About Gato

My name is Roberto Gato Echanique,
this is my community, and I'm here to help.

I'm an artist, and for 20 years I helped design, build and run theatre and live events all around DC, Maryland, Virginia and the tiny town of Alpena, Michigan.  Because I was "the guy with the tools" I helped these nonprofits and small businesses take care of every part of their buildings from rooftops to foundations. I replaced outlets and lighting, repaired plumbing, patched the roof, painted walls, built furniture, solved telephone and IT problems. People turn to me for help, whatever it is.

In 2014 I wanted to focus on my art practice, and to pay the bills, I changed careers and started over. I wanted to study HVAC, the building system I knew the least about. Taking an apprenticeship with a national manufacturer’s commercial service division, I got NATE certified, and spent the next 12 years working on every residential and commercial system I could get my hands on, large and small, from Towson to Manassas and from Leesburg to Ocean City. In 2022, I joined the Steamfitters UA local 602, and got my Maryland and Virginia HVAC Master licenses in 2026.

I know the unique challenges nonprofits and small businesses face here, because I’ve helped them overcome them. I know the intimidating issues homeowners face here, because I’m one too, and know what's at stake when we're looking after our family's biggest investment. I live here, love this community and want to help take care of it. A portion of every single ticket goes into a Community Assistance Trust. As the CAT grows, it will earn interest and that money will be used to help our most vulnerable neighbors get HVAC work done at little or no cost. I’ll show anyone the numbers. Yes, really.