2017 Reston Association Board Election: Meet HeidiAnne Werner

Voting in the 2017 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run through April 3. We have posted profiles on each of the candidates. Featured here is HeidiAnne Werner, who is facing five other candidates in the race for an At-Large seat. Her opponents are Roberto Anguizola (profile), Eric Carr (profile), Mike Collins (profile), Charles Dorfeuille (profile) and Ven Iyer (profile). The six squared off in a candidate forum last week.

The profiles are in a Q-and-A format. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words.

How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?

I have lived in Reston my whole life. I attended RA summer camps, was a camp counselor and even worked at RA in the Parks & Recreation office for a couple of summers. There was no question I wanted to come back to Reston after college. As an adult, I love living in a community that has such wonderful recreation offerings. I love playing tennis, walking my dog on our great path system and relaxing at the pools in the summer. When I was in the market to finally buy property, I knew that Reston was the place I wanted to be.

What inspired you to run for the board?

I love living in Reston, but there are many things that concern me which I would complain about to others. I realized that I had to stop complaining about the things I did not like unless I was willing to get involved in the process. I went to a Board meeting and it was one where they were talking about changing the dues structure. When I did not hear any opposing viewpoints I got scared that we would all quickly see a huge increase in our dues. So I decided I wanted to get involved and offer another viewpoint.

What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston?

• Financial Management — We keep on seeing dues increase year after year without cuts to ancillary services. Are non-Reston-residents being charged enough to use our services? Or are residents picking up the bill for everyone?
• Deviation from Original Purpose — Do all of the programs that Reston offers fit into the purpose of our community?
• Development — There is no question that Reston is changing. What is Reston’s responsibility to making sure we are not overtaken by development? How are we making sure our green space and recreation is being protected?

What do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?

As a board member I cannot promise that I will cut dues, stop development or save our pools. But I can promise that I will work hard with the board, RA staff and residents to make sure that issues are discussed and addressed; to make my case for the issues. I promise I will work to collaborate with everyone and come to the best solution. I know that might not be the most popular viewpoint, but no one board member can drive through their platform. I will do everything I can to continue to make Reston a great place to live and work.

How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?

My career is association management and I am in the process of studying for my CAE (Certified Association Executive) exam. Through my career, I have practical hands-on experience dealing with boards, association staff and members. Through my CAE study I am learning the theoretical best practices. But my experience is not only through my career. In my personal time, I have served on various committees and boards and, in addition, I serve on my cluster board, which gives me the experience in dealing with homeowner concerns. My experience makes me a well-rounded candidate for this position.

PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED CANDIDATE PROFILES:

• David Bobzien (Apartment Owners’ representative)
• Arlene Krieger (North Point District seat)
• John Mooney (North Point District seat)
• Victoria White (Hunters Woods/Dogwood District seat)
• Syazana Durrani (Hunters Woods/Dogwood District seat)
• Roberto Anguizola (At-Large seat)
• Eric Carr (At-Large seat)
• Mike Collins (At-Large seat)
• Charles Dorfeiulle (At-Large seat)
• Ven Iyer (At-Large seat)