Alexandria Mourns Roberto Gomez, Founder of Cornerstone Craftsman

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Roberto Gomez, the Alexandria entrepreneur and youth advocate who founded Cornerstone Craftsman to help young people build brighter futures through the skilled trades, has died, according to a statement from the nonprofit’s board of directors.

The news of his death brought grief to the community Tuesday, Nov. 10. At its meeting that evening, Alexandria City Council observed a moment of silence in his memory.

“Roberto was Cornerstone,” the board wrote in its announcement. “He was its heart, its soul, and its driving force.”

The board did not disclose the circumstances of Gomez’s death or announce memorial arrangements. This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.

A life devoted to opening doors

Gomez knew firsthand what it meant to grow up without enough guidance or opportunity. A successful home-remodeling business owner, he had found his own direction through electrical work and the construction trades. He wanted Alexandria teenagers to discover that kind of possibility sooner than he had.

He began mentoring young people in 2021, building the effort into Cornerstone Craftsman, a nonprofit that combined hands-on instruction in carpentry, electrical work and plumbing with personal mentorship, education and life skills. In The Zebra’s April 2026 profile of Gomez, 28 pre-apprentices ages 12 to 17 were enrolled in the program.

“I saw what was going on around me,” Gomez told The Zebra for that story. “Young people needed direction, and they weren’t getting it.”

His vision was never limited to teaching someone to use a tool. Cornerstone Craftsman sought to give teenagers confidence, responsibility and a sense of belonging, especially those who might not see a clear path through traditional academic routes. Gomez built relationships with local schools, police, tradespeople and community supporters to make that work possible.

“He saw potential where others saw obstacles, offered encouragement when it was needed most, and believed deeply that every young person deserved a chance to succeed,” the Cornerstone Craftsman board said.

At Cornerstone Craftsman’s 2025 grand opening on Eisenhower Avenue, Mayor Alyia Gaskins recalled seeing Gomez bring his young mentees to community meetings and public hearings. He told her he wanted them to understand the issues shaping their lives and to be present where decisions were made.

In 2024, Gomez was named among the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Under 40 honorees. Cornerstone Craftsman went on to receive the Chamber’s 2025 Rising Star award at its Best in Business Awards.

Just four days before the board’s announcement of his death, Burke & Herbert Bank announced on Nov. 6 that Cornerstone Craftsman would be its 2026–27 Goals for Good recipient, earning a donation for every Washington Capitals goal during the regular season. In the bank’s announcement, Gomez celebrated what the support would mean for young people learning trades and imagining new possibilities for their lives.

His commitment extended to City Hall

Gomez took that same belief in opportunity into Alexandria politics this year, running for City Council in the February Democratic firehouse primary. Campaigning on workforce education, affordability and public safety, he received 876 votes, about 22 percent of the ballots cast, finishing third in a five-person field.

His campaign was another expression of a commitment he had already made through Cornerstone Craftsman: ensuring that residents too often overlooked had a voice in decisions that affected them.

“I can bring voices to the table that are traditionally left out,” he told The Zebra in the April interview.

The board’s tribute made clear how inseparable Gomez was from the mission he created. “Roberto didn’t just change lives. He helped shape futures,” its statement said, pointing to the young people he mentored, the relationships he built and the community he brought together.

“There are no words that can adequately express the depth of this loss,” the board wrote. “Roberto’s compassion, generosity, and extraordinary commitment to others made our community a better place.”

For an Alexandria community still absorbing the news, Gomez’s legacy can be seen in the young people he encouraged to pick up a tool, imagine a career and recognize their own worth.

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. As of this report, additional details about Gomez’s death and any services have not been released.