Penn Branch CCA

Penn Branch Community Association Receives $25,000 ‘Sustainable Communities’ Award from PEPCO and Sustainable Maryland

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From Left: Donna Cooper (PEPCO Regional President) and PBCA Public Works Chair Alberta Paul and President Stan Benton Receive 25K Award-

From Left: Donna Cooper (PEPCO Regional President) and PBCA Public Works Chair Alberta Paul and President Stan Benton Receive 25K Award- From the left: PEPCO Regional President Donna Cooper presents Sustainable Communities award to Penn Branch Public Works Chair Alberta Paul and former President Stan Benton.

DECEMBER 9, 2022

Penn Branch Community Association was awarded $25,000 to make improvements to 9/11 Memorial Park by Pepco and Sustainable Maryland. This funding is made available through Pepco’s Sustainable Communities Grant program, which provides funding to support open space preservation, improvements to parks and recreation resources, environmental conservation, and innovative community resiliency projects.

Our community association was one of 11 local municipalities, recreational authorities, and nonprofits that were chosen to receive $125,000 in funds from Pepco and Sustainable Maryland to support open space and resiliency projects across the District of Columbia and Maryland.

“These are important and impactful projects that will have sustainable impacts on our communities.  We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to support such projects,” said Donna Cooper, Pepco region president. “We are committed to helping our customers and communities achieve our collective climate goals, equitably and inclusively. These grants are one of the many ways we are working to foster a cleaner and safer environment for all.”

Pepco launched the Sustainable Communities Grant program in 2020.

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Penn Branch digs out from our first snow storm of 2025

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Happy New Year, Neighbors!Last week I attended a panel hosted by Humanities DC that commemorated the 100th birthday of renowned

Meet Our New Executive Board Members!

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PBCA will swear in our new executive board members during our general body meeting. Read more about them!

New Officer Bios

Paul Grant  |   President

Paul Grant was the most recent Communications Director for the Penn Branch Community Association (2020-2022)  and he has previously served as Parliamentarian (2014-2015).  He is Chief Creative Officer and Senior Producer at Ascender Communications, Inc. (dba Ascender Films), a full-service, digital advertising and media production company, based in Washington, DC. He established the firm in 2005 and has over 20 years of professional experience with corporate branding and producing award-winning creative content for public awareness campaigns, non-profit advocacy groups, businesses, and federal agencies. He also produces interactive content, oral histories, and factual/interpretative documentaries and short films for museum exhibitions and digital and broadcast media. Paul is a member of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-DC), American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA DC), Women in Film and Video (WIFV-DC) and the Association of African American Museums (AAM). He studied filmmaking and graphic design at Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Visual Arts.  He and his wife Tracey have lived in Penn Branch for 10 years.

Carmen Coles Tull |   2nd Vice President

Carmen is a public policy strategist, coalition builder, and advocate who is committed to addressing the world’s greatest global health challenges.  Carmen Coles Tull has over 20 years of experience managing and implementing global health programs worldwide. Ms. Tull currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Office of Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) at USAID.  She has a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Yale University. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin, West Africa.   She is married with two children living in the Penn Branch Neighborhood. She is on the Local School Advisory Team of the Capitol Hill Cluster School Community.

Kerry Neal  |  Treasurer

Kerryis a career member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and serves as Managing Director for Financial Policy, Reporting, and Analysis in the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, U.S. Department of State.  Kerry has been a member of various non-profit executive boards, including the African American Federal Executive Association (AAFEA) and the National Grants Management Association (NGMA). He is also a 2021 Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.  Kerry holds a B.S. in business from Long Island University, Southampton College; M.A. in business/legal administration from Marymount University; J.D. from University of Baltimore School of Law; and an LL.M. in environmental and energy law and policy from Georgetown University Law Center; he is admitted to practice law in Maryland, District of Columbia, and the U.S. Supreme Court

Lori C. Palmer  |   Communications Director

Hello, I am a fellow Penn Branch homeowner seeking the Director of Communications position for the next two-year term. I have resided in the community for about a year with my dog, Jackson. Within this year, I have quickly come to appreciate my neighborly bonds and the beauty of the surrounding wooded areas with the conveniences of in town living.

Professionally, I work as the Director of Finance and Operations at Washington School for Girls in SE DC. My experience as a CPA and former business owner have developed my determination, mindset, and skills to take on a multifaceted leadership role at a small non-profit organization. As Director of Communications for the community association, I will rely on my attention to detail, time management skills, and business acumen to ensure that communications within the community and beyond are accurate, prompt, precise, and appropriate. I will always keep impartially top of mind and respect the judgement and guidance of the residents of our community.   Outside of work, homeownership and lawncare surely keep me busy!  I am also an avid runner so you may have seen me and Jackson (my dog) running through the neighborhood. I currently volunteer with Ward 8 Woods working to clean up wooded areas in SE and Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes serving as a sighted guide.

Inaugural ‘Penn Brancher of the Year’ and ‘Distinguished Community Service’ Awards presented to Alberta Paul and Former President Stan Benton

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Penn Branch President Stan Benton Receives award for Distinguished Service-

“Everybody can serve
regardless of what your skillset is.”

-Alberta Paul, 

Chair, Penn Branch Public Works Committee

During our December Holiday Gathering, PBCA  recognized outstanding examples of community service in our neighborhood. Alberta Paul, received the ‘Penn Brancher of the Year’ Award for her efforts in securing an $25,000 grant from PEPCO and Sustainable Maryland to continue renovations in 9/11 Memorial Park and the  ‘Distinguished Community Service’ award was given to outgoing President Stan Benton.  Stan will complete his successful two year term as president at the end of January 2023.

Outstanding community service should never be regarded as a thankless task, ‘ said incoming PBCA President Paul Grant as he presented the first award during PBCA’s Annual Holiday Gathering. ‘We must show those who give back that we also know how to say, ‘thank you’.”

‘I am very grateful to my community for recognizing the hard lifting that has been done on their behalf throughout the years,’ said Alberta Paul after receiving her Penn Brancher of the Year award. I’ll continue to do that. Everybody can serve, regardless of what your skillset is. And I encourage you. Step up or step out. Okay. Don’t complain. Please don’t complain. Help us to make this the greatest community in the nation. Not just the district -In the nation.”

In the future, PBCA members will be able to nominate their neighbors who have shown extraordinary community service throughout the year and vote for awardees.

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Staying Connected in Challenging Times

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Stan Benton, PresidentHappy almost Spring, Neighbors. It’s a bit of a difficult time at the moment with the war in Ukraine and lots of global tension in the air. Locally, we also had our fair share of issues with two attempted car-jackings in our community.Locally, we also had our fair share of issues with two attempted car-jackings in our community.

Terry Clyburn, our Safety Chairperson, will arrange a Public Safety / Carjacking Safety training session, facilitated by MPD later this month.  In addition, we’ll have a ‘Ward Walk’ with 6th District MPD Commander Darnel Robinson on March 26th, from 9:00am-11:00am.  He’ll walk the neighborhood with us to discuss the various crimes and other safety issues of concern. We will keep you in the loop as dates solidify.

In other news, this will be the final month that we print the Penn Branch newsletter, due to the rising printing costs and our limited bandwidth to produce and physically distribute it each month. Please make sure you have signed-up to receive our e-mail, so you can stay up-to-date. If you’re not presently on our mailing list, go to our website at PennBranchDC.org and enter your info in the green “Join Our Mailing List” box. It’s important that we stay connected in difficult times.

Lastly, our neighbor and highly respected ANC 7B04 Commissioner, Cydne Nash, has resigned due to health reasons. She has been a fantastic advocate and we’d like to express our gratitude for her service. Most of all, we wish her a speedy recovery. Please stay safe everyone and I’ll see you at the meeting.

Stan Benton, PBCA President

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