Meet the MONA Board & Contractors
President
A Northern Virginia native, Alex joined MONA in 2019 while expecting her first child, and made the leap from the investment management world in 2022 to focus on her family and pursue her passions, including MONA! After experiencing firsthand how much this community means during those early years with a young child, she was eager to give back to the organization that had given her so much. She began her Board journey as VP of Events before stepping into the President role lin 2025, and she looks forward to continuing to guide MONA with a vision rooted in inclusivity and connectedness. When she's not volunteering, you can find her spending time with her husband, son, and their yellow lab, helping out at her son's school, organizing literally everything, and learning how to speak French.
Secretary
While Marisa is hanging onto her northern NJ area code, her zip codes have ranged from north of Boston down to northern Virginia. An alumni of University of Connecticut and Emerson College, her career has spread across film/television, healthcare, higher education, and the nonprofit association sector. Her communications method is building trust through transparency, making connections, and understanding audiences. While currently on a career pause to focus on toddler management, MONA has been a constant resource to her and she is looking forward to helping it grow and thrive.
Treasurer
Born and raised in Washington, DC, Beth and her husband have recently relocated back to the DMV after 3 years in Seattle, WA. Beth joined MONA in 2022 and is a mom to her son Wally who is 3 years old. Beth works as a full time commercial real estate developer in the DMV and in her spare time enjoys working out, tasting wine and playing with Wally and Lola, her 6-year-old English bulldog. Beth is eager to become more involved with MONA and to meet new moms in the area!
Principal Vice President
An Upstate New York native, Kerry first came to love the DC Metro Area while completing a Cornell in Washington Capstone and then a Master’s at the George Washington University. In 2011, she moved to Arlington, VA where she later met and married her husband, Joshua, a Navy Physician. His career took them to San Diego, CA, but they returned in 2020 with newborn daughter, Callie. They were blessed with a son, August, in 2022. During the week, Kerry works full-time as a Health IT Project Manager. The Wong Family loves attending MONA Events, and Kerry is eager to give back and connect with other moms in the area!
Vice President, Events
Kate grew up in Lawrence, KS (home of the Jayhawks!) before heading east for college, first to the Boston area and then DC, where she graduated from Georgetown University. She has worked in the language industry since 2005, recruiting language instructors and interpreters for government clients. Kate began a second career as a running/fitness/nutrition coach in 2018, founding her coaching company, Flash Fit, in 2021. A member of MONA since pre-COVID, Kate shares a house full of kids (9, 12, 21, and 24) and pets with her husband, Christopher. Kate is excited to contribute as VP of Events for MONA and offer Arlington’s moms both familiar and new programs.
Vice President, Community Outreach
Dawn is a two-time resident of Arlington, having lived here for 10 years back in 2004 and again since 2023 after returning from 9 years working at an international school in Germany. After taking a gap year, Dawn transitioned into a role within Arlington County and became active in the community. She is a board member with both the Friends of Arlington's Planetarium, as well as Arlington Sister Cities and enjoys serving the community in a variety of ways. She and her husband are the proud parents of a soon to be graduating senior (!!!) and another son in Grade 10. She joined MONA in 2024 after learning about it from her neighbor, a longtime member, and now loves running the monthly book club! When not trying to keep track of her teenagers' activities, Dawn enjoys reading, planning her regular trips back to Europe, experimenting with new recipes for her family, hiking, swimming, and enjoying regular coffee or wine events with friends.
Vice President, Communications
Born in Kansas, Jenna was raised in the world of newspapers, which took her across several states and introduced her to incredible groups of people. She studied Public Relations and Advertising at Purdue University and now works in corporate communications, focusing on transformation, C-suite, and enterprise comms strategies. She met her husband, Charlie, in Chicago and they moved to Arlington in 2022. They have two young boys: a kindergartener who will attend Arlington Traditional and a 3-year-old in preschool. Since joining MONA, she’s met some of her closest friends and found a true sense of community. Her top goals for the year ahead are to master the art of Mahjong and play more pickleball with her husband. She’s an early riser who loves the outdoors, exploring Virginia’s Shenandoah valley and is a die-hard George Strait fan.
Administrative Manager
Kelsey Coleman
An Ohio native, Kelsey has called Arlington home for the past 13 years. After 15 years in nonprofit communications, she now works as a communications consultant, allowing her to continue supporting mission-driven organizations while spending more time with her husband and their three children (almost 8y, 4y, and 2y). Kelsey joined MONA after becoming a mom and quickly found the friendships, local connections, and support that make parenting a little easier. As MONA's Administrative Manager, she enjoys keeping things organized behind the scenes and helping members make the most of everything MONA has to offer. When she's not working with MONA, Kelsey can be found helping out at her children's schools, exploring Arlington's parks and nature trails with her family, going on walks with a good audiobook, or sneaking away for a little peace and quiet in the sauna.
Events Manager
Mary Klapmust
Mary is a Northern Virginia native and has been a MONA member since 2011. In addition to serving as the Event Coordinator for MONA, Mary also owns a local piano studio, works as a freelance event planner, and enjoys volunteering throughout Arlington. She loves building community and creating opportunities for neighbors to connect. Outside of work, you'll usually find Mary cheering on her three boys at their activities and planning the family's next travel adventure. She also picked up tennis at age 40 proving that it's never too late to discover a new hobby—or a new way to laugh at yourself.