The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors honored three individuals on June 24 with the 2025 A. Heath Onthank Award, the highest honor for county government and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) employees.
Saluted for their outstanding service to county residents were:
- Jennifer Dickinson for her service as the assistant branch manager at Pohick Regional Library
- Sheriff’s Office 1st. Lt. Maegan Diotalevi
- Kara Payne, an office assistant at Katherine Johnson Middle School
They join nearly 360 past recipients in the awards program, which dates to 1966, and represent “the best of the county and school system,” said John Townes, chair of the county’s Civil Service Commission.
Supervisors and the community are “very proud of you,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the presentation.
The awards are named in honor of U.S. Army Col. A. Heath Onthank, who chaired the Civil Service Commission from 1957 to 1962 and is credited with helping establish a merit-based government workforce in the county.
In addition to public recognition, honorees receive a $2,500 stipend.
Longtime member of health-care panel lauded
Also at the June 24 meeting, supervisors approved a resolution honoring the longtime service of Rose Chu on the Fairfax County Health Care Advisory Board.
The resolution was sponsored by Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez, whose district has been represented on the panel by Chu for more than three decades.
The board “is a force to be reckoned with” in protecting the interests of county residents related to health care, Chu said in remarks to supervisors.
Created by the Board of Supervisors in 1973, the panel consists of appointed members representing each magisterial district. There are also two at-large seats filled by representatives for physicians and health care providers.
Supervisors prepare to honor student-athletes
In addition, supervisors announced plans to honor spring individual and team state-champion athletes from FCPS at their next meeting on July 15. The recognitions will include:
Lacrosse: West Potomac High School
Boys soccer: Herndon High School
Girls tennis
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology (girls team champion)
- Langley High School (boys team champion)
- Langley High School (boys doubles champion)
- Avery Huang, Thomas Jefferson (individual champion)
- Avery Huang and Christina Kim, Thomas Jefferson (girls doubles champion)
- Diego Vargas and Sergio Albisu, James Madison High School (boys doubles champion)
Track-and-field relay teams
- Robinson Secondary School (6A boys 4×400 meter relay)
- South County High School (6A girls 4×100 and 4×400 meter relays)
- West Springfield High School (6A boys 4×800 meter relay)
Track-and-field individual
- Harry Economon, Robinson Secondary School (6A boys 400 meter dash)
- Michael Murray, West Springfield High School (6A boys pole vault)
- Chris Hwang, Chantilly High School (boys discus)
- Mia Mason, South County High School (6A girls 100 meter dash)
- Julia Wallace, South County High School (6A girls 400 meter dash)
- Caroline Elliott, South Lakes High School (6A girls 800 meter and 1600 meter runs)
- Apria Smith, Chantilly High School (6A girls triple jump)
- Jacqueline Bullock, Chantilly High School (6A girls pole vault)
