Advisory Board

Abdul moved to the United States from Morocco in 2000 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance but no computer skills. He worked as a food runner in a restaurant for a year before joining CORE. At CORE, he took classes in Microsoft Word and Excel and learned how to type. After graduation, Abdul soon got a job as a teller at Congressional Federal Credit Union, where he soon advanced to Financial Analyst, then to Business Analyst & Analytics.

Abdul served on CORE’s Board of Directors including a term as Vice Chair, he says, “CORE gave me the self-confidence and skills to grow in my professional life.”

Bill Browning is an independent consultant with a 30-year career combining program management roles in corporate training, a community-based nonprofit, community college, and workforce development policy and leadership development. As a program manager for a community-based nonprofit workforce training program and community college, he led the design and implementation of new initiatives that were recognized as national models, including an innovative nonprofit-college “co-enrollment” partnership and a holistic advising service to enroll and support low-income adults returning to college.

At the Aspen Institute and as a consultant, Browning has authored numerous case studies of promising practices in workforce development that have been published by The Aspen Institute, Achieving the Dream, Jobs for the Future, HHS and others. He is the co-author, together with Dr. Chad Hoggan, of the 2019 book, Transformational Learning in Community Colleges, published by Harvard Education Press.

Deb Roepke started an on-campus job in Macalester College’s computer store despite not knowing how to turn on the computer at first! Three years later she’d developed the skills to excel at Grinnell College Computer Services, supervising 50 part-time students and delivering critical tech support for 2,000 people. Soon her staff of college students were realizing job opportunities that their classmates were not – receiving offers for high-paying jobs. Meanwhile, Deb was asked to teach an “Introduction to Computing” class at the local community college, starting with the “On” button and working through mouse, keyboarding, internet, and Microsoft Word. She was surprised to learn after one term that 50% of her students got new jobs or promotions. The penny dropped and Deb realized that by using resume writing as the Microsoft Word project, or job searches to show how to use the internet, she was teaching in a way that connected even these most basic computer skills to better job opportunities for her students.

In 1997 her computer experience brought her to Alexandria. Here, she began Computer CORE building on previous successes using computer skills as a framework to develop career skills. With a friend, John Nelson, she wrote a concept paper that Fairlington Presbyterian Church’s elders approved, granting initial CORE funding and space used until moving in 2014. Deb initially served as CORE’s board chair, later moved onto the staff, and served as executive director until 2008.

Since leaving CORE, Deb has been active in local and national efforts. She has supported or run several political campaigns, provided consulting and coaching to non-profit executives (especially founders and executives during organization transitions), and used her coalition-building experience to lead a national utility-scale solar deployment as electric cooperatives implemented their first solar energy projects.

Deb has a BS in Biology from Macalester College, a MA in Science Technology and Public Policy from George Washington University, and a Masters Certificate in Six Sigma from Villanova University. In 2003 she married John Nelson. Deb and John have two daughters, Sophia and Charissa.

Gretchen became involved with Computer CORE in 1999 when she moved to Alexandria and was looking for volunteer opportunities. During the first 10 years of involvement she worked with the staff and volunteers as the organization grew and matured. Her initial focus was teaching and writing curriculum. When CORE identified a student in one of Gretchen’s classes who was interested in computer networking, Gretchen’s organization created a position for the student and developed career pathway to train and mentor the student from a help desk technician to a network administrator. Gretchen said that she learned as much from her students about world politics and lifestyles as they learned about computer software from her. During this time, she had two children – one who was adopted internationally from Guatemala.

After several cycles of teaching, Gretchen joined the Board and was a member of the CEO search and transition team. She served as Board Chair to ensure incoming ED Lynn O’Connell had a smooth transition. Gretchen rejoined the CORE family in 2019 as a member of the 20th Anniversary planning committee.

Gretchen is a Strategic Consultant with DelCor, a technology management company that serves associations and nonprofits. Gretchen is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Project Management Institute (PMI) and a Founding Member of Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC). Gretchen resides in Alexandria with her husband, Dan, and children, Grace and John.

James “Jim” Paige, President/CEO, PTG Consulting Group and Executive Director/Co-Founder, Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria (CCNA), has a wealth of senior-level experience in military operations, logistics, international affairs, and program management. He is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Student Leadership Academy (PSLA), a nonprofit, leadership training and long-term mentoring program for underserved, underrepresented and at-risk college students.

Jim’s work with the federal government includes serving as the Project Manager and National Coordinator for the “post 9-11” TSA Airport Federalization Project Advanced Team, which developed new airport security screening procedures and implemented them nationwide. As well, he served as Senior Advisor for the U.S. Army National Museum project. In that role, he worked with potential donors, senior leaders, the academic community, and conducted oral history interviews with Tuskegee Airmen, Sioux Code Talkers, and other military veterans. Currently, he works closely with The Bowman Veteran’s Support Group, Birmingham, Alabama and KP21 Productions, Houston Texas, to support homeless veterans.

With broad experience in the international arena, he has worked extensively as a project manager on behalf of the World Bank’s Post Conflict Unit and the governments of Switzerland and Norway for the repatriation of Northern Ugandan Refugees and Child Soldiers. He also served as the Bank’s representative to the United Nations Coordinating Action on Small Arms (CASA) Mechanism, routinely coordinating international conferences and seminars in Africa and Europe As security advisor for The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), he authored HIV/AIDS Strategy for African Military Leaders.

In the private sector, he is a frequently requested guest speaker and regularly conducts strategic communications seminars and leadership training sessions for numerous clients throughout the country. A committed mentor for youth, he served as the Inaugural Board Chairman for the NASA Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) Program and continues to mentor young leaders.

Jim, a retired Army colonel, has an MA in Human Resource Management. He is a lifetime member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and was honored at the 2006 Trumpet Awards for his support to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

John Nelson was instrumental founding Computer CORE along with Deb Roepke. He provided guidance for Computer CORE’s direction, mission, even the organization’s name, and continues to provide support both financially and strategically.

Justin served on Computer CORE’s Board of Directors and was involved in the CEO search and transition team during his tenure.

Justin Wilson was elected Mayor of the City of Alexandria in November of 2018. As Mayor, he represents the City regionally on the Northern VA Transportation Authority and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors, and leads several city committees including City Schools Subcommittee, the ARHA Redevelopment Committee, the Quality of Life Committee, Legislative Subcommittee, and the Audit Committee.

An experienced community leader, Justin previously served 8 years on Alexandria’s City Council, including three years as Vice Mayor. Justin’s leadership has led to new investments in schools, transportation and environmental infrastructure. He has worked to expand early childhood education, address growing student enrollment, accelerate economic growth, advance climate policy as well as protecting and expanding housing affordability. Prior to his election to city council, Justin served on city transit and budget committees, and was twice elected president of the Del Ray Citizens Association.

Justin is employed by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) as a Senior Director. He holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Information Systems from Virginia Commonwealth University, and is a Fellow of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.
(Excerpted from www.alexandriava.gov/Council)

Kris McMenamin solves problems to realize strategy. The bigger the problem, the more complex – the better. She combines her Big Four consulting firm experience with a healthy dose of irreverence, compelling her to approach each client with an open mind, a commitment to collaboration, and a focus on results. Her specialty is agile business transformation—grounded in 25 years of providing coaching, facilitation, process improvement, strategic planning, technology delivery, and change management to clients in both the federal government and private industry.

While Kris has worked at firms that range from very large to very boutique and respects the value of both, she knows where she wants to be. Having led a small firm on an award-winning 10-year run of solid and consistent growth, today, she is at the helm of her own shop, ready to not only repeat her pattern of success, but to exceed it. “I very much like the idea of being a big firm when it comes to expertise and what we offer our clients, but a small firm when it comes to how we interact with our clients, partners, associates, and potential clients. Big where it’s best, small where it’s smart. That’s McMenamin Consulting Group.”