Jeff Hermann
Chair
A resident of Fairfax City since 2009, Jeff is the Section Chief for Site Analysis in the Fairfax County Department of Transportation and has worked in the planning field for over 15 years. His team of planners and engineers evaluate development applications and site plans on their transportation merits and challenges across Fairfax County.
Fred Cornett
Vice-Chair
Fred Cornett, Jr. is the Senior Vice President/CFO of HHH Properties Corp., a real estate firm located in Fairfax, VA. He has over twenty years of retail property knowledge related to the performance, profitability, leasing and development of retail shopping centers. One of his responsibilities includes the asset management of Fair City Mall, the largest grocery anchored retail strip center in the City of Fairfax.
Mary Valenta
Treasurer
Mary Valenta is CEO of On the Green, LLC (OTG) in Fairfax, VA, a consulting firm helping businesses with economic, environmental and social growth through strategic, marketing and financial planning. Commissioner Valenta also founded Global Sustainability Aid as a non-profit organization supporting sustainability in impoverished communities.
Soledad Portilla
Secretary
A Fairfax City resident since 2005. Soledad has over 10 years experience in real estate development and management including new deal sourcing and acquisitions. She currently serves on the Board of the Northern Virginia Builders Industry Association and on the Board of HomeAid Northern Virginia.
Dr. Deborah Crawford
Commissioner
Dr. Crawford is the Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact for George Mason University located in Fairfax, VA. She has been the President of the International Computer Science Institute from August 2014 until May 2016. She has been the Senior Vice Provost for research at Drexel University from August 2010 until August 2014 and the Deputy Assistant Director at the National Science Foundation for Computer and Information Science from October 1993 until August 2010.
Kathleen Paley
Commissioner
Kathleen Paley serves as the Special Counsel for Covington & Burling LLP where she focuses on legal issues facing the firm’s pharmaceutical clients at the federal and state courts level. Previously, she served for one year as the Grant Officer at the International Republican Institute where she assisted with various projects related to democracy education.
Chris Bruno
Director of Economic Development, Fairfax City
Director Bruno serves as the City liaison to the Economic Development Authority and is responsible for coordinating the economic development priorities of the City’s leadership with the Authority’s strategic plan.
Danette Nguyen
Assistant Director of Economic Development/Programs Manager, Fairfax City
As the Assistant Director of Economic Development/Programs Manager for Fairfax City’s Office of Economic Development, Danette assists businesses as they navigate various city processes and partners with them on direct-to-business city programs.