Erika Gonzalez-Akre, Chair: Erika was born and raised in Venezuela where she earned a B.S. in Earth Sciences (Institute Pedagogico de Caracas), an M.S. in Geology (Universidad Central de Venezuela), and an M.S. in Tropical Botany (Universidad de Los Andes). She worked as a geography high school teacher for a year and soon after dedicated her career to research in paleontology, botany, and conservation in Venezuela, Mexico, and the US. Erika and her husband moved to Rappahannock County in 2012 thanks to their work at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va. She also serves on the board of the EARTH University Foundation and the Virginia Native Plant Society. After having a child, her scientific curiosity has broadened to include the self-study of early childhood development and its importance as a foundation for prosperous societies. She is honored to serve on the CCLC board and admires the teachers, leadership, and community within. Her daughter attends CCLC.

Rev. Earl Johnson, Vice Chair: A graduate of Yale Divinity School and Central Methodist University, Rev. Earl E. Johnson is an ordained Christian Church (Disciples) minister and Board-Certified Chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains. He served Disciples and UCC parishes in Missouri and New York before his chaplaincy training at Memorial Sloan Kettering/New York Presbyterian (Cornell), and New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn. Rev. Johnson was the Protestant Chaplain at Cabrini Medical Center in New York City from 1996-2001, when he moved from lower Manhattan to Arlington, Va., on Sept. 9, 2001, to work as a chaplain educator at Washington Hospital Center.  After 9/11, he recruited, screened, trained, and deployed highly credentialed healthcare chaplains to mass fatality events for the Red Cross, and helped develop the Psychological First Aid curriculum and its adaptation for military families.   Johnson was also an adjunct instructor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY) from 1992-2001.    He is the author of the book, Finding Comfort During Hard Times.  From church schools, children’s sermons, youth ministry and pediatric chaplaincy, Johnson is grateful for the opportunity to serve the children of Rappahannock County, their families, and the staff of the CCLC.  He and his partner live on a wildlife refuge in Woodville.  His ancestors first settled in the county 300 years ago.

Treasurer: Vacant

Clare Turner, Secretary: Clare is thankful that her winding career path in business and child advocacy led her to CCLC. In 1994, Clare and some friends founded Loudoun Families for Children, a volunteer non-profit organization that provided temporary emergency homes and respite care, and mentoring to children in crisis. She later became a certified Montessori teacher. She has been a mentor for many years and is a strong advocate of mentoring. She has also served as the Program Manager for Headwaters’ Starfish Program. She loves CCLC because it aligns with her lifelong dedication to child development and advocacy. and is grateful that two of her grandchildren have attended CCLC.

Members at Large:

Jennifer Dyckman Aldrich: Jennifer was born in New York City and was mostly raised and later lived in Princeton, New Jersey. She was thrilled when her husband, David, and their two children moved to The Plains, Virginia, in 1997. The Adrich family moved to Rappahannock County in 2005. An English and American Studies major at Princeton University, she worked in book publishing in New York City, but her passion has always been the natural world, environmental conservation, and sharing that love with children, including her three grandchildren. An active volunteer in the communities where she has lived, in Virginia, she has served on the boards of The Hill School (Middleburg), the Goose Creek Association (Fauquier County), Headwaters, and the Krebser Fund for Rappahannock County Conservation (formerly the Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance), among others.

Caroline Anstey:  Caroline has more than 30 years of leadership experience in social and economic development in both the public and private sectors.  After an 18-year career at the World Bank Group, where she worked as Managing Director, World Bank Chief of Staff, and Vice President for External Affairs, she joined UBS AG as Group Managing Director, spearheading the firm’s sustainability policy and investment products.  Most recently, she served as President and CEO of Pact, an International NGO working in over 40 countries on health, civil society strengthening, and good governance.  For five years, she served as Sherpa to the Heads of Government Meetings of the G7 and G20.  She holds a PhD from the London School of Economics.  She and her late husband moved to Rappahannock County in 2013. 

Dan Avery: Dan is a senior corporate and M&A attorney for Goulston & Storrs PC, counseling companies across a wide variety of industries in their strategic transactions and operational matters. During his tenure at the firm, Dan has overseen the acquisition or disposition of more than 100 different businesses located throughout the world. He lives in Rappahannock County with his wife, Nina McKee, and loves making jam in his spare time.

Leah Kokinakis Childress: Leah has been working as an evaluator and applied researcher in education, public health, and early childhood development since completing her Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in 2011. After living in many different parts of the country, Leah feels incredibly lucky that her husband’s work brought them to Rappahannock County and that they are finally in their “forever place.” Evan and Leah’s son, Ellis, has been attending the CCLC since they arrived in the county in 2019, and, in a community full of inspiring, dedicated, and kind-hearted people, the exceptional teachers and staff at the CCLC have been one of the biggest gifts.

Kathi Dutilh: Kathi moved from the DC suburbs to Rappahannock County in 2015 after a long career on Capitol Hill representing textile workers and US manufacturing issues before Congress. Previously, she taught 5th grade in Minnesota—the Midwest is home for Kathi! She previously served as a CCLC Board member for 6 years—becoming Chair of the Board just before Covid hit. She rotated off the Board for a few years—and is now resuming a role on the Board as we move into the next exciting years. Kathi and her husband are active in many nonprofits in the county, and her children love to visit—what a great way to grow old! Christian is in NYC, and Anne and her new husband live in Charlottesville. Kathi said that she looks forward to being back on the CCLC Board to “offer any help as we move toward the 50-year anniversary of CCLC in 2026.”

Tracie Jacquemin: Tracie is a founding member and first chair of the Advisory Council of the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center (BNAC), part of the Department of Neurology of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo.  She also volunteers with the Kenya Education Fund and the Suzuki Association of the Greater Washington Area.  Tracie is an alumna of Duke University and earned an MBA from Vanderbilt University. In 1989, after working in banking and commercial real estate, Tracie was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She then became a certified Montessori teacher and worked as an educator for many years. She lives in Castleton and in McLean, Virginia, with her husband John.  They have three daughters.  Tracie has opened her beautiful property in Rappahannock for our summer campers, where they enjoy swimming, fishing, and more.

Debbie Massie: Debbie has a B.A. in Speech & Language Pathology from Longwood College (now University) and an M.S. from James Madison University in Communication Disorders. She retired in 2016 after 36 years in Culpeper and Fauquier County Schools. Debbie and her husband Jim live on a large, beef cattle farm. They have two children, David and Caroline, who both attended RCPS. Caroline is also a CCLC alumna. Debbie has served on the Headwaters Board and Next Step Board, and is currently on the Board of Family Futures. She is also very involved with the Alpha Delta Kappa International Education Society. She enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking, reading, and spending time in beautiful Rappahannock County with family and friends.

Dana Ruder: Dana has over a decade of experience as an Operations and Business Manager supporting federal government clients across a wide range of missions, from nuclear site oversight for the Department of Energy, to technology support for the Department of Defence, and provides program management for the National Science Foundation and the Comptroller of the Currency. Volunteering has also played a big role in her life. She has volunteered for the Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, Samaritan’s Feet International, the Crisis Assistance Ministry, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Dana’s passion for child care is a lived experience. Her mother owned a child care business for 50 years!

Bailey Wilfong: Bailey has a BS in Civil/Environmental Engineering from the University of Virginia and is a licensed Professional Engineer. Born and raised in Linden, VA Bailey has strong familial ties to the area. Bailey began her career in commercial construction working for a General Contractor in Oregon before pivoting her career to focus on Stream Restoration for a firm in Warrenton, Virginia, where she is the Design & Engineering Manager for Virginia and Maryland. While in Oregon, Bailey volunteered for a non-profit relief nursery where she focused on designing and implementing a nature-based playground and a covered pavilion. Since returning to Virginia, Bailey and her husband have had two boys who attend/have attended CCLC. Since joining the CCLC family in 2019 as a parent, Bailey has fallen in love with CCLC and is honored to help support the school with her construction and engineering knowledge as a board member. In her spare time, Bailey loves to tackle DIY remodeling projects in her family’s home.