CEOs You Should Know - Washington DC

Rosie Allen-Herring is an international expert on public and private partnerships, philanthropy, and business strategy. She currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA). Rosie is recognized as a thought leader who demonstrates the ability to convene public-private entities, leverage talent and resources, and create collective impact in communities across the region and beyond.

Rosie has more than 30 years of experience in the areas of corporate finance, strategic leadership, public and private partnerships, corporate philanthropy, and community investment.

Formerly, Rosie was the Managing Director of the Community Investment and Engagement Division at Fannie Mae. Prior to Fannie Mae, she served as the National Regulatory Compliance Manager at the Housing & Community Development. She was also the Senior Deputy Director of the Washington, DC Community Business Center. During her tenure with Fannie Mae, Rosie developed, implemented, and managed key business strategies resulting in investments of more than $2 billion.

Rosie holds key leadership roles with several business and civic organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors for MedStar Health, Inc., Greater Washington Partnership, Greater Washington Board of Trade, WesBanco Mid Atlantic Advisory Board, Board of Trustees at A.T. Still University, Prince George’s Community College Foundation, and several additional organizations. She also served as a board member for Washington’s exploratory Olympic committee, Washington 2024.

She has received numerous awards and honors including: Washingtonian of the Year (2020), HBCU Alumni of the Year Award for Community Involvement (2019), Howard University Charter Day Distinguished Alumni Awardee (2019), The Network Journal’s Top 25 Most Influential Business Leaders (2019), Jack & Jill of America Community Innovator Award (2019), Prince George’s Community College Commencement Speaker (2019), Leadership Greater Washington’s Inaugural Leader of the Years (2018), Washington Business Journal’s Power 100 Leaders (2021, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2014 and 2013), Washington Business Journal CEO of the Year (2017), Prince George’s Community College Foundation’s Partnership Award (2016), Washington Business Journal Minority Business Leader (2015), Hope Awardee for Calvary Women’s Shelter (2015), Brava Top CEO Award (2014), Washingtonian Magazine’s Most Powerful Women (2021, 2019, 2015 and 2013), and Washington Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award (2011).

She earned a B.A. in Economics from Howard University, an M.B.A. from Strayer University, and was an International Fellow of the United States-Southern Africa Center for Leadership and Public Values at the University of Cape Town (SA) Graduate School of Business and Duke University Graduate School of Public Policy. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management Program.

She and her husband, Allan Herring, are proud parents of two daughters (Nala and Leah) and are leaders at the Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in Washington, DC.

Rosie exemplifies a servant-leader philosophy in all she does.

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Jeff Lipsey, CPA, EA - Founder & CEO
Jeff graduated from the University of Illinois in 2006 with a dual bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance. He was a professional poker player for a few years before switching careers to become a manager at a local popular restaurant in Alexandria, VA.

After a few years of working outside of the accounting field, Jeff opened the doors to Lipsey and Associates in at the end of 2013. Since then, he has become an Enrolled Agent (EA) as well as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Through the years of business, he has successfully built his team up from a single person with a laptop to a full team and explosive growth.

Outside of his business, he enjoys the outdoors and has a very impressive garden at his house. He also spends a lot of time with his family and cooking in the kitchen. If you’d like to talk with Jeff directly, please give the office a call to schedule a meeting. If he can’t meet with you, he’ll make sure you’re taken care of by one of his many qualified staff.

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Virginia Ali is a truly incredible woman. Her earthly life began on her parents' Virginia farm on December 17th, 1933, and today she is as vibrant as ever. She smiles whenever recounting her fond memories of childhood on the farm, her deep involvement in her family's country church, her college studies at Virginia Union University, and moving to Washington, DC as a young woman to find her destiny.

As her beloved DC community knows so well, Virginia's historic destiny found her the day she met Ben Ali, her husband and partner in life, love, family, and business. The dynamic newlyweds opened the doors of the now iconic Ben's Chili Bowl on August 22, 1958. Today, over 55 years later, this institution has become a place of fond memories for countless friends from DC, Maryland, Virginia, and all around the world.

Known affectionately as "Mom" or Mrs. Ben, Virginia has touched the lives of everyone she has encountered. Although she has achieved near celebrity status, her demeanor has never changed – with all her natural poise and sophistication, she still exemplifies the pure, wholesome values instilled by her parents. She lives a philosophy of giving love and kindness to everyone she meets, and as a result she is cherished and respected in a way that is very rare these days. In fact, at this point she is considered the "Matriarch of U Street" and countless DC residents call her "Mom."

In addition to all the hours she has put in at Ben's Chili Bowl, Virginia has also made time for many other meaningful endeavors. She has served on the Board of Directors of For Love of Children, The Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, the Islamic Society of the Greater Washington Area, and Cultural Tourism DC among others.

Over the years, Virginia and Ben have received countless awards and accolades including the prestigious America's Classics Restaurant Award from the James Beard Foundation. They were inducted into the DC Hall of Fame in 2002 and were later given the Key to the City by Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty. More recently, the Smithsonian placed Ben’s Chili Bowl on its list of the 20 Most Iconic Food Destinations Across America.

With all that she has accomplished thus far, Virginia isn't resting on her laurels. As her family, friends, and employees will attest, she is a true dynamo who encourages those around her to live fully and strive for excellence in all areas of life. She gives generously of herself and her time, and despite all the recognition and accolades, she is perhaps best known for her kind, loving nature and her very sound wisdom. Virginia is truly a people person, and we are all very thankful for everything she gives us by simply being herself.

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Gary – The Dad
Gary Edell, the President and Founder of My Dad’s Chips, has been in commercial real estate for 30+ years. He was responsible for leasing all the commercial office space in the King Farm development in Rockville, MD when he worked for Penrose, and in 2010 he transitioned into his own commercial real estate brokerage firm, 4 Dimensional Real Estate Solutions. At My Dad’s Chips, Gary is responsible for overseeing business operatons and brand strategy.

Brian – The Son
Brian Edell, the CFO of My Dad’s Chips, was a college baseball player at Truman State University who got his start as an FP&A Analyst for Adventst Healthcare. From AHC, he transitoned to a role as a Financial Analyst for DispatchHealth, a startup mobile urgent care service based in Denver, CO. At Dispatch, Brian was responsible for maintaining financial reports for all of Dispatch’s east coast markets, as well as analyzing the profitability of new partnerships/market openings. At My Dad’s Chips, Brian is responsible for sales, EDI maintenance, financial management, and inventory management

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Shyam Salona
As Chief Executive Officer of REI Systems, company cofounder Shyam Salona spends his days focused on building a culture of empowered teams and developing the agility of our company. Shyam believes the work environment that he fosters within REI Systems is the most crucial factor in REI Systems’ ability to build and deliver highly innovative solutions to our customers. Shyam looks at our company’s success from multiple directions and always looks for new ways that REI Systems can continue to grow. Shyam’s vision for the future of REI Systems is that REI’s customers, peers, employees, and the community in which we live and work will trust the company to do what is right, to keep its word, and leave our customers, employees, and our community better off than before.

Before co-founding REI Systems in 1989, Shyam spent several years developing information systems and technology products. In the decades since, he has led REI Systems to design and implement innovative web-based solutions for complex business processes. Shyam has delivered multiple mission-critical solutions to public sector customers. He is happiest when he sees these solutions help achieve those agencies’ missions and improve millions of lives.

Shyam received an M.S. in operations research at St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, India, in 1977. He then earned a diploma for his graduate research in computer science at the Indian Institute of Technology, also in Delhi, in 1978. In 1980, Shyam moved to the U.S. to earn his M.S. in computer science from the Center for Advanced Computer Studies at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (Lafayette) in 1982. After completing his education, he worked as a consultant, manager, and engineer at several corporations. After his job as a principal engineer at Digital Equipment Corp in Nashua, NH, Shyam partnered with Veer Bhartiya to start REI Systems.

Outside the office, Shyam enjoys listening to music, hiking, reading, mentoring entrepreneurs, and spending time with his wife, Poonam, and their two grown daughters.

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In his 35-year career he pioneered successful approaches supporting clients in software migrations across various major platforms before working exclusively in the government contracting industry with Deltek Costpoint supporting the companies who serve our nation. His government cost accounting experience includes the design, migration, and administration of government contract accounting job cost systems with an extensive background in compliance. In addition to a vast business acumen which lead to the founding and success of PDS he supports clients in contract negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital funding, corporate restructuring, and business turnarounds.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky in Business Administration, graduate work in accounting and finance at the University of Tennessee and holds a Certified Financial Planner Certificate from the University of Tennessee. Prior to co-founding PDS Consulting Solutions with his partner Laura Davis, he ran a successful consulting business for over 10 years implementing Deltek Costpoint while providing other essential business services for small to medium size emerging companies. He is experienced, trusted and sought after by industry leaders due to the reputation he has built steadily over time in consulting and business development while working with innovative and cutting-edge thought professionals throughout his career.

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Joining Clyde’s Restaurant Group in the fall of 2016, former Co-Founder, President, and CEO of the privately held chain, Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano, John McDonnell has brought a record of success with him. As a results-driven Business Management Executive with the ability to lead teams using effective operational strategies while also exhibiting an unwavering commitment to excellence, John’s unique expertise makes him a valuable part of the Clyde’s family

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Dr. Anne Khademian was named to serve as the Universities at Shady Grove’s third executive director in October 2020, following a nationwide search and her appointment to the post by Dr. Jay Perman, Chancellor of the University System of Maryland. As executive director of USG – a regional higher education center of USM in Montgomery County, with programs from nine universities on one campus – Dr. Khademian also holds the title of Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for USM.

Before joining USG, Dr. Khademian served most recently as a Presidential Fellow and professor at Virginia Tech, where she enjoyed a stellar 17-year career that included several years as director of the School of Public and International Affairs. A longtime resident of Montgomery County, Maryland, she served in her presidential fellowship in Virginia Tech’s Research Center in Arlington, near Washington, D.C. In that capacity, she supported the collaborative implementation of “Beyond Boundaries” initiatives, working across the university’s campuses and stakeholder committees to support organizational innovation and growth.

With nearly three decades of experience in higher education, Dr. Khademian is a nationally recognized scholar and author in the areas of inclusive leadership and organizational change. As director of the School of Public and International Affairs in Virginia Tech’s College of Architecture and Urban Studies for seven years, she led the school through a period of significant growth and transformation, including the introduction of new academic degrees and programs; increased student enrollment; new faculty hires; forging of new global partnerships and initiatives; and extended outreach into the local community.

Dr. Khademian’s research focuses on leadership and organizational culture, inclusive management, policy networks, and the work of organizations involved in homeland security and financial regulation. She is the author of three books: Working with Culture: The Way the Job Gets Done in Public Programs (CQ Press, 2002); Checking on Banks: Autonomy and Accountability in Three Federal Agencies (Brookings, 1996); and The SEC and Capital Market Regulation: The Politics of Expertise (University of Pittsburgh Press 1992). She has also published numerous articles on public management and public policy.

Dr. Khademian is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization established by Congress to assist government leaders in building more-effective, efficient, accountable, and transparent organizations.

As part of her leadership in the community, Dr. Khademian serves on the boards of both the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation. She is also on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross, National Capital Region for the Montgomery, Howard and Frederick Counties Chapter and the Board of Directors for Smart City Works. In addition, she is a member of the Leadership Montgomery CORE Class of 2023.

Dr. Khademian holds a B.A. in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration from Michigan State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Political Science and Government from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. She was a cross country and track star while at Michigan State and in 2016 she was inducted into the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Dr. Khademian also hosts a video podcast series called "This is USG" and an audio podcast entitled "AKA Innovation," which showcases innovative leadership and business practices that can help to drive transformation and innovation in education.

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Yusuf N. Henriques is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IndyGeneUS AI & IndyGeneUS Institute (pronounced indigenous) a precision genomics company aiming to create the world's largest blockchain-encrypted digital health platform of indigenous and diasporic African clinical and genomic data. Their genomics laboratory is located at the JLABS facility in Washington, DC, on the historic grounds of the old Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where Henriques once walked the halls as a U.S. Army Combat Medic.

The Jamaican-born immigrant is a serial start-up visionary whose companies are at the helm of technology and thrive at the intersection of financial and health equity. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of founders and was recently named a 2022 Techstars Mentor-In-Residence.

Henriques is a sought after thought leader where he frequently speaks on the importance of precision health equity and the power of Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), with an emphasis on BIPOC communities.

Prior to Henriques’ start-up ventures he was a sought after regulatory affairs expert. He launched his career in the regulatory space as the acting Branch Chief for the Ob/Gyn, Gastroenterology, and Urology Divisions in the Center for Device and Radiological Health at the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

He served as Director of Regulatory Affairs for SAIC, where he oversaw regulatory compliance strategies for multi-site clinical trials. He was a lead regulatory scientist for the Strategic Innovation Group (SIG) at Booz Allen Hamilton and Senior Research Health Scientist for Outpatient Psychiatry at the James J. Peters Veteran Affairs Medical Center in The Bronx, NY.

Henriques managed a $45M scientific portfolio for a large multi-center clinical trial research project in PTSD and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries) for the VA Cooperative Study Research Program and the Department of Defense, where he studied alongside Rachel Yehuda, the Vice-chair of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) Psychiatry Department. It was through his association with ISMMS that he gained exclusive rights to the patent for the PTSD genomic assay (TruGen-1) that he developed under his first start-up TruGenomix (Polaris Genomics). The patent is currently being piloted at the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) hospitals nationwide to address the high rate of suicides in the veteran and active-duty populations.

The Howard University graduate earned his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry (Magna Cum Laude) and his entire c-suite are also Howard Alum. He is a proud father of four girls, an avid LinkedIn contributor, and a lover of soccer.

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Ms. Tong is a dynamic and visionary leader who has played a pivotal role in shaping T&T's strategic direction and driving the company's remarkable growth. With her exemplary leadership skills, she has steered T&T towards continuous expansion and success. Under Ms. Tong's guidance and stewardship, T&T has witnessed a remarkable journey, transforming from its inception in 2004 to achieve the esteemed Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Maturity Level 3 for Services and Development appraisal. Additionally, the organization boasts prestigious ISO 9001, 27001, and 20000 certifications, solidifying its reputation as a trusted and reliable partner for both federal government and commercial clients.

Drawing on her extensive academic background, Ms. Tong holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Information Engineering from National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. Her qualifications also include the highly esteemed certifications of Project Management Professional (PMP) and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), demonstrating her commitment to professional growth.

With over 15 years of direct experience in the fields of software engineering and project management, Ms. Tong possesses a unique blend of technical expertise and functional proficiency. She has been an instrumental leader in driving T&T's application development projects, playing a vital role in the success of these initiatives. By fostering effective communication and strategic partnerships, Ms. Tong has built strong organizations and streamlined processes, enabling T&T to deliver exceptional results to its clients.

Ms. Tong's exceptional work and leadership have garnered significant recognition within the professional community. Notably, she has been honored with several esteemed awards, including the 2018 American Business Awards Executive of the Year Award, the 2018 Minority Business Leader Award from the Washington Business Journal, the US Women's Chamber of Commerce (USWCC) Growth Master Award, the 2019 Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Person of the Year in North Virginia, and the 2022 Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Business Advocate of the Year. These prestigious accolades underscore Ms. Tong's outstanding achievements and unwavering commitment to excellence.

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