Annapolis, MD – Feb. 9th.,  Leadership Maryland officially announces the Class of 2017, consisting of 52 business and community leaders from across the state chosen to participate in the professional development program dedicated to building a better Maryland.

The Class of 2017, Leadership Maryland’s 25th class, reflects a cross-section of the state, including diversity of geographic location, profession, ethnicity and gender. These 52 individuals will complete an eight-month hands-on learning program focused on the state’s most vital issues.

Following a two-day opening retreat in April, the class will attend five two-day intense sessions traversing the state focusing on Maryland’s economic development, education, health and human services, criminal justice, the environment, and multi-culturalism/diversity. These sessions will be followed by a one-day closing retreat in November and a graduation celebration in December. More than 100 experts representing business, government, education, and the non-profit community will serve as panelists and guest speakers.

“The selection process for the Class of 2017 was very competitive this year, as we had an extraordinary pool of diverse and experienced applicants to choose from,” said Renée M. Winsky ‘05, president and Chief Executive Officer, Leadership Maryland. “The 52 selected participants represent a diverse and broad spectrum of highly-qualified executives from across the state, and we are confident that their Leadership Maryland experience will help them to play an even greater role in our unified effort to shape the future of our state.”

Leadership Maryland is open to senior-level executives with significant achievements in either their careers and/or their communities. Ideal Leadership Maryland members have a desire to learn more about Maryland’s most critical issues and a personal commitment to be a force for positive change in their organizations, their communities, and their state. For more information about Leadership Maryland, please visit www.LeadershipMD.org, call 410-841-2101 or email Info@LeadershipMD.org.

Leadership Maryland Class of 2017 participants:

Brandon S. Butler, Esq.
Deputy Assistant Secretary – Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning
Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

Brenda Cachuela, CPA, CRMA, CIA
Director, Office of Audits
Maryland Department of Transportation

Deborah A. “Debbie” Carpenter, AICP
Director of Planning and Land Management
Garrett County

Bernard A. “Andy” Cheezum, Jr., CHC
Vice President/Owner
Willow Construction, LLC

Michael E. “Mike” Cox, Jr.
Lecturer/Section Manager
University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute

Gregan Crawford
Vice President of Strategic Initiatives
Garrett County Community Action Committee

James E. Deriu
Vice President of Natural Resources Management
KCI Technologies, Inc.

John D. Diehl, MBA
Vice President
Southway Builders, Inc.

John T. Dumas, MBA
Executive Director
Service Coordination, Inc.

Diana Ellis, MBA
Vice President of Advancement
Humanim, Inc.

Loren N. Farquhar
Director, Marketing and Communications
Anne Arundel Medical Center

Rebecca J. “Becky” Frank
Vice President of Development and Marketing
Chase Brexton Health Care

Dustin W. Freas, H.M.S., NHA
Chief Development Officer
Flagship Rehabilitation

John Genakos
Associate Director for Development and Information Technology
MEDCO

Charles Glass, Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary for Transporation Policy Analysis and Planning
Maryland Department of Transportation

Rajiv K. “Raj” Goel, Esq.
Principal
Offit Kurman, P.A.

Heather M. Gramm
Assistant Director
Frederick County Office of Economic Development (*beginning February 27, 2017)

Amy M. Gross
Executive Director
France-Merrick Foundation

Jennifer J. Hammaker
Director, Maryland Innovation Initiative
Maryland Technology Development Corp. (TEDCO)

Brian W. Hammock, Esq.
Resident Vice President
CSX Transporation, Inc.

Husher L. Harris II
Vice President
Avaris Concepts, LLC

Chris D. Hoyson
Division Vice President
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company

Lucille “Lucie” Hughes
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Chesapeake College

Mary Elizabeth “MaryBeth” Hyland
Founder and Chief Visionary
SparkVision

Mary Frances Isakov
Administrative Vice President and Group Manager
M&T Bank

Martha Lessman Katz, Esq.
Attorney at Law
Lessman Katz Law

Traci L. Kodeck
CEO
HealthCare Access Maryland

Jonathan M. “Jon” Kucskar, Esq.
Senior Commission Advisor
Maryland Public Service Commission

Shannon C. Landwehr
President and CEO
Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore

Stephanie C. Lansey-Delgado
Lietuenant
Baltimore City Police Department

Jennifer B. Litchman
Chief Communications Officer and Vice President; Special Assistant to the President
Univeristy of Maryland Baltimore

Shelley Jarrad Lombardo, MBA
Chief Revenue Officer
Evergreen Advisors, LLC

James G. Lunnermon, II
Director of Alumni Development
University of Maryland-Eastern Shore

Julie Madden
Arts Advocate

Shanak K. “Shan” Maitra, Ph.D., LEED AP
President
Artiam Solutions

Roy C. McGrath
Director/CEO of Maryland Environmental Service
State of Maryland

Meredith M. “Merry” Mears
Director of Economic Development
Worcester County

Wanda K. Oneferu-Bey
Executive Vice President, Consumer Direct Business
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

Barbara J. “Julie” Paluda, MBA
Capital Projects Analyst
Calvert County

Signe J. Pringle
Managing Director-Office of International Investment and Trade
Maryland Department of Commerce

John W. Renner, Jr.
Senior Development Director
Cross Street Partners

Hon. James H. “Jimmy” Rhee
Special Secretary – Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs
State of Maryland

Karyn A. Riley, Esq.
Director of Intergovernmental Relations
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

John E. Rodenhausen
Maryland Director of Major Giving
Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Christine A. Ross, CCE, MBA, MS
President and CEO
Maryland Chamber of Commerce

Andrew Sargent
Senior Business Development Representative, Western Region
Maryland Department of Commerce

Deborah E. “Deb” Sharpless, CPA
Deputy Executive Director – Maryland Transit Authority
Maryland Department of Transportation

Jody J. Sprinkle
Principal Policy Analyst – Maryland General Assembly
State of Maryland

Joy A. Strand
Chief Executive Officer
McCready Health

Barbara K. Wagner
Leadership Frederick Program and External Events Coordinator
Frederick County Chamber of Commerce

Chad H. Ward
Chief Executive Officer
Railey Mountain Lake Vacations

Nico Washington, MBA
Associate Provost for Financial Management
University of Maryland-Baltimore County