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Remembering Our Dear Friend Cal LaRoche

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2019 American Journey Awards

AMERICAN JOURNEY AWARD HONOREE

Mrs. Esther Wojcicki

Chief Education Advisor at Knack, Founder of ParentingTRICK App

Ron Brown Scholar Award Recipients

Christopher A. Pilaro Fellowship in the Arts

Alvin Hough, JR
RBS 2002

American Journey Award for Emerging Leadership

Dr. Tiffany Jackson
RBS 1999

ABOUT THE AWARD

The Ronald H. Brown American Journey Award was established in 2009 to honor outstanding Americans who exemplify the vision and transformative ideals of Ronald H. Brown (1941–1996). Ronald H. Brown American Journey Awards are granted to individuals who have developed opportunities and fostered the achievements of others. Like the late Ron Brown, these role models demonstrate through their life experiences the importance of mentoring, service, and nurturance of a network of leaders in America. They embody the spirit of the Ron Brown Scholar Program mission and serve as a model to which Scholars should aspire.

In Memoriam:
Cal LaRoche (1946–2025)

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Cal LaRoche, a brilliant and dedicated advisor and champion of the Ron Brown Scholar Program, who left us on Wednesday, April 9th, 2025.

Born in New York in January 1946, Cal graduated from Central State University in Ohio, where he joined the Eta Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. His career spanned decades of leadership and innovation, beginning at the National Security Agency and continuing through key roles at IBM, SkyTel Communications, and The Orkand Corporation. 

A visionary entrepreneur, Cal later co-founded DC Ventures and Associates.

His commitment to service was unwavering. Cal chaired the Boards of Trustees at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda and Norwood School and served with distinction for 15 years on the Advisory Board of the Ron Brown Scholar Program. His leadership extended to the Beta Mu, Boulé Foundation Board, where he served as Chair, and to Patients For Affordable Drugs, where he was a founding board member and Treasurer.

An avid golfer and advocate for equity in the sport, Cal co-founded the Pro-Duffer/Carter Foundation Scholarship to promote diversity in golf. A long-time member of TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, he was as passionate about creating opportunity as he was about the game itself.

Cal’s legacy is carried on by his beloved family: his mother, Lucille “Gloria” David; his wife, Esperanza, and their sons, CJ and Ethan; his former wife, Cheryl LaRoche; their daughters, Gina LaRoche, Renee LaRoche-Morris, and Danielle LaRoche; six grandchildren; and his siblings. His wisdom, warmth, and unwavering belief in the potential of young people will remain an enduring part of the Ron Brown Scholar community.

We are forever grateful for Cal’s enduring support, leadership, and love. He leaves behind a legacy of excellence, generosity, and deep humanity. He will be deeply missed.
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Ron Brown Scholar Award Recipients

Brennan Gould

RBS 2001

Brennan Gould is president and chief executive officer of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. The Foundation is a community-centered, equity-forward organization with a mission to drive positive, sustainable change in Charlottesville and its surrounding communities. As president, her primary responsibility is to oversee all aspects of the Foundation’s strategy, vision and operations. The Foundation manages nearly $300 million in assets and distributes over $25 million in grants annually.

Prior to becoming president, Brennan served as director of the Foundation’s grantmaking programs. As director, she oversaw community investments in the areas of rural food insecurity, maternal and infant health disparities, education, community redevelopment, and greenway trail networks. Brennan has been with the Foundation since 2010.

Brennan gained national recognition for her work to create the Foundation’s Heal Charlottesville Fund. Formed immediately after the August 2017 white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, the Fund was the primary provider of financial assistance to survivors devastated by the acts of terror. The Fund also made grants to initiatives advancing racial equity and seeking to build power among black and brown communities. In 2018, the Council on Foundations selected Brennan to receive its Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking in recognition of her work on the Heal Charlottesville Fund.

Under her leadership, the Foundation has grown its influence in the Central Virginia region and mobilized philanthropy to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation was awarded the 2020 Truist Promise Award from Philanthropy Southeast for its innovative response.

Brennan has also evolved the Foundation toward a more proactive and aligned organization that better leverages its capital and capabilities for lasting and transformative change. She has strengthened operations, built internal infrastructure, reshaped organizational culture, and launched new partnerships to further enhance the foundation’s community leadership and impact.

Brennan serves on the Board of Directors of the Council on Foundations. She is a former co-chair of the University of Virginia’s President’s Council on University-Community Partnerships and continues to serve as a member of the Council.

Drawing on nearly 15 years of executive leadership and management experience, Brennan consults with organizations for strategic planning, organizational development, and executive coaching.

A native of Iowa, Brennan holds a degree in philosophy from the University of Iowa and is a distinguished 2001 Ron Brown Scholar, Davidson Fellow Laureate and graduate of the Council on Foundations Career Pathways Program. Brennan and her husband, Andre, live in Charlottesville with their five young children.

Ron Brown Scholar Award Recipient

Jon Piper

MIM SOFTWARE

RBS 1998

After earning a BS in Chemistry in 2002 and a MS, ABT in Computer Science from Wake Forest University, Jon has worked in the field of image processing for more than a decade. He joined MIM Software in 2005 as a Research Engineer where he is now the Chief Scientific Officer. Jon has played an integral role in the creation and implementation of novel products and algorithms in radiology, radiation oncology, and urology. He has traveled the world collaborating with leading physicians and researchers in medicine and computer science. He has authored various patents and scientific manuscripts and frequently presents his work at professional society meetings.