The Board

Claire Christian is a lifelong library supporter who began volunteering at her local library in elementary school. Currently, she is the Executive Director of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, an environmental organization based in Washington, D.C. Claire believes that libraries are a vital element in building communities and strengthening democracy. Claire has a new favorite book every week, but was recently blown away by The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow.

Jane has been on the FOAL board for 3 years and has served as Vice President for 2 years.  Outside of FOAL, Jane is a Suzuki-trained violin teacher, inspiring children all throughout the greater DC metro area with her love of music.  She owns her own violin studio and has been teaching for over 28 years.  Jane is married with three adult children and one mini goldendoodle.  Her favorite book is her Dad’s book — On Beckett by S.E. Gontarski.

Natalia has been an Arlington resident for more than 10 years. She enjoys biking on Arlington trails, playing tennis with ACTA, and trying many local restaurants. Natalia is a finance professional with more than 20 years of experience. Her favorite book is War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.

Laura is a 25-year resident of Arlington and has been a FOAL board member since 2018. Outside of FOAL, Laura is a writer and communications consultant, a foodie, a nature lover, as well as a mom to a cat, a dog, and a Washington and Liberty student. She loves a good mystery, as well as books that make her laugh and make her think. Laura’s favorite recent book is Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb. 

Jamie has lived in Arlington for the past 8 years and has been serving on the FOAL Board since June 2017.  She works for a compliance consulting firm as a Senior Anti-Money Laundering Analyst.  Originally from Cleveland, Jamie remains steadfastly devoted to her hometown sports teams, and is an especially big fan of baseball and the Cleveland Guardians.  Her favorite book is The Remains of the Day.

Todd attended law school in Arlington in the 1990s and returned to the county in 2020.  He joined the FOAL board this year.  Outside of FOAL, Todd is an analyst with the federal government, an admirer of all cats (most especially his own), and an avid cyclist and reader.  His favorite book is The Anti-Communist Manifesto: Four Books that Shaped the Cold War. 

Brittany is a dedicated Little Free Library owner and self-professed "bibliophile" on a mission to enhance book accessibility in communities of color. By day, she's immersed in the world of finance and operations within higher education. However, her most cherished moments are those spent alongside her husband, two young children, and handsome dog Zeus. Brittany's board involvement shines brightest during the bi-annual book sale – not only does it generate vital funds for Arlington's libraries, but it also fosters connections with diverse community members and upholds the tradition of passing down cherished stories, ensuring the enduring love for books spans generations. Brittany’s favorite book is Fortunate Son by Walter Mosley.

Rob has been on the FOAL board for five years. His enthusiasm for the library really took off when he started bringing his toddler son to storytime almost twenty years ago. Outside of FOAL, Rob is a retired attorney and a semi-retired keyboardist in a local rock band. He loves to travel to Ireland, college football games, and his son's orchestra concerts. His favorite book is Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson, and The Baroque Cycle by the same author is next on his reading list.

Kate Summers has been a FOAL Board Member since 2014.  A former FOAL Board President, she now serves as the representative for the Cherrydale Library, a branch conveniently located across the street from her house!  When she's not reading and chasing her rescue dogs, Kate works on Capitol Hill.  

Kelly Fado has lived in Arlington for over 20 years. A frequent visitor at Westover Library, she has been on the FOAL Board since 2016 serving as a past Secretary and past President.  Kelly loves to read and in 2023 has the personal goal of reading 200 books, she just finished book 188: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and just started Normal Rules don’t Apply, Kate Atkinson’s new collection of short stories. 

Merri is the Donation Processing Team (DPT) coordinator and serves as the liaison between the FOAL Board and the DPT.  The DPT sorts all of the donations received at the library to determine what items are placed in the biannual book sales and in the FOAL Bookstores located in each library branch. She doesn’t really have a favorite book, but her favorite genre is mystery/detective books.

Marty Pippins is the current Book Sale Manager and has been managing sales since October 2021. He was a pension actuary and executive at the IRS for 30 years before his retirement in 2017.  Marty is a former Treasurer and Board member of the Friends of Arlington Library.