The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area recognizes that there are many outstanding young professionals in our region who exemplify strong leadership qualities, are active in their volunteer roles and have excelled in the business community.
We wish to honor the ‘cream of the crop’ through the D.C.’s Finest Young Professionals Campaign. Up to forty young professionals are chosen by our nominating committee for their professional, charitable or influential accomplishments. The campaign is a time to shine the spotlight on these young professionals, highlight their talents and recognize them for their compassion and leadership qualities.
The D.C.’s Finest Young Professionals Campaign benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s mission to assure the development of the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis (CF) and to improve the quality of life for those living with the disease.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Future Faces for a Cure 2012
Edward Chrzanowski
CHAIRMAN
Ed currently works as a Senior Executive Compensation Consultant in the Aerospace and Defense industry, after previously working as the Director of Human Resources & Compliance at Hovde Capital Advisors, LLC. Ed has been involved in the Metro DC Chapter of the CF Foundation since he moved to DC four years ago, and is a patient himself. He has been one of the top fundraisers for the DC Great Strides walk campaign as well as last year’s Finest cam‐ paign. Ed also participates in Chefs in the City and the Breath of Life Gala, both Metro DC Chapter events. Ed is a big fan of the Finest campaign, sharing that it’s a one‐of‐a‐ kind opportunity for young professionals to do good work and give back to the community by helping others in a terrible fight to breathe, while uniquely networking with some of the best and brightest people in the area. The Finest campaign is a fun opportunity to meet former honorees, forge lifelong business relationships and to form friendships with all involved. This all relates to fundraising drug research, which is so critical today as we are on the brink of making great strides in the search for a cure for CF.
Thomas Bryan
Thomas graduated from the College of Charleston in 2004, and is currently an Assistant Property Manager/Leasing Manager at SJG Properties. Thomas has an active interest in residential real estate through his work with SJG Properties at The Woodland Building in NW DC. After attending the College of Charleston, he started a Junior Varsity Lacrosse program with the Charleston Lacrosse Club in Charleston, SC. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis, sailing and being outdoors. Thomas is personally connected to the CF Foundation because his sister was diagnosed with CF during her Junior year of high school. He is excited to meet his fellow honorees and raise money for the cause.
Cristin Caine
After graduating with a Masters in Elementary Education from GW, Cristin has spent countless hours doing good for her community. Cristin worked at the CF Foundation for two years after college. She’s remained very supportive of the Foundation, hosting a Girls Night Out, which has raised a total of $14,000 over the past two years. Cristin is also the service chair of the Potomac Moms Club, coordinating one service project a month and managing their charitable fund distribution. She has been running her daughter’s Girl Scout troop for three years now and organizes an elementary schoolwide Girl Scout JumpaThon for Juvenile Diabetes. When she’s not saving the world, Cristin enjoys hiking, dancing, skiing and traveling.
Vincent Congiu
Vincent is the Executive Assistant to the President and CEO of the International Association of Physicals in AIDS Care (IAPAC), and is the Managing Editor of JIAPAC. He studied History and Science at Pace University, and is a member of the History Honor Society, nationally recognized. IAPAC holds medical conferences which gives Vincent the chance to network with and meet with other organizations and medical doctors, but he is excited to network with his fellow honorees as well. Vincent loves travelling, volunteering, running and swimming.
Richard Hartman
Richard W. Hartman, III received his Juris Doctor degree from the Washington and Lee University School of Law. He went on to found The Law Office of Richard W. Hartman III, Attorney & Counselor at Law in 2011 to provide clients with honest, ethical and quality legal services. Mr. Hartman enjoys playing golf, doing home improvements (he is a selfproclaimed DIY “Weekend Warrior”), and being outdoors. Mr. Hartman has helped the community by hosting various fundraisers for CF with his Fraternity, Delta Chi, participating in Habitat for Humanity, and doing pro bono attorney work. He is a member of a number of local bar associations, including the Virginia State Bar.
Will Lambert Kiran Malancharuvil
Will Lambert is connected to the CFF through a personal friend, Joey (“Peanut”) Benton who has CF. Will partakes in the CF Foundation’s Great Strides campaign by being a member of team “Peanut Patrol.” He also volunteers at Bradley Farm Haunted House, USO and The Ronald McDonald House Charities for DC. In working with a number of children’s charities, Will dresses up as a clown and makes balloon animals for kids – either to brighten their day if they’re in hospital, or to raise money for their charity. Will is a former US Army soldier, so militarysupporting organizations like USO are very dear to him.
Kiran Malancharuvil
Kiran Malancharuvil is a trademark lawyer who specializes in advocacy and policy development for intellectual property rights on the Internet. She holds a J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law and a B.A. in Public Argumentation and Rhetoric from her hometown college, California State University, San Bernardino. Kiran has been greatly inspired and touched by the bravery and resilience of a child in her life that has cystic fibrosis. She looks forward to lending her voice (she is a classically trained opera singer!) and energy to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as an Honoree for DC’s Finest Young Professionals.
Patrick McCrann
Patrick is a native Washingtonian who began his career in Real Estate as an intern at Cushman & Wakefield during his summer recesses in college. After college, Patrick was hired by Rosenthal Properties as an Associate to support senior management with marketing and leasing of a 4 million square foot portfolio of office and retail projects. Patrick joined EDGE in 2011 to support the Virginia Landlord and Tenant Advisory Service Team. Patrick made an immediate impact and his hard work and dedication have contributed to the success that EDGE has experienced. He currently resides in Bethesda, MD with his fiancée Madeline and enjoys playing and coaching lacrosse and golf as well as competing in cross country and road races in his spare time.
Melodie Narain
Melodie knows that she has always had a desire to help and serve others in some capacity – a seed that was planted by her mother at a very young age. Throughout her career, she found herself sitting and talking with people about their dreams and desires, and she found herself becoming a “goto” person for her coworkers. She turned this skill into more of a way of life by becoming a motivational speaker, and is a firm believer in the power of the words that leave your mouth. Melodie has proven that speaking what you believe returns the belief in you. She is certified through the International Coaching Academy, and accredited by the International Coach Federation. Currently the Executive Assistant to Don Wood, Melodie is a big supporter of the CF Foundation’s Breath of Life Gala.
Chris Schu
Originally from San Diego, CA, Chris graduated with a BA in Finance and a BS in Accounting from Loyola Marymount University. Chris worked at Booz Allen Hamilton for about three years. He is now a Senior Consultant at Deloitte, where he has worked since February, and he is in the process of getting his CPA. A sports enthusiast, Chris loves playing basketball, football, golf and enjoys hiking on the weekends. Living in D.C. for four years, Chris enjoys trying unique foods at new restaurants and biking through out the city. Chris has been active in the Boys and Girls Club of DC, Street Wise Partners, Carpenters Shelter of Alexandria, Wounded Warriors Mentoring Organization and Honor Flight at the San Diego, CA Chapter.
Maci Peterson
Recipient of the Tuxedo Ball Award for Entrepreneurship and founder of three businesses, Maci Peterson has set quite an example for young leadership in D.C. Currently a Marketing Strategist for The Root, she is also active in her church in DC, where she takes the time to focus on her favorite quote, “‘For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Maci is a member of Rifles and Ruffles, the New Light Leadership Coalition, and a former Board Member of Michelle in Training (MiT). She enjoys hiking, photography, rock climbing, sailing, shooting at the rifle range, wine tasting and exploring the city.
Adam Zuckerman
Adam founded Foster.ly, a passion project intended to help entrepreneurs in DC, Maryland and Virginia. A licensed attorney, Adam is employed fulltime at Discovery in a Technology Innovation capacity, where he is tasked to help identify and implement innovative technology solutions to help further the company’s objectives across all business units internationally. Adam assists with Startup America Foundation Initiatives (nationally and regionally), and is a mentor at Startup Weekend DC. He is a casual triathlete, adventure traveler, recurring knee surgery patient, home brewer (wine and beer) and molecular gastronomy. Adam is an adrenaline junkie with an affinity for the outdoors, and has traveled to all continents but Australia and Antarctica, making a difference everywhere he goes.
Jamie Weinstein
Jamie Weinstein is Senior Editor of The Daily Caller. His work has appeared in The Weekly Standard, the New York Daily News and The Washington Examiner, among many other publications. He also worked as the Collegiate Network Journalism Fellow at Roll Call Newspaper and is the winner of the 2011 “Funniest Celebrity in Washington” contest. A regular on Fox News and other cable news outlets, Weinstein received a master’s degree in the history of international relations from the London School of Economics in 2009 and a bachelor’s degree in history and government from Cornell University in 2006. In his free time, he enjoys watching boxing, reading and watching movies.
What is cystic fibrosis: While many of us may have heard of cystic fibrosis (CF), few of us may know much about the disease. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 adults and children in the U.S. (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to lifethreatening lung infections, obstructs the pancreas, and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food. In the 1950s, few children with CF lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond. The CF Foundation is the lead organization researching and fundraising to develop a cure for the disease.
