 Connecticut Ave. NW).

all him an innovator or maybe an agitator, but more than anything, Wale is an artist. Born as Olubowale Victor Akintimehin and raised locally, Wale has had two number-one rap albums, along with four multi-platinum singles. His fans are many and steadfast, with six million followers on Twitter and 3.4 million on Instagram. Last month, he released his sixth studio album, “Wow ... That’s Crazy,” which he professes to be his most personal album by far—with lyrics expressing heartache and hand-holding as well as health and wealth. It’s unapologetically pro-Black with songs like “BGM” (Black Girl Magic) and “Sue Me” (I’m rooting for everybody who’s black). So far, the album is a hit with fans, especially his Jeremih-assisted single, “On Chill” going gold. Go-Go is something Wale has drawn inspiration from, and earlier this year he joined the fight along U Street NW against gentrification of this local music tradition. Wale gave WL insight on Go-Go, his favorite area hang-outs and his trailblazing poetic instincts. >>

ANY FAVORITE LYRICS IN “WOW ... THAT’S CRAZY”? For me, in a good movie, there’s no standout part. That would imply there are parts that are underwhelming. I wanted to make everything [in this album] go so crazy that you really can’t decide what you like the best. [On the personal side], the songs are more detailed.You close your eyes and listen to one of them and you can envision yourself there.

YOU HAVE BEEN A SUPPORTER OF THE “GO-GO” PROTESTS IN D.C. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT? The majority of my projects have always had Go-Go influences. Anytime I can, I support my friends.[The protests] shined a light on something that was so special and so unique to Washington and it became global news.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL OTHER ARTISTS WHO MAY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE STRUGGLING? You gotta invest in yourself. A lot of people are struggling artists because they aren’t really listening.You can’t expect anyone to believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself, especially when it comes to money and spending it on things that will elevate your career. Don’t do this if you don’t love it. There are more harder days.

DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN INNOVATOR AND DO YOU STILL LOVE WHAT YOU DO? I like to think of myself as a fearless songwriter. I think outside the box. I love music. I’m not really thrilled about the music business.

WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR ALBUM? You gotta listen to it all the way through. Ain’t nothing to skip on. Start with “Sue Me” and just press play, sit back and relax. That’s the start of the show right there. WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN? Oh man, Jay-Z. I was going through something and he said, “you really gotta understand, sometimes friends are like seasons. Everybody that you are cool with when you get in the game ain’t going to be there later on down the road.” That’s just the way life is. That’s just the way life works.

HOW DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO COME BACK HOME TO D.C. WHEN YOU ARE TRAVELING? Great, it’s never a dull moment. I try to rest but I got a lot going on as soon as I touch down.

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