Candidate Forum: September 1 at 6:30 p.m.
The Leila Gordon Theatre at RCC Hunters Woods
Voting Period: September 4 – 25 (until 5:00 p.m.)
Mail-in ballots must be received by 5:00 p.m. on September 24
Have questions?
Contact Brianne Baglini, RCC Deputy Director, at
Brianne.Baglini@fairfaxcounty.gov
Paul Berry
What previous experience or participation in civic activities would you bring to the RCC Board?
I have enjoyed being part of many public service projects in Fairfax County and as a appointee under Governor Northam. In Fairfax, I led the decennial redistricting effort and the county-wide effort to remove the names of slaveholders from our magisterial districts. Both were fulfilling efforts to enrich the quality of civic life in the county. At the state level I served Governor Northam on the Virginia Latino Advisory Board. In this role I acted in an advisory capacity to the Governor making recommendations on policy and budget outcomes for Virginia’s Latino community.
How would your leadership enhance RCC’s efforts to bring the community together by providing opportunities for enriching leisure experiences and connections that reach out to all to foster inclusiveness and a sense of belonging?
In my past roles I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside people of diverse backgrounds whose experiences spanned faiths, beliefs, and cultures. In order to fulfill my duties, it was incumbent upon me to lead these individuals to produce outcomes and stay task-oriented. I take my responsibility to serve everyone equally with seriousness, and with the public good mission in mind. I will bring that same sense of duty and service to the RCC Board. I believe this mission is meant to evolve with the needs of all communities within Reston, and I look forward to serving in a way that expands opportunities for involvement and person-to-person connection building. As Reston changes, so should the ways that its families are served. I hope to bring innovative, collaborative ideas for programs and joy to Restonians of all backgrounds as part of the Board.
William Penniman
What previous experience or participation in civic activities would you bring to the RCC Board?
I am a member of the RCC Board of Governors. Over time, I have served as Secretary, Treasurer, and chair/co-chair of various committees.
I served on two most recent Reston Comprehensive Plan Task Forces. I worked closely with Bob Simon in the one from 2009-2014.
I have served on the Reston Planning and Zoning Committee since 2014 and previously on the Hunter Mill Supervisor’s Budget Advisory Committee.
I have been very active in the Sierra Club’s Virginia Chapter for over a decade, serving on its ExCom and as Conservation Chair and Sustainability Chair.
I practiced law for nearly 40 years.
How would your leadership enhance RCC’s efforts to bring the community together by providing opportunities for enriching leisure experiences and connections that reach out to all to foster inclusiveness and a sense of belonging?
I have enjoyed Reston’s unique sense of community for more than two decades. I strongly support RCC’s distinctive role in building community for the benefit of all of Reston’s residents and businesses. My goals for another term would be to help RCC continue to
• serve community members of all ages and income levels with classes, concerts, summer camps, programs, swimming/exercise and meeting spaces;
• work closely with Reston’s schools and many community organizations, including RA, RTCA, Southgate, Cornerstones, and others to meet Reston’s changing needs;
• preserve important Reston traditions, such as the annual MLK celebration and Multicultural Festival; and
• serve the evolving needs and desires of Reston’s growing population, while preserving a close eye on the budget.
I believe that my experience and my dedication to preserving Reston’s thriving community will help RCC to serve the community while meeting challenges ahead.
Hunter Wagenaar
What previous experience or participation in civic activities would you bring to the RCC Board?
My civic work spans organizing, service, and building things from scratch. While at UVA, I founded several student advocacy groups — ranging from educating peers on inclusive health education to better contextualizing historic sites. More recently, I’ve volunteered with Fairfax County’s Invasive Management Areas program and PRISM, doing hands-on work to remove invasive plants and care for our shared natural spaces. And I chair the Hunter Mill District Democratic Committee, leading an organization of 140+ members and over 1,800 volunteers through digital operations, grassroots organizing, and community outreach.
How would your leadership enhance RCC’s efforts to bring the community together by providing opportunities for enriching leisure experiences and connections that reach out to all to foster inclusiveness and a sense of belonging?
Belonging starts with access. People feel a place is for them when it’s easy to find, easy to sign up for, and easy to see themselves in. RCC already offers so much to our community — and my background in digital operations is about enabling even more people to discover it and feel welcome. I’d bring that lens to the board: working to make registration and communications as smooth and inviting as possible, and using digital tools to reach residents who may not yet know everything RCC has to offer. Rich, diverse programming is the heart of what makes people feel they belong — and my role would be to amplify that programming to reach everyone, across languages and channels, so that every resident has a real, comfortable path to connection and enrichment.
