About Us [En Español]

Welcome | Board | Staff | News about us | Newsletters | Awards

Meet our Board of Directors
The board of Community Bridges is committed to diverse and dynamic leadership. We'd like to tell you about the remarkable women and men who give generously of their time and talents to our board.

Molly Knopf, Chair, is a social worker who has been advocating on behalf of women and girls for more than 20 years. With experience in the fields of family violence prevention and adolescent health, Molly brings programmatic expertise, management, and fundraising skills to the Community Bridges board. Providing an empowering environment and award-winning programs to girls in the Silver Spring and Takoma Park communities inspires Molly to be a part of the incredible Community Bridges organization. In her spare time, Molly reads, swims, and travels.

Melissa Rosenblatt, Secretary, directs the Internship and Fellowship Program at Families USA, a health care consumer advocacy organization, where she also works as a grant writer. Melissa joined the board in 2004 and has served as secretary since May 2005. In addition to working with Community Bridges, Melissa serves as a mentor with the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program of the National Capital Area. Melissa is active in her church and enjoys reading and going to the theater.

Mark Tootsey,Treasurer, is a CPA with over 13 years experience in the recruiting and staffing industry. He brings a track record of success in the start-up and development of new markets to Stephen James Associates. Tootsey's previous roles in the industry include Vice President of Washington D.C. Metro operations of A.J Burton Group. Following the sale of A.J. Burton Group to Spherion Corporation, he led the search and staffing operations for Spherion's Washington D.C. Metro area Professional Service Group. Mark has been involved in the start-up and development of several entrepreneural ventures since leaving Spherion in 1999 and joining Stephen James Associates in 2006 to include a golf instruction company that culminated in an IPO, an online recruiting website that concluded with the sale to a national corporation, a real estate brokerage franchise, and a residential mortgage business. Mark started his career with the Big 4 public accounting firm KPMG, and garnered Fortune 50 corporate experience at PepsiCo prior to joining Stephen James Associates.

Frances Cook is an attorney who has worked on federal criminal justice policy in the areas of violence against women, sentencing, and immigration issues. She is committed to girls' empowerment and has been a supporter of Community Bridges since 1999. Frances has served on the board since March 2003 and has chaired the board since May 2004. "Community Bridges reaches girls at a critical time in their educational and personal development and gives them the tools they need to achieve their goals." Frances lives in Takoma Park with her husband and two boys.

Christine Dunathan has a master's degree in public policy and 15 years of experience in financial and strategic planning and small business development. She has been a board member since 2004. As the mother of a nine-year-old girl, Christine recognizes the essential support and guidance Community Bridges' programs give to girls at a crucial stage in their lives. Christine is learning to sea kayak.

Alicia Deeny is a Spanish teacher and head of her school's Foreign Language and Arts Departments in Montgomery County Public Schools. She has a Master's Degree in Education and is currently working on certification in Teaching English as a Second Language. Before becoming a teacher, she managed a program that educated farmworkers throughout the United States about pesticide safety. She is also an accomplished singer and songwriter. The common thread that unifies her eclectic life experiences has been her love of the Spanish language and Latino culture and her desire to share it with her students and the community. "Promoting the development of self-empowerment has been personally fulfilling and I look forward to being able to participate in this process through my involvement with Community Bridges."

Schroeder Stribling comes to Community Bridges with a background in mental health and nonprofit management. Schroeder has a master's degree in social work from Smith College School for Social Work and an executive certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University. She is presently the Deputy Director for N Street Village, a DC-based organization serving homeless and low-income women. Her particular areas of focus and interest during her career have included women's issues, mental health advocacy, and managing organizational growth and change. Schroeder is delighted to be working with Community Bridges as a Board member: " The mission and programs of Community Bridges are impressive, and their impact is important -- bringing leadership skills and resources for resilience and well-being to the youth participants of CB is a critical investment in the long-term health and integrity of our shared community."

Barbara Valdes Hessel is a Staff Development Teacher with Montgomery County Public Schools, and a graduate level adjunct faculty at American University. She holds a Master's Degree in English Education and is currently working on her doctoral dissertation in Child and Youth Services with an emphasis on female adolescent voice through literacy. She has been working with middle and high school students for 12 years, and particularly enjoys working with teen girls as they strive for a unique sense of identity. Barbara is a daughter of Cuban immigrants and was raised in Miami, Florida. She currently lives in Bethesda with her husband and infant son, and works in Takoma Park. Her hobbies include reading, decorating, and traveling. "I believe that Community Bridges fills an essential need that exists within the community for gender-based programs that empower young minority females, and allow them opportunities to develop into the authors of their own lives."

June Melvin Mickens is an attorney and serves as the chief administrative officer (CAO) of Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., (SSS). Prior to being appointed CAO, June was SSS’ director of organizational communication. Before joining SSS, June held key positions with the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, JMM Consulting, Service Design Associates/Tier Technologies, the National Association of Black Accountants, the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, and the Howard University School of Social Work. Currently, she is a member of the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Women’s Advisory Board of the Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital, and both the women’s and children’s ministries at her church. June is honored to join the board of Community Bridges, an organization that is making such a critical impact on young women in Silver Spring.

Farrah Short is an attorney in the antitrust practice of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. where she devotes a substantial amount of her time to pro bono matters, with a focus on domestic violence and immigration cases. Prior to becoming an attorney, Farrah worked on issues related to gender equality and child welfare reform. She is honored to be a part of an organization that enables girls to find their own voice so that they can develop into young women with the courage to fulfill their dreams. Farrah is active in her church, loves anything chocolate, and enjoys long walks with her husband and their two dogs. She lives with her family in Silver Spring.

If you share our board members' belief in the importance of empowering disadvantaged girls, and have skills that will help our board increase its effectiveness, please contact us at info@communitybridges-md.org. Thank you!