Meet More Volunteers

Amanda Jain is the co-owner of an IT consulting business and currently working as a Management Consultant with the US Government. She has over 25 years of experience as an IT Program Manager and enjoys the leadership and mentoring aspects of her job. Prior to starting her business, Amanda worked in both government and commercial industries managing technology professionals, piloting strategic organizational change, and establishing cost efficient processes in challenging economic landscapes. Amanda received her Bachelor of Science degree in Decision and Information Systems from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her Masters in Business Administration from the University of Baltimore.

Anita has been extensively involved in technology field for more than 20 years and is currently the Director of Technology at the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI). Anita has overall responsibility for all IT related functions. In this highly sensitive, visible role, Anita led the implementation of a new association management system and restructured the association’s computer infrastructure including establishing the disaster recovery plan. She facilitated the strategic discussion and lead the implementation of a new website, online community, accounting platform, learning management system and telephone system. She has led many key projects including technology requirements for the office move. Anita was instrumental in driving technological changes to enhance the member experience at annual conferences, including a new conference app and automated the many manual processes. She oversaw the development of the operational and technical process of NIRI’s professional certification program. Previously, she served as Senior Director of Information Services for the American Subcontractors Association (ASA). She was responsible for managing all IT as well as the operational activities of the organization. She designed computer networks, implemented financial software, researched and implemented a new association management system for the national organization and chapters. She oversaw departmental staff and all finance and office administration. She played an integral role in computer related policy writing, documentation and user training. Before joining ASA, she served as Information Systems Technician for the American College of Health Care Administrators. Anita is a sophisticated and strategic professional with a career reflecting solid IT and association leadership qualifications coupled with information systems infrastructure design and implementation, AMS database, website development, systems integration and a wide range of project management expertise. She was a speaker at ASAE technology conference as well as SURGE conference for the association success.org. She is a current volunteer member as a co-lead instructor for the CORE Computer, a nonprofit organization. Currently, she serves on the ASAE Technology Council. Anita received her master’s degree and B.S. in Computer Information Systems from the Strayer University in Washington D.C. She recently translated a children’s book from Nepali language to English which is in the process of publishing. Anita received DCA technology star award in 2019.

David graduated from Amherst College in June 1984 with a BA in French Language & Literature. He received his Masters of Education from George Mason University in June 2009. David began his career at the non-profit job placement agency in Washington, DC called Jubilee Jobs. He then moved to working in Radio, TV & Film, first for the for-profit Interface Video Systems, then in the public sector for eighteen years teaching Television & Multimedia Production to high school students at the Arlington Career Center, a part of the Arlington Public Schools.

David has been volunteering for Computer CORE since the spring of 2017, during which time he has taught keyboarding, office suites, and the mathematics workshop. David has taught at the Dar Al Hijrah mosque, the Korean Community Service Center, the James Lee Community Center, the BritePaths medical training program, as well as at the main Lee office building. From September 2018 until March 2019, David served as Computer CORE’s Office Manager.

Most recently, during this time of Covid-19, David has been teaching virtually, using such tools as Zoom video conferencing, Wacom electronic sketch pads, and Snagit screen capture software.

Debbie Anderson is a retired mathematics and science teacher. As a military spouse, she has lived in many different areas of the United States and the world. Debbie has enjoyed various volunteer work throughout her lifetime including assisting with Computer CORE’s math prep class. She has a BS in science education and a ME in education leadership. She and her husband have three grown daughters and eleven grandchildren.

I volunteer as a lead computer instructor for MS Office and career development at the HUMC location. During my college years, I developed an interest in teaching and it has only grown since then. Computer CORE has been a great opportunity to give back by helping others to develop their skills and to reach their potential. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from volunteering here is that it takes individual initiative to seek out opportunities to serve a community. However, it takes a community effort to bring about real positive change to people’s livelihoods which is exactly what Computer CORE does for the students that it serves. I currently work as a medical scribe at the Reston Hospital Center Emergency Department where I use my computer skills to assist the physicians with real-time medical documentation. I’ve been involved in volunteering to assist patients in hospitals and also serving the underserved communities by getting involved with local food pantries. I graduated with a BS in Bioinformatics from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Jeffrey Fischer has over 35 years’ experience within the Global Supply industry; of which the final 25 where with UPS. During his UPS career, Jeff worked on developing integrated logistics solutions for the world’s largest Fortune 100 companies. During his tenure he also was a member of the Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) acquisition team that converted the 3,200+ shipping retail network into today’s UPS Stores.

He also worked within UPS’s sales training, business development, operations, product development, and customer experience divisions.

Prior to joining UPS, Jeff worked for Fuji Photo Film and Lever Brothers in New York City.

Jeff has written and published over 100 articles, has been a guest columnist to the Cambridge Information Network and the Global Business Network, and writer for the Candid Camera TV show.

He was an adjunct professor in New York and Georgia colleges teaching logistics, international management, thesis research and writing, and organizational management.

He holds both a Bachelor of Science in Transportation and Distribution Management and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Syracuse University. And, earned a Master of Business Administration in Management from Long Island University.

Jeff is a native of the New York City area and moved to Atlanta with UPS in 1994. He has been married to his wife Nancy 35+ years with 2 adult children Matthew and Christine.

Since retiring in March 2018, Jeff has been spending more time supporting various community efforts with his church’s men’s group. One that he and his fellow members have made their own is The Extension, a homeless shelter and recovery program, located in Marietta, GA, for men and women with alcohol and drug addiction. His efforts have expanded to other charities within the Atlanta area and other parts of the country, primarily Computer CORE.

Lonnie Henley is a retired Army officer and retired civil servant. He spent forty years in defense intelligence in and out of uniform, focused primarily on Chinese and North Korean military forces. He’s a member of the West Point class of 1978 and completed graduate degrees at Oxford, Columbia, and the National Intelligence University. He’s been an avid computer hobbyist since building his first Heathkit PC in the early 1980s, and joined the refurbishing team at Computer CORE in July 2020. He and his wife Sara Hanks love the English countryside, French food, and Utah skiing.

With various interests in many disciplines, Marco has a Long and Foster Real Estate training along with on hands training in Dentistry. He was a former founder of Gotcha Freestyle Photography in South Carolina, Marco worked as a graphic and web design and often made brochures, logos, posters for various companies as well as for his personal connections. Marco joined a band and plays as a Jazz Pianist and sometimes travel.

He graduated with 4 majors as Magnum Cum Laude in Northern Virginia Community College in Programming, Web Coding, Information Technology, Information Systems Technology. He was nominated part of Phi Theta Kappa as Vice President of Communications and Marketing. After graduation, he was employed in NT Connections as a Help Desk Engineer. But rather work as a Marketing Account Executive for WAVE Interaction. Marco wanted more stability at a job and is now in Customer Service in the Government (DOD) for the Army Airforce Base in Fort Meyers.

On his downtime, he works on his E-commerce Business Marketing his products worldwide. Marco is also part of the Virginia West Virginia Phi Theta Kappa Alumni Organization in order to help college students become better students which brought him here to teach at Computer CORE. Marco is presently studying his CCNA, Security+ certifications and working on his piano solo album.

Hello everyone, My name is Margaret Omwenga and it’s a great honor to Serve as an Instructor and Volunteer at ComputerCORE (CORE). I am grateful to the CORE team, my mentors, and everyone who has helped and supported me throughout my professional and academic journey. Thus, my commitment to volunteer, give back, and pay it forward and make a difference in my community and people’s lives through Education.

I am passionate about empowering students with the knowledge and skills needed to critically think and effectively utilize and optimize technology to enhance learning and collaboration in traditional classroom, remote, and distance learning settings. I challenge and encourage my students to expand their knowledge beyond the basics to a deeper and fundamental understanding of the principles in order to develop transferable skills that can be applied at work and in other diverse settings.

It’s great to be a member of the CORE Team – together we are making a difference in our community and beyond!

With Best Regards, Margaret Omwenga, ABD

May B. Skaff is a Community Liaison with FCPS since 2008, located at Dunn Loring Center for Parent services. Her job is to connect parents with applicable school and community personnel and resources, facilitate effective communication and family-school-community collaboration to support student learning and healthy development both at home and at school; help parents learn the skills necessary to empower them as advocates for their children by successfully navigating FCPS and Fairfax County government offices.

Knowing that no single approach is the right one for every individual, May has been working through a combination of formal and informal contacts, performing a variety of family-school-community liaison and outreach activities, facilitating communication for families with school and community personnel, directing parents to appropriate resources for information and or resolution of concern, following up to ensure parental concerns have been addressed, and participating in community and civic activities to establish professional contacts and maintain credibility within the community. May is Lebanese, her educational background includes a degree in social work from Saint Joseph University in Beirut, and a master’s at the University Laval in Quebec, Canada. She also completed training in a “Family Resource Center” in Quebec, Canada known as Centre Local de Service Communautaire.

May is fluent in Arabic (native language), French (education) and English. She lives in Reston, VA with her husband and two children, one girl and one boy. May’s hobbies include entertaining friends and family, listening to Lebanese and classical music, and taking long walks in nature. May loves the culinary arts, most of her experience is in Mediterranean and French cuisine, but she is interested in Chinese and Japanese cuisines as well. May is very involved with her church and serving the community throughout Northern Virginia by various means.

Robert Kraus has been the Operations Director of the Libertarian Party (LP) since 2005. He also served as Acting Executive Director in 2008-2009. Robert ran for Alexandria City Council under the Libertarian Party label in 2012 and is a Life Member of the Party. Robert holds a BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia with concentrations in Marketing and Management. Prior to working at the LP, Robert was in retail and wholesale furniture and also ran a bar/bistro, independent movie house and coffee shops. As a former business owner, the burden of heavy regulations and crippling taxes attracted his interest in the Libertarian Party. Robert is also an adjunct with a local community college and teaches intro to non-profit accounting, retail and sales management, banking and finance, and runs a QuickBooks Boot Camp on weeknights and weekends. When he is not teaching or working at the LP, you will find him at the Little Theatre of Alexandria where he serves on the board as head of front-of-house and produces plays. He is also a Member of the Association of Meeting Professionals (AMPs) where he has been recognized as “Planner of the Year” for 2019.

After graduating from CORE, and while attending community college, Taiba is fulfilling one of her goals to help incoming students as a volunteer intern. She assists with student registration, fields helpdesk calls, manages Zoom classrooms, and assists with coding class practice sessions. In addition to learning technology, software, office administration, and customer service skills in preparation for her own career, Taiba is also able to serve an important role as as a community navigator by using her past student experience along with her new technology skills to ease new students’ transition to the virtual environment, and increase their comfort level in class.