Board

Why did you become a Unitarian Universalist?
I was raised Catholic but the religion never spoke to me. I stopped going as soon as I grew up and moved out of my parents home. I did not attend any church for years until my children were born. One day, when Rachael was little (in the 90’s), she asked us why we did not go to church but her friends did. Her mother and I felt it was better to find a church we could commit to than to have her go to someone else’s church that we were not super comfortable with. We found UUS through online searching and began attending.

Why did you become a member of UUCS?
After going semi regularly, I decided to become a member as we were pretty involved in the church activities as a family.

Why did you become a member of the board? What do you hope to accomplish?
I was honored to be asked to serve on the board. I have not served in a position since the ministerial search committee several years ago and it seemed like a good time to serve a term. I hope to provide the board with wise decision making based on my decades of association with this church and my general life and business experience.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Shelly and I love to be outside and hike trails through woods, mountains, and other beautiful places. I love spending time with my adult children and my other family members, and friends.  I also love the theater, Broadway shows, and science fiction entertainment, especially Star Trek and Star War.

Why did you become a Unitarian Universalist?

After years of feeling like a square peg continually trying to fit myself into the Catholicism in which I was raised, and then more years of seeking by way of Oprah’s early online interviews (pre-podcasting!) with spiritual leaders, where writer Elizabeth Lesser suggested Unitarian Universalism to a fellow seeker. My search had begun to feel lonely and I realized I missed going to church. So I looked up the UUCS website, found alignment in the UU principles, listened to sermons online from Rev. Anya, and was warmly welcomed when I finally visited. Even though my first service was a summer WEBS service and I was completely clueless about earth-based spirituality, it really opened my eyes. I took my wildflower seeds home from that service and planted them — I knew I had found something special where I could grow.

Why did you become a member of UUCS?
I felt an immediate connection to the people in this congregation and was impressed by the good they were doing in the community. I wanted to be a part of it, and I wanted my children to grow up in this warm, open-minded community.

Why did you become a member of the board? What do you hope to accomplish?
I stepped back from almost all of my committee roles in 2019 to focus on getting my sons through high school. Then all hell really broke loose! I was so grateful to the folks that stepped up to lead the way through the past couple of years. It was inspiring! It was good for me to have some time to step back and rest, but I noticed a need for some diversity on the board, and I felt the pull to step back into the mix. I will do whatever I can to help support, maintain and grow whatever benefits our congregation and the surrounding community.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I enjoy reading, listening to podcasts, watching movies/tv, walking, creative dabbling, and hanging with our corgi, Jolie. My husband Patrick and I are preparing for our empty nest beginning in September, so there will be even more spare time to fill!

My name is Jack Hazerjian, and I was born and raised in Boston, and have since lived in New York City; Washington, D.C. area; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and a few spots overseas for work. I am divorced and a father of a son and a daughter, both born in Brooklyn and now young adults whom I have marveled at since their births. My daughter has been working in business consulting in NYC (where she was born) for the past two years, while her brother will be finishing up this year his studies in international affairs at University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill, from where she had also graduated.My long career has centered on international public health, and I have managed and provided technical support to project initiatives, mainly funded by the US Government, that are designed to improve delivery and data analysis of health services. In more recent years, I have worked as an independent consultant to support research studies and staff training needs for international health and economic development programs. I have cumulatively spent about 7 years overseas, from dozens of short trips mostly in Africa as well as long-term postings in three countries — Mali, Sudan, and Niger – all of which are located on that continent.I have been sporadically attending services at UUC in Sterling since, I believe, 2016, when I took a new position based in Virginia. Since I still owned a home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, I made arrangements to work remotely about two weeks each month. During my two weeks in the Virginia office, I stayed at the home of my sister and brother-in-law, Stephanie and Paul Roche, founders of this church. They introduced me to UUCS and, since then, I have been somewhat regularly attending services; I have also taken part in a number of church events, including the annual auction.My non-work-related interests lie squarely in the arts, particularly the visual arts, which I studied as an undergraduate. I have long been an avid museum goer and, until recently, been volunteering as a museum educator, at which I had served for 25 years altogether at two art institutions in Brooklyn and Chapel Hill. This is why I have offered as an auction item for the past two years a private tour at a local area museum. In addition, I am keenly interested in the literary and the theatrical/cinematic arts. And I do like solving crossword puzzles, Suduko, and word games. In short, I am a problem solver, an art enthusiast, and an explainer – perhaps, an unholy combination.

Why did you become a Unitarian Universalist?
I was introduced to Unitarian Universalism through a friend about 20 years ago, and its core principles immediately resonated with me. As someone who was raised Catholic but felt uncomfortable in the Catholic church, UU has become a way for me to explore my spirituality in a supportive and welcoming environment alongside other liberal thinkers. 

Why did you become a member of the Board? What do you hope to accomplish?
It is important to me that I allocate personal time for leadership and service. Given how much UUCS has been a place of comfort and growth, I wanted to give back to the community through Board service. I have experience with other nonprofit boards and believe I have much to offer the congregation. I look forward to spending time getting to know our congregation better and contributing meaningfully to our future so that we continue to grow and serve the diverse needs of the congregation.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love spending time with my husband, Tom, and our college-age children doing just about anything—although hiking, travel and going to the theater are at the top of my list. I run my own one-person consulting practice, and when I’m not working I try to invest in myself: I exercise and move each day, prepare and eat healthy foods, spend time with family and friends, and read voraciously. I am also trying to learn Italian.

What else should we know about you?
I’m from New York City originally and got my Masters and Doctorate at NYU. I have lived in Northern Virginia for 25 years. I have worked in corporate settings for the majority of my career before going out on my own in 2021. Working with organizations of all sizes and types, especially social enterprises and mission-focused businesses, my consulting practice focuses on human capital with an emphasis on women, underrepresented groups and nonprofits. Something that brings me great joy on a daily basis is spending quality time with our sweet rescue dog, Newman. He’s part Boston Terrier, part Beagle, part Chihuahua and 100 percent adorable.

My name is Colleen Bongiovanni. I was born in Washington, DC, and grew up across the original Wilson Bridge in Oxon Hill, MD (many moons ago and long before there was an MGM casino there). I have Irish Catholic roots on both sides of my family dating back to the 1600s in Maryland on my mother’s side and the late 1800s in DC on my father’s side. I was raised Catholic in a loving and fun family. I am the youngest of 5 with 3 sisters and 1 brother. I attended Catholic schools until I was 14, at which point I rebelled (quietly) against Catholicism and switched to public school. Both my parents are deceased, but I am so grateful for the foundation they gave me and the freedom to make my own choices regarding school, religion and life path.

I’ve been married three times (something my younger self never saw in her future). The first one ended in an amicable divorce after 20 years. I have a daughter, Aurora, from that one, who will be 43 in September, which makes me feel really old! I lost my second husband to lung cancer, and was lucky enough to find my third husband, Ed, with whom I had seventeen and half crazy and wonderful years until his death from cancer in 2022, the same year I was also going through chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer. 2022 was not a good year. I was still working as an IT database developer/programmer at a job I’d been at for 22+ years, and by December, I decided it was a good year to retire. I now spend time traveling, working on decluttering my home, spending time with family, and taking care of my three cats.

I was essentially agnostic until my 40’s, but I have always been a seeker regarding things spiritual. I’ve explored other faiths, but at the end of the day, I am a “no dogma/no gurus/let the mystery be” kind of person. My husband, Ed, told me about the Unitarian Universalist church. I first came to UUCS in 2016 (I think) and signed the book. I liked the people, the fellowship, the values, and the love and inclusivity. I was working full-time then, life was busy and full, and I stepped away. I came back around 2018-2019, but once again, life was busy and full, then covid hit, and I stepped away. The UU folks reached out to me when Ed died, and that was very meaningful to me. I knew I needed friends, fellowship and spiritual connection, and I stepped back in, and I am so happy I did.

As to why I am on the board … Denise Dittmar called and asked me, and I thought why not! My goal is to listen a lot, learn a lot, and do what I’m asked to do. Thank you for giving me this opportunity!

I am one of the original rebels who started UUCS so many years ago. It was never my childhood dream to help create a congregation but I did and I am so glad I did. Our congregation has something special that needs to be sustained so I volunteered for the Treasurer position. Since our beginning, I’ve served in the Finance Committee for several years – even a few years as Treasurer. And I currently pay the bills. In addition to my finance work, I sing with the choir, help with the annual Auction, and occasional-ly help in the RE program. On the personal side, I have two sons who grew up in UUCS, though one is now an avowed atheist and the other one has good intentions to attend but can’t seem to do it! I retired in 2019 after 38 years working with the Federal Government and I regularly volunteer at the Bargain Loft in Herndon where last year I was named volunteer of the year.