About Us

The Washington, DC, region is a great place to live for so many people, and Greater Greater Washington Commons believes it can be a greater place to live for many more.

Founded in 2023, Greater Greater Washington Commons (GGWash Commons) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. GGWash Commons aims to build civic capacity to advance racial, economic, and environmental justice in land use, transportation, and housing throughout Greater Washington.

GGWash Commons is the sister organization of Greater Greater Washington, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit founded in 2008. 

We’re working to change the policy systems and institutions that have perpetuated inequitable, environmentally unsustainable, and unjust development patterns. We want to live and work in places with sidewalks, bike lanes, and frequent transit; with grocery stores, parks, and plenty of housing choices at attainable prices; that are accessible and welcoming to people of all income levels and backgrounds.

Our programs

  • Our educational programming creates learning and skill-building opportunities to help elected and public officials make informed policy decisions and to help residents advocate effectively in their communities. (Note: GGWash Commons does not engage in lobbying or political activity.)
  • Our engagement work fosters well-connected networks of residents and decision-makers alike, helping to build the movement for stronger communities.
  • Our editorial work informs and educates people around the Washington region and world about the forces that shape our region and the people in it. (Note: Stories are published on ggwash.org, the website of our 501(c)(4) counterpart; stories that are funded through GGWash Commons are labeled as such.)
  • The DC Transportation Equity Network (DC TEN) is a cross-sector coalition of direct-service and advocacy organizations committed to seeing a complete transportation system that ensures vulnerable residents are accounted for in the District of Columbia. The DC TEN is primarily funded through GGWash Commons.

Who we are

GGWash Commons is staffed, through a management agreement, by the team behind GGWash.

Board of Directors

  • Payton Chung

    Acting Chair

    Payton Chung, LEED AP ND, CNUa, sees the promises and perils of planning every day as a resident of the Southwest Urban Renewal Area. He first addressed a city council about smart growth in 1996, accidentally authored Chicago’s inclusionary housing law, and blogs at west north. 

  • Rosie Romano

    Secretary

    Rosie Romano is an attorney at Keller Postman. Originally from Iowa, Rosie first fell in love with DC more than a decade ago as a student at American University. She is passionate about voting, walkable cities, and bourbon. Rosie lives in Hill East with her husband, Grayson, and their rambunctious pups, Scout and Luna. She loves the bus. 

  • Paul Ryberg

    Treasurer

    Paul Ryberg is the Director of Finance and Operations for Legal Counsel for the Elderly and has a held several positions in nonprofit finance in the DC area. Originally from Maryland, he moved to DC in 2016 and now resides in Capitol Hill. Before working in nonprofit finance and operations he worked in environmental management with a focus on the built environment. Paul is also a bike-commuter and advocate for safe cycling infrastructure.

  • Jayson Harpster

    Jayson Harpster works in the healthcare industry to bring quality, affordable care to all. He is Director of Solution Operations at Embedded Healthcare and previously worked on staffing and hospital partnerships at Kaiser Permanente. Before working in healthcare he served as an intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, and separately worked on Democratic campaigns. Outside of work, he and his wife have two young daughters and live in Park View. 

  • Jarrett Stoltzfus

    Jarrett Stoltzfus works as the Director of Transportation at Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy.   Previously, he's worked in business development, policy, and government relations for commercial electric vehicle/battery manufacturers and commercial charging operators, and has worked in the transportation sector for most of his career, both at the federal level (USDOT) and local level. He currently lives in the City of Mount Rainier in Prince George's County, where he served as the Councilmember for Ward 2 from 2021 to 2025 and served as the City's Vice Mayor from 2022-2023.   He's passionate about making communities safer for all kinds of mobility.

  • Omari Hardy

    Omari Hardy is a Director at Seven Letter, where he helps businesses, nonprofits, and national advocacy groups hone their messages and tell their stories. Before moving to D.C. and joining Seven Letter, Omari served in elected office in Florida, first as a City Commissioner in Lake Worth Beach, then as a state lawmaker, representing much of urban Palm Beach County in the Florida House of Representatives. The book Suburban Nation changed his life. He was a car guy until he first read that book. He now loves buses, trains, bikes, infill development, and densely populated cities, such as D.C.

Website design

Many thanks to Derek Hogue of Amphibian Design for designing and developing this website.