Elizabeth Ford grew up in Reston, VA, where her early years were marked by hardship and hunger. At just seven years old, she experienced food insecurity firsthand when her babysitter—who often provided her only evening meal, a slice of hotdog on toast—turned her away because her mother couldn’t afford to pay. This moment was just the beginning of a childhood filled with instability and uncertainty.

Frequent evictions forced Elizabeth and her mother to move constantly, leaving her without a reliable source of nourishment and guidance. She often sat outside a local 7-Eleven, asking passersby for quarters to buy hotdogs or whatever food she could afford. With her mother struggling with mental health challenges, Elizabeth had to fend for herself in a community where resources like food pantries were nonexistent. By 19, she was homeless, living in a hotel learning how to survive on her own.

Without a stable home or support system, education took a backseat to survival. Elizabeth dropped out of high school after ninth grade, later earning her GED while working multiple jobs—often waiting tables and pulling double shifts just to secure a meal. During this period, she also endured a decade-long abusive marriage, unaware of what a healthy, loving relationship looked like, all while fighting to break free from the cycle of poverty.

Determined to rewrite her story, Elizabeth eventually became a single mother, balancing full-time work with online college courses. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in IT with a specialization in Advanced Networking, which led to a successful career in IT security for the government and contractors. Yet, despite her professional achievements, her past struggles with hunger and hardship remained at the forefront of her mind, fueling her passion for change.

Today, Elizabeth is remarried and part of a blended family with five children. She now devotes herself full-time to BetterALife, the nonprofit she founded to combat childhood hunger. Alongside her family, she works to expand the organization’s reach nationwide, ensuring that no child has to experience the same uncertainty she once faced. Through her dedication and resilience, she is transforming lives—one meal at a time.

How to reach us:

Connect with Patricia Gallardo, Associate Broker/Realtor at Real Broker
Mobile: 703.980.4594
Email: pkghomes@gmail.com
Website:http:/www.livinginloudoun.com
LinkedIn. - https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciakgallardo/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/patriciagallardohomes/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wX5mpqv74fslT5BkRypdQ
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PKGHomes

Connect with Karen Daily, Attorney
Office: 703.573.3556
Email: kdaily@ekkotitle.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karendaily/
Instagram: @karenekofo
TikTok: @karenekofo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KDailyEkofo

Marcus Simon is a lifelong resident of Fairfax County, where he resides with his wife Rachel, and two children, Emily and Zach. Early in his public service career, Marcus served as an officer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. He is a co-founder of the Law Firm of Leggett, Simon, Freemyers & Lyon and EKKO Title, a real estate settlement, title, and escrow company.

First elected as Delegate in 2013, he currently chairs the House Public Safety Committee and serves on the Courts of Justice, General Laws, and Rules Committees. He's proud of his work to expand voting rights, to protect our communities with common sense gun violence prevention initiatives, to address the student loan debt crisis, and to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The 13th House District, which he represents, includes the entire City of Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County.

In this episode, Delegate Simon talks about the process for bills being introduced, the length of this year's session, and the effect of the short session on introduced bills and state budget. Delegate Simon also talks about laws that will be tweaked due to unforeseen outcomes when the General Assembly passed the law.

Delegate Simon's contact information is below:

www.marcussimon.com

delmsimon@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Office - (804) 689-1013

Meet our guests:

Diane Griffin Goldberg, EVP with Griffins Owens Insurance Group

Griffin Owens Insurance Group was founded in 1981 by Chris Griffin, who was soon joined by her husband, Don Owens, in 1983, marking the official formation of the firm. I began my journey with Griffin Owens at the age of 15, initially as an agent and now proudly serving as co-owner.

Our agency holds a deep commitment to community service, a value instilled by my mother, who always reminded me, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” In keeping with this ethos, Griffin Owens actively supports impactful organizations such as Kids R First, Cornerstones, and LINK, among others.

My family moved to Herndon, Virginia, in 1976. After completing my education at Herndon High School, I graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Finance, with a minor in Insurance. During my early career, I moved to New York City, where I met my husband. We later married there and established our first home in McLean, Virginia, in 1999, where we currently reside with our two daughters.

Donna Seeker, Co-Owner of Donofrio & Associates Property Inspections

Donna Seeker has been with Donofrio & Associates since 2009 and has been instrumental to their growth over the years. Donna continues to contribute to the development and expansion of the company through her marketing efforts.

Resa Cee Kierstein, CEO of Floor Coverings International
She is responsible for all business operations for the company including business development, operations, finance, HR, and marketing.

Before taking this role in 2019, Resa was Vice President of development for SCORE, SBA partner focused on supporting small businesses, with a keen focus on veterans and families. In previous roles, Resa was responsible for securing funds through fundraising and development to support a variety of charitable and non-profit organizations.

Ashley Smith is a loan officer with over 22 years of experience. She has worked with many different banks. She is currently with Truist Bank. She is very passionate about helping buyers and sellers with their home financing needs.

Truist has a $7,500 Grant. While geared towards 1st time home buyers, there is no requirement that a buyer be a 1st time home buyer. They must be eligible for HomeReady or HomePossible – loan grant programs through Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. These programs are driven by income limits. Buyers cannot make more than a certain amount of income to qualify for the grant programs. There is no requirement to repay the grant. The grant can be applied towards closing costs or down payment (i.e. buy down interest rate). It does not add on any additional time to the closing process. Because the $7,500 grant is in-house, there is flexibility on determining which buyer will be used for qualification. For example, one party can be on the loan, but the other party can only be on title and their income is excluded from the qualification. A buyer can stack this grant with other grant programs, however, those grant programs may need additional processing time to close, which might be difficult in this competitive market.

The FHLB Grant is for community partners (doctors, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and military). No requirement that buyer has to be a 1st time home buyer. The buyer has to have a ratified contract before being able to have the funds applied to his/her loan. However, this loan is very restrictive on income. It will look at the entire income of the household and also consider any type of monetary gifts as income.

The CHIP grant stands for Community Homeowner Incentive Program. There is 100% financing available; however, it is geographically driven. Some areas may have an income requirement, while other areas may not. A buyer cannot own another home. Do not have to be a first time home buyer to qualify for this loan. There is no PMI and no prepayment penalty.

There are many loan options available at Truist for every buyer – whether it’s a first time home loan or a jumbo loan. Truist keeps their loans and does not sell them. There are also options for sellers who buy their home first, and then sell their home to apply the proceeds of the sale to their new home and reduce their monthly payment.

There is hope for home buyers. Whether you are a first time home buyer or a repeat home buyer. Reach out to Ashley, and she will be more than happy to help you find a program that works for you!

Connect with Patricia Gallardo, Associate Broker/Realtor at Real Broker
Mobile: 703.980.4594
Email: pkghomes@gmail.com
Website:http:/www.livinginloudoun.com
LinkedIn. - https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciakgallardo/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/patriciagallardohomes/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wX5mpqv74fslT5BkRypdQ
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PKGHomes

Connect with Karen Daily, Attorney
Office: 703.573.3556
Email: kdaily@ekkotitle.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karendaily/
Instagram: @karenekofo
TikTok: @karenekofo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KDailyEkofo

Dr. Nixon, CEO of Integrative Counseling & Relationship Therapy, Inc., is an
award-winning licensed professional counselor, marriage & family therapist,
certified mindfulness mediation teacher and wellness specialist. She provides
expert and compassionate treatment and care to individuals, couples and
families seeking to better their mental health, happiness and overall well-being.

You can learn more on her website at www.suzannenixon.com

Karen Cooper is a wife, mom to 3 sons, and owner of the Platinum Group Real Estate team along with her business partner Vicky Noufal, a team of 50 phenomenal women and moms (and 1 very brave man!), based in Northern Virginia and serving clients with agents throughout the US. Licensed since 2002, Karen personally served well over 700 clients during her sales career, and many more through her team that has closed over $1.4 BILLION in sales volume since its inception in 2015.
A nationally recognized expert, she has been featured on local, regional and global podcasts, and has been a speaker at women’s real estate and business conferences. Passionate about helping women in the real estate industry, she is the Founder and CEO of Empowering Women in Real Estate®, with over 37,000 members nationwide, host of Empowering Women In Real Estate® - The Podcast, and the principle behind the EWRE® Inner Circle monthly membership coaching program for women in real estate. An avid real estate investor, she is actively building her personal portfolio, and loves helping other women to do the same.


You can learn more on her website at https://www.goplatinumgroup.com/


Vicky Noufal is a dedicated mother of three sons and proudly leads The Platinum Group Real Estate Team. The Platinum Group is consistently recognized as a top performing residential real estate sales team in both Northern Virginia Magazine and Washingtonian Magazine. To date, the team has successfully sold over 3000 homes, totaling an impressive $1.4 billion in sales volume within the local DMV area.

Education and mentorship plays an important role in Vicky's life, as reflected through her active participation as a speaker in various real estate educational events, conferences and podcasts. Her children, family, friends, and community serve as the foundation of her life. Actively supporting her hometown of Leesburg, she is the founder of the local community group 'Leesburg Moms,' boasting over 6500 members.



You can learn more on her website at https://www.goplatinumgroup.com/

In today's competitive housing market, many first-time homebuyers find themselves priced out due to soaring home prices and interest rates, lack of cash to cover closing costs, and downpayment. However, there's hope! In this episode, we're joined by Laura Triplett, a seasoned loan officer at Atlantic Coast Mortgage, to explore the wealth of resources and programs available through Virginia Housing Authority and other entities to make homeownership more attainable for all.

Laura has accumulated over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry, excelling as a top-performing loan officer and working with a diverse clientele. This extensive background has granted her a profound understanding of her client’s unique needs. She has been recognized as a top producer and lender advisor by Virginia Housing, the number one source of down payment assistance for first time homebuyers in Virginia. Due to her extensive experience and deep knowledge of the area, Laura possesses the expertise to match homebuyers with the perfect place to call home!

**Key Talking Points:**

1. **Challenges of Affordability:**

- Rising home prices and interest rates are making it increasingly difficult for first-time homebuyers to enter the market. It’s also challenging to for a buyer to have their offer accepted, and today we discuss a first-time homebuyer program that is competitive in today’s market and provides significant assistance to buyers in today’s market.

2. **Utilizing Available Resources: Virginia Housing Authority**

- Virginia Housing Authority offers many programs to first time homebuyers and also just launched a program for repeat homebuyers. They have 100% financing, grant programs, and also SPARC program, which helps to reduce the interest rate for a homebuyer.

3. **Income Requirements and Loan Payments:**

- The loan programs through Virginia Housing Authority are income driven and have income limits. Some programs will look at the income earned by everyone living in the home; while others may only consider one person’s income. It will depend.

5. **Importance of Local Expertise:**

- This type of loan requires a local lender with expertise. Avoid online lenders. You can apply with our guest, Laura Triplett at teamtriplett.com or go to virginiahousing.com to find approved lenders.

6. **Virginia Housing loans are Competitive:**

- They can be used in conjunction with other loans and give significant assistance to a first time homebuyer. It should definitely be considered when counseling a buyer on their loan options.


**Conclusion:**

Navigating the path to homeownership can be daunting, but with the right resources and guidance, it's within reach for many. Thanks to Laura Triplett's insights and expertise, we've uncovered actionable steps and programs available through Virginia Housing and other entities to make homeownership dreams a reality. Remember, preparation and informed decision-making are key to achieving affordability in today's housing market.

Stay tuned for more valuable insights and tips in our next episode! Don't forget to subscribe and share with anyone embarking on their home-buying journey.


Schedule a 30 minute consultation with Laura https://calendly.com/ltriplett-1/30min

Are you in the process of selling your current home but haven't found the perfect new property yet? Are you struggling to figure out how to sell and buy because you need the funds from your sale to fund the new purchase? A bridge loan could be the solution you need. A bridge loan provides you with temporary financing to cover the gap between selling your existing property and buying a new one. It allows you to access the equity in your current home quickly, providing you with the funds needed for a down payment on your new home or covering other expenses associated with the transition.

Join us as we dive deep into how Bridge Loans work and more with Rob Ross, Executive Vice President at Intercoastal Mortgage.

Rob Ross, has been a top producer in the mortgage industry for over 22 years. He and his team have closed a career volume of 1.9 billion dollars in home loans which ranks them in the Top 1% Nationwide. He is one of the leading Bridge Loan experts/lenders in the DMV.

Rob Ross
The Ross Group at Intercoastal Mortgage LLC
NMLS ID #189110
Executive Vice President | Production Manager
Email: RRoss@icmtg.com Cell: 703-568-3749

Residential Lending | Construction Lending | Portfolio Lending | Bridge Loans

LICENSED in 23 States!! CLICK HERE

VA Branch | 11325 Random Hills Rd suite 600, Fairfax, VA 22030

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• Do you have a space that you’d like to redesign or renovate?
• Does the thought of designing or renovating a space overwhelm you?
• At what point should you hire/consult with an interior designer – beginning of a project, middle or towards the end?
• Have you thought that interior designers are expensive?

Then this episode is for you! Join us as we discuss the answers to these questions and more with our interior design and renovation experts Linda Boosinger and Angelee Marques. They share with us how every space has the potential to be extraordinary. It's not just about making it beautiful; it's about making it feel like home.

Linda Pierce Boosinger is the Founder and CEO of multiple Home, Renovation and Design businesses. As an accomplished, highly recognized full Home Designer and Historic Preservation expert. Linda is known for her record-breaking, sustainable and timeless designs, as well as a dynamic force in community development.

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Founder & CEO of Restoration & Design Pros

Personal Design Advisor

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Angeless Marques is the Owner and Principal Designer at Nest Interior Decor, a full-service Interior Design firm.

Angelee Marques, Principal Designer of Nest Interior Decor

www.nestinteriordecor.com

Angelee Marques

Nest Interior Decor, Principal Designer, ASID, NKBA

angeleem@nestinteriordecor.com
http://www.nestinteriordecor.com
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