MEDA and PNC Rural Economic Development Session – Southern Maryland Edition

Chris Abell is the Workforce Development Director for the Patuxent Partnership, in this role he leads all workforce development programming for the organization including the Southern Maryland 2030 Initiative, the SPARK! Career Fair and related STEM initiatives.

Chris is a technology champion with a strong commitment to bridging the gap between innovation, employers, and practical workforce solutions. With extensive career, he brings a wealth of experience as a nonprofit leader, workforce board director, and the co-founder and technology lead of the Maryland Apprenticeship Connector (MAC). He holds a certification in Humane Technology and serves on the Maryland Nonprofits Accelerator Advisory Committee. He is involved with the Rural Maryland Council, Maryland Nonprofits, and the Maryland Tech Council.

A proud graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2002, which laid the foundation for his career dedicated to positive community impact and workforce development. He has a passion for developing career pathways in technology, engineering, and government roles, and his leadership skills in people management, training, and scaling operations at corporations and non-profits, including Western Maryland Workforce Board, Starbucks, and Best Buy.

Martin Proulx is the Value-Added Agricultural Specialist with the Maryland Department of Agriculture. This role provides general support for value-added and agricultural processing sectors in the State, as well as collaborates to reduce barriers and strengthen regulatory framework to improve and expand capacities and opportunities for value-added agricultural products.

Martin comes to MDA from Charles County Government, where he served as the Agriculture Business Development Manager, and has previous experience supporting agricultural businesses and farmers markets. He received a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Frostburg State University

Erin Roth serves as the Maryland Department of Labor’s Assistant Secretary of the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning. In this role, she leads efforts to support jobseekers and businesses through the public workforce system. Roth leads the division, which oversees an annual budget of approximately $230M and over 400 employees, spanning critical work in the American Job Centers, correctional education within the State’s prisons, and adult education to support English Language Learners and individuals who do not yet possess a high school diploma. In her role, she is also responsible for oversight of signature initiatives, such as EARN Maryland, Registered Apprenticeship, and Maryland Works for Wind.

Roth is deeply committed to delivering on workforce solutions that are responsive to the needs of both businesses and jobseekers. Throughout her 15+ year tenure with the Department, Roth has led major initiatives involving sector partnerships for in-demand and emerging industries, unemployment insurance, and supporting historically underrepresented populations in reaching their full potential. She has also spearheaded critical disaster response efforts, launching key resources to minimize or eliminate the need for layoffs in times of crisis, including the State’s COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Fund and the Port of Baltimore Worker Retention Fund. Roth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies from Loyola University Maryland, a Master’s in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University, and is a proud graduate of Leadership Maryland.

Kevin Switick is the Chief Executive Officer of AVIAN Holdings Inc., a US-based corporation with three subsidiaries: AVIAN LLC, a test & evaluation, engineering & training services company; Level Up LLC, a technical data analysis company, and Sapphire Solutions LLC, a technical, test and engineering consulting and training firm.

A graduate of Villanova University, the University of Tennessee Space Institute, the U.S. Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College and the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Switick served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, as a member of the Department of Defense’s Acquisition Professional Community, the U.S. Navy’s Space Cadre, and the U.S. Navy’s Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer Corp from 1986 to 2006.

Switick has supported the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in Patuxent River, Maryland for more than 34 years and was a principal influencer for the creation of NAVAIR University being its first course developer and instructor. His professional experience at NAVAIR includes serving as a developmental and experimental test pilot, an instructor for the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, a product team lead for a multi-billion-dollar MH-60R aircraft acquisition, and the chief operational test director for Air Test and Evaluation Squadron ONE (VX-1) during the infancy of the U.S. Navy’s unmanned systems testing. As a member of the U.S. Navy’s Space Cadre, Switick lead a Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) government team overseeing the testing of space systems.

In 2006, Switick co-founded a defense aerospace services company that has consistently grown over the past 18 years and recognized by Inc Magazine as one of the top 5,000 fastest growing companies in the Nation for ten straight years, as well as one of the top 100 workplaces in the Nation three times.

Kevin is an all-around great guy, so says his mother.

Christina Taylor currently serves as Assistant Director of Recruitment and Admissions for the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University. In this role, she leads strategic recruitment initiatives, collaborates closely with prospective graduate students, and ensures seamless communication with academic and administrative teams. Previously, Taylor was a project manager at Chickasaw Nation Industries (CNI), where she spearheaded health resilience projects, aligning objectives and deliverables across teams and acting as a cross-functional liaison to drive continuity for both internal and external stakeholders. Her earlier experience as a junior process analyst included roles at Cengage Learning and 2U, Inc., where she developed technical processes to improve productivity and streamline training operations.

With a diverse professional background in the nonprofit sector and in sales, marketing, communications, and higher education technology, Taylor has also earned certifications in project management, content marketing, social media marketing, and SEO Foundations.

Taylor serves on the Board of Directors for Leadership Southern Maryland, where she first engaged with the organization as a participant in the LEAP program. Following her graduation in 2022, she joined the recruitment and LEAP committees, remaining an active contributor on both. Currently, as chair of the LEAP committee, she also holds a seat on the Board of Directors. Taylor also volunteers as a core team lead with Black Girls Code, where she supports STEAM education for African American girls and students, providing them with valuable skills and resources.

A proud alumna of Spelman College, Taylor is currently pursuing a dual master’s degree in business administration and higher education administration at George Washington University. She is inspired by the words of the late Chadwick Boseman: “Take your time, but do not waste your time.”

The foundation of my holistic practice begins with developing a personal relationship based on a deep understanding of your unique financial needs and what’s most important to you. Using my established process, I build personalized strategies to help you work towards achieving your goals and continue to partner together to help keep you on track. My goal is to ensure you feel understood, in control, informed, and secure about your life and finances.

I was born and raised in Calvert County with very humble beginnings. I genuinely believe that everyone has the right to financial education and growth. I take great pride and deep responsibility in the opportunity to help others reach their financial goals.

I discovered my passion for helping people early in life but found my purpose by educating others on the world of finance and helping guide them to financial freedom. Making sure my clients have the wisdom and knowledge they need to feel confident and comfortable in decision making for their future is a torch I carry with me every day.

My family and laughter are the most important things to me. I’m very fortunate to have a family with a great sense of humor who live locally in Southern Maryland. My husband and partner, Sean McGuire, CRPC™, is also a devoted financial advisor. We are proud parents of a spoiled toy poodle, Charlie, and 87 houseplants. We are huge Marvel fans and can often be found having heated discussions about the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In addition to my wealth management practice, I am also the founder of Sarahtonin LLC. Sarahtonin exists to help people step out of their comfort zones, reach their highest potential, and embrace the power of genuine connections. Through insights, starting with my upcoming book, Friendworking, we’re on a mission to inspire everyone to forge deeper relationships and make real, positive change in the world. And the best part? We’re committed to giving back – 25% of all profits will be donated to local nonprofit organizations, with dreams of increasing as we go.

I love travel, adventure, and enjoy the many activities that our community has to offer, like paddle boarding, hiking, gardening and picking crabs. I enjoy spending time on Solomons Island and am a member of The Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center and The Calvert Marine Museum.

I enjoy volunteering and supporting organizations that are close to my heart. I am a member of both the Calvert and St. Mary’s Chambers of Commerce, and I serve as Chair for the Calvert Young Professionals Network. I am proud to support the Annmarie Gardens Fundraising Committee, SoMD Pride, PFLAG of Southern Maryland, the Calvert Humane Society, and more.

Dr. Yolanda Wilson became president of the College of Southern Maryland in January 2023. Prior to her presidential appointment, Wilson worked in the North Carolina and South Carolina Community College Systems for more than 22 years, beginning her career as an adjunct faculty member before moving into more progressive leadership roles in both academic affairs, student services, and campus operations. Her work in higher education has centered on creating a student-ready college culture, mitigating institutional barriers to access, retention, and completion, and strategically focusing on programming and policies that support all students to success.

Wilson has received the Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished College Administrator’s Awards – both internationally and within the Carolinas, was recognized as the South Carolina Technical Education Association Administrator of the Year at York Technical College and was appointed to the American Association of Community Colleges Commission on College and Career Readiness. She also serves on many local and national boards including the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, the USM at Southern Maryland Board of Advisors, the Charles County Chamber of Commerce Board, the Calvert Health Board of Directors, and the Southern Maryland Workforce Development Board. Most of all, she loves serving as President of CSM – in this wonderful state she calls home.

Wilson earned her B.A. in English Education and her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland, College Park, her Developmental Education Specialist Certification from the Kellogg Institute at Appalachian State University, and her Ed.D. in Adult and Community College Education from North Carolina State University. She is blessed to be married to her best friend, Dale, and they have three sons: Bryan, Brandon, and Braxton.