2022 MEDA Annual Conference

Danny graduated from Crisfield High School, received an Associate Degree in Accounting from Wor-Wic Community College and Business Administration at Salisbury University.

Danny is the current Executive Director for the Somerset County Economic Development Commission for the past 12 years. His position entitles him to focus on the retention and expansion of existing employers and the recruitment of new businesses to assist in the economic growth of Somerset County. He was previously employed with the State of Maryland in the Department of Labor, Licensing, & Regulation Agency for 12 years and formerly worked at the Carvel Hall Plant in Crisfield as Human Resources Manager, Time & Motion Study Observer for 10 years until its closing. He also owned & operated the Circle Inn Restaurant in Crisfield for 10 years.

He was the Past-Chairman of the Crisfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Somerset County Economic Development Commission. Danny serves as a board member for the Maryland Economic Development Association, Lower Shore Workforce Alliance, and was formerly a councilperson for 8 years at the City of Crisfield. He is also active as a High School Sports official in soccer & basketball.

Danny was raised in Fruitland, Maryland until 1975 then later moved to Crisfield, Maryland. He moved to the Princess Anne area in 2008. He is married to his wife, Cheryl who is a private music teacher, has a son Keith who graduated from University of Maryland College Park majoring in Electrical Engineering, and has two grandchildren Daniel Ryon, and Kaiden Nickolas. He enjoys all types of sports, cooking, playing trumpet in church, & spending time with his family.

Serial entrepreneur, growth leader, and merger lawyer, Luke Cooper is Partner at San Francisco- based Preface Ventures, and Founder and CEO of Latimer – a $250MM venture fund with the
mission of helping underrepresented founders reach outcomes. In 2021, Luke founded Latimer
with the aim to elevate the experience of Black tech entrepreneurs, provide training curriculum
and advisory services to BIPOC founders, and facilitate strategic connections between investors,
Fortune 1000 acquirers, and high growth companies.
Luke sold his previous venture, Fixt, to Assurant for more than 11x revenue. He grew revenue
>400% year-over-year, raised over $6MM in Series A funding, and delivered an Enterprise SaaS
product used by millions of end users. Luke served as VP, Global Growth, Alternative Service
Delivery at Assurant following the transition. He is only the 2nd Black tech entrepreneur to see a
company through to a successful exit in Baltimore.
With more than 20 years’ experience in leadership, strategic planning, and growth execution,
Luke has a proven track record of growing sales and margin expansion while leading
operational improvements to drive productivity and reduce costs. Luke has deep experience in
technology operations, product development, go-to-market strategies, sales growth, talent management, and business transformations and M&A. He is passionate about building a
diverse & inclusive culture.
Recognized as one of Baltimore’s “40 Under 40” Business Leaders and Entrepreneur of The Year
by Ernst & Young, Luke Cooper is a trusted advisor to investors, business leaders, start-up
founders, academia, and government leaders. Luke is recognized as a prominent voice
advocating for more equitable participation of underrepresented communities in
entrepreneurship.
Luke advises dozens of high growth companies, has served in a variety of non-profit and
institutional board and trustee roles, and uses his platform to raise awareness of the unique
challenges facing Black entrepreneurs. He has been published in Forbes, Entrepreneur
Magazine, Ebony, Technically Baltimore, the Baltimore Business Journal, among others.
Luke currently serves as the President’s Distinguished Scholar at the University of Maryland,
Baltimore. He has previously been a member of the Maryland TEDCO Board of Directors, focused
on providing startup funding, resources and connections to early- stage technology and life sciences companies. Luke holds a JD from Syracuse University, an MBA from Babson College, an
M&A Certificate from the University of Chicago, and a BASc from Adelphi University.

Stu is the CEO of Connected DMV, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates and delivers initiatives together with government, industry, academia, and community interests to the benefit of the greater Washington D.C. region (DMV) and beyond. Connected DMV leads and collaborates across sectors with an emphasis on delivering long-term social, digital, and physical infrastructure projects to drive healthy economic growth and improved social equities.

Previously, Stu served as President of IP3 (International Peace, Power, and Prosperity), an
international energy and security startup with the mission of enabling safe and secure nuclear power solutions for the world’s most critical markets amidst international competition.

Stu served 31 years at Accenture, where he led a variety of energy businesses, while also
serving as Managing Director of the Washington DC office. In his practice responsibilities, Stu worked with leading power companies to advance business strategies and capabilities in areas such as digital technology, SmartGrid, revenue cycle, cyber security, deregulation, competitive markets, corporate organization, culture, and human performance. Stu led the Washington DC office in growth from 2300 professionals, to over 6200 professionals when he retired.

He has served on a variety of non-profit and civic boards including Economic Club of
Washington DC (Officer), Greater Washington Board of Trade (Chair), Federal City Council,
KIPP DC, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Junior Achievement of Greater
Washington, and Baylor University Advisory Board of the Hankamer School of Business. He
was also named one of the Washington Business Journal’s Power 100.

Stu graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Information Systems.

Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with an office in Indonesia. The firm provides strategic analytical services to energy suppliers, law firms, medical systems, government agencies, and real estate developers among others.

In 2014, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan appointed him Chair of the Maryland Economic Development Commission (2014-2021). He also serves as chairman of the Baltimore County Economic Advisory Committee. He is also the Chief Economist to Associated Builders and Contractors and Chief Economic Advisor to the Construction Financial Management Association. He serves or has served similar functions for Visit Baltimore, Maryland Realtors, and Marcum, LLP.

He has lectured at Johns Hopkins University, most recently in Global Strategy, and has also taught international economics, urban economics, micro- and macroeconomics at Hopkins. His radio show can be heard weekdays on 88.1FM, WYPR, Baltimore.

In both 2007 and 2016, the Daily Record newspaper selected Mr. Basu as one of Maryland’s 50 most influential people. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010.

Mr. Basu has been on many boards over time, including First Mariner Bank, the Baltimore City Public School System, Port Discovery, the Baltimore School for the Arts, and Union Memorial Hospital. He is currently on the boards of the University of Maryland School of Law, St. Mary’s College, the University System of Maryland Foundation, the Center for Emerging Media, the Lyric Opera House and the Archdiocese of Baltimore School System.

Mr. Basu earned his B.S. in Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1990. He earned his Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and his Master’s in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. His Juris Doctor was earned at the University of Maryland School of Law. His doctoral work was completed at UMBC with a concentration in health economics.

Maryland Higher Education Secretary Dr. James D. Fielder is an effective and highly regarded executive and public servant with a passion for leading change, focused on improving the economic well-being of Marylanders through educational and business opportunity.

He has been appointed by four Maryland governors, providing his talents and expertise in numerous leadership capacities. These include:

Current Secretary of Maryland Higher Education Commission;

Secretary of Appointments;

Secretary of Labor, Licensing and Regulation;

Deputy & Acting Secretary for Business and Economic Development;

Assistant Secretary for Department of Economic & Employment Development

Member of Governor Hogan’s Transition Team.

He also served as Towson University’s Vice President of Finance & Administration, as well as the Director of Budget, Personnel & Institutional Research at the University of Michigan – Flint.

Secretary Fielder received his Ph.D. at Michigan State University in Higher Education, and his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Secretary of the Environment since January 21, 2015. Member, Governor’s Executive Council, 2015-; BayStat Subcabinet, 2015-; Governor’s Council on the Chesapeake Bay (Governor’s Chesapeake Bay Cabinet), 2015 Governor’s Subcabinet for International Affairs, 2015-; Smart Growth Subcabinet, 2015-. Chair, Asbestos Oversight Committee, 2015-. Vice-Chair, State Children’s Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council, 2015-. Member, Governor’s Intergovernmental Commission for Agriculture, 2015-; Animal Waste Technology Fund Advisory Committee, 2015-; Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission, 2015-; Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, 2015-; Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee, 2015-; Climate Change Commission, 2015-; Chesapeake Bay Trust, 2015-; Climate, Energy and Environment Policy Committee, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, 2015-; Coast Smart Council, 2015-; Critical Area Commission for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays, 2015-; Executive Committee for Dredged Material Management Plans, 2015-; Maryland Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council, 2015-; Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities, 2015-; Maryland Green Building Council, 2015-; Maryland Green Purchasing Committee, 2015-; Maryland Advisory Commission on Manufacturing Competitiveness, 2015-; Maryland Integrated Map Executive Committee, 2015-; Maryland Military Installation Council, 2015-; Interdepartmental Advisory Committee for Minority Affairs, 2015-; Task Force to Study the Impact of Ocean Acidification on State Waters, 2015-; Council on Open Data, 2015-; Ozone Transport Commission, 2015-; Pesticide Advisory Committee, 2015-; Maryland Pesticide Reporting and Information Work Group, 2015-; Renewable Fuels Incentive Board, 2015-; Scenic and Wild Rivers Review Board, 2015-; State Soil Conservation Committee, 2015-; Susquehanna River Basin Commission, 2015-; Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission, 2015-; Invasive Plants Advisory Committee, 2015-. Counsel, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, 2000-02 (environmental counsel & staff director to committees of U.S. House of Representatives, including science committee, 1985-2000). Assistant Administrator for Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004-08 (deputy assistant administrator, 2002-04). Director, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, 2009-10. Born in Kentucky. Wake Forest University, B.A. (english); Emory University Law School, J.D.; George Washington University School of Law, LL.M. (environmental law). President, U.S. Water Alliance, 2010-15.

Commerce Secretary R. Michael Gill brings a wealth of knowledge to the Department from his years of experience working in the government and in the private sector. He previously served as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce from 2015-2019.

James F. Ports, Jr., was named Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) in January 2022, the culmination of a career in public service spanning more than 30 years, including transportation posts at the local, state and federal levels and service as an elected representative in the Maryland General Assembly.

As Secretary, Mr. Ports oversees MDOT’s six transportation agencies – the State Highway Administration, Maryland Transit Administration, Motor Vehicle Administration, Maryland Aviation Administration, Maryland Port Administration and the Maryland Transportation Authority – and leads operations and maintenance of state highways and bridges, tollways, transit systems, motor vehicle licensing, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. Secretary Ports also serves as Chair of the Maryland Transportation Authority Board, the Maryland Port Commission and the Maryland Aviation Commission, and is a member of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors.

Secretary Ports previously served as Executive Director of the Maryland Transportation Authority, responsible for constructing, managing, operating and improving the state’s toll facilities, as well as financing new revenue producing transportation projects. The agency operates two turnpikes, two tunnels and four bridges, and is funded through tolls paid by the customers. Mr. Ports’ tenure at the MDTA was highlighted by advancement of critical infrastructure and completion of projects on budget and often ahead of schedule. Projects completed early include the new Interstate-895 bridge in Baltimore, statewide conversion to All-Electronic Tolling and replacement of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge westbound right lane deck, which was accomplished in one construction season instead of two seasons as initially projected. Under Mr. Ports’ leadership, the MDTA completed planning and began construction of the I-95 Express Toll Lane Extension in Harford County, launched construction of the new Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial/Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge in Charles County, began a project to install a new gating system on the Bay Bridge to improve safety and traffic flow and advanced the Bay Crossing Study in its Tier 1 National Environmental Policy Act review.

Prior to the MDTA, Mr. Ports served as MDOT Deputy Secretary of Operations, working closely with all six department agencies. It was his second stint as a Deputy Secretary, having served in that capacity from 2004 to 2007 during the administration of Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.

Mr. Ports’ extensive experience in multi-modal transportation and highway safety includes service as administrator and chief executive officer for Harford County Transit from mid-2009 to 2015. In this capacity, he was responsible for safe, effective and efficient operation and regulatory oversight of Harford County’s transit service including fixed bus routes and demand response service for the elderly and persons with special needs.

Prior to Harford County Transit, Mr. Ports served the U.S. Department of Transportation as deputy administrator (chief operating officer) for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2007 to 2009. He was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation with confirmation by President George W. Bush. As deputy administrator, he managed the day-to-day operations of the agency and oversaw its 10 Regional Offices across the nation. As the second highest ranking highway safety official in the nation, he was recognized as a national and international leader in vehicle, behavioral and roadway safety.

From 1991 to 2002, Mr. Ports served in the Maryland General Assembly as a member of the House of Delegates. He was ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee and served on numerous House-Senate joint committees and subcommittees, including the House Subcommittees on Transportation, Education and Taxes. He was elected by his peers to serve as the Minority Whip.

While in the House of Delegates and prior to his first appointment to MDOT, Mr. Ports was employed by the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company. During his 21-year career, he rose through the ranks and held various positions including supervisor of the Industrial and Commercial Gas Field Operations.

Mr. Ports grew up in Baltimore County, graduated from Perry Hall Senior High School and earned an Associate of Arts in Business Management and Administration from Essex Community College. He also attended the Program for Emerging Political and Business Leaders at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in 1993, as well as a program at the Flemming Fellows Leadership Institute in 1997 and Executive Leadership Training at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2006.

Mr. Ports served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Sergeant (E5) and was a Crew Chief on a CH-46 Helicopter. He is a life member of the VFW and the Marine Corps League and is a Disabled American Veteran. Throughout his life, he has served in many capacities for the benefit of his nation, state and community. Mr. Ports is an avid soccer fan. He and his wife Linda have enjoyed coaching and watching their three children, Chris, Jon and Kelsey, play various sports.

Secretary Robert S. McCord provides comprehensive leadership of the Department’s mission, objectives, and initiatives. With the Maryland Department of Planning since 2015, he has served as Assistant Secretary of Operations and Deputy Secretary. McCord comes to Planning with private sector and public experience. He worked in private practice in Bel Air, Maryland before joining the Harford County Law Department in 1998 as Deputy County Attorney, then County Attorney from 2004-2014. He has seen issues from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore as a trustee on the Local Government Insurance Trust. He is an Adjunct Professor, University of Baltimore School of Law, 1990-present. He holds a degree from Loyola University Maryland, B.A. (Business Administration and Philosophy), 1983; M.B.A. (Marketing), 1985; University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 1989.

Jimmy Rhee was appointed Special Secretary of Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women’s Business Affairs by Governor Larry Hogan and began service to the State of Maryland in January, 2015. He is responsible for policy and oversight of the State’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Small Business Reserve (SBR) programs.

Mr. Rhee coordinates compliance activities with 70 participating procurement agencies while simultaneously working with Maryland’s business community to expand opportunities for small, minority- and women-owned firms seeking to perform as prime contractors and/or subcontractors on state-funded procurements.
In 2014, Mr. Rhee was a Strategic Advisor with The Livingston Group and a Partner with EIGC Holdings.

From 2010 through 2014 he served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Trade for the Commonwealth of Virginia where he presided over international trade and investment activities with direct nexus to job creation. In that role he facilitated Virginia’s “Year of the Entrepreneur” program (in conjunction with the White House initiative Startup America) enabling small businesses to gain access to capital, information and technology. In addition, he advocated for minority business participation on various state procurement offerings and infrastructure projects such as the I95 express. He also worked with various governor-appointed advisory boards to recognize the importance of contributions from minority communities. He was the COO/CEO of Global Technology Systems Consortium, Inc. from 2003 through 2009.

With over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience in enterprise creation, growth and change management, Mr. Rhee has an extensive record of directing turn-around situations ranging from manufacturing to software companies. He has mentored various small business entities, helping them secure capital and illuminate their competitive edge.

Active in the community, Mr. Rhee serves as a board member for various organizations including Asians in Energy, Environment and Commerce, the George Mason University Diversity Advisory Committee and the Asian Information Technology Business CEO Organization.

Mr. Rhee is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University where he earned a Master’s in Science and a Master’s in Business Administration. He earned a Bachelor’s in Science from the University of Maryland and holds a Professional Certificate in Sustainable Energy Conversion & Storage from the Stanford University Professional Development Center and an Electronic Systems Design Certificate from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He is also a member and certified performance coach with the International Coach Federation. He lives in Clarksville, Maryland with his wife.

Tiffany Robinson was appointed secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor in July 2019. Robinson leads the Maryland Department of Labor in protecting and empowering Marylanders by safeguarding workers, protecting consumers, and cultivating a thriving workforce that meets the demands of Maryland’s dynamic economy.

The Maryland Department of Labor has several divisions including unemployment insurance, occupational and professional licensing, financial regulation, labor and industry, workforce development and adult learning, the Maryland Racing Commission, and the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. The agency employs nearly 1,650 workers and has an operating budget of more than $450 million.

Before becoming secretary, Robinson served as deputy chief of staff to Governor Hogan. In this role, Robinson was responsible for oversight of the state departments of Labor, Health, Human Services, Juvenile Services, Aging, Disabilities, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Community Development, and Education, as well as the Higher Education Commission, Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, Maryland Insurance Administration and the State Archives.

Robinson was previously the assistant secretary at the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and was director of the Community Development Administration, the designated housing finance agency for the state and the largest division within the department. In that role, Robinson was responsible for nearly $1.5 billion in annual program production, including management of the operations, administration, and financing of the state’s mortgage, residential energy, small business and local infrastructure programs, as well as affordable rental housing development and asset management.

Prior to the Hogan administration, Robinson was the administrator of Housing and Community Development for Harford County Government. Before entering into public service at the local and state level, Robinson, a Maryland attorney, was in private practice, specializing in legal matters related to securities law and real estate transactions. She served on the Maryland Advisory Committee for the United States Civil Rights Commission and on the United Way of Harford County Board from 2011-2013.

Robinson received her bachelor’s degree in political science from UMBC and helped lead the University’s volleyball team to a conference championship. She received her juris doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of law. Originally from Missouri, Tiffany now lives in Havre de Grace, MD with her family.

Ward Bucher has nearly 50 years of experience revitalizing Mid-Atlantic regions through the reimagination of historic properties, Ward’s company, Encore Sustainable Architects provides historic and sustainable architect services to both Cambridge properties. He is a registered architect in DC, Maryland and Virginia, a board member of Preservation MD and has extensive experience in historic, new and green building design.

Ward has been the principal architect on numerous restoration and adaptive reuse projects for nonprofits, museums, offices, retail, and multifamily housing. With over 46 years of experience as a registered architect, he has worked with buildings at all levels of historic designation, from local to National Historic Landmarks. Ward meets the Professional Qualifications for Architecture, Historic Architecture and Architectural History under the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines.

Dion was born in Cambridge and is a lifetime NAACP member and avid Community Activist. Dion is integral to the Bethel AME church restoration and is exploring opportunities with an adjacent property as well.

From housing and educational initiatives to matters regarding social issues and sustainability, Dion D. Banks continues to press forward in an effort to have a seat at the table, ensuring the entire city is represented.

Margaret is the development lead for the Packing House and has nurtured, along with a stellar team, the mission and purpose of this project through design, finance, tenancy, and community relationships for 6 years. Additionally, she has conceived and developed real estate and non profit projects across the country with Cross Street and Beta Verde. Food is definitely one of the areas of expertise as well as small business development aka start ups and design/architecture with a deep sustainable focus.

Katie is a formidable development and real estate professional who is the director of development.

Katie was previously Vice President of Conservation at the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy leading their programming across land conservation, community revitalization through the Center for Towns, and climate adaptation. Katie was instrumental in crafting the foundational partnership that led to ESLC’s critical role in the developing the Phillips Packing House in Cambridge, Maryland with Cross Street Partners, and other players.

Ruth Chavez is the Community Navigator for the SBA’s Community Navigator Pilot Program a division of National Disability Institute (NDI). She previously worked as a bilingual business consultant and training coordinator for the Maryland Small Business Development Center at the University of Maryland, College Park. In her previous role, she provided technical assistance and relevant business training and events for small businesses throughout the state of Maryland who were impacted by COVID-19. Ruth has over 10 years of experience in working with small businesses with a focus on underserved communities of color and low-income. She also has six years of experience in tax preparation. She worked as a volunteer to provide financial literacy at IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites to provide free tax preparation to low-income and senior communities.

Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio is an Eastern Shore native, born and raised in Talbot County, Maryland. Her professional experience includes working for the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Air and Radiation Management Administration and the National Audubon Society’s Maryland-DC Office.

From 2004 to 2014, she served in the Maryland House of Delegates where she worked on a variety of issues including economic and environmental policies.

In 2014, she joined the Hogan Administration serving most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff, advising on issues related to natural resources, agriculture, energy, environment and labor.

Jeannie and her husband reside in Talbot County. They are avid boaters who also enjoy fishing and hunting.​

Owen McEvoy serves as Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

Prior to his current role, McEvoy served as DHCD’s Director of Public Information where he managed a team of marketing, communications, outreach, business development and customer service professionals. During his tenure, he directed a series of business development and marketing campaigns that have enabled the Maryland Mortgage Program to achieve more than $1 billion in mortgage reservations.

Before his time in Maryland state government, he served as Director of Media Relations and Public Information Officer for former Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh, where he worked extensively on land use and development issues. He also served previously as a Deputy Communications Director for Speechwriting for former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, and as an aide to former Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich.

A graduate of Villanova University School of Law and Georgetown University, he resides in Anne Arundel County with his wife.

Tiffany Harvey, Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs for Maryland and Delaware. In her role, Tiffany leads Comcast’s government advocacy programs in both states and represents the company’s interests in front of the state legislatures along with respective executive branch agencies and Attorney General offices.

A Maryland resident since 1990 with extensive legislative and legal affairs experience, Tiffany previously was Director of State and Government Affairs for Verizon, handling legislative matters before the Maryland General Assembly. Prior to that, she served as Chief Counsel for Legislative Affairs in the Office of the County Executive for Prince George’s County in Largo, Maryland, and the Office of the Attorney General in Baltimore.

Before working in legislative and government affairs, Tiffany spent several years as a trial attorney in Maryland.

Dr. Ronald (Ron) C. Williams has served in higher education for 35 years, spending the past 25 years as a faculty member in the Coppin State University (CSU) College of Business and serving as interim dean from 2013 until 2017.

In 2016, Dr. Williams established a formal relationship between CSU and Open Works
Baltimore, a 34K sq. ft makerspace. This groundbreaking relationship is the first of its
kind in the nation and led to a role as principal investigator in the 2019 “Turning
Makerspaces into Greater Places: An Organizational Assessment and Economic Impact
Study of Open Works” (www.GreaterSpacesAndPlaces.com), another significant
innovation as the first comprehensive organizational assessment and economic impact
study of a makerspace. He further contributed to the understanding of makerspace
value in 2020 as principal investigator in the case study of Open Works’
application of Lean Manufacturing principles during the initial months of the Covid-19
global pandemic, producing over 28,000 face shields in 56 days for over 100 clients.

Immediately prior to the 2015 unrest in Baltimore, Dr. Williams coined the phrase
“ingepreneurship” (inge… as in ingenuity) in a 2017 Metropolitan Journal article entitled
“Creating a University Driven ‘Ingepreneurial’ Ecosystem in West Baltimore: A Strategy
for Rust Belt Revitalization.” The concept describes a framework for improving the
socio-economic well-being of underrepresented communities and aligns with his work
as academic advisor on joint research studies on manufacturing workforce development
with The Century Foundation and Urban Manufacturing Alliance, development of the
Coppin’s Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and development of a trust-
climate assessment instrument and “relational innovation” framework for collaborative
economic development across cultural and geographic divides. He is also the faculty
advisor of award-winning student teams in local and national innovation competitions
and the founding director of the Coppin State University Center for Strategic
Entrepreneurship.

Dr. Williams holds a Ph.D. in management and organization from George Washington
University with concentrations in organization behavior & development and the
management of science, technology, & innovation; a master’s degree in human
resource development from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland; and a
bachelor’s degree with majors in psychology, social science, and education from the
University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida. He also serves on the AAAS HBCU Making &
Innovation Advisory Board, the Open Works Board of Directors, and is President and
Chair of the Urban Manufacturing Alliance.

Dr. Sybol Anderson is Director of Diversity in Research Programs at
National Medical Fellowships (NMF), where she leads innovative
initiatives to promote equity in clinical research. A social and political
philosopher by training, she brings to her work deep insight into
contemporary challenges of inclusive community development. This has
been her passion and a central part of her career for nearly 20 years.
Anderson earned her Ph.D. in philosophy at Johns Hopkins University,
becoming the 19 th African-American woman to earn a doctorate in
philosophy in the US. As Associate Professor of Philosophy at St. Mary’s College of Maryland,
she taught courses in ethics, race, and 17 th /18 th -century philosophy. She also co-founded and
directed the DeSousa-Brent Scholars Program, an academic and leadership program for first-
generation, low-income, and other students from groups underrepresented in higher
education. The DeSousa-Brent concept and design, rooted in Anderson’s philosophical work on
recognition, combines increased academic rigor, leadership development, and support to
accelerate student success. Program alumni have earned advanced degrees from Oxford
University, Columbia University, and other prestigious institutions, and are excelling in
professions internationally. In 2013 the Maryland General Assembly voted unanimously to
establish the state-funded DeSousa-Brent Scholars Completion Grant to increase program
enrollment.
Anderson has served as Executive Director of Equity & Inclusive Diversity at the College of
Southern Maryland and as inaugural Chief Diversity Officer at Loyola University New Orleans.
Earlier, as Senior Program Manager and Senior Consultant for the NMF Primary Care Leadership
Program, she oversaw two national service-learning and research scholarship programs for
medical, law, and graduate health professions students, designed to increase diversity in the
health professions and to improve health outcomes for the medically underserved.
Anderson’s publications include Hegel’s Theory of Recognition: From Oppression to Ethical
Liberal Modernity; with Robert Bernasconi, Race and Racism in Continental Philosophy; and
with Ellen K. Feder and Karmen MacKendrick, A Passion for Wisdom: Readings in Western
Philosophy on Love and Desire. Her awards include the President's Lucille Clifton Award (St.
Mary’s College of Maryland), Homer L. Dodge Award for Excellence in Teaching, Henry C.
Welcome Fellowship of the Maryland State Higher Education Commission, and Ford Foundation
Pre-Doctoral Fellowship.
Anderson is also a co-founder of The Spirit of Jazz & Democracy and The Spirit of Innovation &
Freedom, ensembles of musicians, artists, and scholars who apply lessons from jazz and other
arts to promote inclusive democracy and the mindset of innovation.

Member of House of Delegates since January 14, 2015. Member, Economic Matters Committee, 2015- (banking, economic development, science & technology subcommittee, 2015-18; public utilities subcommittee, 2015-; workers’ compensation subcommittee, 2015-; banking, consumer protection & commercial law subcommittee, 2019-; joint electric universal service program work group, 2020-); Study Group on Economic Stability, 2019-; Joint Electric Universal Service Program Work Group, 2020-. House Chair, Talbot County Delegation, 2015-. Member, Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, 2015-; Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2015-.
Member, Mid-Shore Regional Council, 2015- (executive board, 2015, 2018); Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, 2015-; Task Force on the Maryland Clean Energy Center, 2016-17; Aquaculture Coordinating Council, 2016-; Oyster Advisory Commission, 2016-; Reform-on-Tap Task Force, Office of Comptroller of Maryland, 2017; Task Force on Rural Internet, Broadband, Wireless, and Cellular Service, 2017-19; Work Group to Study the Transformation of Manufacturing in Maryland’s Emerging Digital Economy, 2021-.

Counsel, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representatives, 1997-2002.

Special Assistant to Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Governor, 2002-05.

Legislative Director to U.S. Representative Howard Coble of North Carolina, 2009-14.

Born in Fort Devans, Massachusetts, September 19, 1970. Attended Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire; University of Dayton, B.A. (political science), 1994; Pettit College of Law, Ohio Northern University, J.D., 1997. Admitted to Maryland Bar. Attorney. Operator, Carpenter Street Saloon, St. Michaels, Maryland. Married; two children.

Member of Senate since January 14, 2015. Member, Budget and Taxation Committee, 2015- (health & human services subcommittee, 2015-; pensions subcommittee, 2015-; capital budget subcommittee, 2021-). Member, Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review, 2015-; Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families, 2015-; Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, 2019-; Executive Nominations Committee, 2020-; Senate Vaccine Oversight Work Group, 2021-. Member, Joint Committee on the Selection of the State Treasurer, 2015, 2019; Joint Audit Committee, 2015-19; Senate President’s Advisory Work Group on Equity and Inclusion, 2020-21. Chair, Dorchester, Talbot and Wicomico Senate County Delegations. Member, Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Caucus, 2015-; Maryland Rural Caucus, 2015-; Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, 2015-; Taxpayers Protection Caucus, 2015-; Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2015-. Secretary, Women Legislators of Maryland, 2021- (member, 2015-; executive board, at large, 2017-19; treasurer, 2019-21).
Board of Directors, Maryland Environmental Trust, 2015-. Member, Behavioral Health Advisory Council, 2015-; Executive Board, Mid-Shore Regional Council, 2016, 2018-19. Co-Chair, Task Force to Study Tax Sales in Maryland, 2017-18. Member, Two-Generation Family Economic Security Commission, 2017-18, 2021-; Task Force on Rural Internet, Broadband, Wireless, and Cellular Service, 2017-19; Maryland Commission on Suicide Prevention, 2017-; Governor’s Commission to Study Mental and Behavioral Health in Maryland, 2019-; Maryland Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Policy and Funding Committee, 2019-; Oversight Committee on Quality Care in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities, 2020-; State Transparency and Accountability Reform Commission, 2020-21.

Member of House of Delegates, representing District 37B, Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, and Wicomico Counties, January 11, 1995 to January 14, 2015. Member, Economic Matters Committee, 1995-2003 (health insurance subcommittee, 1995-2003; real estate & housing subcommittee, 1999-2003; science & technology subcommittee, 1999-2003); Special Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 1995-2015; Special Joint Committee on Competitive Taxation and Economic Development, 1996-97. Deputy Minority Whip, 1999-2003. Member, Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, 1999-2015; Joint Technology Oversight Committee, 2000-03; Special Committee on Gaming, 2001; Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, 2003-06; Joint Committee on Fair Practices, 2003-09; Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing, 2003-11; Joint Committee on Welfare Reform, 2003-14; Appropriations Committee, 2003-15 (capital budget subcommittee, 2004-15; health & human resources subcommittee, 2003-15; oversight committee on pensions, 2003-15); Spending Affordability Committee, 2003-15; Joint Committee on Access to Mental Health Services, 2005-14; Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review, 2007-15; Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight, 2009-15. House Chair, Caroline County Delegation, 1995-2007; Dorchester County Delegation, 1995-2015; Eastern Shore Delegation, 2011-15 (acting chair, 2003). Member, Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, 2001-15; Maryland Rural Caucus, 2002-15; Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Caucus, 2003-15; Taxpayers Protection Caucus, 2003-15. President, Women Legislators of Maryland, 2007-08 (member, 1995-2015; secretary, 1998-99, 2000-01, 2003-04; 2nd vice-president, 2004-05; 1st vice-president, 2005-06; president-elect, 2006-07; endorsement committee, 2001-, finance committee, 2001-, legislative committee, 2001-). Member, Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2006-15. Chair, Republican Party Caucus, 2007-13. Member, National Conference of State Legislatures (human services & welfare committee).

Member, Availability Committee of Task Force to Study Increasing the Availability of Substance Abuse Programs, 1998-2001; Governor’s Task Force on Eastern Shore Economic Development, 1999-2001; Mid-Shore Regional Council, 2001- (executive board, 2012); Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, 2001-; Advisory Board, Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, Salisbury University, 2002-; Task Force to Study the Maryland Heritage Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program, 2003; Mental Health Transformation Working Group, 2005-11; Work Group on Cultural Competency and Workforce Development for Mental Health Professionals, 2007-08; Rural Maryland Council, 2009-15; Girls’ Services Strategic Plan Task Force, Dept. of Juvenile Services, 2010.

Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1943. Attended Marple Newton Senior High School, Newton Square, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr Hospital School of Nursing, R.N.; University of Maryland School of Nursing, B.S., 1978, M.S., 1981. Registered Nurse-Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist. Regional Team, Mental Hygiene Administration, 1983-85. Adjunct faculty, Salisbury State University, 1985. Psychiatric Nurse Clinical Specialist, Eastern Shore Hospital Center, 1985-2003. Adjunct faculty, University of Maryland School of Nursing, 1991-99. Member, Dorchester County Republican Central Committee, 1986-1994. Board of Directors, Dorchester General Hospital, 1988-. President, Maryland Nurses Association, 1989-91 (legislative chair, 1986-89, 1993-94). Executive Committee, Maryland Hospital Association, 1993-. Board of Directors, Leadership Maryland, Inc., 2001-. Maryland Public Policy Conflict Resolution Fellow, Center for Dispute Resolution, University of Maryland School of Law, 2010. Delegate, Republican Party National Convention, 2004, 2012. Dorchester County Chair, Mitt Romney Campaign, 2012. Board of Directors, Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, Inc., 2018-. Board of Directors, Chesapeake Health Planning Systems (past president & vice-president); Maryland Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children. Member, Maryland Nurses Association; American Nurses Association; American Ortho-Psychiatric Association; Sigma Theta Tau. Psychiatric Nursing Award, University of Maryland Graduate School of Nursing, 1981. Nurse of the Year, District 4, Maryland Nurses Association, 1986, 1991. Rosalie S. Abrams Legislative Award, Maryland Nurses Association, 1988. Outstanding Board Member Award, Maryland Nurses Association, 1992. Outstanding Rural Legislator Award, Rural Maryland Council, 2003. Recognition for ongoing commitment to and support for children, youth, and families, Local Management Board, 2003. Maryland’s Top 100 Women, Daily Record, 2003, 2005, 2007 (Circle of Excellence). Certificate of Appreciation, Maryland Municipal League, 2008. John R. Hargreaves Distinguished Legislative Fellow Award, Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, Salisbury University, 2009. Recognition Award (school funding & public health legislation), Maryland Association of Counties, 2015. President’s Award, Community Development Network of Maryland, 2017. Outstanding Rural Health Legislator Award, Maryland Rural Health Association, 2018. Legislative Champion Award, Women Legislators of Maryland, 2018. Married; three sons; nine grandchildren.

Ms. Beaver has served as the Carroll County Deputy Director of Economic Development since 2001. Prior to that Ms. Beaver held several Carroll County workforce development roles serving Carroll County businesses and citizens for a total of 27 years.
Selected as a Leadership Maryland Class of 2021 member and elected MEDA secretary in April 2021, Ms. Beaver also currently represents Carroll County at the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore Advisory Board, the Baltimore Gas & Electric Carroll County Advisory Council, the Carroll Transit Advisory Council, and the Mid-Maryland Workforce Development Board. Previously, Ms. Beaver was a founding member, board member, and Secretary of the Carroll Technology Council (now Carroll Technology & Innovation Council) for 16 years.
Ms. Beaver holds degrees from Kutztown University and Towson University and resides in Westminster.

In his current role as Vice President of Financial Services for the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, Steve is responsible for managing the, Arundel Community Reinvestment Fund, Anne Arundel Incentive Fund, the Next Stage Fund and the VOLT Fund. Steve is responsible for managing financial services staff and developing the protocols and processes used to manage the flow of applications for all of the corporation’s lending programs, from origination and underwriting to the closing and servicing of loans. Steve oversees a portfolio of approximately 100 small business loans totaling approximately $7 million.
Steve has more than a decade of finance and lending experience. Prior to arriving at AAEDC, he served as Vice President of Private Business Banking for BankAnnapolis. Previous to that, he was at the Harbor Bank of Maryland for four years as Vice President and Commercial Lending Officer.
Steve holds an MBA and a bachelors degree in marketing, both from Frostburg State University.
Steve has served on the Board of several non-profit organizations including the Maryland Economic Development Association Foundation, Arundel Child Care Connections, and the Maryland Commercial Lenders Lending Association. He is currently the Treasurer of the Maryland Economic Development Association.

Renée M. Winsky is the president and founder of Bay One Group, LLC. Formed in 2012, the firm assists clients with a variety of subject matters, including leadership development, economic development, entrepreneurship, government relations and advocacy, technology transfer and commercialization, university collaborations and partnering, and small business start-ups.

From September 2013 to March 2022, Ms. Winsky served as President and Chief Executive Officer for Leadership Maryland, a professional development program dedicated to building a better Maryland by harnessing the strength of the leaders throughout the state.

Prior to joining Leadership Maryland, Ms. Winsky served as the Executive Director of the Chesapeake Innovation Center, CEO of the Tech Council of Maryland, and as the President and Executive Director of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO). She has held positions with the Information Technology Association of America (now TechAmerica), National League of Cities, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, Maryland Municipal League, and City of Greenbelt, Maryland.

Ms. Winsky is a member of the Maryland Venture Fund Authority, a Governor Larry Hogan appointment. She serves on the Maryland Innovation Initiative and Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Funding Authorities as Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. appointments. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Economic Development Association, where she is Treasurer, and The Maryland School for the Blind, where she is Secretary. She has served in volunteer, leadership and governance roles with the Maryland Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee, Chesapeake Innovation Center, Maryland Association of CPAs, Maryland Business Incubation Association, Maryland Health Care Product Development Corporation, State Science and Technology Institute, UMBC Research Park Corporation, West County Chamber Government Contractor’s Guild, Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) and the Mid-Atlantic Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Winsky is a graduate of the University of Maryland and a graduate of the Leadership Maryland Class of 2005, where she is also a Lifetime Member.

Ebony Stocks
Executive Vice President
Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation

Biography

Ebony Stocks is the Executive Vice President with the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, an organization that provides business services that help attract, retain, and expand businesses in the County. She previously administered the County’s premier $50 million economic development tool, the Economic Development Incentive Fund which leveraged over $1 billion in capital investment and created over 13,000 jobs. Ms. Stocks is a Certified Economic Development Finance professional who has managed several financing and incentive programs. Ms. Stocks has worked in commercial lending providing non-traditional financing to rapidly growing small businesses. Ms. Stocks has a Master’s degree in Real Estate Development and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

As the CEO of TEDCO—Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies—Troy leads the organization’s mission to support economic development through the cultivation of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. He brings to bear more than 25 years of experience in investment management, higher education, telecommunications, information/communication technology, and management consulting in this leadership role.

Prior to joining TEDCO, Troy was the chief operating officer at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), the nation’s only urban land-grant university. UDC encompasses a six-site community college, a four-year baccalaureate campus, and a law school, and serves 7,000 degree- and certificate-seeking students. He oversaw an array of critical functions at UDC, including capital construction, communications, emergency management, enrollment services, facilities management, government relations, information management, institutional research, marketing, public safety, risk management, and strategic planning, to name a just a few.

An entrepreneur at heart and in spirit, Troy founded the management consulting firms LeMaile-Stovall LLC and GTMS Partners, LLC. He also co-founded and served as the first president and CEO of GulfSouth Capital. His resume includes positions as the interim president of Zenith Education Group; principal at Butler Snow Advisory Services; executive vice president and chief operating officer of Howard University; and senior vice president and chief financial officer Jackson State (Mississippi) University, where he was awarded the Thurgood Marshall HBCU CFO of the Year. Earlier in his career, Troy held positions at McKinsey & Company, Southwestern Bell Telephone (now AT&T), AT&T Bell Labs, and Rockwell international.

Troy is a subject matter expert in capital stack formation and a frequent speaker on venture capital, economic development, and higher education administration, among other topics. He has published articles on entrepreneurship, venture capital, economic development, diversity and inclusion, and higher education.

Troy graduated cum laude from Southern Methodist University with a bachelor of science in electrical engineering. He earned a master’s of science in computer science from Stanford University as a Bell Labs One Year on Campus Fellow, and an MBA from Harvard University. He was included in the Leadership Greater Washington Signature Program Class of 2019.

Troy gives back to his community in volunteer roles and has held board seats at Parkway Properties, Archipelago Learning, Internet America, School Status, the National Society of Black Engineers, Southern Methodist University (SMU) School of Engineering and Department of Electrical Engineering, DC Chamber of Commerce, MemberSuite, MuniStrategies, DC Housing Enterprises, National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), and Zion Church.

Troy has also coached an award-winning youth robotics team, and is a USA Swimming-certified stroke-and-turn coach and chief judge official. A triathlete himself, he is married to marathoner Sonya L. Wiggins and is the father of two multi-talented young athletes, Zora Lauren and Langston Anthony.

Stephen manages TEDCO’s funding programs and is also responsible for stewarding other TEDCO programs that foster the transfer of technologies from universities and federal laboratories into the commercial sector.

From 2008-2010, Stephen served as the assistant vice president for research at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) where he assisted UMBC’s vice president for research in building and supporting the university’s research enterprise. He was also responsible for supporting UMBC’s economic development mission as it relates to research, technology transfer, and new venture creation.

Stephen was one of the architects of UMBC’s ACTiVATE® and INNoVATE™ programs and served as a co-principal investigator on the National Science Foundation grants that supported these programs. He also served as the director of UMBC’s Office of Technology Development (OTD) for eight years. During his tenure, he oversaw significant growth in OTD’s active license agreements, intellectual property portfolio, and licensing revenues. He actively promoted UMBC’s research capabilities and helped to build ties with Maryland companies.

Previous to UMBC, Stephen worked as an assistant director in the Office of Technology Licensing at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where he evaluated inventions and negotiated license agreements for a variety of technologies. He successfully negotiated dozens of license agreements including many agreements involving equity and faculty initiated start-up companies. Prior to working at Johns Hopkins, he worked for two small medical device companies where he had a variety of responsibilities ranging from rebuilding medical devices under GMP to setting up and networking computerized accounting systems. He began his career as a laboratory technician studying ion channels in membranes.

Stephen graduated with a BS in Biology and Engineering Science from Loyola College in Maryland, and earned an MBA from the University of Baltimore and an MS in Biotechnology from the Johns Hopkins University.

Susan Banks is the Director of Dorchester County Economic Development’s Office. She oversees the county’s Economic Development office and the day to day operations of the Eastern Shore Innovation Center Business Incubator.

Prior to this role she served as the Business Development Manager for Dorchester County for 5 years. She focused on attraction and retention strategies. Combining her experience in customer service, technology and procurement for both a global manufacturer and international relief agency, she works with community stakeholders and economic development officials to maximize resources and results for the county.

Currently, she sits on the Board of Directors for The Business Finance Group, the Dorchester County Public Schools Educational Equity Task Force, and several community-based groups including her local church board. Susan has an B.A. in Political Science from Salisbury University and a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and Management with a concentration in Environmental Planning from American Public University.

Andy Fish serves as the Senior Director of Finance Programs at the Maryland Department of Commerce. At Commerce, Andy and his team are responsible for the delivery and management of the State’s economic development incentive and financing programs to support the attraction, retention and growth of businesses across Maryland. Projects typically involve extensive coordination among Commerce, other State Agencies and Local Government officials.
Prior to Commerce, he served M&T Bank over a 30 year career, supporting corporate and institutional clients in a variety of development and leadership capacities.
Andy is a graduate of the University of Richmond and Loyola University in Maryland. He is an Eagle Scout and past board member of the Maryland Family Network. He has been a Maryland resident for over 34 years.

Stuart serves as Manager of Economic Development at Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), a subsidiary of Exelon, the nation’s largest utility company. At BGE, Stuart and his team are responsible for business attraction/retention and equitable development efforts across Central MD in partnership with County and State agencies. Stuart has served in a variety of technical and leadership roles over his 12-year career at the company. In the Community, Stuart serves on the Board of the MD Marketing Partnership and on the Advisory Committee of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore; and also serves in various leadership roles with his local church. Stuart holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering, magna cum laude, from Virginia Tech.

Ellen Flowers-Fields serves as Associate Vice President for Continuing Education and
Workforce Development at the College of Southern Maryland. She is responsible for the
oversight of all areas of the non-credit economic and community development programming in
Southern Maryland, including the Center for Trades and Energy Training, MCET, the Workforce
Center, the SBDC, the Non-Profit Institute, the Transportation Center and adult basic education
at all CSM campuses.

Ellen has over 25 years of progressive professional experience in the field of workforce
development and human capital management. Her diverse background includes the acquisition,
project management and implementation of various federal, state and local programs that
address community economic development needs. Throughout her career she has acquired
and managed nearly $100 million dollars in support of various economic and community
development initiatives. Funding acquisition from USDOL, USDA, US Dept of Commerce,
Veterans Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and numerous state and local
agencies, in NY, GA and MD.

Prior to serving in her current role, Ellen served Regional Director of the Small Business
Development Center at CSM. Ellen served as Acting Assistant Secretary, and Deputy Assistant
Secretary of the Division of Workforce Development & Adult Learning at the Maryland
Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation from 2011 – 2014; Regional Director of Economic
Development at the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland from 2006 – 2011; and Executive
Director for Southern Maryland Works from 2000 – 2006. In this role, Ellen led the efforts to
establish the region’s first One Stop workforce service delivery system and Workforce
Investment Board under the Federal Workforce Investment Act.

Ellen holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from Pace University in New York;
Certification from the International Business Innovation Association in Business Incubation
Management; and is credentialed as a Global Career Development Facilitator from the Center
for Credentialing and Education. She is a 2009 graduate of the inaugural Class of Leadership
Southern Maryland, an entrepreneur, and a self-published author.

Affiliations include Executive Board member Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland;
Member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals and the Maryland
Economic Development Association; Past Board Member Maryland Broadband Coordination
Board; Past board chair, Bethel House Inc.; Immediate past Board chair, Community
Foundation of Southern Maryland; Alumni of the Inaugural class of Leadership Southern
Maryland 2009.
Recognitions include recipient of 2017 Excellence Award from the National League for
Innovation in Community Colleges; 2018 recipient of CEO award from the Southern Maryland
Minority Chamber of Commerce; Calvert County Commissioner’s Business owner appreciation
recognition 2008 & 2014; Recipient of 2008 Woman of the Year award from Calvert County
Concerned Black Women; Recipient of 2005 Charles County Minority Business of the Year;
Nominations for the 2006 Leadership Maryland class and 2006 Maryland’s Top 100 Women.

Allison Akers is the Director of Marketing and Communications for Anne Arundel based systems integrator Vision Technologies. In this role, Allison is responsible for overseeing overall marketing direction, brand management, corporate communications, and strategic growth of the company.

Allison deeply believes in giving back. Allison serves on the MEDA Board of Directors and serves as the co-chair of the MEDA Young Leaders Group. Allison also serves as Past President of the Public Relations Society of America-Chesapeake Chapter Board, is the chair of Vision Technologies’ Charity Committee as well as a committee member of the Women’s Network Employee Resource Group, is a member of Fort Meade Alliance Rising Stars, and recently finished serving on the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business Alumni Chapter Board.

Allison is passionate about economic development and celebrating successful business growth in Maryland, developed through her prior work as Marketing and Outreach Manager for Anne Arundel Economic Development. Prior work also includes Marketing and Communications Specialist for the Maryland State Judiciary, time in grassroots marketing and events management for the MD, DC, VA region for Road Runner Sports, and a brief stint in the music marketing industry. She graduated from West Virginia University in May 2022 with an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications and holds a B.S. in Marketing from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. She is a proud Terp through and through.

As Governor Hogan’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Infrastructure Director, Ms. Mayer brings nearly two decades of economic development and transportation experience to the office. In this role, she helps guide the Administration’s strategy to achieve many of Governor Hogan’s top priorities, including spearheading the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the state. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she managed a multi-agency response and recovery strategy, and shepherded multiple rounds of economic relief to help Maryland small businesses and non-profit organizations.

Before joining the Governor’s office in February 2019, Ms. Mayer was Managing Director of Marketing and Communications at the Maryland Department of Commerce (July 2015-February 2019), where she led marketing, media relations, public affairs and advertising to promote the state’s unique assets to the broader business community. She served as a key member of the team in several major projects, including Maryland’s bid for Amazon’s HQ2, with Maryland as a Top 20 finalist. She additionally was appointed the first Executive Director of the Maryland Marketing Partnership, the public-private organization that launched the award-winning “Maryland: Open for Business” campaign.

Prior to her move to Maryland, she led strategic communications and global marketing activities at the South Carolina Department of Commerce for then-Governor Nikki Haley, where she was involved in the recruitment of Volvo’s first North American manufacturing facility to the Charleston region. Earlier in her career, Ms. Mayer was responsible for public relations and community affairs for the South Carolina Ports Authority and served as the port’s official spokeswoman.

Ms. Mayer earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of South Carolina Honors College and is an accredited public relations professional. She resides in Annapolis with her husband, Doug, and their two young children.

R. Earl Lewis, Jr., was appointed on January 20, 2016, to serve as Deputy Secretary of Policy, Planning, and Enterprise Services for the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), which is comprised of The Secretary’s Office, State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA), Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA), Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA), Maryland Aviation Administration (MDOT MAA) and the Maryland Transportation Authority.

As Deputy Secretary, Mr. Lewis oversees the administration of twelve offices in the Secretary’s office. He also chairs MDOT’s Public Private Partnerships Steering Committee, reporting directly to the Secretary on the oversight of P3 initiatives by MDOT’s transportation business units. In 2017, he was certified as a P3 Foundations Professional by APMG International, a global accreditation agency. Mr. Lewis represents the Secretary as Chair of the State of Maryland’s Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council, The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board and often represents the Secretary on several other groups such as the Maryland Commission on Climate Change (MCCC) and the Commerce, International Affairs, and Smart Growth Sub-Cabinet as well as the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO.)

In 2018, Mr. Lewis received the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials National Corporate Executive of the Year Award, as well as the Baltimore Chapter of WTS Honorable Ray LaHood Man of the Year Award for being supportive of careers of women in transportation.
Mr. Lewis has a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA and a second Master’s degree in Information Systems from the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business.

Kenrick (Rick) Gordon, P.E. has over 30 years of engineering design and construction
administration experience. As the Director of Maryland’s Office of Statewide Broadband at the
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Rick oversees digital
inclusion efforts and the expansion of broadband capabilities statewide to ensure broadband
access is available to all unserved households and businesses in Maryland. He works with
agencies across county, state and the federal government and with independent provider
stakeholders to establish and enact programs to provide statewide access to high-speed
internet. Prior to his position at DHCD, he served as the Director of the Governor’s Office of
Rural Broadband.
Rick has also served in the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a General Field Representative for
the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service Telecommunications Program. In this role, he assisted rural
telephone companies and internet providers seeking federal funding for telecommunications
improvements, including broadband expansion.
Now a resident of Howard County Maryland, he began his career as a civil engineer in
Pennsylvania working with municipalities on public works projects and then moved into
commercial, industrial development, ultimately managing the engineering arm of a small
development company.

With an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, and Masters in Machine Learning, and certified in Getting Sh*t Done (GSD), Julie Lenzer is a technology translator and activator. From quantum, to AI, to immersive media and now to manufacturing of regenerative medicine technologies she focuses on unleashing high-tech innovations to disrupt inventories, save lives, and overall to make the world a better place.

I am a senior operations executive with a proven 20-year track record in creating, managing, and executing successful businesses and products. Currently, I am the Managing Director of the Momentum Fund in Maryland (momentum.usmd.edu). If you are interested in reaching out to me regarding an investment by Maryland Momentum Fund, please email me at cbjohnson@usmd.edu. I also continue my consulting practice – CBJ Energy, a financing, operations, and business development energy consulting firm headquartered in Baltimore, where I work with financers, contractors, developers, integrators, and building and land owners to retrofit commercial buildings and install ground-mounted solar. My clients have included: Baltimore City Public Schools, Katerra, Power52 Energy Solutions, Next Step Living and more.

In 2003, I co-founded SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider which, at its peak, had a market capitalization of $10 B and more than 7,000 employees. I sold our first Power Purchase Agreements to Staples and Whole Foods, raised our first $60 MM in project financing, hired our team, managed our SREC portfolio and managed operations. After founding SunEdison, I served as acting program manager for the Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs (OWIP) and as energy-efficiency advisor to the Secretary at the Department of Energy. I was responsible for deploying $11B in economic stimulus funds for clean energy while championing policies to expand the impact of public investment through public-private partnerships.

After DOE, I served as vice president of Serious Energy, managing its nascent commercial financing program. I managed business development and launched Next Step Living service lines and markets; I opened NSL’s CT and NY offices, and created a community solar product. I consulted to Katerra including project managing solar installations and providing market research and intelligence.

Specialties include: operations, all forms of business execution, process management, renewable energy and energy efficiency markets and financing, origination.

Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the medical device industry. Skilled in Pharmaceutics, Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), Medical Devices, Oncology, and Molecular Biology. Strong professional with a Master’s degree focused in Biotechnology from The Johns Hopkins University.

When people hear the word “entrepreneur,” they may picture one person, toiling alone, late into the night—maybe in a basement or garage. But that picture is sorely out of date.

Today’s entrepreneurs are a special breed of business builders—they don’t let much stand in their way or take “no” for an answer. But, what they sometimes lack are the resources required to take a great idea and put it into action. Without funding, supporting technologies, or even a room in which to work out the plan, some of the best concepts may never be realized.

I’ve been an entrepreneur my whole life, even while running divisions in Fortune 100 firms, but I met my greatest challenge after I retired to Chestertown, along the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

A 2002 decision to shut down the nearby Black & Decker manufacturing plant put 1,300 employees out of work and contributed to an economic downturn in the region. The Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC), a private sector non-profit organization, was created to support regional economic growth through a targeted strategy of entrepreneurial training and financial aid.

When I was recruited in 2010 to take over ESEC, it was a traditional center only operating its revolving loan fund and modest training program in three counties. Since then, ESEC services have expanded into eight counties across the region, providing office space, mentorship, networking opportunities, technologies, and support to entrepreneurs through two programs—hotDesks and Revolution Labs.

Through ESEC, I focus on creating jobs, promoting sustainable agriculture and seafood growth for the future and on helping to bring about a new renaissance of economic growth on the Eastern Shore. I want to leave a lasting impact here; I want to provide a wealth of opportunities for this community.

Entrepreneurs have creativity and a driving spirit that makes them each one in a million. But, on the Eastern Shore, they don’t have to navigate the business world alone.

Seema D. Iyer PhD is associate director and research professor for the Jacob France Institute in the University of Baltimore’s Merrick School of Business. Dr. Iyer oversees the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA) , which annually prepares the Vital Signs compendium of open data for Baltimore’s neighborhoods. The award-winning BNIA project is part of the Urban Institute’s national partnership of sites that provide longitudinal data on demographics, housing, crime, education and sustainability. BNIA just released the Baltimore Community Change Project with a set of 6 reports that tracks how Baltimore’s neighborhoods have changed over the last decade in terms of race, affordability, building vacancy, accessibility, connectivity and quality of life. Academically, she is also director of UBalt’s Real Estate and Economic Development program and teaches courses on real estate principles and local economic development. In 2019, she helped launch the M$T Bank Real Estate Fellows Venture competition at UBalt to create pathways for early-stage developers interested in working with stable, middle-market communities in Baltimore. Dr. Iyer was the 2021 recipient of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents faculty award for Public Service. Dr. Iyer holds a Ph.D. in urban and regional planning from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her most recent publication is: Iyer, S. (Co-Editor) (2021). Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals in North American Cities: Best Practices in Community Planning and Performance Measurement. Springer Nature.

Jeff is a director in the Public Finance group of Mesirow where he focuses on providing municipal, nonprofit and developer clients with innovative debt financing solutions to fund important capital and infrastructure projects in the mid-Atlantic region and nationally. Jeff and a colleague opened Mesirow’s Maryland Public Finance office in Annapolis in August 2021. Prior to joining Mesirow, Jeff worked for fifteen years as the Director of Bond Financing for the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) where he was responsible for overseeing its municipal revenue bond program which issued tax-exempt and taxable revenue bonds with ratings ranging from triple-A to nonrated through a variety of structures and across multiple asset classes in the State of Maryland, including among others tax increment financing, public-private partnerships, energy, solid waste and other exempt facilities, student housing, hotels, parking, lease-backed financings, and credit-tenant leases. Jeff serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Baltimore Community Lending, a Community Development Financial Institution located in Baltimore City, and is a lifetime member of the Leadership Maryland program. Jeff earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia. He holds FINRA Series 52 and 63 licenses.

Joel Bunde is the General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay. He has worked with Hyatt Regency since 1993. He’s married to Karah, Owner of Heirloom Athletics CrossFit Gym in Cambridge, MD, and has 2 Aruban Rescued Dogs, Solo and Santo.

Keasha Haythe has been an Economic Development Professional for more than two decades and served as Economic Development Director from 2008-2016. In her role as Director, she developed a track record of initiating sound policies and innovative strategies to foster economic growth. Partnering with private and public stakeholders, she championed education, entrepreneurship and expansion of existing businesses as key economic drivers. She unveiled a countywide brand marketing campaign entitled “water moves us.” Ms. Haythe spearheaded the
development of a Technology Park and developed the Eastern Shore Innovation Center, the first business incubator on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She secured more than $100M in funding for economic development projects, business expansions and start-ups.

Ms. Haythe joined the business development team for Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation in 2017. She recently developed the Inclusive Ventures Program for small minority and women owned businesses in Anne Arundel County. Additionally, she is the founder of the Foundation of HOPE, Inc., a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization established to help women and young girls. The first program launched under the foundation was the Economic Development and Empowerment Program for sixth-grade adolescent girls attending Easton Middle School. The program covers topics including: addressing low self-esteem, bullying, social media,
workforce development, economic and community development, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. The program teaches them to be community leaders and viable contributors to the future workforce.

Ms. Haythe holds an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration from Chesapeake College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Arizona State University, she is also a Certified Economic Developer, a national recognition of professional skill mastery that denotes the highest levels of professional attainment and a commitment to continued growth. She is a member of many professional organizations and serves on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) Foundation. In 2016, she was appointed
by Governor Hogan to serve a four year term on the Maryland Marketing Partnership Board under the Maryland Department of Commerce, she also serves as Past President of the MEDA Board of Directors.

Ms. Haythe is an ordained minister and is a member of Spirit of Faith Christian Center in Brandywine, MD. She is married to Marcus L. Haythe Sr., and they have three children: Marcus Jr., Miniah and Isaiah.