A Community Built on Shared Purpose
We began as a small group of neighbors looking for a way to connect and support one another. Since 2021, we have grown to a state-recognized non-profit organization with a 501(c)(3) status, an official Board of Directors, and over 350 people on our mailing list. Our mission is simple: to foster a warm, approachable atmosphere where everyone feels seen and valued.
We believe that a strong neighborhood is built on the foundation of mutual support and shared experiences. Join us as we continue to grow and serve our local community with heart and dedication.
Our Board of Directors
Jack and his wife moved to the West End in 1994. In 2013, Jack retired from a 36-year career at the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), where he mainly worked on government-wide management reform projects. In 2014, Jack was appointed to Rockville’s Financial Advisory Board and has served on the Board ever since. Between 2018 and 2023, he also served on Rockville’s Boards and Commissions Task Force and the Charter Review Commission. In 2017, he first learned about the Villages movement and spent the next two years trying to promote the creation of a West End Village. In 2021, he attended a meeting in College Gardens Park that turned out to be the kick-off for the West Rockville Connects Village (WRCV). He has been involved in WRCV ever since.
Moving to Rockville in 1975 into the home where her husband, John, and his five brothers were raised, Jane became involved in the early Town Center discussions as a member of the “Alive After Five” planning team. Before moving to Rockville, Jane worked as an Assistant Cashier/Operations Officer at the Bank of America in Los Angeles, CA. After moving to the D.C. area, she was hired to work at the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress. Taking time off to raise her two sons, John Jr. and James, she later returned to the workforce. She served as an adjunct member of Montgomery College’s English Department. She also taught at Christ Episcopal School in Rockville, where she later became the school’s Headmistress. Currently, she is employed at The Woods Academy in Bethesda.
Jane previously volunteered to be a Block Captain for the West End Civic Association (WECA) and later served as its Corresponding Secretary. Being part of the West Rockville Connects Village from its early stages, she has found it to be a great way to connect with local neighbors, make new friends, and participate in a variety of fun activities.
Joan grew up in the West End and subsequently raised her own family on the next block. After becoming a CPA as a young mother, she worked for a local public accounting firm, specializing in tax work and the auditing of nonprofit organizations. She left to pursue a career as head of finance for various nonprofit organizations in Washington, D.C., the last being the Washington National Cathedral. Joan joined WRCV as Treasurer in August 2024.
Diane has lived in Rockville since 1975 and currently resides in the College Gardens neighborhood. She led epidemiology studies on contracts with the National Cancer Institute for almost thirty years as a member of Westat’s Health Studies sector. Diane served as a board director for her children’s religious school, was a board member of her condominium and on the Board of Directors of Manna Food Center in the 1990s. She was a Board of Directors member of the Friends of the Library’s (FOL’s) Rockville Memorial Library chapter, holding positions of President, Vice President, and Secretary over her twelve years of service. Diane’s interest in the village movement started shortly after her retirement from Westat in 2008. She has been active in WRCV since 2021, initially serving on the steering committee and currently serving as Secretary on the Board. She also serves as co-chair of the Membership/Volunteer Committee, chair of the Welcome Kit Committee, and director of West Rockville Book Connect, Little Free Libraries project.
Jeff moved to the Rockville West End in 1984. In 2023, he retired from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) after a 46-year Federal career, where he conducted research on topics ranging from laser chemistry to therapeutic antibody structure. He was among the first at NIST to establish an internet site as a tool for organizing international scientific meetings. In November 2022, he attended a West Rockville Connects Village meeting and later joined its steering committee. When WRCV became a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, he became a Board member and chair of the Internet Communications Committee.
Doris Schraft has lived in Rockville’s West End community for over 40 years. She spent her career as a linguist and language professional, writing and editing translations from Spanish, Portuguese, and French into English for international organizations, law firms, corporate entities and individuals, and has enjoyed traveling in those and other countries. Following that constant learning experience, she is learning to be retired. Having first heard about the Village movement from friends in the 1990s, Doris finally discovered the West Rockville Connects Village in 2022 and joined its steering committee, becoming a Board member in 2024. She serves as co-chair of WRCV’s Marketing and Outreach Committee.
Amogh built his early career around a commitment to service and stewardship, earning his degree from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, which grounded his work in international development. He went on to support USAID and USDA-funded programs as a contractor, working in grants management and program coordination with Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture. That work sharpened his belief in accountability and helping people navigate complicated systems with confidence.
Amogh later brought that same sense of stewardship into a new field: financial planning. Today, he works as a Relationship Development Associate at Financial Growth Partners, where he helps young working families find clarity around saving for retirement, funding their children's college educations, and reaching the goals that matter most to them along the way. He holds a FINRA SIE certification and active life and disability insurance licenses in Maryland, Virginia, and Vermont.
An Eagle Scout and homebrewer, Amogh brings the same discipline and follow-through he learned early in life to everything he takes on, whether that's a client's financial plan or a batch of beer. He's especially passionate about the way brewing brings people together, and he loves sharing a pint with neighbors as a way of building community.
Amogh is glad to be part of West Rockville Connects Village, where he has found it a wonderful way to connect with neighbors, build new friendships, and take part in the community's many activities.
Julia grew up in Baltimore but long dreamed of moving to the Washington area for its cultural and international attractions. She lived in North Bethesda for a few years before discovering the convenience and affordability of Rockville, living first in the townhomes of Woodley Gardens and then in a single-family home overlooking Upper Watts Branch Park. A very early internet adopter, she worked as a web developer and systems engineer for a number of tech startups. One of her minor claims to fame was being involved in the first live, online World Series, requiring a keyboard, a clock radio, and a lot of luck. Her last job supported nonprofit fundraising technology as a product manager. Living just a few blocks from the Senior Center finally paid off as Julia helped with nonperishable food collection during COVID and now enjoys growing her own vegetables in the community garden. She is a big believer in mutual aid and neighbors helping neighbors and is looking forward to help West Rockville Connect realize its mission of helping everyone be more engaged with and supported by their community.
About Villages
Villages are local, volunteer-led organizations that support community members by fostering social connections through activities, events, and the coordination of volunteers, using a neighbor-to-neighbor model. Each village is unique and dynamic, reflecting the character, interests, and needs of the community that creates it.
The West Rockville Connects Village is in its development stage. It is a 501(c)(3) all volunteer, nonprofit organization with a commitment to expand services and activities. Please complete a brief survey to help the board of directors understand you and your interests regarding our village.
The WRC Village seeks volunteers who are interested in contributing to the growth of the village and developing its capabilities. If you wish to become involved, please contact us via the Contact page.
West Rockville Connects Village brings together neighbors from various areas bounded by I-270, Maryland Avenue, and West Gude Drive.
The neighborhoods comprising the West Rockville Connects Village are bounded roughly by Gude Dr., Rt-355, Maryland Ave. and I-270.
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There are currently 26 village organizations in Montgomery County, as well as multiple support organizations including Village Support Network (VSN), formerly called Rockville Area Village Exchange (RAVE).
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West Rockville Connects Village is one of ten Village organizations in varying stages of development within Rockville. To learn about how our Village is growing and about other Rockville Villages, please contact Trish Evans, Villages Facilitator, at tevans@rockvillemd.gov or 240-907-9133.
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Here is a map showing all Rockville villages. Input your street address to learn which village your home is in.
