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Our Giving Issue SUZ AN N E YOU N GKIN SH I N ES A LIGHT O N VI RGI N IA’ S GO O DN ESS TH E WRIGHT M AN FO R TH E JO B SAN DY LERN ER O N VO LU NTEERING

D E C E M B E R 2 022

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

Giving as a Way of Life

December 2022 PUBLISHER

Hann Livingston | hann.livingston@citylifestyle.com EDITOR IAL COOR DINATOR

Melinda Gipson | melinda.gipson@citylifestyle.com

When I started this magazine in May 2019, one of our core values was putting a spotlight on giving. Each year we dedicate the December issue to the concept, but you've also probably noticed our "Giving Back" feature in each issue throughout the year. Thus far we have done more than 60 stories highlighting non profits and the work they are doing in our community. A shout out goes to Melinda Gipson, our fantastic editor, who has served on the Loudoun Cares Board for many years and helped launch the annual Art Auction, which we expect to continue online this month (see LoudounCares.org for details.) Philanthropy is a way of life for us because we believe that communities that focus on giving back are far stronger than those that fail to recognize the power of helping others. We hope that we've inspired our readers to connect to a cause or recognize some of the great work being done around us. If nothing else, giving has been scientifically shown to improve our individual happiness, so if you haven't found a passion project yet, maybe 2023 is your year? December is a great time to highlight this work...'tis the season, after all. So we hope you enjoy the stories highlighting 2022's Loudoun Laureate Sandy Lerner, Virginia's First Lady Suzanne Youngkin, Washington Commander President Jason Wright, and other members of our community doing great work! We also want to wish you a wonderful holiday season and hope your time with family and friends brings joy and happiness as we ring out another year. "For it is in giving that we receive." — Saint Francis of Assisi

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DECEMBER 2022

inside the issue The Holiday & Giving Issue

F E ATU R E D

D E PA RTM E NTS

20 From Selfish to Service

Lifestyle Letter

City Scene

Business Monthly

Local Limelight

Trend Setter

Inspired By

Fashion Forward

Hometown Hero

Realty Report

Giving Back

Cisco Co-Founder Sandy Lerner Tells Parents to Displace Kids’ Cell Phones

30 Suzanne Youngkin Shining a Light 39 “Get the Look” From Ketterman’s 44 The Wright Man for the Job Jason Wright on Diversity, Faith and Trusting Your Gut

O N T H E C OV E R

Photography: Monty Shoup, Blue Lion Multimedia First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin visits Sprout Therapeutic Riding in Aldie to award a $1,000 check commemorating her Spirit of the Horse Award in the name of “Punkin” Lee.

LI FE + C U LT U R E

FO O D + B EV ER AGE

LI FE + C U LT U R E ST Y LE + B EAU T Y

LI FE + C U LT U R E

R EA L ESTAT E

LI FE + C U LT U R E

DECEMBER 2022

city scene

Where neighbors can see and be seen. 1

7 5

1: The Loudoun Wineries & Winegrowers Assn. gave Aimee Henkel, of The Vineyard and Winery and Lost Creek, and Echelon Wine Bar, its President’s Award. 2: Mike Newland, owner Sycamore Springs Vineyard, and Vineyard Manager for Walsh Family Wine, Winegrower of the Year. 3: Nate and Sarah Walsh of Walsh Family Wine. See all the awards at loudounwineawards.com. 4: Melanie Natoli, Winemaker of the Year. 5: Co-owner Chris Charron, and Tim Kish, winemaker, at 868. Owner Nancy Deliso was named Ambassador. 6: Presenter Beth Erickson, President and CEO of Visit Loudoun. 7: LWWA’s best in show was the 2021 Albarino from Bluemont Vineyards, winemaker Scott Spelbring. Photography by Melinda Gipson

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DECEMBER 2022

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D ECEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

From

ARTICLE BY MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELINDA GIPSON & THE LOUDOUN LAURELS FOUNDATION

Selfish to CISCO CO-FOUNDER

SANDY LERNER TELLS PARENTS HOW TO DISPLACE KIDS’ CELL PHONES

Service

Stewardship is defined as the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care. As The Loudoun Laurels Foundation (loudounlaurels.org) interprets this trust, it involves honoring people who are role models for others and whose lives contribute to the quality of life in Loudoun County. Its focus on the future means that it seeks out and supports Loudoun County public high school seniors whose “struggles, determination and potential indicate clearly that they will become exceptional community citizens and future leaders.” By tradition, these students, who receive $40,000 each to pay their tuition in a Virginia state school, are the first in their families to receive a college education, making them at once grateful and committed to be good stewards of those resources.

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | L IFE + CULTURE

Scholarship recipient Jasmeet Kaur

Loudoun Laureate Foundation Board Ngozi Akingbesote a past scholarship recipient now at Yale

This year’s student recipients were Jasmeet Kaur of Tuscarora High School who will study accounting and is interested in forensic accounting and Carlos Morales of Potomac Falls High School who will study biomedical engineering. Both will study at George Mason University. Sandy Lerner, this year’s laureate and speaker at the October gala, admitted to us that she hadn’t known much about the group before she was tapped to speak, but supports the group’s mission. Her Ayrshire Farm in Upperville was the first in Virginia to receive Certified Humane, Organic and Predatory Friendly designations, certifications that in some cases she told us resulted in death threats when she first moved to the county. “People in Loudoun take their hunting very seriously,” she said. Since then, she has had a role both fostering the use of sustainable organic farming in Virginia, and personally protected more than 2,000 acres of farmland making sure our region will retain its agricultural, historical and rural character for generations to come. But, when asked to speak, this pioneering mathematician who co-founded Cisco and whose personal Internet address dates to the 1970’s, wanted to talk about the importance of volunteering. “Do you know that between aged 8- and 12-yearold’s spend seven hours and 22 minutes a day on their phones? This is exclusive of time spent doing schoolwork. This is just the entertainment part. There are about 60,000 kids in that age group in Loudoun. That adds up to just under half a million hours a year, or the equivalent of 225 full time jobs,” she said. Instead of referring to “selfies” she calls them “selfish.” “These kids assume that the world is wholly engrossed with what they personally are doing. I don’t think that’s a good worldview for successful adulthood. They will be very surprised to find out that nobody really cares what they are doing or what they like. People really only care about what you can do for other people. I also think it’s antithetical to leadership.” “What is leadership?” she asked. “It’s negotiation, cooperation and responsibility. You can’t really see the needs of other people from behind the phone.” Considering that there are roughly 400,000

CONTINUED >

D ECEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

Scholarship recipient Carlos Morales Kristina Bouweiri

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | L IFE + CULTURE

people in Loudoun County, “if three quarters of those people gave one hour a month of their time, that’s 300,000 hours each month, or 3.6 million person-hours per year. That’s equivalent to 1,800 full-time jobs. And these aren’t replacing people that have jobs. These are things in the county and our community that need doing.” Acknowledging that that’s not news to her audience, she noted that volunteerism can either take the form that receive fulfillment just by helping other people, and those who do it for self-improvement. “It’s really no surprise that the better health and quality of life benefits accrue to those people who help because it’s just the right thing to do.” Her own volunteering started with the 4-H Club, without which she says she would never have made it through college. “I would not have had the confidence to go on and buck all the systems that a woman was bucking in the early days of venture capital and computer electronics. That’s the reason why I think that it is so important that we get our children into service clubs.... It gives kids the opportunity to find their strengths and grow confidence. It turns out I’m a pretty darn good beef showman. At one point I was the best beef showman of California when California was the seventh largest agricultural entity in the world.” Kids learn tenacity and to accept failure. “If parents are constantly snow plowing everything out of the way of their children, they will never be able to stand up and say, ‘I did that.’” Service deepens your roots to your community, and allows you to learn from other people. “When I was a kid, there were the candy stripers and the Key Club, Boy and Girl Scouts, 4-H and FFA. My parents belonged to Lions, Elks, Moose, Kiwanis, the Rotary, the 2030 Club. My cousins belong to the Junior League.... My aunt and uncle were delivering Meals on Wheels when my uncle was too old and infirm to get out of the car.... I have eaten more rubbery spaghetti and mystery meat, pancakes and sausage than anybody should ever have to do. And you know what? It’s why I’m here.” Setting an example for young people is the best way to engage them, she added. “I always tell people, you know, it’s not about changing the atomic weight

of hydrogen. You can grow food for the food bank.... You can knit sweaters for the homeless. You can make cat nip toys for shelter animals who go crazy in cages. You can make donation calls for charity. Every time I get really down about something, I start getting things for animals and pretty soon I forget I wasn’t happy. You can solicit silent auction items. You can pick up rubbish on the roadside.” You can always help the less fortunate, she added. “Do you have a skill? I have a girlfriend who’s a concert violinist and she says that every time she starts to feel sorry for herself she goes to the hospital and plays for those people because they have real problems.” She then related the story of a cat she had who was limp as a ragdoll. “You could kind of hold him upside down and he didn’t care what anybody did to him. So, he was the first cat in Fauquier County to be a therapy animal. We would go to all the dementia wards and he was so beautiful and so soft and just had his big blue eyes and people loved him. I didn’t have a special skill but he did.” After listing several other ways her friends help their community, she concluded, “What kind of children do we want to raise? People who are a positive value to society, who are too busy with lending a hand, a voice or an hour to be attached to something as superficial as a phone. I personally have an adversarial relationship with my phone. I lose it because I hate arguing with it. People who are committed to helping within their community, their country or their planet are aware that their own individual actions may be relatively insignificant, but they do them anyway.” “People who recognize the extent to which we in this room, in this country and in this county are blessed, we have the financial means and the personal freedom to enable us to see beyond ourselves if we want to. We have a choice. We need to help our young people choose and cherish the opportunity to volunteer and to give. Giving transcends gender, politics, religion, color, and species. Giving teaches kindness and responsibility. People who are busy giving don’t have time for boredom – no time for the negative. No time for hate. We can spend our energy being a part of the solution or being a part of the problem. In the end, there’s only one planet and we all share it.”

Sandy Lerner

D ECEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

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IN FRANC PRAISE ARTICLE BY LUCA PASCHINA, BARBOURSVILLE VINEYARDS’ WINEMAKER PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUCA PASCHINA AND MELINDA GIPSON

OVER 30 YEARS OF WINEMAKING, CABERNET FRANC REVEALS VIRGINIA

Halfway through Barboursville Vineyards’ Cabernet Franc feast this Summer, I realized that 2022’s harvest will give us, within a few short weeks, our 30th Anniversary vintage of Cabernet Franc. This is an occasion worth noting for it means more than meets the eye in terms of the age of our vines and the depth of our experience with this varietal. Our vintages of Cabernet Franc have been and remain an invaluable revelation of our terroir, and of the grape’s own genetic characteristics. Now, more in cheerful confession than anything else, I admit also to have been growing in winemaking, through the privilege and pressures of guiding these events. It has strongly affirmed and sometimes shaped my own values and style, to be handling this great varietal, both under its own name and in our pre-eminent Bordeaux blend, Octagon. Although our original plantings in Cabernet Franc date from our earliest days -- an initial two acres in 1977 -- in every year through 1990 the grapes had always been harvested as a “field blend” with Cabernet Sauvignon, and never fermented separately until I arrived in Virginia in 1991. That year gave us an excellent growing season, and one of my first decisions as our general manager and winemaker was to ferment these varietals separately, for diagnostic purposes at least, even if they might finally be blended together. Even with this foresight, I still had never acquired direct experience, even in tastings, of Cabernet Franc as a varietal, except when blended with other grapes from Bordeaux. This is why, in every way, I accept that the emergence of our Cabernet Franc, as a wine respected by the world, has meant that I must surely be the last winemaker ever to arrive in Virginia with no warning of what to expect. Such ignorance, I like to think, stopped with mine. My education began with the 1992 vintage, our first varietal bottling of Cabernet Franc. In that indifferent growing season, Cabernet Franc was by far the most successful of our reds, so

T R E N D SE T T E R | FOOD + BE VE RAGE

much so that in the annual Newsletter following that bottling, I impetuously declared, “Virginia is for Cabernet Franc.” In for a penny, in for a pound, as we planted 5 new acres of Cabernet Franc in 1994, preparing the soil through 1993, selecting a new clone and adopting new vine spacing. Yes, we also expanded our plantings in Merlot and in Cabernet Sauvignon in ’94, but as I look back today, I think nothing will ever so set us apart as this doubling-and-a-half of our commitment to Cabernet Franc on the strength of a single vintage. Today, Cabernet Franc has become the most voluminously planted varietal in our vineyards. The first vintage to be drawn from the 1994 plantings, 1997, gave us our second Virginia Governor’s Cup - the first ever awarded to Cabernet Franc - and a gorgeous infusion in the blend of our second Octagon, still of little fame and small supply. The next vintage gave us the equally spectacular Octagon III, immortalized in Decanter (Tasting Note 308), and Cabernet Franc ’98. Vintage 1999 gave us the Virginia Wine Honors Gold Medal for our first Cabernet Franc Reserve, and Virginia Wine Person of the Year recognition to me, awarded in 2002. Cabernet Franc embraces every ideal of the Old World for a food friendly wine. Its structure achieves truly elegant balance, in bright, forthcoming fruit, lithe acidity, supple body, and in genial ratios of alcohol by volume and tannin. A fine vintage is not one of power, but of proportion and longevity; and at the same time, this varietal folds into a classic Bordeaux blend with a shining brightness, as noted by Michael Broadbent in Octagon III. Finesse has found its wine. Yes, Virginia reveals Cabernet Franc to me, and I’m glad to be instrumental as Cabernet Franc reveals Virginia. Octagon III and Cabernet Franc ‘98, cited above, are cellared at the vineyard for special winery occasions, with limited purchase opportunities for the Cabernet Franc. Check the List at Palladio Restaurant and in flights in our Library 1821 for tasting opportunities.

Luca tasting freshly fermented CF in 1993

Italy from d for n i ar Zon 2 aw nzo ore 200 L 's d a Luc Year a an Luc rating e of th eb l r e C ake m e Win

“VIRGINIA IS FOR CABERNET FRANC.” — Luca Paschina, Barboursville Vineyards’ Winemaker Luca holds a bottle of 1998 Cab Franc, which he says was better than the 1997 that won the Governor's Cup D ECEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

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suzanne youngkin

S H I N E S A L I G H T O N V I R G I N I A’ S G O O D N E S S

ARTICLE BY MELINDA GIPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARTY SHOUP, BLUELION MULTIMEDIA & MELINDA GIPSON

I NSP IR E D BY | L IFE + CULTURE

To hear the First Lady of Virginia, Suzanne S. Youngkin, tell it, there is no better day than one centered around both wine and horses! We believe her. Her enthusiasm is infectious. She loves people and they love her back. But despite the fact that this one, spectacular, Fall day fills her face with pure joy, it came with a schedule that would shatter the stamina of most women. The day began in Arlington touring the new Google headquarters. She then dropped by Sprout Therapeutic Riding in Aldie to present a $1,000 check to the non-profit to celebrate her inaugural “Spirit of the Horse” award (citylifestyle.com/washington-dc/ articles/life-and-culture/the-youngkins) The grant came at the behest of award winner Dorothy “Punkin” Lee who designated it her charity of choice. (For more on Sprout, watch a great video here: sproutcenter.org.) She then headed to Barboursville Vineyards (bbvwine.com) in Orange County to release a special Virginia red wine with her own branding for charity. The latter was the capstone of what was likely a 15-hour day, whether or not it began at the family farm in Great Falls. Yet, it was a day that in many ways embodied precisely what matters to her, and the priorities that called her husband Governor Glenn Youngkin and herself to public service. She freely admits she had other plans. The Youngkins moved to Great Falls to try to preserve some of NoVa’s vanishing horse country in 1998, establishing Mane Manor. In 2018 when their neighbors at Normandy Farm chose to sell after boarding horses for 30 years, the Youngkins acquired it with the aim of creating an equestrian facility and agricultural preserve. Proudly, Suzanne said they recently added their first rescue colt to keep one of their new babies company. She says she would have loved to spend her time upgrading the facilities and raising and training horses in dressage. “We were able to do that improvement during COVID because construction was considered essential work.... And then in 2021 my husband did this crazy thing.” She explains, “When you have established a life with your partner and you feel like you're really doing a lot of good work, it feels like you're in your zone, you know?... Then, all of a sudden, your husband looks at you and says, ‘I'm really being called into public service; this is what I think God's calling me to do.’ And it CONTINUED >

OPPOSITE PAGE: The First Lady and Winemaker Luca Paschina toast a landmark collaboration | TOP RIGHT: The First Lady loves people and they love her back | BOTTOM RIGHT: Punkin taps Sprout for her Spirit of the Horse donation

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strikes you as so abnormal, so extraordinary. There were times where he was running for office that I was really trying to find my way. I was trying to pick apart my inherent fear. It was mainly fear. But it was also a sense of disbelief, really, that we were going through this.” “Where I am today is that I'm viewing what we're doing as very missional. That is the only way I can sustain the level of affinity and energy for what we're being called into right now,” she added. She’s often burdened for those who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 or who struggle with food or housing insecurity or in caring for their elders and the welfare of their communities. She is particularly concerned with what she senses as the anxiety felt by today’s young people. “I have to look up and say, I've been richly blessed. I'm healthy. I have resources of a loving family, a loving spouse. I'm being called to play a bigger role in trying to problem-solve and trying to comfort people who need help and that is giving us a lot of strength -- just to know that this is a season of life.” “I think we have to look at institutions like Sprout to draw hope,” she said, “that at our core we do love one another.” Her approach to encouraging the work of non-profits is to “cast light” with her Spirit of Virginia Awards (firstlady.virginia.gov/ spirit-of-virginia-award) to those who are making a positive difference. “Nonprofits are here, in our churches, in our municipalities, and they serve as a reminder that there are those entities and those human beings that do care and are out there to serve. I believe Matthew 5:16 which says, ‘Cast your light before others so that they may see your good works and adore your Father in heaven.’ It’s not that they see our good works, so that everyone gets excited about what we're doing as humans. They're seeing the good works that humans are doing so that they can have hope that there is this great God who loves them and is sending his foot soldiers there to serve them and help them.... By being here today, I hope that people will feel a tingling in their heart to potentially get involved in an animal therapy program wherever they are. Involvement can be very healing and can do a lot to dissipate the anxiety about whether there's a community that cares.”

“Glenn and I both came from modest backgrounds,” she relates. A four-year basketball scholarship was Glenn’s key to a college degree. “We have always tried from our very young adulthood to do the equivalent of tithing, like we're called to in the Bible. We weren't always perfect. But we tried earnestly and I really think that served as encouragement to us. It has always felt like we've gotten more out of it than we've given.... We have seen that in spades in our lifetime.” As Glenn’s career prospered, the couple’s philosophy of giving evolved into one that demanded both their time and treasure. Suzanne says, “Very rarely do we essentially just write a check to an organization. One of our criteria is that we have quarterly or bi-annual meetings with them to understand where the monies are being spent.... The other thing we've done is that we have tried to really invest heavily in our local community. So, having lived in Northern Virginia and raised our family in Northern Virginia, the disproportionate amount of gifting that we've done has been in the greater DMV area, because we just felt like we could make more impact.” Both time and treasure helped establish the Holy Trinity Church the family founded initially in their basement and the Meadowkirk Christian Retreat Center that it operates in Middleburg. The Youngkins donated the property for both and Suzanne is director emeritus of the latter. “One area of giving that we feel is very important is where we feel like we are shepherding people's hearts and potentially drawing them more into communion with God,” she explains. Beyond that, most of her family’s giving has been dedicated to: “things that we believe will make catalytic change in the lives of either God's children or God's creatures.” Rather than fund bricks and mortar, for example, they incline toward projects that touch people or animals. One project is Virginia Tech’s Equine Medical Center where they’ve funded the Youngkin Equine Soundness Clinic. The clinic is designed to study the health of horses, “but more importantly for preventative maintenance for equine athletes,” Suzanne says. Soon she hopes to dedicate a practice focused on hoof health named for a longtime ferrier in Clarke County, Paul Goodness.

CONTINUED >

I NSP IR E D BY | L IFE + CULTURE

The First Lady With Joe Fargis IV and Brooke Waldron Sprout Founder and Exec Dir.

Horses are central to rural Virginia traditions D ECEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

TOP: Suzanne gets to know a Sprout ‘driver.’ | BOTTOM LEFT: Virginia FFA Officers at Barboursville | BOTTOM RIGHT: Virginia 4-H Officers at Barboursville

I NSP IR E D BY | L IFE + CULTURE

“Nonprofits are here, in our churches, in our municipalities, and they serve as a reminder that there are those entities and those human beings that do care and are out there to serve. I believe Matthew 5:16 which says, ‘Cast your light before others so that they may see your good works and adore your Father in heaven.’”

“Horses have always been embedded in the fabric of the Commonwealth, in who we are as people since our founding, so it’s critically important that we continue and celebrate those traditions that make Virginia unique,” she says. Both Youngkins planned to attend the Virginia Gold Cup in late October and to make it a platform for inviting businesses to consider relocating to the state. “We're doing that because we think it's so important that they understand the culture and the norms here in Virginia. The Gold Cup is a great way to show the heart of Virginians; it's emblematic of who we are as a people and how we take care of our environment and the creatures that make it so special.” That also helps to explain the Youngkins’ affinity for Virginia agriculture and why Suzanne is an enthusiastic booster of Virginia wine. Suzanne spent the second half of her day unveiling a wine collaboration with Luca Paschina, Barboursville Vineyard’s winemaker, called Cornus Virginicus. “What better time than Wine Month to toast Virginia’s finest?” Suzanne said. She told us the first ever bottling of a First Lady’s wine originally was suggested by Virginia’s Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr in January. He then tapped the Virginia Wine Board to help Suzanne choose one of several blends proposed by Barboursville’s winemaker in May. Selected by general acclaim, the blend was quickly bottled and released in time Virginia’s 34th annual wine month, October. Cornus Virginicus, Latin for the Virginia Dogwood, is 57% Merlot, 28.5% Cabernet Franc and 14.5% Petit Verdot. Its rich tannins mean that the wine, if enjoyed during this holiday season, should be decanted first and properly aerated. Suzanne also selected the Dogwood for her state seal, so the whole package is a tribute to “Virginia’s tradition, strength and beauty and represents renewal, tradition, family and growth.”

Barboursville made just 149 cases and will donate sales of $10,000 to the Virginia FFA and 4-H programs. Beaming officers of both groups were on site to watch the First Lady launch the vintage and laud them as “the future of the Commonwealth.” Before lifting a glass to toast them, she added, “You know Jesus's very first miracle was turning water to wine. I feel like this is a sacred environment on so many levels. I am absolutely so distinctly honored to be here with you. My husband says all the time, we want Virginia to be the best place to live, work, raise a family and I would say drink a glass of wine.” In a night full of superlatives, Secretary Lohr noted that Luca has been named one of the 20 most admired winemakers in North America, adding that he’s won the governor’s cup for winemaker of the year five times, more than any other Virginian. Luca quipped that Barboursville came to Virginia when there were just two other wineries in the state, “and they weren’t very good.” While he says he was lucky to be born the son of a winemaker and to love what he does, “That doesn’t mean that all sons and daughters of winemakers will have to follow in their footsteps.... Find what your passion is. Go strong, believe in it.” If that dream in in agriculture, “it one of the most beautiful, rewarding things you can do.” Three more vineyards will be tapped for a similar bottling for each of the next three years of the Youngkins’ term, Secretary Lohr promised. This month, look for the Governor’s Mansion to be filled to the brim with youth, veterans, Gold Star families, non-profits and museum partners. The Youngkins will draw strength from time alone with their own family at home in Great Falls Christmas weekend. Hopefully we won’t spoil the surprise; most of her friends will be receiving a very special bottle of wine.

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FROM KETTERMAN’S ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELINDA GIPSON CONTINUED > D ECEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

“When I go somewhere with my husband and somebody says to me, oh my gosh, I love your clothes or oh I love your shoes or whatever, my husband stands a little taller, and shows a little bit of pride that he’s married to me and that makes me feel great!”

Some of you know my mom was a couture buyer, and as such I grew up with “trunk shows.” These scaleddown runway exhibitions were the only way shoppers in the “heartland” (anyplace NOT New York or Milan) learned what was considered chic or stylish that season. The rep for the fashion designer or “label” would literally load that year’s upcoming designs into trunks and they would be unearthed in the local department store for that era’s iteration of influencers. So, why’d they stop? There are lots of reasons, ranging from the decline in such stores on the local level to the rise of e-commerce and the demise of everyday style generally. (When all else fails, blame the pandemic.) Except that, as it turns out, at least in Leesburg, they haven’t stopped. Ketterman’s Jewelers’ icons of style, Tammi Ketterman and Richi Norman, are bringing the tradition back, but this time they’re calling their fashion soirees “Get the Look.” If you’re surprised that Ketterman’s sells women’s fashion and shoes and purses, get with the program! The retailer has stocked classic and cutting-edge fashions from Joseph Ribkoff for several years now as well as Brighton bags and shoes, and is now bringing to shoppers the fine art of one-stop closet rehab. To fully appreciate the entertainment value and sheer aplomb with which the mother-daughter team work together to elevate your personal style, it would help to know a bit more about why they care. Tammi, we recently learned, routinely carries a $100 bill with her when she travels through airports. “I have it ready to reward anyone I see that has made a special effort to get well dressed for traveling,” she says. After a pause she adds, “I admit I’ve never had to use it!”

FASH ION F OR WA R D | STYLE + BE AUTY

Other signature habits: she has been on her way to the dentist and turned around to change her shoes to a nicer pair because, “All people ever see of you in the dentist chair is your feet!” In their jewelry store, all the associates look photo-ready, while still seeming comfortable and at ease. But, back to the concept of “Get the Look.” The way Tammi sees it, there are certain events for which you want to look your best based on context – your work look, your wedding look or even your “life of the party” look. But the intentional double entendre comes from considering “what kind of look do you want to get when you step out in your outfit that you chose very thoughtfully before you headed out to get the mail or to buy some milk or go to the dentist? What kind of looks are you getting and what kind would you like?” Tammi explains, “When I go somewhere with my husband and somebody says to me, oh my gosh, I love your clothes or oh I love your shoes or whatever, my husband stands a little taller, and shows a little bit of pride that he’s married to me and that makes me feel great!” It doesn’t have to be difficult when you purchase a wardrobe that can be mixed and matched with all its different components to create different impressions. Ketterman’s has chosen Joseph Ribkoff for its style, comfort and affordability, but it also pairs well with the craftsmanship of Brighton’s shoes and purses. But if you see something you love, buy it! Many seasonal items may be ordered in your size, but supply chain issues impact the fashion industry too. Our advice: keep an eye on Ketterman’s Jewelers’ Facebook page (facebook.com/Kettermans) for your next opportunity to up your game. You’ll be glad you did!

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the wright man for t he job JASON WRIGHT ON DIVERSITY, FAITH AND TRUSTING YOUR GUT

Jason Wright

ARTICLE BY MELINDA GIPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELINDA GIPSON, MARTY SHOUP & BLUE LION MULTIMEDIA

H OM E TOWN H E R O | L IFE + CULTURE

Kindra Dionne, owner of Fifty Leven Winery, consultant and YEA mentor

On October 12, the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce’s Committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility held a packed summit on “Building a More Equitable Loudoun Economy.” And, for once, everyone was smiling. In part, the affirmation of the crowd mirrored the presence of the guest of honor, Jason Wright, president of the Washington Commanders. Whatever he’s doing to make the former “Redskins” a more open and inclusive workplace, it’s working. But also, there appears to be a reluctant recognition that diversity has won a seat at the head table in how business in the county is conducted, and it just feels good. Arienne Thompson Plourde, Google Data Center Senior Program Manager for Global Social Impact, sponsored the event and detailed how her company sees its own future in DEIA. Recently, Google helped Virginia’s Alpha Street Baptist Church Foundation welcome more than 6,000 students and their families to the University of the District of Columbia where they could experience the largest HBCU festival in the nation and compete

for more than $4 million in scholarships. Google also partners with Mobile Hope to help homeless youth and is providing more than $350,000 in grants to Code VA to support computer science education and teacher development in the commonwealth. But offering more opportunities for the underprivileged to excel doesn’t mean there isn’t farther to travel. Arienne reminded her audience, “As I stand here this morning, just two miles from the African American Burial Ground for the Enslaved at Belmont, I can’t help but think about the dreams of my ancestors who toiled under duress, under threat and under a system that sought to strip them of their humanity. What would they think of all of us in this room, celebrating the differences that once marked them for lifelong enslavement? Could they imagine the thousands of minority-owned businesses that help make Loudoun County one of the most prosperous in the country? How loudly might they cheer to usher in the Chamber’s 2024 board chair who will be the first woman of color?” (It’s Angela Mitchell of ARM Consulting, LLC.) CONTINUED > D ECEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

Arienne Thompson Plourde outlines local Google DEIA projects

“I’VE FOUND THAT THE TIMES I’VE OVERRIDDEN MY GUT WITH UNNECESSARY LOGIC, I’VE BEEN WRONG. THOSE HAVE BEEN MY BIGGEST MISTAKES.” Gerald Moore Sr., founder of Mission Fulfilled 2030, which seeks to engage at-risk youth in STEM

Karl Rush and Jason Wright

Her hope is that, “we make them proud by coming together, affirming one another, and looking not to rest on our laurels but to always strive to be better, to be more inclusive, more welcoming, and more just.” While she may never know what they make of all this, “I am certain about one thing we owe them our very best effort.” Jason Wright is already the first black team president in NFL history as well as the league’s youngest. Before that he was among the youngest partners at McKinsey and Company’s Washington, D.C. office where he presented a roadmap for evolution to the then Redskins. As Co-Chair of the Greater Washington Partnership’s Inclusive Growth Strategy Council, he is helplng to address gaps in income, services, employment and access to capital for lower income populations in the entire region. His own confidence in himself built as he says he changed the dialog in his head from asking whether he belonged – in the NFL as a player, in his case – to that he belonged, and that he could build his competence even when he occasionally failed. It took that level of confidence to take his current job when it was offered, because the organization was “an absolute mess.” But then, he realized that, fundamentally, the job was going to be all about people. “And when it’s about people in the workplace, an inclusive work environment is CONTINUED >

H OM E TOWN H E R O | L IFE + CULTURE

Jason Wright D ECEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

Theo Stamatis, Chamber Government Relations Mgr.; Yasmeen Shields, Membership Mgr.; Jason; Arienne Thompson Plourde

the key to productivity.” In other words, diversity, equity and inclusion for him is an economic imperative, not only a moral one. “I actually don’t believe in the goodness of the human heart to sustain us. I think the good intentions, they fade really quickly when things become inconvenient.... When it is about a business imperative, when it is about growing all businesses black, white, yellow, green, or purple, then all of a sudden it becomes sustainable over time.” Over the course of his consulting career, Jason says the organizations he observed that took diversity seriously became more profitable. “In fact, the data says that the Fortune 100 companies that are the most gender diverse are 20% more profitable, and those that are the most racially diverse are 36% more profitable.” So, “this stuff actually makes money over the long run.” Breaking it down into the policies, people and programs that offered everyone equal opportunities became the key to success, he asserts. Parental leave, adequate pay and the freedom to air negative experiences started the ball rolling. “Once we got the policies right, we were able to really evaluate our folks. We did proper performance reviews, but we also looked at the composition of our workforce. I do think we had a lot of well-meaning people in the organization, but it wasn’t functioning well. I didn’t have the kind of culture that could sustain and future for us to

H OM E TOWN H E R O | L IFE + CULTURE

build a winning team and to build a profitable business.” It took an 80% turn-over to get the right mix. He allows, “not everybody was the obvious bad actor. There were some of those and those firings were fun.” More seriously, he says, “We’ve been intentional about bringing in diverse perspectives, demographically, and experientially. And we now have the most diverse leadership team in the NFL. Our leadership team is 40% women, very significant for our organization.” And the profit? That’s coming. The team has more than doubled its season ticket member base and third in suite sales in the league behind just the two teams that played in the last Super Bowl. Finally, sponsorship sales have grown 30% year over year. “That to me is a signal that trust is building in the small business community that we are treating people differently than we did in the past.” Others in the league have started to take note. “I don’t think they expected such a swift turnaround, but you see that I’m now not the only black team president – that are three others!” Being able to first baseline and then measure improvement helps. “We baselined our culture when we came in. It was ugly. It was one of the worst scores on employee health and culture

surveys that I’d seen in my time. It’s now above the median for the industry. But if we hadn’t measured that, the leaders of my departments wouldn’t feel accountable to improving culture and part of that is an inclusion index.” Next, he advised, mandate diverse slates in the hiring process. “You don’t mandate diverse hiring – that’s a bit draconian, but you can mandate diverse slates – if you say we want half of the slate of candidates to be women and people of color, and you don’t actually take a decision until you’ve actually seen candidates from those backgrounds, all of a sudden, you’re like, oh, that’s way more talent out there than I thought!” Few who have tracked Jason’s career over the years realize that he’s also a seminarian. We knew, so we asked, how does his faith impact his leadership style? Following a smattering of applause, he said, “There’s a scripture in James that says rejoice when you face trials of many kinds. For those trials are created perseverance, perseverance, character. And when those things see their full maturity, you’re in Christ. Okay. I think what faith has done more than anything is help me to remain level headed when everything’s spinning. “What I walked into was a very chaotic and challenging environment. It was hard to understand what to prioritize. It was hard to understand how to construct the organization when so many things were up in the air when there was an external narrative that had been going long before I got there. And I think what faith has helped me to do is see that there’s a benevolent God, who cares about me, who cares about this organization, cares about this area, and that benevolent God is going to see this to a good outcome, irrespective of me.” Whether in his own time or after, Jason’s faith gave him the patience to appreciate that, “something good is gonna happen at some point.” Not feeling that he shouldered the entire burden of change allowed him to be clearer in his thinking – he could better structure the problem because he wasn’t doing it out of anxiety. “I think more than anything, faith has given me the intellectual separation to be a better and more dispassionate leader and to make some really hard decisions that had to happen.” Sometimes, “you’ve got to go with your gut. Faith has helped me to feel confident going with my gut.” Whether it’s underlying spiritual wisdom or guidance, “I’ve found that the times I’ve overridden my gut with unnecessary logic, I’ve been wrong. Those have been my biggest mistakes.” To general laughter, moderator Karl Rush, Loudoun’s Chief Equity Officer, added, “plus you recognize that practicing diversity brings you closer to God.” One week following the summit, Washington Commander owner Daniel Snyder was called to testify before the Congressional House Oversight Committee virtually and behind closed doors regarding both alleged financial and sexual misconduct. A Snyder spokesperson, citing the team’s dramatic 2-year transformation under Wright expressed hope for the organization’s “bright future.”

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DECEMBER 2022

realty report A sample of recently sold properties in Leesburg. N E I GH BO RH O O D Fairway Manor

OR IGIN AL PRICE

SO L D P RIC E

%SO L D/ O RIG

DO M

B DRM S

B AT H S

$785,000

$850,000

108%

3.5

$3,250,000

$3,100,000

95%

7.55

$925,000

$900,000

97%

4.5

Lansdowne on the Potomac Det

$1,250,000

$1,150,000

92%

4.5

Lansdowne on the Potomac TH

$924,990

$950,000

103%

4.5

Laycock

$1,149,900

$1,259,400

110%

3.55

Little River Estates

$1,275,000

$1,044,750

82%

4.5

Manors of Leesburg

$878,741

$839,938

96%

3.5

$950,000

$957,000

101%

3.5

Hamilton Historic Selma Estates

Meadowbrook Memorial Drive

$998,000

$970,000

97%

3.5

Mt Middleton

$1,750,000

$1,700,000

97%

3.5

$924,900

$941,000

102%

3.5

$1,395,000

$1,606,964

115%

4.5

$919,000

$875,000

95%

3.5

Old Waterford Knoll Old Wheatland Estates Potomac Station Reserve at Waterford

$1,200,000

100%

River Creek Detached

$1,200,000

$1,125,000

94%

4.5

River Creek TH

$1,400,000

100%

4.5

Rose Hill

$1,150,000

$1,040,000

90%

When it comes to buying and selling homes virtually, “Rely on Pam”! Spring Lakes

$1,199,000

$1,100,000

92%

4.5

Tavistock Farms

$785,000

100%

2.5

Waterford Creek

$1,899,000

$1,700,000

90%

Waterford Downs

$1,670,962

100%

5.5

3.5

Woodlea Manor $959,000 $905,500 After retiring further south, we decided to sell our River Creek home after leaving94% it on the

rental market for over ten years. Selling an older home in a high-end neighborhood, with a tenant in place, with $150k of needed updates, long-distance and during COVID-19 pandemic—this could have been the ultimate real-estate horror story. Instead, it was one

of the easiest, smoothest house sales I’ve ever experienced. Pam handled everything and quickly sold the house for more than the asking price. Pam is the most professional and capable agent that I’ve ever worked with. —Former River Creek Residents

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT US AT: Pamela Jones, Inc. Dave Jones, GRI

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT US AT: Pamela Jones, Inc. Cell: (703) 587-7440 Office: (703) 724-9494

R EA LT Y R E P ORT | R EAL E STATE

Dave Jones, GRI Cell: (703) 587-7440 Cell: (703) 587-7550 Office: (703) 724-9494 www.ETSellsFineHomes.com

Cell: (703) 587-7550 www.ETSellsFineHomes.com

The City Lifestyle

Giving Campaign Now in its third year, the City Lifestyle Giving Campaign will give away $300,000 this holiday season to help individual community members who would benefit from a helping hand during their time of need. But they need YOUR HELP to make it happen! Maybe you know of a single parent struggling to provide, an elderly person who has experienced loss, a child enduring a health issue, a co-worker suffering a sudden, unexpected tragedy or a neighbor with a financial hardship who has fallen between the cracks of getting assistance. Chances are you know someone with a specific need—even if nobody else does. To preserve and protect the dignity of every recipient, the City Lifestyle Giving Campaign is completely confidential. No identities will be revealed or publicized in ANY way. (Even those who nominate others may remain anonymous if they choose.) Last year, City Lifestyle was able to give to more than 70 recipients all over the country by sending checks in the mail through New Year’s Eve. (This year, the goal is to double that number with checks ranging in amount up to $3,000 each.) With nominations flooding in from community members and leaders such as judges, police officers, teachers, nurses, social workers, mentors and readers like you, we were able to reach people who might otherwise go unnoticed. “We believe in giving back and serving the communities where we live in a real and tangible way,” says Steven Schowengerdt, CEO and founder of City Lifestyle. “This Giving Campaign is all about personally impacting the lives of people we know with an unexpected check in the mail just to say that someone thought of them this holiday season.” Together with Matthew Perry, Chief Sales Officer, Steven adds that the outpouring and gratitude from the recipients was overwhelming and affirmed that this is a tradition they want to continue. “We believe God has blessed our company with continued success,” Matthew adds, “so we in turn want to be a blessing to others.” City Lifestyle has also enacted an internal giving program whereby every employee in the company receives $100 to give away to someone in the community. “The idea is to encourage our employees to keep doing it on their own,” Steven says. “Taking care of one another and blessing others is so rewarding that it perpetuates a cycle of giving. It’s extremely important to me as a person and as a company to foster that culture of generosity.”

G IV IN G BAC K | L IFE + CULTURE

“This Giving Campaign is all about personally impacting the lives of people we know with an unexpected check in the mail just to say that someone thought of them this holiday season.”

W here ha s t he c a mpa ig n g i f t e d?

Scan Code to

Nominate between Dec. 1 – 15, 2022

Follow @citylifestyle on Instagram for reminders! To submit a nomination, follow @citylifestyle on Instagram and fill out the form found in the bio link. All entries will be read, and because this is not a raffle, there is no need to nominate someone more than once. The amount given to each recipient will be based on need. D ECEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

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