Let’s face it. On the proverbial plane of economic development, the District of Columbia is in the middle seat fighting for elbow room with Maryland on one side and Virginia on the other. We have a history of challenging business practices that cannot compete with the tax structures and available spaces offered to the north and south of our nation’s capital. While Northern Virginia is known for its robust and global technology corridor, Montgomery County is known for its world-class biotechnology sector. Sure, our neighbors cannot compete with our pristine monuments, museums and our rich hospitality industry, but we need to be known for more than a federal enclave, even if our neighborhoods and quality of life do continue to improve. This growth needs to be part of our economic strategy that is sustainable for generations. I give credit to former Mayor and Ward 8 Councilman Marion Barry, whom I

Dear Mr. Chairman: Re: Sports Betting & the DC Lottery Contract As you know, I have a strong history advocating for small businesses in this city. As Vice President & Chief Procurement Officer at Fannie Mae for 10 years and more than 12 years as President & CEO of the DC Chamber of Commerce, I know first-hand how important these businesses are to the District and the civic and economic impact they have on our city. Since leaving the Chamber in March 2014, I have stayed completely out of the DC political environment and advocating for or against business interests. But I cannot remain silent any longer. I have been extremely disappointed watching the ‘circus like’ atmosphere surrounding this contract put forth by some of your colleagues and from some in the media. This is a mockery of the very businesses that support this community daily, and I felt compelled

With change comes opportunity. But the uncertainty that comes with change can often cause anxiety and even fear, yet no one I know has ever succeeded without some discomfort along the way. When I left the DC Chamber of Commerce more than five years ago, I felt some of that discomfort as I packed up my belongings and turned the lights off in my office for the final time. There was also some anxiety as I wondered whether I made the right decision to venture out on my own. Before my 12 years at the DC Chamber, I had worked in Corporate America for 30 years, earning a steady paycheck and advancing my career through hard work and perseverance. Now it was all on me to ensure my new venture succeeded. When I was president and CEO of the DC Chamber, people saw me as a partner, and someone who

I am a woman, and proud of it. I say that not in a defiant way, but it happens to be a fact of which I am very proud. The challenges and obstacles set before me as a minority woman throughout my life have not discouraged me, but empowered me to be not the just the best woman I can be, but the best person, professionally and personally.March is Women’s History Month, which is important because it highlights the female leaders today and throughout history who have contributed so much to business and society. But let’s be very clear: this is not about one month of recognition. This is a permanent movement that is not going anywhere, as women still too many times face discrimination and a diminished message simply because of their gender. While the “Me Too” movement, more economic empowerment among women, and leaders like House Speaker Nancy

Contrary to popular belief, the customer is not always right. Sure, when it comes to partnershipsand building relationships with clients, it is vital to align with their business goals and objectives.But they hired you to work with them on what is the right course of action, and that is whatrelationship management is all about.They key to building relationships that can last for years and generate further businessopportunities weighs on your ability to truly serve as an extension of your client’s mission.Sometimes this means more listening than talking and asking questions to learn more about theorganization and its culture and why it is enlisting your services. Most times, there is a muchdeeper reason than what appears on the surface, so your engagement of the key players withwhom you will be working is vital to everyone’s success.In my role as Vice President, Corporate Services at Fannie Mae, I was often considered thepolicewoman

2,017! That was the magic number. The DC Chamber of Commerce’s membership was stagnant. We had 1,400 members and we were bleeding. For every member brought in, we must have lost three or four. That was not a sustainable business model. I was the new President and CEO. It was my job the plug the leak and to figure out why a once proud membership base was jumping ship. As I spoke with key staff and did my research, it came down to one word: Value. Members were not seeing the value of the money they were spending. It was there, but it was hidden, and it was my job to lead the effort ensuring we provided top services to members that helped their business succeed. I took stock of who was on the Chamber team, and realized we had no one responsible for telling our story. I hired a