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DR. VANESSA M. GATTIS

PRESIDENT & CEO

Dr. Vanessa M. Gattis, a retired U.S. Army Colonel after almost 31 years of military service was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey, but resides in Woodbridge, VA. She earned a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University, a M.S.S. from the U.S. Army War College, a M.Ed. from Howard University, and a B.A. from Wilberforce University.

Dr. Gattis is currently the President & CEO of the Prince William County Community Foundation, as well as an Assistant Professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at the Washington, DC Campus. She has been married for 20 years to the love of her life Thomas and they have two sons, William, and TJ.

She believes GOD’s intent for her life was to always have a servant’s heart and to do HIS will, whatever that was. Her heart’s desire is that her love for GOD and experiences will be an inspiration to others while helping them to discover the greatness that lies within. Her life is guided by two of her favorite scriptures: Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”; and Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through CHRIST which strengthens me.”

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Candy Fenn

Member

Candy Fenn has been a resident of Prince William County since 1996. She is a career federal civil servant with over 29 years of experience in the executive and legislative branches of government.

Ms. Fenn is actively engaged in community service across Prince William County in various organizations and roles including as Chair of the Prince William County Branch of the NAACP Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Committee, Prince William County Election Officer, Volunteer at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center and Habitat for Humanity.

In addition to volunteering, Candy enjoys supporting her alma mater, North Carolina State University, international travel and spending time with family and friends.

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Monaé Nickerson

Member

Monaé journey as Vice Mayor of Dumfries, VA, embodies her profound dedication to community enhancement and empowerment. Elected in 2022 to her second term, she has been a dynamic force, initiating impactful programs and advocating for residents' needs. Her swift response during the Thanksgiving power outage, advocating for infrastructure improvement, is a testament to her proactive leadership.

Her extensive work organizing community-centric events, such as the one-stop-shop expungement clinic, has had a transformative impact. This initiative, now a model adopted across Northern Virginia, has opened new avenues for countless individuals regarding employment and housing opportunities. Similarly, under her leadership, the inaugural Pink and Purple Brunch and Men's Health Event have raised health awareness.

With over 25 years of experience in community service, including advocacy and volunteering, Monaé’s contributions extend beyond political office. Her role in the Prince William County Community Foundation since 2021 and her recent appointment as Chair, Board of Directors underlines her commitment to societal upliftment.


As a longstanding Prince William County Election Officer, she has been a strong proponent of civic engagement and voter empowerment. Additionally, her involvement with the NLC Federal Advocacy Committee for Public Safety and Crime Prevention and her reelection as Regional Director for NBC-LEO Region 3 (KY, DE, DC, VA, MD) reinforce her belief in the power of informed and active communities. Continuously living by her motto "#DontJustComplain_Contribute," Monaé drives meaningful change at both local and regional levels. A native of New York City and a resident of Dumfries since 2007, her story is one of relentless service and unwavering commitment to improving her community.

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Aaron Tolson

Member

Aaron Tolson is an Air Force Veteran with over 20 years of experience in both for-profit and non-profit industries. He has a passion for equity, empowering people, and excellence. After 6 years active duty as a Boom Operator on the KC-135 Stratotanker, his journey includes directing operations in the service industry and cyber security government contracting space; and leading philanthropic efforts in Appalachia, Brazil, Haiti, and South Africa.

In 2019, he started the Prince William Food Rescue program as a new program of Action in Community Through Service (ACTS) and then expanded it as Founder and CEO of Northern Virginia Food Rescue in 2021. As a result of his leadership during the pandemic, volunteers completed over 27,000 food rescues using the Food Rescue Hero technology preventing over 3 million pounds of food from being thrown away with another 16 million pounds of bulk food redirected from the warehouse – ensuring food equity for thousands of food insecure residents throughout Prince William, Fairfax, and Fauquier counties.

He currently runs a consulting company and is a Board member for Foundation First.

Recognition and Awards:

Community: 2020 Kathy Ellington Alumni Leadership Award, 2020 Human Rights Award, DAR Community Service Award, PWC 100 Community Service Award, Fox5 Hometown Hero, PWCCF Special Appreciation

Air Force: Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal

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Marcus St. Julien

Member

Marcus St. Julien, a licensed and ordained minister, was born and raised in Woodbridge, Virginia, where he continues to reside with his family. He is the Lead Pastor of MOTIV8 Church, a thriving faith community dedicated to empowering individuals and fostering creativity, leadership development, and personal growth. In addition to his pastoral role, Marcus serves as a creative consultant, helping organizations and individuals bring visionary ideas to life.

Known as a "vision pusher," Marcus is passionate about helping others propel their dreams and visions to the next level. His unique ability to inspire, strategize, and execute has made him a sought-after mentor and leader in both faith-based and community-driven initiatives.

With a heart for service, Marcus has led numerous community outreach initiatives in collaboration with organizations such as Streetlight Ministries, the American Red Cross, and Sentara. These efforts reflect his passion for uniting people and building meaningful connections that drive change and uplift the community.

Marcus is married to the love of his life and is a proud father to three children who are his greatest joy. Guided by his faith and a commitment to excellence, he strives to inspire others to embrace their purpose and make a lasting impact.

Lead Pastor, Consultant, Vision Pusher, and Community Leader

Our Partners

COPYRIGHT @ 2022 Prince William County Community Foundation, Inc. - ALL Rights Reserved

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Angela Gail Pate

Member

Apostle Gail Pate was born in Wilson, NC. She is the mother of two and grandmother of six. She served several years in the military and received many awards to include four Foreign Mission awards and two Combat Duty awards. In 1995 after being medically retired from the Army, she moved to Fayetteville, NC where she currently resides.

She is the founder and pastor of Healing Hands of Love Kingdom Connections Int’l which started in Columbia, South Carolina in 1993. She is a Certified Professional Member of the NCCA (National Christian Counseling Association), a Certified Temperament Counselor, Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor and working on certification in Anger Management, Substance Abuse and Marriage and Family Management. She is also the founder of Kingdom Connections International Fellowship of Ministries (KCIFM); and a member of the Global Fellowship of Apostolic Ministries (GFAM).

Apostle Pate received her BA in Christian Counseling with License from Calvary Theological Seminary, Lake Charles, Louisiana; and is currently working on her Master's degree in Clinical Christian Counseling with License.

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DANTE J. WILLIAMS

Member


Dante Williams is a Regional Vice President with Primerica and educates families on the basics of personal finance and helps them plan their financial future through a customized financial needs analysis. In addition to his primary job functions, Dante serves as an Ambassador for the referral networking organization BNI. Before starting a financial services career, Dante received a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and worked as an airline pilot out of Dulles International Airport. The attention to detail required to be a pilot was a key factor for Dante’s transition from following a flight plan, to helping people navigate their future with a financial plan.

When he is not serving his clients, Dante is spending time with his wife, Renee, and their two children, Jordyn, and Aiden. Dante also enjoys mentoring other agents, traveling, and volunteering.

Our Partners

COPYRIGHT @ 2022 Prince William County Community Foundation, Inc. - ALL Rights Reserved