Potomac Community Foundation Launches to Support Local Efforts

Dedicated to boosting educational and employment outcomes for underserved communities and preserving the historic legacies of post-Civil War Black settlements in Montgomery County and the greater D.C. region, the Potomac Community Foundation (PCF) has officially launched as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

“We believe there’s both a need in the community and a group of people who want to help fill that need,” said Dr. Jason Wingard, founder and Chairman of the Board of PCF.

Wingard, former president of Temple University and senior leader at Harvard and the Wharton School of Business, said the new foundation was inspired by the Second Century Project—a successful effort to restore and expand the historic Scotland AME Zion Church in Potomac, Md. “What that team accomplished—bringing together supporters from all corners of the county in faith, government, and private philanthropy—will one day be written up in textbooks,” he said. “We plan to keep that momentum going by focusing on the needs of Scotland and other historic Black communities that deserve more opportunity, while keeping their history intact.”

The inaugural Board of Directors includes prominent leaders in business, philanthropy, education, and community development:

• George Ashton, finance and economic development leader
• Bob Buchanan, regional developer and philanthropist
• Dr. Sheryl Brissett Chapman, child and family welfare expert and former CEO of NCCF
• William Conway, attorney and investment banker
• Dedra Dawson, community advocate and philanthropist
• Debbie Driesman, philanthropist and arts supporter
• Karen Herron, equity advocate and nonprofit strategist
• Knight Kiplinger, historic preservation advocate and publishing executive
• Catherine Leggett, nonprofit advisor and former First Lady of Montgomery County
• Marla Schulman, nonprofit and education leader
• Rev. Timothy Warner, faith leader and community connector

Additional directors, as well as an advisory council, will be announced in the coming weeks.

The board has appointed Krystal Holland Davis as PCF’s first Executive Director. A native of Gaithersburg, Md., Davis is a published author and seasoned nonprofit leader with more than 30 years of experience at organizations including the Institute for Mastery and Integration and the National Center for Children and Families, a widely respected regional social service agency serving tens of thousands of children, youth, and families each year. She is also a proud descendant of Emory Grove, a historic Black community in Montgomery County.

“PCF’s work is not charity—it’s justice in action,” said Catherine Leggett. “We are building on the resilience and self-determination of our historic Black communities, investing in education, economic mobility, and legacy preservation so they can shape their own futures.”

A key catalyst in establishing PCF was the leadership of Paul Tukey, formerly of the Glenstone Museum and a visionary of the Second Century Project. Tukey, now PCF’s Chief Advancement Officer, said, “For the past four years, Emily and Mitchell Rales challenged an incredible team at Glenstone to engage all corners of society in a different kind of sustainability known as restorative justice. I felt the whole time we were building a template of community engagement that could be replicated for good work in the future. Launching PCF with this remarkable Board and broad community support means that the future is now.”

PCF will launch its own programs and support existing ones, including the 12-year-old Scotland STORM academic enrichment program serving children in the historic Scotland community. Tukey noted, “Something we heard again and again was, ‘It’s wonderful that you’re helping Scotland, but we could use some help, too.’ This kind of support is needed now more than ever.”