The DPW BUZZ- News for DPW Employees. Formally known as the DPW Exchange.

1. Message
from the
Director
DPW DPW
THE BUZZ
News for DPW Employees!
/ 1
DC temperatures soared above 90 degrees
this past summer. Despite the heat, our employees
delivered timely services, kicked off major initiatives, and
produced work that attracted headlines nationwide. Without
a doubt, this summer DPW was on fire.
During the fourth quarter season, DPW secured food waste vendors
and provided residents in every ward of the city with an option to
drop food waste off at their local farmers market for subsequent
composting. Our graffiti abatement crews kicked off the second Great
Graffiti Wipe Out, which focused on highly tagged corridors from June
through August. DPW also unveiled an instantly iconic mural at Ben’s
Chili Bowl, which caught the attention of such celebrities as rapper
Wale, actress Taraji P. Henderson, and drew local celebrities from
Donnie Simpson and the late Dick Gregory to national icon comedian
Dave Chappelle. The event recognized the 10th anniversary of DPW’s
graffiti prevention MuralsDC program.
Speaking of celebrating 10 years—DPW also kicked off its 10th
annual Truck Touch, where hundreds of visitors experienced more than 20 city government “monster trucks,”
games and activities by the Department of Parks and Recreation and were treated to entertainment by DPW
employees who performed the “Truck Touch Stroll”.
We also became the first agency to unveil DC government’s new Intranet design.
DPW continues to focus on the newest technology and a cleaner environment by expanding its smart litter can
operations and being recognized as a leader for its use of alternative fuel vehicles.
Chris Shorter
Table of Contents
DPW News
Employee Spotlights
DPW Kudos Corner
Page 2 - 4
Page 4 - 7
Page 7 - 8

2. THE BUZZ
2 / 
and the corresponding need for
expanded services. In this effort,
DPW convened a multi-agency
after-action snow conference this
summer. The two-day session, held
June 14 and 27, offered participants
the chance to hear from members
of the senior leadership team and
nationally recognized snow and ice
removal experts, and share honest
feedback that will be incorporated
into the After Action Report and
Improvement Plan.
DPW Director Chris Shorter and DPW
SWMA Deputy Administrator Daniel
Harrison with SWMA employees Donta
Bowser and Gerard Jones who both won
challenges at the American Public Works
Association’s regional Roadeo competition.
dpw.in.dc.gov
DPW Launched New & Improved
INTRANET!
DPW Helps Test New
Fleet Share Pilot
DC Snow Team Winter After-Action Conference
DPW was the first agency to unveil the District’s “new and
improved” Intranet site in September. DPW’s Intranet site is a
main portal where employees can log into People Soft to input
time and attendance and review employee benefits and other
personnel data. It also houses vital DPW policy information and
connects employees to the District’s Fleet Share service.
Each District agency has its own Intranet, which is only viewable
by its employees. The revamped site, dpw.in.dc.gov, is District
government’s very first Intranet “makeover” and will serve as a
high-tech hub for all things DPW.
DC was fortunate this past
winter, having only one significant
storm out of 11 mobilizations.
Despite the mild snow season,
the District deployed 1,300
employees and the Office of
Unified Communications (DC 311)
received more than 500 snow
and ice removal requests. While
this past year was a success,
DPW continues to identify
opportunities for improvement
to meet new challenges, such
as our city’s growing population
DPW and the Department of
For-Hire Vehicles, along with
the Office of Contracts and
Procurement, will soon announce
a new Fleet Share system
based on the Uber and Lyft lift
transportation model. The new
system is designed to enhance
the District’s current fleet sharing
structure and provide additional
transportation options for DC
government employees.
Like Uber and Lyft, users will
be able to use their phone to
request a ride in minutes or
schedule future transportation,
using District-licensed taxicabs.
A test pilot of the new system is
currently underway and will be
reviewed for possible extension.
DPW News

3. / 3
MuralsDC kicked off its 10th anniversary on June 21 with an unveiling of its first mural of the season on
Ben’s Chili Bowl’s wall. For the second time in five years, muralist Aniekan Udofia took paint brush to
brick to memorialize the District’s nostalgic cultural past and celebrate its vibrant future with images
of luminaries Harriet Tubman, President Obama and Michelle Obama, Muhammad Ali, singer Prince,
rapper Wale, actress Taraji P. Henson, comedian Dave Chappelle, radio personalities Donnie Simpson
and Russ Parr, singer Roberta Flack, the late Mayor Marion Barry, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes
Norton and DC the late newscaster Jim Vance and activist/comedian Dick Gregory, who both passed
away recently.
MuralsDCUnveiling Attracts
Celebrities, Icons
Leaf Season 2017-2018 Kicks Off in November
will receive a brochure in the mail later this month with their leaf
collection dates, and will see advertisements in several newspapers
and while riding Metro buses.
In addition to leaves, DPW will collect holiday trees and greenery
from residents between January 13 and February 2. DPW’s leaf
season kickoff event is scheduled with Mayor Bowser and Director
Shorter on Friday, November 3. The event will take place at a DCPS
Elementary School and feature one of our 54 leaf vacuum vehicles.
More than 280 temporary and permanent DPW employees will
contribute to our leaf collection program.
Starting November 6, DPW will
traverse neighborhoods throughout
the District collecting leaves. By
the end of the collection season
on January 31, SWMA’s Street and
Alley Division will have collected
more than 7,000 tons of leaves.
DC residents serviced by DPW
DPW to Lead 2017
One Fund Campaign
DPW Director Chris Shorter
has been selected to chair this
year’s One Fund Campaign.
The DC One Fund program,
run by the DC Office of the
Secretary, is the District
government’s workplace giving
program. Through electronic
deductions, employees can
easily donate to their favorite
charity and provide needed
support for thousands of
programs that directly
impact families, children and
communities. This year’s kick
off, centered around the theme
“Why We Give,” was planned
for October 3rd. An event
exclusively for DPW employees
will be held October 31. Stay
tuned for more information
about how you can participate.

4. THE BUZZ
4 / 
DC Expands List of Recyclable Items
On Thursday, October 5, Director Shorter along with Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) Director
Tommy Wells and Department of General Services (DGS) Associate Director Zach Dobelbower announced an
expanded list of recyclable items in the District, which for the first time includes foodservice packaging. The
Directors will also officially unveil DC’s new Zero Waste website, a one-stop resource for District residents,
businesses, and schools to learn about how to recycle, compost, reduce waste and properly dispose of hazardous
waste.
Increasing the number of recyclable items will help DC as it works to achieve its goal of diverting 80 percent
of citywide waste by 2032.
The announcement was made at Burroughs Elementary School, which was honored earlier this year among
the top-performing DCPS Recycles! schools in the District. Students from the school helped Director Shorter
demonstrate the newly recyclable items. DC residents serviced by DPW have received a mailing about the new
items, and will soon be seeing advertisements in various DC newspapers and while riding the Metro.
DPW and DCPL Partner to Provide
Computer Training
9:30am-11:30am
Microsoft Office Suites I (Intermediate)
1:00pm-3:00pm
PC Basics (Beginner)
4:00pm-6:00pm
Microsoft Office Suites I (Intermediate)
6:30pm-8:30pm
Microsoft Advanced
CLASS SCHEDULE (on Wednesdays)
4 classes began on September 20 in
the computer lab at 1725-15th Street, NE.
DPW’s Training, Education and Development division. Recently
launched a partnership with the DC Public Library (DCPL) to
bring computer skills classes to DPW employees. Led by DCPL
staff, all of the classes were enthusiastically embraced by those
in attendance.
The DPW/DCPL classes currently run weekly on Wednesdays.
The PC Basics workshops run for three consecutive weeks; the
others run for six weeks. Each successfully completed class
offers a nationally-recognized certificate from Northstar Digital
Literacy.
Space is limited.
For further information, contact Staff Development Officer
Nancy Harvin at nancy.harvin@dc.gov or at (202)541-6050 or
the Training Department at (202)671-2220.

5. / 5
Jonathan Kuhl,
Public Information Officer
New
Employees
DPW welcomed new Public Information
Officer (PIO), Jonathan “Jon” Kuhl in
June. Jon will serve as the primary
spokesperson and contact for the news
media. Jon has worked as a public
affairs consultant, managing a range
of communications and advocacy
campaigns. Prior to DPW, he served
as the spokesperson for the National
Conference of State Legislatures, where
he frequently worked with local and
national journalists.
Jon earned his bachelor’s degree in
government from Hamilton College and
his master’s degree in public relations
and corporate communications from
Georgetown University.
Mark Cancelosi
Safety Officer
Mark Cancelosi became DPW’s new
Safety Officer in August. He will
assist with planning and executing
comprehensive plans for safety,
risk management and emergency
preparedness/responsiveness for
the agency. He will also ensure that
safety standards for DPW’s fleet
management, parking services and solid
waste administrations are consistent
with Occupational Safety and Health
Administration federal standards.
Mark holds a Master of Science in
Safety Management and has more
than 20 years of experience as a safety
officer.
Valentina Ukwuoma,
Solid Waste Management
Administrator
Valentina I. Ukwuoma was
appointed Solid Waste
Management Administrator
in August. Valentina held a
similar leadership post with
the Department of Public
Works in Baltimore City, where
she successfully planned
and implemented initiatives
that maximized operational
efficiency for the Bureau of
Solid Waste.
Valentina is a graduate of the
University of Calabar, Nigeria,
with a bachelor’s degree in
Philosophy and the College of
Notre Dame with a master’s
degree in Management.
Frederick Payne,
Management and Program Analyst
Frederick Payne joined DPW as a Management and Project Analyst in
June. “Freddie” holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Illinois
State University and a master’s degree in Psychology from the University of
Detroit. In his new role, he will be responsible for the analysis of processes,
procedures and products for the DPW’s Solid Waste, Environment, Fleet
and Recycling administrations.
Prior to accepting his role at DPW, Freddie was the District Sales Manager
for Volvo in Houston, TX.
Employee Spotlight

6. THE BUZZ
PEMA Employee Honored
by Obama
6 / 
It’s not every day you get honored by a
president; but that’s just what happened
to Parking Enforcement Officer Barbara
Lucas this summer. Lucas, who has worked
with DPW for 11 years, was honored
recently with a Lifetime Achievement
Award by President Barack Obama for her
work with EGOS, a nonprofit that mentors
youth through sports activities.
Lucas has volunteered her time as a
youth mentor and basketball coach for
nearly four decades. She has served as
a volunteer with EGOS, which stands for
Education, Goals, Opportunities, Sports,
since 1997. Founded in 1994, EGOS uses
sports as a vehicle to help underserved
youth determine and achieve their goals
and provides scholarships to help support
those goals. Lucas, who played college
basketball, describes EGOS as a place for
the kids involved to call home.
“I used sports as a tool to try to help other
youth and to educate them to do better,”
said Lucas, who played basketball at
Cheyney University on a team that made
it to the Women’s National Collegiate
Athletic Association Final Four. “I wanted
to give them an opportunity and something
to do.”
Today, the kids Lucas worked with now work as fire fighters, teachers, real estate agents, and a variety of
careers they never thought was possible for them, she says, adding that she is now mentoring the second
and third generation of families that have matriculated through the program.
The nonprofit, whose president Walter Ray described Lucas as “one of the special people in the community
who has done so much for so many”, is trying to organize an event where all of the awardees can meet
President Obama.
“We’re talking about the first African American president, so it was an honor to receive that award,” said
Lucas. “They could’ve chosen anyone but they chose me.”

7. DPW Kudos Corner
Yolanda Hood
/ 7
Theresa Cusick Retires
Kevin Twine
Communications
Office
SWEEP
DPW said goodbye to Theresa Cusick on July 28 after 24 years of
DC government service. She was working as an attorney in DPW’s
General Counsel’s office. Theresa, who spent a decade of her
service with DPW, began her DC government career in the general
counsel’s office of the DC Council. She then went on to serve as the
general counsel for the Board of Parole and, subsequently, for Fire
& EMS.
Theresa, who has two children, says she looks forward to sleeping
late, playing with her three-month-old granddaughter, and
volunteering for local, Democratic campaigns.
July
25
Kevin (Twine), you are awesome!!! My mom appreciated your help -- I told
her how kind you were and walked me through the process. It is folks like
you who make life easier.
Sonia Karkenny, NW
I wanted to tell you about the fantastic job Inspector Yolanda Hood did
for our community. She was friendly and frank in explaining what DPW
did and did not do. For most government workers that would have been
good enough, but Inspector Hood went as far as coming to my home
to investigate our issue and to bring us an entire packet of information
along with flyers from another agency and a contact person whom could
help us. Finally, she said that she was eager to help with anything our
community needed and I believe her. Thank you for adding Inspector
Hood to our community. She is an asset.
Rodolfo (this letter was sent to the Mayor)
DPW Interns Strengthen Agency-University Partnership, Agency Performance
May
22
As part of DPW’s effort to build partnerships with local universities,
Director Shorter visited Georgetown University’s McDonough
School of Business last spring to launch a trial internship program.
Two MBA students, Paul LaCorte and Leo Dzidziguri, were selected
to work in DPW’s Office of Organizational Effectiveness and
Change Management over the summer, where they focused on a
series of high profile performance indicator studies. Some of their
work included a deep dive into how to improve the way the District
maintains and repairs our vehicle fleet, ensuring that it’s optimally
operational and able to provide a range of vital public services.

8. THE BUZZ
8 / 
Questions? Concerns? Send your emails to ask.dpwdirector@dc.gov
@dcdpw @dpwdc @dcdpw
Viola McIver July
17 Viola (McIver), it was great seeing you at this year’s THINGAMAJIG®
Invention Convention. On behalf of the YMCA of Metropolitan
Washington and the thousands of children we serve, thank you for
helping to make this year’s [event] a success.
Over 4,200 youth from the metropolitan region participated in a day
of experimenting, building, and growing. The YMCA’s Thingamajig
Invention Convention challenged kids ages 3 to 14 to participate
in STEM (Science, Technology, Electronics, and Math), physical
movement, and the arts. They enjoyed more than 75 hands-on
experiences and activities. The amazing Thingamajig Design Team
developed an impressive array of activities that truly tapped into
their natural curiosity, strategic thinking, and creative expression.
Thingamajig indeed helps reinforce our belief that exposing children
to hands-on experiences are the best form of teaching and learning.
In addition to the interactive workshops on-site, we also hosted over
575 Thingamajig® Inventors this year. Again, thank you for helping us
significantly impact the lives of the young people who participated.
Ed Fones, Association Director of Volunteerism, YMCA of
Metropolitan Washington
Director’s Office