Since 2013, Joshua Rales has served as the President of the Norman and Ruth Rales Foundation, a private family foundation located in Bethesda, Maryland. The Foundation is dedicated to providing children and families facing challenging circumstances with transformative opportunities to thrive through enhanced education, health, and social services. It primarily focuses its support on education with a special interest in scholarships for high performing students and introducing best practices into public schools to close the achievement gap. It also supports Jewish social services, organizations fighting bigotry and hate as well as community causes in the Greater Washington region.
Prior to becoming president of The Rales Foundation, Josh founded RFI Associates in 1984, a real estate investment company that specialized in buying and renovating apartment communities in the mid-Atlantic and southeast regions of the United States.
Josh earned his BA in government and foreign affairs with distinction from the University of Virginia in 1979 and his JD from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1983. He is a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bar associations. He has served on the boards of the Washington Hospital Center, the Urban Institute, Howard University, and the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
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.
