Meet your 2024 Board of Directors Candidates!
These Candidates will be up for election to:
Establish policies and oversees the implementation for the Region.
Appoint committees and their chairpersons.
Elect the Regional Executive and other officers of the Region.
Manage the finances of the Region and oversee the functions of the Region Administrator (Heidi S. Weir).
Renew the Region's Charter, run the regional elections and establish the regional dues.
Promote the Region, both directly and with others, via marketing and outreach events.
Are responsible to ensure that the region operates within the guidelines of the SCCA and the laws governing tax exempt organizations.
Listen to complaints and arbitrate the solutions within the Region.
Select several of the regional award winners.
Represent the Region at the divisional and national level.
Individual members of the Board serve as liaisons between major committees and the BOD.
Chuck Allard
SCCA Experience: L. Chuck Allard III
SCCA Membership 1974 – Present (Member # 51457)
Competition License 1977 – Present
Chief Instructor – Washington DC Region 1982 – 1993
Board of Directors Ten years between 1992- 2004
Five times Regional Executive 1993-1996, 1999-2001
Five years as a Drivers Rep on Competition Committee 2019-Present
My non-SCCA experience was in the data and telecommunications management environment. I have multiple years as a Project and Program Manager for various government contractors such as Lockheed Martin and L3 Communications in the Washington DC area.
Many members of the club join SCCA based on differing interests and expectations. Once they become involved, they either have a specific area that they focus on or are attracted to certain areas by other members who welcome them. Members that join based on a desire to compete, focus on road racing, autocross or the road and off road rallyes. Other members join for the social aspects and a sense of volunteerism that gets them closer to the competitive areas. Each group needs the other in order for the club to flourish. As in driving, on the volunteer side, expertise is gained through instruction, experience and a desire to excel. The provision of this expertise is managed by volunteers who were beginners at one time. Some of these folks grow in their skills and training until they become mentors and leaders in their areas. For myself, I joined the club for one reason (racing) and grew to see the need to expand to other areas based on where I thought there were needs and where I could help.
As a member of the BoD each year we managed a budget for the upcoming year. We balanced Specialty funding requests as well as expected fixed costs based on event projections. During my time on the BoD, we were fortunate to have many race entries and therefore did not have to restrict spending on growth. At the time, the WDCR Solo program was flourishing but their revenue stream (read: entry fees) did not support large capital expenditures. I convinced the BoD to buy better timing equipment, new cones and a bus for the Solo group so that their volunteers could continue to excel in putting on world class events. These investments by the BoD and great leadership by members who stepped up to guide the Solo group led to our Region becoming the best in the nation.
As the Region grew in activities (Racing, Solo, Rallye) and complexity it became apparent that volunteers were becoming overwhelmed in administrative details. I proposed and the BoD approved a plan to hire a Region Administrator to manage many of the day to day needs of the club funded within the budget approved by the Board. I helped prepare the RFP, we reviewed the applicants and awarded the first contract for Region Administrator. Over the years, the Region Administrator position has grown to be the backbone of our club and ensures that we continue to function in a professional manner across all of our venues.
One of the strengths of our Region is the leadership of the various Specialties and driver activities. I worked with SCCA National to provide training on consensus management to our volunteers in various weekend training sessions. Part of my goal was to help the leaders to “train their replacement” by encouraging their younger members to attend these classes and participate with them in setting goals for their areas.
Since I left the BoD in 2004, I devoted my time to finishing out my professional career and building a shop to house my present business. I continued my MARRS racing and eventually volunteered to be a Drivers Rep. I wanted to participate on the Competition Committee offering some guidance and to provide an historical perspective. I like how the club continues to excel and am amazed at its resilience through the Covid Era. I wish to again become more actively involved and believe that I can help guide our focus and trajectory in the future by working with the other members of the BoD.
Mark Hillyer
WDCR member: since 2005
WDCR Involvement:
First MARRS race I flagged was the Drivers school in April 2005. Worked at station 7 in the rain with Wayne Armbrust, and yes I was hooked.
Completed my Competition License in 2014, and raced in the SSM in the MARRS series. Then 5 years later raced SRX7.
Northeast region Divisional Administrator for F&C
National F&C license
Co-chief for F&C WDCR
ASST Flag Chief SCCA runoffs at VIR
TT/TE Safety steward
Helmets Off to Heroes Coordinator
Outside region:
Flagged IMSA at VIR Mid Ohio
Flagged INDYCAR Baltimore GP
Flagged F1 Montreal, Australia, England, Miami, Austin, Las Vegas
Biography:
Born and raised in Asheville NC and grew up with fiats, MG’s, Austin Healeys, Singers, Triumphs, Peugeots. And VW’s where I got the racing bugs at the Chimney Rock Hillclimb and the SCCA runoffs at Road Atlanta
I am a member of multiple car clubs and look forward to bringing the best from regional, national, and global racing organizations to the Washington DC region.
Kate Claffie - Incumbent
SCCA MEMBER: since 2009
WDCR INVOLVEMENT (including Autocrossers, Inc., DC Region Chapter Club):
Started autocrossing with WDCR and Autocrossers Inc. in mid-2009
Joined the Autocrossers Inc Committee in late 2011, and have served as the President and the Vice President
Joined the WDCR Solo Committee in 2013, and have been the Chief of Waivers (aka “Kate at the Gate”) since then.
Promoted to Assistant Solo Chair in 2018 to further enable the region program and its events run smoothly
PERSONAL: Prior to autocrossing, I spent my weekends doing race photography for a lower-level NASCAR Division. I am “owned” by my pug Hondo, and was previously involved in pug rescue with volunteer work and fundraising. My day job includes handling privacy and security concerns for my office.
Baron Mills
Learning to drive (at a young age on the farm) my brother would take me out in the VW in snow storms and we’d do ebrake-turns and 180’s and laugh hysterically. Fun is addictive, so after getting my own car I joined SCCA in the early 80’s to compete in Solo IIs and Road Rallys, and had a blast. I’ve been chasing that same mix of excitement and laughter in motorsports ever since. In 2012 I rejoined SCCA to try a WDCR HPDE, and I was hooked. Jump to today and I hang out with my best friends every few weekends, and get to show others the many ways to have fun at the track.
I joined the HPDE/TT leadership committee 8 years ago and I’ve enjoyed helping grow the program, and now I offer my leadership skills to the Region. It’s hard not to use generic jargon vote-for-me words, but the bottom line is I’m very good at creating innovative solutions and problem solving, especially when I believe in the organization and people. And I am laser focused on what members will need and want a year or more out. I’d love to give back to an organization that has provided almost 2 decades of motorsports enjoyment.
My SCCA Involvement:
Member of the HPDE/TT leadership committee.
Responsible for much of the public messaging for HPDE/TT via event emails and MSR registration.
Develop and teach HPDE Advanced Run Group class curriculum.
Developed the HPDE Data Guided Coaching program (“The best HPDE data-analysis program in the country” -Matt Romanowksi).
Manage the relationship between the HPDE/TT program and trailbrake.com/Matt Romanowski, a nationally renowned professional driver coach.
Am a respected competitor in the Time Trials program.
Instruct at WDCR Dominion Raceway HPDE/TT events.
I hold the following SCCA licenses: TE/TT Event Lead, TE/TT Safety Steward, TE/TT Driver Coach Spec, TT Driver License Advanced.
Outside of SCCA:
Instructed for the Vintage Racing Group racing clinic (2023, 2024).
Successfully completed BMWCCA race school.
Senior Instructor for Summit Point FATT program.
National competitions (and some wins) in volleyball, tactical shooting, and skydiving.
Currently retired, the majority of my professional career was as a civil servant, with the last 10 years at the Department of Defense as a Senior Executive. As the owner of Cordis Consulting I provided guidance to the leadership of several world-leading IT companies.
My civillian service to our country resulted in the following notable awards; US Presidential Meritorious Rank Award, the National Intelligence Superior Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, and the Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Baron Mills
Trey Albrecht
My journey with WDCR began in early 2018 when a chance encounter at a HPDE/TT event, alongside my good friend Jack MacLeod, ignited a passion that has only grown stronger. We quickly became involved, starting as instructors and eventually taking on CI responsibilities at our favorite local raceway. Our dedication has played a key role in establishing and developing the WDCR Dominion Raceway program. I now serve as the Program Director for WDCR Dominion and actively contribute to the SCCA National Time Trial program through coaching, staffing, and participating in the National Tour. With 10 years of experience as a Cyber Security Engineer supporting the Department of Defense, I bring a strong professional background to the table. My wife and I are also devoted dog lovers, sharing our lives with two rescues, Franks and Callie, who often join us at the track (whether strolling around or cooling off in the A/C). After a series of engine mishaps, I’ve fully embraced the Honda K24 as a top choice for our thrilling motorsport lifestyle. My goal in joining the board is to further contribute to the vibrant paddock community we’ve built, while also advocating for and supporting the diverse driving communities within WDCR.
Brian Johnson
I have been involved in motorsports since I was a young age where my dad introduced me to his passion of motocross racing and drag racing. As far back as I can remember we were at car shows, drag strips, dirt track races, and air shows. I grew up watching Formula 1 and Indy cars every weekend and helping my dad work on motorcycles, cars, and farm equipment. My first job was welding in a boat yard while I went to school on a small airfield learning how to do aerospace welding and machining. After I graduated school, I joined the Army and was in Army Aviation for ten years. I had the idea I was going to grow my racing career while in the military and raising my kids. I worked a side job to afford everything while traveling with my motorcycle in my little utility trailer, rolling the bike out to set up my cot, and sleep at the track on the weekends…. It is experience I’d not trade for anything. When the Army sent me over-seas I sold my entire race setup. I traveled all over the world while bringing my passion for motorsports with me. While in Germany I had bought an E36 M3 for $800 which I absolutely loved. I drove that car all over the alps and some local German racetracks and was sad I couldn’t bring it with me back to the USA. Life brought me back to the USA where I had to take some time away from motorsports due to injuries and other circumstances. With my partner Taneshia being caring and supportive I decided to get back into motorsports in 2016 with the bright idea of doing something entirely new to me – tracking high horsepower cars. I joined the SCCA and I learned the same expensive lessons we all do but I still love it and still have high horsepower cars. I also love my little low horsepower Miata because it’s a different type of fun, mixing it up with the slower cars and chasing down your friends... The biggest thing that keeps me here at the track is the community of people. SCCA community is something special and it really shows how great people can be. It’s very rewarding to foster that type of community and help where possible. I learn so much from the people here and keep coming back for more. I look forward to the opportunity of fairly representing other motorsports enthusiasts so please cast your vote in favor of me.
want to get involved?
The BOD meets once a month. Board members typically spend an average of three hours a week on Region business, but a few spend much more. The pay for BOD members is a free meal at the monthly meeting. When things go right, you are invisible. When things go wrong, you are not. The experience and the friendship of your fellow board members are the rewards. If you love the sport and respect the club, it is all worthwhile.
