FHNN Building Ambassadors

Robert “Bob” Blaemire has been involved in politics throughout his adult life. Born and raised in Indiana, he began his career at age 18 when he entered George Washington University. In 1967, he joined the staff of Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana, remaining there until Bayh’s election defeat in 1980. During those 13 years, Bob progressed through the Senate office and gained extensive campaign experience, culminating in his role as Political Director of Bayh’s 1980 campaign.

Bob earned a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University. After 1980, he founded The Committee for American Principles and, beginning in 1982, provided political computer services at a time when computer technology was just beginning to transform political campaigns.

He owned his own firm for 17 years before leaving the business to write a biography of Senator Bayh, Birch Bayh: Making a Difference, published in 2019. His next book, Unforced Errors: 15 Bad Decisions That Changed American History, is forthcoming.

Bob and his family include two sons, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren.

Richard Gross moved to Friendship Heights about nine years ago from Baltimore, where he had worked as a Realtor for more than 40 years. During his real-estate career, Richard owned 17 properties in Baltimore and four properties on Sanibel and Captiva Islands in Florida, keeping him busy with properties and clients in several locations.

In addition to his professional career, Richard has always enjoyed an active lifestyle. His interests include tennis, swimming, golf, volunteer activities, and worldwide travel. In 2017, he moved to the DC area and purchased a condominium at 4620 North Park.

Now fully retired, Richard remains actively involved in his building and in the broader community. He has served on the Board of 4620 for the past seven years and has volunteered with Georgetown University, his graduate-school alma mater.

Richard continues to enjoy the many opportunities Friendship Heights offers for staying active, meeting people, volunteering, and exploring the Washington area. He is pleased to call Friendship Heights home and to be part of its community.

Kathleen began her career as an executive with Trans World Airlines, where she spent 20 years. She then served for 14 years as a senior leader with a foreign government in the British West Indies. In 2018, she took a leadership position with a homecare company in Montgomery County and remained there until retiring in late 2023.

Throughout her career, Kathleen has spoken nationally and internationally on topics including scuba diving, aging in place, destination management, caregiver technology, and safe aging programs. She has appeared on television and radio and presented to audiences across the United States.

Kathleen is President and a Board Member of FHNN and has lived in The Carleton since 2019. She also has extensive personal experience with caregiving, having cared for both of her parents as they aged in place and later caring for her husband, who had Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

Today, Kathleen offers consulting services to people seeking to age in place and serves a three-year term on the Montgomery County Commission on Aging, advocating for older adults.

Stephanie Olshan has lived at The Elizabeth Condominium since 1999. Born in Washington, DC, and educated in the city’s public schools, she earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in art therapy from George Washington University.

Stephanie worked as a corporate officer before becoming a registered art therapist. In that role, she introduced art therapy to a variety of institutions, providing short-term crisis intervention as well as programs for adults, adult day-care programs, and nursing homes. Before retiring, she supervised 120 volunteers in an outreach reading program and another 60 volunteers who staffed daily operations at OASIS.

Volunteering has been an important part of Stephanie’s life since her children were young. For the past 20 years, she has focused particularly on organizations serving seniors and aging populations. She has volunteered with the Friendship Heights Village Center and FHNN and has chaired The Elizabeth’s Library Committee for more than 10 years.

Stephanie enjoys gallery outings, creating art, dancing and other forms of movement, traveling with family and friends, and continuing her family’s tradition of community service.

Bethany Smeeton moved to Friendship Heights in 2025 with her husband, Oliver, after spending several years in Virginia Beach. Originally from Acton, Massachusetts, Bethany grew up in New England and is enjoying getting to know the area and building a community here. Bethany works in Alumni Relations at American University, where she plans events and programs that connect alumni with each other and with the university. Before joining American, she worked in higher education at Batten University, focusing on civic engagement and service learning. She holds a B.S. in Human Development from Virginia Tech and an M.Ed. in Community Engagement from Merrimack College.

Outside of work, Bethany enjoys exploring the DMV, hiking and spending time outdoors, traveling, and cheering on Virginia Tech. She and Oliver are also proud cat parents to two black cats, Loki and Echo. Bethany joined FHNN to meet neighbors, get involved in the community, and make the most of living in Friendship Heights.

A native of Connecticut, Mary Solano is a retired Registered Nurse whose career included work in a variety of specialties. Her final position focused on educating patients about medications used to treat rare diseases and cancer, combining her nursing experience with a strong interest in helping patients and families understand complex medical information.
Mary and her partner, Larry, were introduced by their daughters and have lived in Willard Towers for 26 years. Over that time, they have become well established in the Friendship Heights community.

Mary starts many mornings with the 8:15 Friendship Village walking group, followed by coffee at Starbucks. The walking group provides an opportunity to stay active while also connecting with neighbors and friends.

Helping others has always been an important part of Mary’s life, both professionally and personally. Her nursing career was centered on caring for and educating others, and she continues to bring that same spirit of service to her life in Friendship Heights.

Mary enjoys the connections she has made in the community and looks forward to getting to know more of her neighbors through FHNN.