Member Bios

Robin and Wade
Robin and Wade have been interested in co-housing for some time, especially as a nice way to wind down and enjoy community with others after having very busy careers.

Robin has been a social worker in private practice for 35 years with specialties in trauma and neurofeedback. Wade has been a college faculty member and administrator. Robin currently works in her office space downtown which she co-owns and shares with other complementary medical practitioners. Wade and Robin share interests in yoga, organic gardening, and hiking. Robin's interests also include her horses and a variety of crafts. Wade is currently involved in research and writing and has interests in community development, architectural design and sustainability. Over the next decade, Robin and Wade hope to spend more time enjoying one another, three grown children, two grandchildren, and two horses.

James, Rebecca and family
Rebecca and James have lived in Virginia most of their lives, and met in Charlottesville in 2013. James is a music producer, focusing on collegiate a cappella singing. He started recording and mixing in his last years at UVA, asking his friends' groups to pay if they liked his work, and he's still at it more than a decade later. James loves to have people over to play card games or watch sports. He also plays the keyboard in a local band or two. Rebecca works part time in marketing for a local cybersecurity company. She enjoys gardening, yoga, reading, sleeping in (ha!) and watching a great tv show. She also has a completely rational love for spreadsheets. Connor (8) is into video games, making comics, Pokemon, figuring out reading, and playing with friends. They have two ridiculous little dogs, Cooper and Gracie.

James and Rebecca both knew they wanted a stronger sense of community, especially after Connor was born, but until finding out about cohousing, they didn't know how that might be possible. They are loving the more connected social life cohousing facilitates for adults and kids.

Cathey
Cathey has spent the last 43 years in education. As a Montessori directress at the outset, she moved into elementary education in Orange County, Florida. Then joined the math faculty at Valencia Community College in Orlando after receiving her Master's in 1985. She is currently a visiting professor for the online division of Everest University, based in Lakeland, Florida.

She is the mother of two beautiful daughters Amanda and Jennifer, and mother-in-law to loving Jeff, who all reside in Richmond. Her heart work is sharing the principles of conscious parenting (and grandparenting), which are described beautifully at The Child Project.

Jane Ellen and Hugh
Hugh graduated from the university of VA in '85 and feels like Charlottesville is home. He went on to Dental school at MCV, graduated in 1990, and has spent most of the intervening years in Fredericksburg. His office was at Locust Grove until he sold it 1 year ago. He plans to specialize in TMJ and Craniofacial Pain and sleep apnea at his new office in Charlottesville. His interests include Unitarian Universalism, drumming, woodworking, photography and yoga. The family consists of Angie and Penny, both rescue dogs, and a bird, Josh. He is the proud grandfather of 5 awesome grandsons.

Jane Ellen is a native of Charlottesville, graduate of Lane High School and Mary Washington College. She has lived in Fredericksburg since 1976 and raised 5 children there. Jane Ellen is an active Unitarian Universalist. Other interests include grandchildren, gardening, yoga, her dogs, and helping Hugh with his Dental Practice.

Joshua
Joshua is a devotee of life-long learning, intergenerational relationships, and community building. With a background in both environmental education, and the healing arts (primarily massage therapy), he brings his gifts wherever he travels. Dancing, singing, storytelling, and living an examined life are some of Joshua's other passions. Born overseas, and raised in Europe (till age 7) and then mostly in Washington, D.C., Joshua considers relationships, and clear communication above all else. He stumbles, makes mistakes, harvests lessons like a good human, and is excited to make life-long connections with folks of all ages, inspiring health, wellness, and raising the bar for what is possible for living an authentic, and inspired life.

Colin, Meagan and family
Colin and Meagan are excited to be joining Emerson Commons. They've been in Charlottesville for a few years, having absconded from Washington D.C. for greener pastures. The area felt like home - even more so after they welcomed their daughter to the family last year.

They bring with them a Bernese Mountain Dog named Hans, an indoor/outdoor cat named Stella, and a love of 80s music. They also enjoy hiking and being outdoors. Colin will be your neighborhood pizza aficionado (afficianado means eats all the pizza right?), likes getting his hands dirty, and should probably try to get into better shape if he's going to eat all this pizza. Meagan has recently gotten interested in baking and is looking forward to having lots of neighborhood mouths to feed.

When they aren't lavishing attention on their daughter (now 4) and furry family members, Colin works in a job straight out of the movie Office Space, and Meagan is a registered dietitian at UVA Medical Center.

Jessica and Michael
Jessica and Michael sometimes like to joke that they have lived in the “Thomas Jefferson triangle” — going to school at William & Mary, moving up to DC for a couple of years, and then settling down in Charlottesville where it is much less swampy and you can see mountains. They also both enjoy writing and a decent library, although that’s about where their similarities with TJ end. Jessica works at the Crozet Library, and in her free time enjoys petting dogs and knitting into the wee hours of the night. For professional things, Michael works with local communities on affordable housing. He can also be found hosting podcasts on science fiction and fantasy, practicing the guitar and marimba, and making delicious pasta. Michael and Jessica also both enjoy hikes and outdoor adventures with their dog, Moe, even though Jessica is afraid of spiders and Moe is afraid of trees.

While in college, Jessica spent a semester living abroad in an ecovillage in Iceland, where she learned about different kinds of intentional communities and how powerful it could be to have a group of people who actively wanted to be involved in the shape and life of their community. She fell in love with that way of life, and ever since has been looking for a way to be a part of a similar community here in the US. Michael grew up in a close-knit neighborhood, and spent his summers at the community pool with friends and family. Since living in a series of relatively impersonal apartment complexes, he’s excited to find that spirit of community and fun once more.

Samantha
Samantha is grateful to have grown up in the close-knit community of Lovingston in Nelson County, where she and her friends enjoyed the run of the village as well as the surrounding fields, hills and mountains. As a child, she played musical instruments and, after earning an undergraduate degree in music, was able to merge her love of music and history in graduate studies in musicology.

Most of her adult life was spent in the Washington, DC area, where, among other things, she worked at the Copyright Office at the Library of Congress for 24 years, raised a step-daughter and daughter, and discovered a passion for gardening. In her fifties, she took up a new instrument (the modern lyre), pursued a Ph.D. in musicology, became an IT professional, and undertook alternative music therapy trainings.

In 2008, she moved back to Nelson, and these days she’s active with music, writing, and gardening (with a special interest in native plants and organic vegetables and fruit). Her daughter and grandson live in Herndon.

Trace, Lauren and family
Trace, Lauren, Milo (now 10), and Ben (now 3) have lived in the Charlottesville/Crozet area for about 10 years. They love visiting the Crozet Creamery and the library, playing on area playgrounds, and enjoying the local orchards and vineyards. Lauren works as a clinical psychologist and is a partner at a private practice in Crozet. She specializes in psychological and educational testing. Lauren loves to read and talk about books, drink coffee, and take naps (when possible). Trace is a former kindergarten teacher and part-time Monticello staff, now full-time at-home dad providing care for Ben during the day. He enjoys cooking, crosswords, and podcasts and performs improv with Bent Theatre in Charlottesville. Milo loves imaginary play, the Legend of Zelda, building with Legos, and exploring outside. Ben is a fast-moving, happy little guy who loves to try to keep up with his big brother. He enjoys walks, books, and popsicles. As a family, they enjoy playing board games together, watching movies, and going to the beach. They have two indoor cats, Stella and Luna, whose interests range from warm patches of sunshine to bird watching.

They are very excited to move to a small, tight-knit community in which Milo and Ben can run and play. They have been interested in cohousing for some time and are excited to be part of the Emerson Commons community.

Joe and Rosemary
Joe and Rosemary are thrilled to be joining the Emerson Commons community. They came south from Vermont and New Hampshire to get married, start a new life together, and get away from frigid winters.

Joe grew up on a small farm in Olney, Maryland, raising chickens, dairy goats and dogs. He spent some time getting educated and then hiding in the ocean on a submarine. Joe's been an engineer in aviation for years and is working hard to be truly retired, once and for all so he can put his energy into activities that really mean something to him. His real passion is focused on music, especially jazz, and learning to play yet another instrument. Gardening, hiking, working with any and all tools, and exploring the world fills the rest of his time. His grown son and daughter are currently living on the opposite side of the country in California.

Rosemary spent her early years near Hartford, Connecticut. She went to college in Boston and stayed in Massachusetts. Her family, a daughter now living in NYC and son living in Boston, lived in the mill town of Hudson, MA for 26 years. Once the children were on their own she moved back to Boston. Rosemary has many years of experience working with families and children in a wide range of settings and programs but with major life changes and looming retirement, she shifted her focus and energy to other endeavors. Most recently she was caring for her elderly mother. Rosemary loves the outdoors and animals and can be found around gardens, farms and the woods. When the pace of life gets slow, she hand quilts to keep her mind distracted and hands busy.

Alex, Danny and family
Danny and Alex were born and raised in Fredericksburg, VA. They met going to community college there, established their lives, and started raising a family in Fredericksburg. They are starting a new chapter in Crozet now that Alex has accepted a job in a clinical laboratory at UVA health system. Over the next years, they hope to find a better quality of life, spending more time with their two sons, Sam (6) and Jude (2), as well as making new friends in Crozet.

Together Alex and Danny share interests in family adventures, hiking, biking/walking, and love to find the best new restaurants to try. They love to wind down over drinks and various TV shows and movies while the kids sleep.

Danny is a software engineer manager working for a defense contractor in Fredericksburg. His interests include running, craft beer, and video games. Danny has run many marathons and will continue training for various local races in the Charlottesville area. He also manages and co-hosts a weekly video game podcast and streaming presence and loves playing video games with his sons. Danny is looking forward to plugging into the Emerson Commons community, finding ways to contribute and serve the community while establishing new relationships.

For the past several years since Sam was born, Alex has been splitting her time between part time hospital laboratory jobs, an online master’s degree, and being the primary caregiver to Sam and Jude. She just completed her degree this past spring, and although she has been grateful for the opportunity to be home with her kids while they were very young, she is excited to be starting her first full time job in over 6 years at UVA. When she’s not loving on her family or working on professional pursuits, she is always reading a book or three and loves cooking and baking. She is looking forward to spending more time outdoors gardening and getting exercise once she moves to Crozet.

Sam enjoys video games, swimming pools, pizza, reading, and board games.

Jude loves climbing, riding his trike and scooter, playing ukulele, and coloring.

They also bring with them 2 indoor cats, River and Butters, who are sure to love the sunny windows in their new place.

Nate and Ron
Ron and Nate both grew up in southeast Virginia and met and got married in Northern Virginia. They married in their Unitarian Universalist church before it was legally recognized in Virginia and have been together for almost 25 years. Both have full time jobs but are looking forward to retiring and putting their efforts into Emerson Commons. Ron works for a large IT Service Management company, and Nate works for a non-profit in Reston. Ron discovered cohousing at the beginning of the pandemic. He always had a yearning to be part of cohousing, but did not have the words to describe it. Being sociable, walking and drinking craft beer are some of Ron’s favorite pastimes. He is very happy when he gets the rare chance to do all three at the same time. In addition to board games and D&D, Nate likes playing Civilization III and Pokemon Go on his various electronic devices.

Susan and Alan
Susan and Alan have been ready to be in a co-housing community for some time. While Susan's ministry called her to various east coast cities the opportunity didn't appear, but as we shift into new roles we jumped at the chance to be part of Emerson Commons. Alan has been a carpenter, builder, customer service rep and church administrator. Now he's devoting his skills to painting and building gallery representation. Susan, whose ministry began in Yogaville is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and is a Unitarian Universalist minister and has worked on anti racism, immigration reform and disaster response since 2003.

We met in Charlottesville in 1988, were good friends while our kids grew up, married in 2001 and spent the last 20 years in Wilmington, NC, Staten Island, NY and Savannah, GA. We have four daughters between us, two in the area, two on the west coast. No grandkids are expected. Our common interests include hiking, biking, gardening, therapy, reading, Compassionate Communication, and being in community with others of all ages. Susan took the Master Gardener course in Savannah and looks forward to learning more about Central Virginia gardening. She loves vegetarian and vegan cooking, pottery and poetry, yoga, meditation and other spiritual practices.

We're accompanied by two cats, Lolly and Morpheus, who couldn't be more different in temperament. Obviously, EC is an ideal place for all of us.

Molly, Peter, Mia and Ava
Molly and Peter Lazar first heard of cohousing in a UU World article in 2004. They were immediately drawn to the idea of living in a functional neighborhood where you know your neighbors. Within a year, they moved to Shadowlake Village Cohousing in Blacksburg, Virginia with their then 1 and 3-year-old daughters. They have immensely benefited from and enjoyed their 20 years in cohousing.

Their daughters, who are now in college, are so passionate about growing up in community that they created a video about cohousing that premiered at the 2015 National Cohousing conference.

Living in community has provided the Lazar family with both privacy and spontaneous social opportunities. One winter, some Shadowlake members randomly invited neighbors to build an igloo. Check out the video — you may be surprised by how many cohousers fit inside!

Peter and Molly are both entrepreneurs focused on providing tools and technologies to nurses for preventing medication errors in children. They are also cohousing proponents both locally and nationally. Peter is currently the Past President of the Cohousing Association of the United States. Together, Peter and Molly bought the Emerson Commons property and are working to make Emerson Commons a reality near Peter’s alma mater hometown of Charlottesville.