BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Ali Gharib

Chairman of the Board
Ali@Smart-Lumen.com

Ali Gharib is the president of Smart Lumen, LLC and Global Distribution, LLC in Gaithersburg, MD. Smart Lumen is an energy efficient LED lighting and controls installation specialist. They are the number one lighting contractor, hand selected to work as a service provider directly for Pepco’s energy efficiency initiative. Global Distribution, LLC is an interior and exterior LED lighting distributor and design group. Since 2015, Ali has served on the Energy Board of Advisors for the Pepco Empower MD program. Ali studied at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina, and currently lives in Potomac, MD with his wife and their two sons.

 

Philip Caulfield

Philip.Caulfield@gmail.com

Philip Caulfield is a veteran journalist and digital strategist. Most recently, he was senior editor at NBC’s “Today” show, where he led breaking news, courts and criminal justice coverage for the show’s digital newsroom. He also worked as a reporter, editor and producer at the New York Daily News, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Phil currently serves as co-chair of the 83.33 Society for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, and he was a founding board member and coach for Brooklyn Lacrosse, a nonprofit youth lacrosse club in New York City. He’s a graduate of Loyola University Maryland and Columbia University in New York. Phil and his wife live in Silver Spring with their two children.

 

Andrew Einsmann

Drewster711@gmail.com

Andrew Einsmann has been a resident of Montgomery County for most of his adult life serving as an active member of the community for the last 20 years. He has been president of two different local Rotary Clubs during the last 20 years and in his free time, runs the soccer club Superstars SC. Andrew loves to play tennis and you can find him cheering on his son in whatever he is doing.

 

Andrea Dykes

ADykes@Howard-Insurance.com

Andrea Dykes is the Managing Partner of Howard Insurance, where she leads the firm’s strategic direction and client engagement initiatives. In her role, Andrea focuses on delivering tailored insurance solutions that support complex wealth transfer, estate planning, and business succession strategies for ultra-high-net-worth individuals and family enterprises. Her expertise lies in the sophisticated use of insurance within multigenerational planning frameworks, including trust-owned life insurance, executive benefit structures, and risk management for privately held businesses. Andrea’s thought leadership has been featured in national publications such as the Investments and Wealth Institute, Wealth Management’s Trusts & Estates, Probate & Property, the American Bar Association, and Leimberg Information Services. A recognized leader in the insurance and financial planning space, Andrea has received numerous accolades, including being named a Top Financial Advisor and inducted into the Top Advisor Hall of Fame by Washingtonian Magazine. She is also the recipient of the inaugural AALU Transformer Award, honoring her work in advancing the insurance profession through leadership, diversity, and community impact. Andrea serves as a trustee of the National Children’s Museum and is a member of Finseca and the DC Estate Planning Council. She is a graduate of Leadership Greater Washington and previously served on the Board of Directors of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation. She earned a degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and Economics from the University of Delaware and holds the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation. Andrea is a native resident of Montgomery County, Maryland, and currently resides in Potomac, Maryland, with her husband and three children.

 

Gary Feldman

GAFeldman@AOL.com

Gary Feldman holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Massachusetts, with a concentration in Hotel, Restaurant, and Travel Administration. Gary spent 10 years in the hotel business in a variety of roles for Stouffer, Renaissance, and Marriott Hotel companies, with his last position as Director of Sales for the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel. Gary then worked for Royal Cup Coffee & Tea company for 18 years, one of the largest family-owned coffee companies in the United States. Today, Gary and his wife Hillary own two Bruster’s Ice Cream Stores and a catering truck, looking to expand in the Rockville area. They live in Rockville along with their two children – Cheyanne (17) and Bryce (15). Gary spends his free time with his family and hobbies which include bicycling, running, grilling, fundraising for children with cancer, and assisting with his wife’s love of animal rescue & fostering dogs.

 

Todd Mack

ToddMack13@gmail.com

Todd Mack is originally from Fort Worth, Texas, but stayed in the Washington, DC area after attending Georgetown University where he earned degrees in Economics and Government. He currently holds the position of Director of Operations for a firm which handles research and retrieval at courts and government agencies nationwide. Todd’s volunteer work experience includes the House of Ruth in Washington, DC which brought food, clothing and toiletries to the homeless on the street. Additionally, Todd worked with children at the affiliated Domestic Violence Emergency Shelter.

 

Karen Weschler Munaker

Karen@Weschlers.com

Karen Munaker is a fifth-generation member of the family behind Weschler’s Auctioneers and Appraisers, a respected institution serving the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region since its founding in 1890. With a business degree from the College of Charleston, Karen began her career in marketing at a local IT firm before joining the family business in 2003 as Communications Director and later Assistant Client Services and Administrative Manager. In her role, Karen has been instrumental in shaping the public voice of Weschler’s, working alongside her father and cousins to strengthen the company’s brand while honoring its longstanding heritage. In 2016, Karen, her father, and her brother became the sole owners of Weschler’s. Together, they have led the company through a period of modernization, forging strategic partnerships and expanding community engagement while remaining rooted in the values established by founder Adam Weschler. In 2017, Karen played a key role in Weschler’s relocation from downtown Washington, D.C. to its current headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, enhancing operational efficiency and accessibility for clients. Outside of work, Karen enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, son, and their beloved seven-year-old dog, Dre.