Reston Association Names New Director of Communications and Community Engagement

(Posted Aug. 31, 2023) Reston Association has named Cara O’Donnell as the new Director of Communications and Community Engagement. O’Donnell brings three decades of experience in media and communications to the role and will oversee the Association’s community outreach efforts and overall communications efforts, including content creation, media relations and other strategies for the Association’s priorities, services and programs.

“I have spent the majority of my career sharing the stories of communities, and I look forward to now bringing that expertise to Reston and engaging with the community,” said O’Donnell. “This is a wonderful opportunity to support and serve the area I call home, and I am excited and humbled to join the RA team.”

A Reston resident, O’Donnell spent the last 11 years managing communications and media relations for Arlington Economic Development, a department of Arlington County Government. In her role, she led media and editorial efforts for Arlington’s successful recruitment of Amazon HQ2 and secured national and international media placements focusing on Arlington both as a center for business attraction and as a tourism destination.

Chief Executive Officer Mac Cummins said, “We are pleased and excited to bring Cara O’Donnell to Reston Association. Her background and experience in community building and reaching the membership will be felt as soon as she steps into her role in September. Her work with Arlington County in communications will greatly aid RA as we advance many strategic initiatives in the coming months.”

O’Donnell originally hails from Pennsylvania, where she worked in state government, destination marketing, higher education communications and as a local television news anchor/reporter. She holds degrees from Temple University and Ithaca College.

In her free time, O’Donnell can periodically be seen onstage with Reston Community Players and can often be found walking her dog along Reston’s many trails. She begins at RA on Monday, September 25.