BBBSNVC events are organized and directed by our council officers. Council officers serve a one year term which typically begins and ends on the date of our annual council picnic.

The 2007-08 council officers are:

Pat Hoar - President

Pat Hoar was matched with his Little Brother, Tavon, in the spring of 2004.  Tavon and Pat still enjoy throwing the football around today as much as they did during their first outing together which brought them to the Mall in D.C.  And Tavon’s eyes continue to roll every time Pat asks about school as soon as he sits in the passenger seat of Pat’s car.  Pat became President of Novabigs in the fall of 2005 and continues in that role this year.

Pat was taught about the importance of volunteering by his mother early on in life.  He has been volunteering since high school for various organizations, but believes that Big Brothers Big Sisters one-to-one mentoring program offers the most valuable and rewarding volunteering experience.

As an aerospace engineer, Pat has always been a dreamer and looks forward to offering opportunities to help shape the dreams of our community’s youth through his involvement in Novabigs.  Pat resides in Arlington and can often be found running or biking (with or without Tavon) along the D.C. area’s great trail system.

Nick Freshman – Vice President

Nick Freshman has been a Big Brother since 2005. He was introduced to the program by a close friend, and has been dedicated to it ever since. Shortly after being matched with Jordan, Nick decided to take an active role in the direction of Novabigs, and he was elected Vice President of the council in the Fall of 2005.

Nick believes that actively giving back to the community should be a part of every person’s life. The statistics that show how much the life of a child can be improved through one-on-one mentoring are staggering. By working with youth today, Novabigs hopes to develop adults who will contribute to, not detract from, society. Nick sees no more effective means of shaping the future of our society than through mentoring its youth.

Nick is actively involved in restaurant development in the area, and has been stuck in the “biz” since graduating from Emory University in 1998. He has been married for three years and lives in Arlington; just a few miles from where he grew up.

Meredith has been matched with my Emilia for two and a half years.  Emilia is currently 11 and just started middle school.  She is a terrific kid and while being a Big can be challenging at times, it is also wonderfully rewarding for Meredith.  Her relationship with Emilia is very special and she has become a big part of Meredith’s life.  In addition, it amazes and delights her to see the connection Emilia has made with Meredith’s friends and family.  Having their support throughout the relationship has been terrific for her and Emilia.

The council has been a wonderful support to me.  While each match has a unique relationship, it is wonderful to know other Bigs and talk with them about the challenges and the joys of being a Big Sister.  In addition, the council has provided Emilia and Meredith with some amazing experiences; opportunities we never would have had on our own.  Meredith is glad to have the opportunity to serve on the council and connect with other Bigs.

Meredith lives in Arlington and works in Washington, DC as a school social worker.

Brian O'Neill - Secretary

Brian O'Neill has been a Big Brother to Mike since 1999.  Brian still recalls Mike approving of one of his corny jokes with a smile at their first meeting.  "Why do bears hibernate in the winter time?...  Because, the cold is unBEARable!"  From that joke they instantly bonded.  Today, Brian considers having Mike as a Little Brother as one of the most rewarding relationships in his life – and one of his greatest accomplishments

Two highlights of their time together have been traveling to Alaska to build homes for Habitat for Humanity in 2004 and having Mike as a groomsman in Brian’s wedding in September 2007.

Brian has a passion for community service.  He believes there is no better way – or more flexible way – to make a difference in the community than to become a Big Brother or Big Sister.

Brian recently joined the Northern Virginia council in 2007 after finishing business school at the University of Maryland.  Brian is a native of Northern Virginia, and lives in Arlington with his wife Amanda.  He is also the Founder/ Race Director of BOO! Run for Life, a 10k run / 2-mile walk held in Washington DC each October to support kidney cancer research at the National Institutes of Health.

Vytautas Karalius - Treasurer

Vyto is the son of World War II Lithuanian refugees. He was born in Baltimore, MD, and he graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in Information Systems Management. Vyto is married, with two grown step-children.

Why did Vyto become a Big? With the kids grown and out of the house and no grandchildren (at the moment) he has the free time. And yes, he hit that middle age crisis evaluating the meaning of life and what I could do to make it a little better.

As he has told his Little, he has and is willing to share the experience of having parents who came to this country with nothing and without knowing the language. He was a teenager once and helped raise two more. So there's not much he hasn’t seen or done himself. He went through those tough times and made it.

Vyto enjoys travel, the outdoors, and nature photography and has challenged himself to convince at least one kid in today's society to put down the video game and get out and experience the world and all it has to offer.

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