2022 Candidate Profile: Donielle M. Scherff​ For Herndon Town Council

HERNDON, VA — Donielle M. Scherff, who is on the Nov. 8 ballot in the Herndon Town Council race, said that she is the first person in her family to run for elected office.

Scherff is running against incumbents Cesar del Aguila, Naila Alam, Signe Friedrichs, and Pradip Dhakal, as well as fellow challengers Clark A. Hedrick, Stevan M. Porter, Keven J. LeBlanc, and Roland B. Taylor for the six seats on the Herndon Town Council.

Name

Donielle M. Scherff

Family: Names, ages and any pertinent detail you wish to share.

I live with Charlie the Wonderdog, a 7 year old rescued dachshund beagle mix.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're running for.

No one in my family works in government or politics, but I come from a politically
engaged family. As family lore goes, my Sicilian great grandparents learned English so they could vote when they arrived in the United States.

My uncles were union reps and worked on local campaigns; they were the first ones to show me the mechanics of an election in a neighborhood — and how not to forget people in the community.

My grandfather was a committeeman and between elections he was a community ombudsman. I remember people calling or showing up; asking for help with issues big and small. He was the one people could count on to help. He continues to inspire me through all of this.

I am the first person in my family to run for elected office. When I confirmed this recently and asked my mom why they never ran for office she said, “They didn’t feel it was their place to run.” Their place. I run because they did what they could do and passed the torch.

Occupation, Please include years of experience.

I am a proposal manager working on Federal contracts (as is the way of the DMV region!). I started my own company ten years ago and I continue to do good work for people doing good work for the government.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

I have never held elected office. I serve/have served on town and county-level committees, including the new Herndon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (HDEIC) Leadership Committee for Opportunity Neighborhoods. This is a capacity amplifier for all of the organizations, businesses, and government working in our community. By teaming up, sharing networks and resources we are all able to do better –using the community assets and what the community is asking for—and accomplish more.

I am actively involved in Leadership Fairfax, currently on Steering Committee for the Youth Leadership Network, which is an initiative of Fairfax County, led by Leadership Fairfax and The Equity Council, bringing together over 20 leaders in the fields of racial and social equity, business, community service, academia, and government.

The purpose of the council is to be a catalyzing force for the collection, analysis and dissemination of information and resources related to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in Fairfax County.

I have also served on:

• The Fairfax County SCYPT, or School-Aged Child and Youth Policy Team
• One Fairfax Roundtable. This ground breaking group worked hard to become the first county in the country to made DEI hiring practices codified policy. This group continues their work under the guidance of Supervisor Alcorn.

Why are you seeking elective office?

I chose to live in Herndon because it is a living breathing neighborhood. It was not planned and put up—it evolved. It has street lights and sidewalks and you can get to know your neighbors. This is special; when you get to live in a place like this, you have to contribute and be a good neighbor.

Once I got involved, I realized the town needs the skills I consider my super powers; community engagement, facilitation of productive conversations; and getting projects—even stalled ones—finished. Here are some examples of this in action:

I got an unsolicited email from a frustrated teacher and helped get the cafétorium lights turned back on at Herndon Elementary.

Learned there was a 40+ person waiting list for a warm coat and started working on a now annual middle school coat drive for the Herndon Middle School clothing pantry with Grace Hill Church.

Probably most publically, in 2018 I started Neighbors for Downtown Herndon Redevelopment. The town was at a critical pass. Three property owners filed appeals against the project, citing concerns related to the development’s impact on traffic and inconsistencies with heritage preservation guidelines, including density increases above standards laid out by the town. Their argument included the loss of the stepped parapet on the top of the former Stohlman Subaru dealership on Elden and the loss of a crepe myrtle near ArtSpace.

Through good communication of process and how people could get involved, residents showed up (it was come-as-you-are--some with their babies in strollers, others in their hockey gear) to testify to their reasons they didn’t want the downtown project stopped.

The community carried the night and the downtown redevelopment project was approved The Neighbors for Downtown Herndon Redevelopment is still paying attention to Town issues and our downtown. More than 500 members engage in lively, civil conversation about Town issues, weigh in on issues, and learn how and where to get involved. In an age where people struggle to treat one another well when they disagree—especially online—this group is a source of pride. Neighbors being neighborly; caring about where we live and doing something about it!

Recently someone sent two frustrated Spring Street residents to me after yet another a car flipped over on someone’s lawn. I helped to create some structure and expand communication of their work and they have now created Demand Safer Driving in Herndon.

Their mission is: Demand Safer Driving is a coalition of residents who have come together to demand safer streets in the town of Herndon by working with local government to find actionable, creative and courageous solutions to the dangerous driving that has become all too common in the Town. They have spoken in front of Council and they are about to get a stop sign that is the first step towards saving pedestrian lives.

Recently I have been told I rattle the wrong cages. I have taken that into consideration; but I think someone has to rattle for the group not just the powers that be. Communities don’t stay as great as Herndon without citizens getting involved. I listen and help create the platform for Herndonians to create the place we all want to live. I don’t just rattle cages—I am also there to do the hard work to turn dissatisfaction or need into change that serves Herndon.

The single most pressing issue facing the Town of Herndon is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Let’s get that big pit in the heart of town turned into something we can all use and be proud of!

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

There is a lack of listening skills and consensus building skill. As a leader, I specialize in getting disparate groups to work together on SOLUTIONS. Being solution and community focused is another critical difference. Current council often is too quick to say “no!” when they really mean, “this isn’t how we have done this before.” That is not how I operate.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

I had a surprising conversation with a sitting council member recently. She asked me to take down information about a meeting a citizen group was hosting. She threatened not to attend, saying “I am trying to get something solved, not get people involved.” I use this as an example of what other candidates seem to miss—this is PUBLIC SERVICE. Council members serve the public and their needs.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I run a successful small business that is contracts and acquisition based. This knowledge and experience lends itself well to budgeting, resource management, and

I graduated from Leadership Fairfax in 2017. The reason I completed that program is to grow a deep and wide location network, and to get a firsthand understanding of VA and Fairfax County governance and those who are governing. I have learned those things and developed a network to reach out to if I need more information or Herndon needs support.

As a Community Outreach Manager for PBS, I became an expert in community engagement; leveraging media for communication and getting the community involved in a way that is easy and productive for them. I also developed and exercised the ability to connect, collaborate, and mentor—and often with little or no cost. This can only benefit the Town and those who live here.

I am an actively involved citizen of Herndon; I know the NPOs, local and regional government officials and support staffs. I am prepared to be the voice of the voter and usher Herndon into the next phase of growth, leaving what doesn’t serve us behind.

Related:

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• 2022 Candidate Profile: Roland B. Taylor Runs For Herndon Town Council
• 2022 Candidate Profile: Clark Hedrick Runs For Herndon Town Council
• Herndon 2022 General Election: Guide To Candidates, How To Vote
• 2022 Candidate Profile: Naila Alam Runs For Herndon Town Council
• 2022 Candidate Profile: Stevan M. Porter Runs For Herndon Town Council
• 2022 Candidate Profile: Signe Friedrichs Runs For Herndon Town Council
• 2022 Candidate Profile: Keven J. LeBlanc Jr. For Herndon Town Council
• 2022 Candidate Profile: Pradip Dhakal For Herndon Town Council
• 2022 Candidate Profile: Cesar del Aguila Runs For Herndon Town Council
• General Election 2022: Key Dates To Know In Herndon