2024 Board Of Directors Election

We need volunteers to run for the Board! 

There will be at least two (2) vacancies on the Board for our upcoming election. If you have any interest in running, or learning more about the Board of Directors, please reach out to a Board member or send an email to bod@bwwca.org.

As a reminder:

The Bentana Woods West Cluster Association Board of Directors elections will be held during the annual meeting on the last Sunday in April. There are three (3) Board seats that are up for election this year. We need volunteers for your community.

Bentana Woods West Cluster Association, a corporation under Virginia law, is your association. The Cluster Association is governed by a Board of Directors, composed of seven volunteer residents, who are elected to two-year terms by Cluster residents. This group of volunteers performs the following duties:

  • Handle Cluster business
  • Create and execute Cluster budget
  • Adopt and enforce rules as necessary 
  • Enforce Reston Association covenants 
  • Keep the common areas cared for (including green areas, landscaping, sidewalks, parking areas, street lights, and streets) 
  • Promote and organize community activities

Here are some common questions asked before each election:

  • What qualifications do I need to have? Live in the cluster either as an owner or a renter.
  • How much time is involved? One meeting a month… and some emails.
  • Sounds great! How do I apply? Write a short election statement (bio) and email it to the Board at bod@bwwca.org.

If you have an interest or any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Board.

2023 Annual General Meeting & Board of Directors Election (Bios inside!)

The 2023 Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday, April 30th at 7:30pm. It will be held outside, at the playground between Farsta and Scandia (By 1508 Farsta and 1531 Scandia). In the case of rain, it will be held at 1506 Scandia. (Due to rain)

AGENDA
1. Call to Order – Verification of a Quorum
2. Election of Members of Board of Directors
3. Cluster Update
4. Adjournment

A resident representative from at least twenty-two households must be physically present to constitute a quorum. If you cannot be present but would like to vote, please complete the proxy form you received via mail and give it to the ‘individual named as proxy’ to present it to the Secretary at the meeting. Please note that proxies do not count towards a quorum.

You’ll also be receiving information via the mail. Please let the Board know if you have any questions.

Candidate Bios

Jason Askew 

Jason Askew, his wife Lindsey, and Dog Mollie Brown moved to Bentana Woods West in 2018 and had their first child at the end of 2019. They moved to Northern Virginia in late 2016 before picking Reston as their base. They looked high and low across the region and loved how the communities were tied together and surrounded by trees to bring peace, quiet, and serenity. Before moving to Virginia, Jason spent a considerable period in Rhode Island. However, he had grown up as a Navy Brat moving worldwide, including the Hampton Roads area and Spain.

He has served as Vice President on the BWWCA Board of Directors since 2019 and has dealt with many matters with the board over the past four years. He brings eight years of experience from a small, 4-unit HOA in Providence, Rhode Island, where he served his entire residency as President. He dealt with various issues ranging from budgetary constraints of a small HOA, vendor searches, issues, and all of the normal neighborhood subjects that have come up over the years. He takes pride in how his home represents his values and family and wants that for his neighbors. He also takes great pride in the surrounding trees and nature that make the neighborhood special. His focus during his last tenure was heading the EV committee, which has established guidelines for residents to have some access to charging capabilities while preparing our cluster for future public charging capabilities.

Looking to the future, Jason feels we must maintain a high standard of home and neighborhood care to keep the home values as Reston grows and evolves. Our maintenance requires a balance of new ideology while listening and learning from neighbors who have been here for years. He promises first to listen, learn, speak, and act fairly with the board and neighbors.

Jon Rojas

Jon lives in Farsta with his wife Amanda, his newborn son, Graham, and his senior dog, Tucker. The whole family is a huge fan of the nearby woods and trails. They love their neighborhood and he wants to ensure the value of our homes and surrounding area is maintained at the highest level. 

He has served on the board for six years, with four of those years serving as President. Previously he served as the cluster’s Communications Director, where he created an email distribution list and maintained the cluster website. Moving forward, his focus is to keep bringing the cluster together from both the community and digital perspectives, as well as ensuring that resident dues are contributing to the continuous improvement of the cluster.

Jon looks forward to continuing serving the cluster via the board of directors and he appreciates your consideration!

Clayton Lee

I’m Clayton Lee, a Reston native who lives on Park Glen with my wife Margo and our two young daughters, Virginia and Evangeline. I’m the tall bearded guy you might often see out walking around the cluster with our dog Red, or out doing yard work for neighbors. I know that might sound odd to some folks, but I find it therapeutic to mow grass and trim bushes. If something small needs to be done to help keep our community looking nice, I’m willing to pitch in and do it myself! If elected to the board, my priorities will be fiscal responsibility and managing contracts to keep our cluster fees as low as possible. Thanks for your consideration.

Claire Painter 

My name is Claire Painter and I am excited to announce my candidacy for a term on the Bentana Woods West Board. I’m a Fairfax County teacher and mom of a blended household of five kids, ages 8 to 18. I’d love the opportunity to utilize my outreach experience in fostering a stronger sense of community within our cluster by organizing more events and opportunities to volunteer. I’d also like to help improve on our existing webpage and to restart the neighborhood newsletter. I’m a strong believer in transparency and building consensus. Thank you for your consideration in believing in me as a potential candidate! I look forward to getting to know all of you more and listening to your ideas to help maintain and improve our community.

Anne Smyers

My name is Anne Smyers and I would like to add my name to the list of candidates running for the open board seats this month.

I have lived on Park Glen Court since 1994 and served on the Landscape Committee for the past 8 years. The Landscape Committee is tasked with ensuring that the public areas of our cluster are maintained so that they’re attractive and healthy; this includes the wooded areas, and care of the trees.

Our cluster has been certified as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. Perhaps some of you are familiar with the ‘backyard park’ model of caring for the land, which posits that each of us, on our own little parcel of land, has the option of caring for it with regard for the native species that live in the area. In this way we can contribute to the health of the local ecosystem, planting the things that native birds and animals need in order to thrive. As a cluster we have this precious resource of 10 acres of shared space that provides beauty, privacy, shade, play areas, open areas, and habitat for local wildlife. We have the opportunity – and obligation, in my view – to care for this space so that it remains healthy and thriving for the benefit of all: for us, the human residents, and the wildlife that was here before us. A healthy environment sustains us all.

As a board member I would advocate for the health and maintenance of this resource, the land we live on. I will bring my experience on the Landscape Committee as well as my years of studying horticulture to the task.

I also care about community, and knowing each other as neighbors, and sponsoring cluster events that bring us together in work and in play to encourage a cooperative and vibrant social community.

2022 Annual General Meeting Notice

Annual General Meeting – Sunday, April 24th 2022 @ 7:30pm
Playground area between Scandia and Farsta (By 1508 Farsta and 1531 Scandia)

AGENDA

  1. Call to Order – Verification of a Quorum
  2. Election of Members of Board of Directors
  3. Cluster Update
  4. Adjournment

Dear BWWCA residents,

The BWWCA Annual General Meeting will be held outside at the playground area between Scandia and Farsta (By 1508 Farsta and 1531 Scandia). In the event of rain, it will be held indoors at 1544 Scandia.

Three Board Members’ terms have expired, and as such, there are three Board seats up for election. To date, 5 candidates have announced they will be running for election to the open positions: Keith Longdon (Park Glen), Shannon Patty-Stoddard (Farsta), Joan Denchfield (Farsta), Dilant Patel (Scandia), and Brian Atkinson (Scandia). Nominations can also be made from the floor during the meeting. Candidate bios can be found here.

A resident representative from at least twenty-two households must be physically present to constitute a quorum. If you cannot be present but would like to vote, please complete the proxy form you received via mail and give it to the ‘individual named as proxy’ to present it to the Secretary at the meeting. Please note that proxies do not count towards a quorum.

Sincerely, 

The Board of Directors, BWWCA

Candidate Bios: 2022 Annual General Meeting & Board of Directors Election

The 2022 Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday, April 24th at 7:30pm.

Board of Directors info

Candidate Bios

Keith London

I am a lifelong Reston resident and moved to the Bentana Woods community in 2007. My wife Rachel, son Benjamin, daughter Fern, and I enjoy and appreciate the great neighbors and beautiful surroundings our community has to offer. I have been an educator with Fairfax County Public Schools first as a classroom teacher and currently as a school-based technology specialist for nearly 19 years. For the past four years, I have served as secretary on the cluster board. Along with the other Directors and Officers, I have made positive changes in Bentana Woods West and hope to continue to do so. Please re-elect me to the Board of Directors.

Shannon Patty-Stoddard

During the past two years serving on the board I’ve utilized my research and data management skills and led the Fall Fest Event as well. Over the next two years I look forward to continuing to modernize the management systems and working to preserve and enhance the beauty, resources, and functionality of our community. 

A little about me- During the pandemic we added two classic tabby rescues: Sekhmet and P’tah, making five total in our household, including Jon and The Dood (poodle-mix). I’m told our cats have made a habit of visiting the whole neighborhood and they often follow us around on walks. We are transplants to Reston (since 2018) and it’s our forever home now- he grew up in a military household and I spent most of the past decade working with refugees and monitoring famines/ food security overseas. My job is a bit less demanding currently, so I’ve invested more in my hobbies including hiking adventures, reading, baking/cooking, gardening and DIY / “weekend” projects.

Joan Denchfield

I live on Farsta Court with my husband, Roger. We are involved in the manufacturing and sale of natural vitamin supplements and cosmetics.

Having lived in Bentana Woods West as a primary residence for 44 years, I have a vested interest in ensuring we continue to meet the needs of ALL our residents, should they live here a few years, or remain through generations as singles, families, parents and grandparents of children and pets!

It has been my joyful pleasure to have served you on the Board of Directors for the past two years. If you choose me to continue in that role, I will give it my best to ensure we continue to have a welcoming cluster that maintains the integrity of Reston’s original beauty and lifestyle, while upgrading to cluster amenities that allow us to maintain a competitive edge in today’s real estate market.

Dilant Patel

My name is Dilant Patel and I and my partner, Ananda (Priyanka) Jain,  have lived in BWW, on Scandia Circle, for over 12 years. We, along with our two dogs – Gypsy and Hank – have greatly enjoyed building relations with the community and walking through the trails surrounding it. We would like this opportunity to serve the community and to help maintain what is great about BWW and Reston as a whole: a collection of well meaning and caring people that believe in balance between Reston’s wooded trails and comfortable lifestyle. As a board member I would like to help carry on supporting current and past members who work diligently in maintaining our low expenses while keeping our neighborhood welcoming to new families.

Brian Atkinson

I’m Brian Atkinson, and I’m running for the HOA Board of Directors.  My girlfriend Betsy, my son Collin, and I moved here from Pentagon City and Capitol Hill in 2019.  I grew up in Richmond, and have been living in the DMV since 2016.  You’ve probably met Annie, our Scottish Terrier puppy, who thinks she’s the Queen of Reston.  We think she is too.  My younger son Spencer comes down from Boston and lives here for school vacations and the summer.  We’re also welcoming twin boys, Kieran and Declan, in July!  Reston is the best place I’ve ever lived, and Betsy and I want our family to live here for at least the next 30 years.

I retired in 2021 as a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy and Navy Reserve after 21 years, and I’m currently a Senior Commissioning Engineer for a sustainability company in Fairfax.  Many of my projects are here in Reston, so I’m invested in our town.  I also have a background in facilities management, so I know what we’re looking for in cluster services and how to work with the contractors and contracts we have.

Even though I’m not part of the BOD, I volunteered to be part of the EV Charging Station committee because I want to help move the cluster into the future.  Reston’s standards and processes can be challenging, and my philosophy will be “Get To Yes.”  I want us all to work together because we’re a community.  I also know that if I’m the smartest person in the room then I’m in the wrong room. My door, deck, phone, and email will always be open to help you get what you need. I’m looking forward to serving everyone in the cluster if I’m fortunate enough to receive your support.  Thanks in advance!

2021 Annual General Meeting & Board of Directors Election (and bios!)

Candidate bios are included at the bottom of this post.

You will be receiving a mailing from TWC regarding the 2021 Annual General Meeting & Board of Directors Election, which will contain the candidate statements and ballots for the Board of Directors Election. Please keep your eyes open for this mailing, make your ballot selections, and mail it back to TWC.

Here’s what mailing will look like:


Because of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the Annual General Meeting & Board of Directors election vote will be held via mail. The schedule will be as follows:

  • Thursday, April 22nd – last date for TWC (our management company) to receive mail-in votes for the Directors. Please mail your votes no later than April 19th to get your votes in and ensure that your vote counts!
  • Sunday, April 25th at 7:30pm – Virtual Annual General Meeting on the Zoom platform, to announce results of the Board election.

Zoom Meeting Information 

  • Date/Time: Sunday, April 25th at 7:30pm
  • Link: Available by reaching out to the board: bod (at) bwwca (dot) org (Link will also be posted on the day of the Annual General Meeting

Candidate Bios

Jon Rojas

Jon Rojas moved into Bentana Woods West with his wife Amanda, in April 2016. They have a dog named Tucker and they enjoy walking him through the nearby woods and trails. They love their neighborhood and he wants to ensure the value of our homes and surrounding area is maintained at the highest level. 

He has served on the board for four years, with two of those years serving as President. Previously he served as the cluster’s Communications Director, where he created an email distribution list and maintained the cluster website. Moving forward, his focus is to keep bringing the cluster together from both the community and digital perspectives, as well as ensuring that resident dues are contributing to the continuous improvement of the cluster.

Jon looks forward to continuing serving the cluster via the board of directors and he appreciates your consideration!

Jason Askew

Jason Askew, his wife Lindsey, and Dog Mollie Brown moved to Bentana Woods West in 2018 and had their first child at the end of 2019. They moved to the Northern Virginia area in late 2016 before picking Reston to be their base. They looked high and low across the region and loved how the communities are tied together and surrounded by trees to bring peace, quiet, and serenity. Before moving to Virginia, Jason spent a considerable period in Rhode Island. However, he had grown up as a Navy Brat moving worldwide, including the Hampton Roads area and Spain.

He has served as Vice President on the BWC board since 2019 and has dealt with many matters with the board over the past two years. He brings eight years of experience from a small, 4-unit HOA in Providence, Rhode Island, where he served his entire residency as President. He dealt with various issues ranging from budgetary constraints of a small HOA, vendor searches, and issues, as well as all of the normal neighborhood subjects that come up over the years. He takes pride in how his home represents his values and family and wants that for his neighbors. He also takes great pride in the surrounding trees and nature that make the neighborhood special.

Looking to the future, Jason feels it’s critical we maintain a high standard of home and neighborhood care to keep the home values as Reston grows and evolves. Our maintenance requires a balance of new ideology while listening and learning from fellow neighbors that have been here for years. He promises first to listen, learn, speak, and act fairly with the board and neighbors.

Jane LeGros

Jane LeGros, a current Board member, is seeking re-election. Jane has lived in Bentana Woods West since 1999 and held a Board seat since 2004. She is and will remain active in the efforts surrounding nearby development requests as she favors our existing green space. She spoke up against the current condo cluster at Tall Oaks, and in the past, supported the STOP (Save Tall Oaks Pool) effort.

Within the cluster itself, Jane supported the installation of the sprinkler system at our entrances for our cluster plantings.  The following issues are some that Jane believes are important for the community: Fiscal responsibility: ensuring that the services provided are the best we can secure, avoiding unnecessary and costly changes to how we manage, with an eye to how our services can be kept and upgraded without raising dues.  

As the cluster ages, our curb appeal becomes more important. Jane advocates hiring an independent arborist to monitor our cluster trees yearly by having at least one annual walk with a certified arborist and then acting on his recommendations. Our trees are a great asset to our community, and Jane supports the necessary actions to keep and maintain them.

While landscaping is an important factor, even more so is the condition of our homes. She is an advocate for walk arounds noting the maintenance needs of our homes and their curb appeal to ensure all Standards are being met, both for the Cluster, and for R.A. Jane strongly believes that the Cluster benefits from new homeowners becoming involved in cluster efforts, including running for a Board seat, joining the Landscape Committee or starting up a Communications Committee. If no one ran, what shape would we be in? Please consider running for a Board seat, joining a committee, or spearheading a new one! The Cluster NEEDS YOU.

Jane would appreciate your support.

Bill Wagner

Bill Wagner has been a resident of Bentana Woods West since July, 1988. He has been a board member for the last ten years, and is currently a member of the landscape committee.

Bill believes very firmly in having independent, professional level people, such as professional engineers, arborists, etc. verifying work and work estimates being provided by third party contractors. This helps keep homeowner fees down because it can limit the inflated costs that have historically occurred when contractors were allowed to make unchallenged or uncompetitive bids on work. Bill believes that the HOA fees should remain low and change only if absolutely needed.

As a former employee of the National Park Service, Bill believes his service to the community would be invaluable since he has worked with arborists, engineers, landscape architects, and landscape designers both professionally and personally in the past. He is primarily concerned with the safety, stability, and preservation of our highly wooded surroundings in a cost effective manner. 

Sara Theile Reid

I am Sara (pronounced sah-rah) Theile Reid and moved to Bentana Woods in Summer 2019 with my husband, Ryan, from south Reston. For the last year and change, I’ve been working from home which has enabled me to get to know our neighbors on Scandia, Farsta, and Glen Park. I so appreciate how open and welcoming everyone in the neighborhood has been, especially to my 1-year-old Golden Retriever, Duncan. 

In my professional life, I am a former lawyer who practiced in Richmond for five years. I  currently work in business development for a DC-based law firm supporting lawyers across the globe. In my personal life, I love to explore new things–be it a new location, new experience, or new idea. I’m the daughter of two chefs so I also love all things food. 

I would approach being a member of the board with integrity, hard work, and a desire to make our neighborhood the best place for all of our residents. I feel strongly about maintaining common areas and providing open lines of communications with residents. I bring a strong work ethic, excellent communication skills, and leadership experience.  I also have experience managing large scale projects with multiple stakeholders.  If you see Duncan and I around, please say hi!

Anne Baghdanov

Hello everyone, Anne is the name and I’m running for the cluster board of directors! You have probably seen me this past year walking my teddy bear puppy, Copper. My husband and I have lived in the Bentana Woods cluster and Reston for a year. I may be new to Reston, but after moving across the country, twice, I am very happy to call Reston my permanent home. I am excited to bring my skills of team management, budgeting, and organizational skills to the board of directors. 

Kayla Amodeo

I’m Kayla Amodeo, PhD, I  am a senior leader in government affairs and I’m also an adjunct professor in the field exercise science. When I’m not doing the whole professional bit I enjoy weightlifting, cycling, and honing my coffee and whisk(e)y palate.  While my husband and I have only been here a short time, we have both been blown away by how amazing our neighbors are. It’s important to me that the neighborhood remains a place we are proud to call home. My goal as a member of the Board would be to represent the neighborhood with strong work ethic, good communication, honesty and integrity. I bring strong leadership experience to the table. I am collaborative and highly skilled in conflict resolution. I’m confident I will be able to reach compromises that benefit all of our residents. I’m especially passionate about the accessibility of cluster/association guidelines, the maintenance of our common areas, and the responsible allocation of funds to ensure the residents of our cluster feel their fees are contributing to the betterment of our community.

In post pandemic times I hope to host many neighbors and friends for a cup of coffee, a dram of whisk(e)y, or a gym session!

Vote! 2020 Board of Directors and Budget

The Budget and Board of Directors vote is quickly approaching.

You should have received, or should receive very shortly, a mailing from TWC containing the Cluster’s proposed budget, candidates statements, ballots for Directors (every house), and ballots for the Budget (Resident owners). Please keep your eyes open for this mailing, make your ballot/budget selections, and mail it back to TWC.

Here’s what mailing will look like:


Because of the current COVID-19 situation, the Board of Directors election and Budget vote will be held via mail. The schedule is as follows:

  • Wednesday, September 30th – last date for TWC (our management company) to receive mail-in votes for the Budget and Directors. Please get your votes in before this date to ensure your vote counts!
  • Sunday, October 4th – Virtual Annual Budget/General Meeting on the Zoom platform, to announce results of budget and election.

Zoom Meeting Information 

  • Date/Time: Sunday, October 4th at 7:30pm
  • Link/Call-in Number: Available by reaching out to the board: bod (at) bwwca (dot) org

Annual Cluster Meeting

The annual cluster meeting is tonight!

Sunday, April 29

1510 Scandia Cir

Social at 7pm, Meeting start at 7:30pm

At least 22 homes must be represented for quorum.

If you have a proxy form, make sure it’s filled as general or limited and signed.

Annual Budget Meeting – Sunday, Oct 2

THe BWWCA Annual Budget Meeting will be held at 1531 Park Glen Court on Sunday 2nd October 2016 at 7:30 pm promptly (social beginning at 7:00 pm).  To establish a quorum a resident owner from at least 22 houses must be present and only one vote per household is permitted.  A voting proxy and a copy of the draft budget was mailed to residents.

BWWCA Annual Meeting

The Board of Directors would like to invite all BWWCA cluster residents to our annual meeting on Sunday, April 24th.  Please join us at 1506 Scandia at 7pm for a social followed by the meeting at 7:30pm.  The cluster President will provide a short “State of the Cluster” to update residents on cluster activities.

Agenda and proxy form can be found here.