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Fall Fiesta

Rosemount Center | Fall Festival

Thank you to all our sponsors, patrons and host committee!


Comprehensive Early
Childhood Education

We are a dual language early childhood education center
located in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, DC.

About Us

Why Rosemount?

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Welcome to Rosemount Center

We serve almost 250 children and families each year. Our program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Over seventy working community partnerships offer considerable resources and referrals to our families.

Admissions

Admissions

Center-based and home-based options for early childhood services.

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Learn More

Home-Based Program

Home-Based Program

Rosemount Center provides Home-Based visiting services to families who have an income below the poverty guideline.

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Learn More

Events

Events

View our upcoming events and fundraisers.

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View Events

Donate

Donate

Your donation helps provide 240 children with foundational skills that will serve them for a lifetime.

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Donate Now

Want to Learn More About Rosemount?

Housed in the House of Mercy’s facility, the oldest existing charity of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

Take a virtual tour of the Center!

English Virtual Tour
Spanish Virtual Tour
“Rosemount was like a family to me. I had my son just as I was about to start college. The staff there gave me emotional support and encouraged me to get my degree. I am so grateful to Rosemount.”
Jennifer Cerna
Former Parent
“My children went to Rosemount from 2014 - 2018. The friendships we made there are still enduring -- among the kids, parents, teachers, and staff. It was truly the place we "started" as a family.”
Kelly & Stephen Kelly
“I volunteered at Rosemount as part of my school's community service program. The Rosemount teachers were so very welcoming and they were gentle with the kids and taught by example. The children were well behaved and I was very impressed with their knowledge of both languages. The bilingual education definitely benefits the children in many ways.”
Samantha Miller
Student Volunteer
"When my son was six months, Rosemount welcomed in my family. The moment we met his teacher, Ms. Mercedes G., my new mom spidey-sense told me we were in the right place. My son thrived, learning everything from the importance of kindness, play, Spanish, and when I became pregnant, how to take care of his future baby sister. Later, when his sister was enrolled and we discovered she had hearing loss, the Disability Services Coordinator, Madeleine, connected us with the resources that launched my daughter in the right direction. Forever thankful to Rosemount."
Christiane & Brian
Parents of Eliot & A. Simone

WE’RE HIRING!

We are always looking for talented professionals to support Rosemount in a variety of areas.

View our job openings

Vernon Kelley

Vernon Kelley, Chief Executive Officer, joined Rosemount’s leadership team as CEO on July 1, 2025. Mr. Kelley has had a successful career in business development, marketing, sales, relationship management, organizational logistics, and data research and analysis.  He has served as a Financial Sales Consultant and an Affordable Mortgage Loan Officer with PNC Bank and has been recognized as a leader among his peers in developing business banking and wealth management relationships. Vernon is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio and has earned credit hours toward an M.A. in International Affairs from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC.

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Martha Johnson

Martha Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, acts as the deputy to Mr. Rondeau. Before joining Rosemount in 2003, Ms. Johnson served as Director of Development for Washington Episcopal School. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a BMus and a MMus in music, and has taught in the Michigan public schools. She has a second master’s degree from The American University in arts management, is a former Arts-In-Education Fellow at the National Endowment for the Arts, served as Development Director for the Cathedral Choral Society at Washington National Cathedral, and was a founding board member of the Children’s Chorus of Washington. She has earned a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University’s Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership, completed HR management coursework utilizing the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Learning System, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). Ms. Johnson is a Master Trainer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Faculty Training Academy. Ms. Johnson previously served as Rosemount’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Development Officer before being promoted to COO in August 2023.

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Philip Rihm

Philip Rihm, Development Director, joined Rosemount in September 2025. In this role, he manages Rosemount’s fundraising efforts across individuals, corporations, and foundations providing philanthropic support to the Center. Previously, Philip held several positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development, where his work largely focused on economic development policy in Sub-Saharan African. Philip is a Washington, DC native and graduate of the University of Rochester.

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Gustavo O. Martinez

Gustavo O. Martinez, Health/Nutrition Services Manager, has been a member of the Rosemount staff since April 1991. He was hired as a Family Partnership Specialist, promoted to Health Coordinator and became Rosemount’s Health Services Manager in 1995. Mr. Martinez is responsible for overseeing the health and nutrition of Rosemount’s home-based and center-based children and staff. He also manages safety regulations for the Center. Mr. Martinez is a graduate of University of San Simon in Bolivia SA, where he received his degree in Medicine and Surgery. He studied Pediatrics for three years at the Catholic University of Chile and served as the Medical Student’s Director of The Toxicology Clinic “Guillermo Uribe Cualla” in Bogotá, Colombia. Mr. Martinez has published a book entitled ” El Cuidado de la Diabetes.”

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Cornett Roberts-Njoku

Cornett Roberts-Njoku, Program Director, joined Rosemount’s program staff in March 2013. Previously, Ms. Roberts-Njoku oversaw the daily operations of ten early childhood education centers of 300 children and 84 staff in accordance with the Department of Health, Office of the State Superintendent of Education, DHHS and EHS and Head Start Performance Standard requirements. She is the founding member of the Immunization Coalition for the District of Columbia. At Rosemount she is the director of programs and also provides leadership to Early Head Start/Head Start health, disabilities, mental health and family and community services for center and home-based managers. Ms. Roberts-Njoku earned a Medical Technology diploma at the Georgetown School of Arts and Sciences in 1976, a certificate in Gerontology at George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Science in Health Education/Public Health and Masters in Public Administration from the University of the District of Columbia. She is a current mayoral appointee to the Ryan White Planning Council for the Washington Metropolitan Area, as well as vice chair for the by-laws, policies and procedure committee. 

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Ann Marie Schaeffler

Ann Marie Schaeffler, Deputy Program Director for Education, came on board in September 2016. She is responsible for curriculum planning and program monitoring for classrooms and the Early Head Start home-based program. Ann Marie works with teachers and service area managers to ensure adherence to state and local requirements and best practice in early childhood education. She has a background in early childhood special education and worked for five years with the DCPS early childhood program to implement curriculum and provide professional development. She served as an early Intervention Coordinator both for Fairfax County Head Start and DC’s Strong Start Program. She received her B.A. in Psychology for the University of Connecticut and a M.A. in Developmental Psychology from George Mason University.

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Marlen Torres

Marlen Torres, Family & Community Partnership Manager, began working at Rosemount in September 2005 as a Home Visitor. Ms. Torres now supports families in their role as caretakers and educators, and provides bilingual referrals to community resources according to their needs. Because of her experience working directly with families in their homes, she understands the great challenges many of Rosemount’s children face. As Family Services Advocate, Ms. Torres is responsible for coordinating services for all of Rosemount’s poverty level children. She engages families in various events and activities throughout the year. Ms. Torres received an Associate degree in Nursing from the National Institute for Learning in Colombia and an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Cincinnati. Ms. Torres also has two Child Development Associate certifications – for Infants & Toddlers and for Preschool age children.

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Isela Viera

Isela Viera, Home-Based Program Coordinator, began working at Rosemount in 2013 as a Home Visitor in the Home-Based Program.  She transitioned to a Center-based teaching position in 2014.  Ms. Viera grew up in El Salvador where she earned a BA in secondary education from the Universidad Pedagogica and moved to the U.S. in 2002.  She holds a Child Development Associates Certificate and also has earned an Associates degree in arts education from the University of the District of Columbia.

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Sheila Madrid

Sheila Madrid, Enrollment Coordinator – Head Start & OSSE,  joined Rosemount in January 2022. Ms. Madrid earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Relations from the Technological University of Honduras. She is responsible for enrolling children from birth to five years of age, updating the enrollment database, and ensuring that families are eligible to receive services through Rosemount’s Head Start program and through the District of Columbia’s Child Care Subsidy/Voucher Program.

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