Hoffman Stepping Down as Friends of White Flint Executive Director

Says she will begin a new job in December

October 15, 2014 5:19 p.m.

Lindsay Hoffman announced Wednesday she will be stepping down as the executive director of Friends of White Flint, the advocacy organization composed of businesses, residents and developers that works to ensure the White Flint Sector Plan is implemented.

Hoffman was hired by current Gaithersburg mayor and District 3 County Council candidate Sidney Katz to serve on his council staff. Katz is running unopposed for the council seat being vacated by Phil Andrews, who lost a bid for county executive earlier this year.

Hoffman plans to officially step down from Friends of White Flint at the end of November. She said she’s not able to serve on the advocacy group and work for Katz because of conflict of interest issues.

- Advertisement -

“I’m pretty comfortable passing over the reins to somebody else at this point,” said Hoffman, who has been in the position for two years. “I think Old Georgetown Road is heading in the right direction and we’re going to return to the naming and branding issue soon.”

Those two issues have dominated the 501(c)(4) nonprofit’s work in recent months. Hoffman touched off a controversy last month when she wrote a post on the organization’s website criticizing the county and state’s plans to keep Old Georgetown Road as a six lane road plus multiple turn lanes. The sector plan calls for a narrower road with four travel lanes, as well as a bike lane and shared use path. The controversy led the County Council to introduce an amendment this week to the five-year capital budget calling on the road to be built according to the sector plan.  

The other issue the nonprofit has taken on is what to call the place. Names commonly used for the area include White Flint, North Bethesda and Rockville. Developers in the area—led by The JBG Companies and Federal Realty—are in the process of determining if they can agree on a new name for branding purposes in the developing district that surrounds the White Flint Metro station.

Friends of White Flint is now seeking a new executive director to lead the organization, a part-time paid position.

Since Hoffman joined the group she says its membership has grown and attendance is up at its events.

Digital Partners

Enter our essay contest