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Building Purchase Campaign

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Help us purchase our historic home in Mount Pleasant so that we can continue serving children and families for years to come. Community support is essential to secure $7 million to purchase the building and carry our mission forward. Can we count you in?

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Learn More About The Campaign for Securing Rosemount’s Future

To ensure that future generations of children in the Washington, D.C. Metro area – regardless of income or background have the strong start they deserve – we are committed to establishing a permanent home for Rosemount by purchasing our historic Mount Pleasant campus from House of Mercy.

From 1972, when Rosemount was established as a separate 501(c)(3) organization, our relationship with House of Mercy meant that our beautiful campus – modernized and customized for those we serve – was subsidized, sustainable and affordable. In 2023, House of Mercy decided to terminate our lease with the intention to sell the building. Rosemount renegotiated its lease, which is extended through August 31, 2026, and includes an option to purchase our historic campus.

The Campaign for Securing Rosemount’s Future is a multi-million dollar effort to stay in Mount Pleasant and lay the foundation for our growth in the years to come. Our primary goal is to raise $7 million for House of Mercy’s purchase price. The DC Council made a lead gift by appropriating a $2 million grant in its FY 2026 budget for Rosemount to purchase the building. The Council is also providing an opportunity for Rosemount to receive an additional $1 million in matching gifts.

Make a gift to help rosemount unlock matching funds

Read our Case for Support to learn more about this campaign.

Why Your Gift Matters

With your support we can ensure that families continue to have access to Rosemount’s unique early childhood education model. Children in our Early Head Start and Head Start programs learn and grow every day alongside classmates from tuition-paying families in a dual language educational setting.

“We must be teaching our children from a young age so that they can be successful in life, so that they can have access to the best education, throughout their whole lives, so that they can have access to good jobs, so that they can help one another out in the world. These are really critical functions that Rosemount plays here in our community.”

Brianne K. Nadeau

Ward 1 Councilmember, Council of the District of Columbia

Will you help us secure our historic Mount Pleasant campus? With your support, we can ensure that our children have the strong start they deserve.

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Learn More About Making a Leadership-Level Gift
Please contact Kimberley Jutze, Capital Campaign Manager, at kjutze@rosemountcenter.com with additional questions regarding The Campaign for Securing Rosemount’s Future.

FAQs

The primary goal of the Campaign for Securing Rosemount’s Future is to raise $7 million for the House of Mercy’s building purchase price by the August 2026 deadline for executing the purchase of the building. Following the building purchase, Rosemount will continue to raise funds over the next nine months for ongoing building maintenance and system replacements as well as support for transitioning from renting to owning the building.      

In July 2025, the DC Council allocated $2 million in its FY 2026 budget as a grant to Rosemount for the building purchase. In addition to this grant, the DC Council provided a matching gift opportunity for Rosemount to maximize the amount of funds received from the DC government. To receive $1 million in matching gifts from the DC government, Rosemount needs to raise $1.25 million from private sources (donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations) by April 30, 2026.

Please sign up for Rosemount’s mailing list to receive updates about the Campaign for Securing Rosemount’s Future through our newsletter and to receive invitations to campaign events.

Gifts made to the Campaign for Securing Rosemount’s Future are exclusively for this capital campaign. Donations to the capital campaign are contingent upon Rosemount raising a minimum amount of funds to acquire its current building. If these conditions are not met, Rosemount will contact donors to discuss an alternative use for their gift or to return the donation.

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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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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Marguerite Nutter

Marguerite Nutter,  Development Manager, joined the center in October 2024 and is responsible for stewarding and engaging Rosemount’s donors and expanding the annual fund. She’s spent the bulk of her career in development and fundraising and has worked at WAMU, The Intercept, Society for Ecological Restoration and NPR. She is a graduate of Indiana University and has her master’s degree from The Ohio State University. 

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Melvin Saravia

Melvin Saravia, Curriculum Support Specialist, joined Rosemount in August 2023. Mr. Saravia helps ensure readiness goals are met through continued support of staff and teachers. Mr. Saravia has a strong research background. He has previously worked with projects involving DC area migrant youth as well as with DC WIC clients as part of research grants at American University. Mr. Savaria earned a BA in Sociology from Temple University and a Master of Arts in Sociology Research and Practice from the American University.

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Alex Cooper

Alex Cooper, Development Associate, Events & Communications, joined Rosemount in October 2024.  His role is new to the Development Team and focused on creating an engaging communication process including external, internal and social media communications in additon to making impactful and unique events for Rosemount’s development, fundraising and community engagement efforts.  Alex has a background in non-profit and association management alongside a 20 year long career in events in both the corporate and non-profit industries.  

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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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Susan Catherine Aldridge

Susan Catherine Aldridge, Operations and Enrollment Assistant, joined Rosemount as a contractor in 2018 and was hired for her current position in September 2020. Previously, Ms. Aldridge worked as a contractor for Washington, DC, organizations including Unidos US, a non-profit Latino organization, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Ms. Aldridge also worked as an administrative assistant at Casa Eiffel, Inc. preparing contracts for various clients and maintaining detailed records, generating reports, coordinating meetings, and multitasking in a fast-paced atmosphere. Ms. Aldridge obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, in Lima, Peru. As Operations and Enrollment Assistant at Rosemount, Ms. Aldridge is responsible for managing the front desk receptionist position, helping to enroll children in the Head Start and OSSE PreK programs, and providing support for the Center’s operations.

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Maria Viteri

Maria Viteri, Home-Based Program Coordinator joined Rosemount in August 2022. Ms. Viteri earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in psychology and a Master’s of Arts in Teaching with ESL and bilingual endorsements, and approval to teach a foreign language in Spanish from National-Louis University, Chicago, Illinois, Ms. Viteri has worked for the past 30 years in Early Childhood serving children of low-income communities, immigrant families, and English Language Learners in the Chicago Public School System. She has been in the classroom teaching in monolingual, bilingual and transitional programs for State Pre-K and Head Start Programs. This included working as an educational coach for Chicago Central Area Office to support, monitor and supervise teaching staff in Early Childhood Education. Ms. Viteri supervises Rosemount’s Home Visitors and coordinates Rosemount’s home-based services for our Early Head Start families.

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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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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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Caryn Swierzbin

Caryn Swierzbin, Education Training and Curriculum Manager, has worked in education for over 12 years and specializes in Early Childhood Education. She has trained in a variety of classroom – assessments and has previously worked for Early Head Start/Head Start as a Family Services Coordinator at Catholic Charities. Ms. Swierzbin has also taught English and Spanish at the middle school and high school level. She earned her B.A. in International Relations and Spanish and she is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Contemporary Communications from Notre Dame of Maryland University.

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Marcia Rock, MPH

Ms. Marcia Rock, MPH, joined the Rosemount staff as Program Operations Specialist in May 2019. Ms. Rock supports enrollment along with providing overall support for the Center’s programmatic activities. Ms. Rock served as a Rosemount Ignatian Volunteer Corps volunteer in 2016 and is a member of the R.O.S.E. Advisory Committee. She grew up in Washington and earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from University of Illinois-Chicago and BA from University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She has daughters in Vermont and NYC, and lives with her husband in DC’s Crestwood neighborhood. Ms. Rock enjoys the performing arts, playing piano, horseback riding and working out.

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Jacques Rondeau

Jacques Rondeau, President and Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for all operations of the Rosemount Center. He worked as the Staff Director and Committee Clerk for Council member At-Large Carol Schwartz in the District of Columbia Council from 1997 to 2001, and was the Deputy Staff Director for the Moynihan Commission on Protecting and Reducing Government Secrecy from 1995-1997. Mr. Rondeau, a retired United States Air Force Colonel and Command Pilot, served from 1968-1994. He received his B.S in Finance from Boston College and his M.A. in National Security Affairs, Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa-Arabic from the Naval Post graduate School.

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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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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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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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