Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC)
Community Advisory Committee
Contact Us
School Board Liaison
Mateo Dunne
Staff Liaisons
Janice Szymanski, Chief, Facilities Services & Capital Programs
Jessica Gillis, Executive Director, Capital Improvements & Planning
Committee Purpose
The Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC) shall provide accurate, timely, and relevant advice to the Fairfax County School Board with regard to the development of strategic, comprehensive, and long-term plans for educational and educational support facilities within Fairfax County for Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) students. The FPAC is intended to enhance community outreach and input into the facilities planning process.
2024-25 Council Charge
Continue working with staff to plan for robust facility renovation queue and related criteria, facility condition and space utilization assessment for all facilities, potential new school boundaries through revised corresponding policies, plan for expanding funding opportunities, and construction contracting mechanisms; monitor the Brookfield Elementary School renovation; recommend changes to the boundary policies and processes; incorporate community input and comment, as appropriate; work with the School Board and CPDC on the future focus of FPAC; continue to address facilities-related issues and bring its recommendations to the School Board; and, continue to monitor the implementation of prior recommendations.
Meeting Schedule
The following is the upcoming FPAC meeting schedule. Unless otherwise noted, all FPAC meetings will be held at the Gatehouse Administration Center, room 3050/51, 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church, VA 22042. Regular meetings will be held from 7-9:30 p.m. Work Session meetings will fall between 6-9 p.m. See meeting agenda for specifics.
| Meeting Date | Location and Time | Agenda | Approved Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 3, 2024 | Regular Meeting | Meeting Agenda | Meeting Minutes |
| October 1, 2024 | Regular Meeting | Meeting Agenda | Meeting Minutes |
| October 15, 2024 | Committee Work Time Reserved | ||
| November 12, 2024 | Regular Meeting | Meeting Agenda | |
| November 26, 2024 | Committee Work Time Reserved | ||
| December 3, 2024 | Regular Meeting (CANCELLED) | ||
| December 17, 2024 | Committee Work Time Reserved | ||
| January 14, 2025 | Regular Meeting | ||
| January 21, 2025 | Committee Work Time Reserved | ||
| February 4, 2025 | Regular Meeting | ||
| February 18, 2025 | Committee Work Time Reserved | ||
| February 22, 2025 (Saturday) | Retreat (Off-Site) | ||
| March 4, 2025 | Regular Meeting | ||
| March 18, 2025 | Committee Work Time Reserved | ||
| April 8, 2025 | Regular Meeting | ||
| April 22, 2025 | Committee Work Time Reserved | ||
| May 6, 2025 | Regular Meeting | ||
| May 20, 2025 | Regular Meeting | ||
| June 3, 2025 | Regular Meeting |
FPAC Background
On September 23, 2010, the School Board approved the formation of a Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC) as a new advisory council of the Board. The mission of the advisory council is to advise and inform the staff and School Board in the development of comprehensive, long-term plans for facilities needs in the most effective and efficient way. FPAC is made up of 13 citizens – one from each Fairfax County magisterial district, one from the City of Fairfax, and three at-large members.
Facilities-related issues that may be considered by the advisory council may include, but are not limited to:
- school program capacity
- enrollment and projections
- transportation and operating efficiencies related to facilities planning
- Capital Improvement Program (CIP) prioritization
- creative financing and construction strategies
- scope of renovations
- school closures and new schools
- student accommodation planning (building additions/modular relocations/ review of school boundaries)
The creation of FPAC is the result of a recommendation by the School Board’s Comprehensive Plan Development Committee (CPDC), which is charged with designing a recommendation for a comprehensive facilities planning process in order to address:
- A need for increased public awareness when a school boundary study was imminent;
- A need for increased public validation that facilities issues existed which could require a boundary study;
- A need for a more regional, long-range approach to facilities planning that is not provided in the current Capital Improvement Program (CIP) development process.
CPDC’s research led to the decision to create and establish an “umbrella planning group” to interact with staff, the community, and the School Board, by providing district-wide comprehensive planning oversight and guidance. The establishment of a Facilities Planning Advisory Council will serve to further the intent of School Board Policy 8120, Facilities Planning, School Planning, which directs the preparation of a Capital Improvement Plan, program based school capacities, size and location of schools, periodic boundary adjustments, and most importantly, community involvement.
FPAC Appointees
The following members were appointed by the School Board to the Facilities Planning Advisory Council:
| Member | Biography |
|---|---|
| Vacant Braddock District | |
Dianna Bo FPAC Appointment Through 2026 | Dianna Bo, PE, PMP, serves as the facilities capital planning team lead for the United States Coast Guard Headquarters, Office of Civil Engineering, where she oversees capital planning for the Coast Guard’s nationwide shore infrastructure portfolio. Prior to this role, Dianna retired from the Coast Guard after 22 years of active duty service, where she gained specialized experience in directing university facilities operations, managing major systems acquisition programs, and completing capital construction project planning & execution. Dianna graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. She also holds a Master of Engineering degree from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX, and a Master of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. She is passionate about public service and being involved in the community. She previously co-led a local Girl Scout troop and currently volunteers at Share of McLean and with the McLean High School Athletic Boosters. Dianna, her husband, two high school children, and her dog live in McLean, VA. Their children go to McLean High School and their rescue dog is totally spoiled. |
| Jim Riddle Hunter Mill District [email protected] FPAC Appointment Through 2026 | James T. “Jim” Riddle currently works for the Prince William County Department of Development Services, Building Development Division serving as the Principal Engineer and Supervisor for Special Inspections. In this role, Jim leads the County’s effort in the review and inspection of the structural systems for most buildings constructed in the County. This includes all construction conducted by the Prince William County Public School system. Overall, Jim has 30 years of experience in the engineering and construction industry focusing on design, construction management, and code enforcement. Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Catholic University of America and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering with a concentration in structural engineering from the University of Virginia. Jim is licensed as a Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Jim and his wife, Gwen, have lived in Vienna, Virginia since 2000. Their two children have attended schools in the James Madison pyramid. Jim also volunteers as an assistant coach for the Vienna Girls High School Rugby team. |
| Vacant Franconia District | |
| Bart Stewart Mason District [email protected] FPAC Appointment Through 2026 | Bart Stewart, PE, LEED AP, has nearly two decades of experience working in the real estate and construction industries. Bart is a Managing Director at WB Engineers+Consultants, an MEP engineering firm focused on consultation and design related to building infrastructure. He brings years of experience in analyzing, upgrading, and optimizing old buildings with aging mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure, focused on improving thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency. Bart moved to Northern Virginia in 2009 and has lived in Fairfax County for nearly a decade. He has two sons attending school in the Mason District, and also volunteers for their school PTA. His wife has served on the Title I Parent Advisory Committee since 2021. |
Catherine Hosek, Vice Chair FPAC Appointment | Cathy Hosek has been an education advocate for almost 20 years. She left her web page development job to focus on raising her 4 children full-time. Cathy served for 2 years as PTA President of Stratford Landing ES and is the School Outreach Manager for GrandInvolve, an organization that connects Seniors to local Title I Schools through mentoring and teaching to the students. Last year she was the School Action Team Leader at Mount Vernon Woods and this year she is at Washington Mill. Cathy graduated with a B.S. in Agriculture/Horticulture from Murray State University and is currently employed part-time at the American Society for Horticultural Science. Cathy has been attending FPAC meetings for over 3 years and also attends the VDOT and EMBARK meetings on the Richmond Highway Corridor. She is also her neighborhood member who attends the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens Association Education meetings. Cathy, her husband, and 4 children all live near Mount Vernon in Alexandria. Her children attend Stratford Landing, Mount Vernon, West Potomac, and George Mason University. |
Priya Swamy FPAC Appointment | Priya Swamy brings over 20 years of experience in energy and sustainability to FPAC. She currently works for a sustainable aviation fuel start-up, leveraging her extensive background in renewable energy and advanced technologies. Previously, Priya spent over a decade with the U.S. Department of Energy, where she held several leadership positions. These included spearheading energy efficiency initiatives for small and medium commercial buildings, serving in the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, and working as a Senior Federal Project Engineer in the Loan Programs Office, where she assessed and managed renewable energy and advanced technology projects. Prior to her federal career, Priya gained valuable experience in the private sector, working with oil and gas companies and international wind energy firms. Most recently, she served on the ARCH2 hydrogen hub as a subject matter expert on sustainable transportation and serves on the Board of the Southeast Hydrogen Energy Alliance. Priya holds a Bachelor of Economics from Bryn Mawr College and a Master's in Energy and Environmental Management Engineering from George Washington University's School of Engineering and Applied Science. She has devoted her career to sustainability and energy technologies to address climate change. Priya and her family have resided in Fairfax since 2020, including two children who attend Fairhill Elementary. |
Carol Chang FPAC Appointment | Ms. Carol Chang is a space professional (military and civilian) with nearly two decades of experience in planning and strategic operations within the defense sector. Throughout her career, she has successfully led multi-million dollar development projects, overseeing the establishment of new operation centers and office spaces while ensuring the health and safety of facility personnel. In addition to her military service, Ms. Chang was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to the Board of Directors for the Virginia Commercial Spaceport Authority and has contributed her expertise in the private sector as a Senior Policy Analyst and Senior Systems Engineer. A strong advocate for public service and community engagement, Carol is committed to fostering positive change in her community. Her thoughtful approach and strategic insights contribute significantly to initiatives aimed at enhancing community well-being. |
John Walser FPAC Appointment | John Walser is an Assistant Chief in the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. He is the Executive Officer for the Fire Chief where he supervises the Fiscal Services Division, Data Analytics Strategy Management Division, Information Technology Division, Public Information Office, Health and Wellness Section and the Planning Section. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University, and a Master of Science Degree in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is a principal member of two NFPA technical committees and an International Code Council Committee. He is certified as a Building Official and Fire Official. John lives in Centreville, Virginia, with his wife Kate and two daughters, who both have attended schools in the Westfield pyramid. |
Brian Utterback FPAC Appointment Through 2026 | Brian Utterback, PE, LEED GA, is a Senior Civil Engineer and Senior Project Manager with the civil engineering and landscape architecture design services firm Cowen Design Group. With over 20 years of experience working in Northern Virginia as a civil engineer, Brian has navigated the site development process for numerous local jurisdictions and for a variety of projects and clients including institutional, federal and local government, parks & recreation, healthcare, and public school systems (including FCPS.) Brian has been a life-long NOVA resident except for a brief 4-year hiatus down in Blacksburg, VA where he received his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech. He grew up in Centreville going to FCPS schools and now lives in Falls Church with his wife and two young kids who will be attending schools in the McLean HS pyramid. Mr. Utterback also chairs a committee for the Land Development Design Industry (LDDI) program at Virginia Tech and in his “free time” is active with his son’s cub scout pack and the PTA for Timber Lane ES, and helps coach his son’s soccer team (when his son lets him.) |
Doug Taylor FPAC Appointment Through 2027 | Doug Taylor has over two decades of experience across a wide variety of fields (technology, finance, government, property management), with roles spanning analysis, strategy, policy, and operations. The main unifying thread through his professional career has been organizing and analyzing data to convert it into information that supports strategic decision-making, and applying predictive modeling, demographic projections, and ML/AI applications to large populations (on national and global scales). He has also worked as a property manager on a large multi-family housing site, and prior to moving to Fairfax in 2016 he served on the Building Level Planning Committee for the Dorothy Hamm (previously Stratford) Middle School in nearby Arlington, VA. Doug attended Pomona College where he received his undergraduate degree in Mathematical Economics. He has a passion for community service, holding various civic association roles over the years, and currently serves as Chair of the McLean Civic Association's "Education & Youth" Committee. Doug and his wife live near Falls Church, VA (in the Fairfax County portion), and are the proud parents of two elementary-aged children. Doug also frequently volunteers as coach or mentor for his children's various sports teams and extracurricular activities. |
Joe Arnold FPAC Appointment Through 2026 | Joe Arnold, LEED AP, has worked in the construction contracting industry since high school completing projects for private, public and institutional clients in 13 states, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and India. Since 2003, Joe's Mid-Atlantic Region portfolio includes data centers, hospitals, labs, museums, sports stadiums/headquarters, The Whitehouse, commercial office buildings, parking garages, university buildings/dorms, multi-family buildings, big box/distribution centers, alternative energy infrastructure and K-12 renovations/new buildings. Experienced in all types of project delivery, Joe currently has P&L responsibilities for projects in size from $20 million to $140 million within a 200-mile radius of FCPS headquarters—however he particularly enjoys coaching and mentoring the next generation of construction workers. A 1993 graduate of the University of Kentucky's College of Engineering, Joe completed his MBA (Economics) at the SUNY-University at Buffalo and divides his time between homes in Reston, VA, St. Michaels, MD and Jupiter, FL. Certifications and quasi-official endorsements include: FAA Student-pilot, Virginia M2, Maryland-DNR Boating, campfire guitar/piano/vocal and single-digit USGA GHIN. Joe resides in Reston, VA and his son attends Dogwood Elementary. |
| Katie Hermann, Chair City of Fairfax [email protected] FPAC Appointment Through 2027 | Katie Hermann, CFM, GISP, serves as the Environmental Policy and Plan Development Branch Chief in Fairfax County’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and supervises a team of planners leading and supporting environmentally focused comprehensive planning initiatives and the review of environmental components of development review applications. She oversees county reviews for federal, state, and interjurisdictional environmental projects and provides support to staff liaisons to Board-appointed committees. Prior to her role at Fairfax County, Ms. Hermann worked in environmental consulting for state and local entities on the east coast. Katie specialized in school safety initiatives, school risk management planning, GIS analytics, floodplain management planning, hazard mitigation planning, and strategic planning for various clients. She has experience working with school districts to implement school risk management plans and helped capture critical emergency response asset information for over 1,000 schools. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Geography. Katie lives in the City of Fairfax with her husband and daughter, who attends a City of Fairfax school. |
Resource Documents
View the annual report to the School Board, along with the advisory council guidelines and bylaws.
