2023 Eastern Shore Women to Watch

ON THE BAY BOSS

IMANI BLACK PAVES THE WAY FOR MINORITIES IN AQUACULTURE

PROFILES OF EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN ON THE EASTERN SHORE

We invite you to read about extraordinary women in our community and their accomplishments! Women To Watch spotlights the work, dedication, talents and community service of women on the Eastern Shore who continue to lead in their respective fields and those who embody strength, vitality, leadership and integrity for our community. We invited readers to nominate women who exemplify excellence, both in navigating their career path and as community leaders.

Our portal that accepted nominations was open on stardem.com from Friday, Jan. 13, 2023 through Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. During this 4-week period, we received 174 nominations of extraordinary women who work or reside in Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Dorchester, Kent and Caroline counties.

An APG Media of Chesapeake internal committee and external committee made up of community members met after nominations closed. They embarked on the difficult task of identifying women to interview for the 2023 Women to Watch Magazine. The committee worked through a set of criteria for the nominees. The criteria includes nominees’ community service, professional accomplishments and entrepreneurship as well as their work with mentoring and inspiring others.

As you can imagine, it was an exceedingly difficult decision. Each nominee had invaluable contributions indelible both in the community and workplace. The names within these pages represent women who are breaking stereotypes to positively impact our world today while inspiring future generations.

This edition, we are especially grateful to have several wonderful contributors. From the cover photography to the editors, writers and designers who made it happen, this magazine is 100% local to the Eastern Shore we all call home. We are so excited for this edition and delighted by our partners who helped bring this wonderful display of important, impactful women full circle.

— The Women to Watch 2023 Committee

WOMEN RUN EASTON

PROFILES

JULIA

STAFF INFO

EDITOR

Jonathan Carter jtcarter@chespub.com

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER/SALES

Betsy Griffin bgriffin@chespub.com

EVENT MANAGER

Kristi Mertaugh

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Nancy Curley

David Anthony

Iryna Gunsallus

David Murch

Angie Green

DESIGN

Meredith Dean

CONTRIBUTORS

Niambi Davis

Debra R. Messick

Arden Haley

KIMBERLY WOOD

Owner and Culinary Visionary Earth Tones Cafe, in Denton

Photo courtesy of Kimberly Wood

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

I am the owner and chef of Earth Tones Cafe. I opened this business out of pure determination. Motivation to be my own boss, to be able to provide a safe workplace for women, and to prove to myself I can do so much more than I ever imagined. I’m proud to say I’ve accomplished that.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Service to me is the act of being personable. Knowing your clients, making them always feel warm and welcomed. Greeting them by name and always having the utmost respect defines genuine hospitality, which can go a long way.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

Even if you feel as if you don’t know how to do it or where to start, you will learn as you go. Have faith and let the pieces fall into place.

It’s not who inspires me but it’s what inspires me. It’s knowing what else can be done. The unknown can be quite intriguing, motivating, and exciting.

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO

YOU?

Community means so much to me and my place of business. Earth Tones Cafe couldn’t be anymore different from anything on the Shore. It has been my goal from the start to show my community a different type of culinary, to try new things. It’s an honor to show the Eastern Shore my lifestyle of eating, to think of food in a different way.

Even if you feel as if you don’t know how to do it or where to start, you will learn as you go. Have faith and let the pieces fall into place.

TRACEY WILLIAMS

Supervisor of students and secondary education

Kent County Public Schools

Define

plan for it, chase

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

I am currently the supervisor of student services for Kent County Public Schools. I've held this position since 2018. My office is responsible for implementing programs and initiatives to facilitate all students' emotional, mental, social and physical health. In addition, our department at the central office works with school staff to provide the support needed to create a safe and nurturing environment conducive to learning.

I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was about 8 years old. I started my teaching career as a history and special education teacher in Cecil County, then Queen Anne’s County, and finally made my way back to my alma mater, Kent County High School (KCHS). Besides teaching at KCHS, I also served as the career and technology (CTE) director, assistant principal, instructional specialist, and the principal from 2010-2017. Serving as the principal of KCHS was by far the most rewarding position I have held in my 32-year career.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Service is giving back to the community where you live. For me, that community is Kent County, and I wanted to serve my community by giving my time to our students and providing students with a quality education that would open doors to help them realize their hopes and dreams for a viable future. As principal at KCHS, I told my students that it was my job to ensure they were prepared for life after high school, and everyone needed a viable plan when they graduated. I didn't care whether that plan was entering higher education, the military, or the workforce. However, the plan

your vision,

opportunities (don’t wait for opportunities to come to you), and surround yourself with the right team.

needed to be viable by possessing a skillset to succeed and compete globally.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

Define your vision, plan for it, chase opportunities (don't wait for opportunities to come to you), and surround yourself with the right team. What is the right team? A team with people who possess strengths that you don't. Create a team you trust to have hard conversations behind closed doors and present a united front in public.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

I have had many people inspire me throughout the years. But, the person that started me on my path was my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Barkley. She gave me the confidence boost I needed to believe in myself. She taught me that perseverance and passion were keys to success.

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

Growing up on the Eastern Shore is unique. It's a blend of old and new families. Many families have been on the shore for generations, and this provides a sense of family. It's not hard to find someone who "knows your people."

With that said, there is a nice blend of newcomers to the shore, which is critical because they bring a fresh perspective to keep us from becoming stagnant. In Kent County, we are fortunate to have an increasing number of retirees eager to share their wealth of experiences and knowledge with our youth.

Photos courtesy of Tracey Williams

We aregrateful to Bairdfor its commitment to creating aculturethat empowers women to be successful.Let us showyou howour approach can help mak eadifference in your financial future.

Swan Co ve Salon&Spa Honorsthe Womenofthe EasternShore!

AmberEmrick-Attendant

AmyKoch-Receptionist

Andrea Calmon -MassageTherapist

AshleyCalderone- Hair Stylist

BeckyElmendorf -HairStylist

Brooke Scheminant -HeadNailTech

CatherinePoland-NailTech

DawnPumphrey-HairStylist

Denise Barlet -MassageTherapist

DorisTate- MedicalAesthetics

Hannahwarnick -Receptionist

Hayden Kilby- Attendant

Icey Allen-MassageTherapist

Jean Mayr -NailTech

JessicaHurst -HeadMassageTherapist

Jessie Kennedy-HairStylist

Josi Mazzaglia -Esthetician

Kailee Bates- Nail Tech

Kelli Connaughton -Owner

KimHambright -MedicalAesthetics

KristinEverson -HairStylist

Lexi Merritt -Attendant

Lindsay Jones-Esthetician

Lindsay Pass-HairStylist

Lisa Secrist- MassageTherapist

Lori Monroe -HairStylist

MadisonPavlick -Attendant

MicheleFisher-Massage Therapist

MelissaGolladay-HeadEsthetician

MelissaWaddell -MassageTherapist

Morgan Trippe -NailTech

Nicole Laumann -HairStylist

Nina Laumann- Attendant

Pamela Zagula -MedicalAesthetics

ShelbyGoldsborough-OperationsManager

StephanieTreadwell -Attendant

Taylor Henninger- Cosmetologist

TracyHogan -Esthetician

Casey Cep

Best-selling Writer

Story by Debra R. Messick

For cynics who may doubt the value of a public school education, acclaimed, best-selling writer Casey Cep's serendipitous journey offers something of a revelation.

Self described as a "proud" recipient of Talbot County Public Schools education, when asked whether her foundation was helpful to her future success, the Easton High graduate couldn't say enough.

"I had wonderful teachers in the public schools, and I absolutely credit them with helping me learn to read, write, and think critically. I hope we continue to fund our schools and support our teachers so that they can continue supporting students, whether they want to be farmers, writers, nurses or anything else. My younger sister is a teacher at the elementary school where we all went, and I watch her approach every single student with curiosity and joy. Public education is a treasure that we take for granted, even those of us who feel we champion the schools. We could all always be giving more of our time and resources to make sure the next generation has an even better start than the one we got," Cep said.

Photo courtesy of Casey Cep

Reportedly the only local student in recent years to be offered admission to prestigious MIT, the literary minded Cep attended Harvard.

Graduating cum laude, she then became one of 32 students nationwide selected to become a Rhodes Scholar. Drawing on a deep and abiding spiritual upbringing nurtured by her close knit family and hometown church, St. Paul's Lutheran in Cordova, Cep next studied Theology at the University of Oxford, earning an M.Phil.

Her love of the craft of writing ultimately pulled her forward towards a career offering fulfillment and breathtaking success.

A staff writer for The New Yorker, Cep's articles have also appeared in an array of prestigious publications, among them, The New Republic, The New York Times and the Paris Review.

An assignment to cover Harper Lee, author of Pulitzer Prize-winning classic To Kill A Mockingbird, following the release of her long awaited novel To Set A Watchman, ultimately laid the fertile groundwork for Cep's own first novel, The Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee.

Four years in the making, the book's 2019 release was met with a crescendo of universal acclaim.

Former President Barack Obama included Furious Hours in his annual recommendations; it also made the New York Times and Washington Post books of the year lists.

Among those singing Cep's praises were an array of prizewinning authors, including Michael Lewis, (The Big Short, The Blind Side and Moneyball), who, in the New York Times Book Review, called it, "Superbly written…the sort of story that even Lee would have been proud to write."

No matter where you come from, no matter where you choose to live, your mind will always be set apart — Cep

Photo courtesy of Casey Cep

According to cultural guru Oprah's O Magazine, Furious Hours was "Enthralling…Cep delivers edgeof-your-seat courtroom drama, while brilliantly reinventing Southern Gothic."

Additional rave reviews overflowing with praise came from additional popular mainstream publications. Southern Living called it "A compelling hybrid of a novel, at once a true crime thriller, court-room drama, and miniature biography of Harper Lee…"

Time added that it was "a marvel…gives us the fullest story yet of Lee's post-Mockingbird life."

While her literary skills have been favorably compared to Lee's, unlike the notably reticent icon, Cep is already eagerly embracing her next project.

"I'm working on something about a shipwreck, and I know it will be of great interest to those who love or fear the water. There's some courtroom drama like in the last book, so I hope even people who don't care for ships will be interested in the story," Cep noted.

While her intellectual and creative horizons continue expanding, Cep's life continues to be centered on her beloved Eastern Shore, where she lives with her wife, Pulitzer Prize-winning Ohio native and writer Kathryn Schultz, and their baby daughter, who was baptized at St Paul's.

The local landscape also looms large in parts of Schultz's

latest work, the widely praised Lost and Found, which interweaves how her relationship with Cep overlapped with the devastating loss of her father. To provide her partner with solace and comfort, Cep suggested a walk through Adkins Arboretum.

While both have been in great demand from far and wide literary circles to discuss their respective work, the two have also graciously appeared to packed audiences at local libraries and schools.

For Cep, the intertwining of the near and the far reflects the organic nature of life as well as literature.

"No matter where you come from, no matter where you choose to live, your mind will always be set apart and the great work of life is finding others like it. I was very lucky to study writing with the novelist Jamaica Kincaid. She was born in Antigua, but made an incredible life for herself as an artist in this country. I remember her telling me once something that the poet Derek Walcott said when her first book of stories was published, and that was "genius has many surprises and one of them is geography." What a wonderful and important idea, that genius can take shape anywhere, under any conditions. Writers don't come from any one zip code, and they don't only flourish in five boroughs. The Eastern Shore is full of readers and writers and libraries and a few good bookstores, and it's as good a place as any to pursue a creative career."

For more information, visit https://www.caseycep.com

Photo by Tom McCall

Left to right, Kathryn Shulz and Casey Cep talk about Pulitzer Prize winner Shulz’s new memoir called “Lost & Found.” They delighted a literary crowd of 60 at the North Caroline High School.

www.dcsdct.org

Nailah supervisors a number of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). She oversees a diverse group of men and women. She is the day-to-day leader of the Delmarva Works Day Program.

Delmarva Communtiy Services, Inc. is a 501-c3 nonprofit organization that embraces Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)

From Left to Right: Tyneka Chase, Charlene Cornish, Day Program Supervisor Nailah Woolford, Lisa Coleman, and Elbony White.

KELLI CONNAUGHTON

Photo courtesy of Kelli Connaughton

Managing partner

Swan Cove Spa, in Chester

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

I have always run businesses which have been a service to the community. Health and wellbeing have always been an interest of mine and to have that incorporated in my businesses is satisfying, it adds a human touch to what could otherwise be a cold business world.

I often say you cannot pour from an empty cup; Swan Cove provides respite to people who serve others through donations we give to Kinera Foundation for special needs parents and now caretakers at Compass as well. I am currently the managing partner at Swan Cove Spa and Salon.

Previously I have owned large multi-use health clubs, practiced functional diagnostic nutrition, travel and reviewed spas and worked at hair salons in a couple of different roles. My past experience made Swan Cove seem like a good fit for me.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Contributing something of value to a community and providing an experience where people feel valued.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

Find what you are interested in and run with it. Surround yourself with people who know more than you.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

My mother.

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

I have found the Eastern Shore to be an accepting warm community, which I enjoy. I am trying to give back through Swan Cove and by helping with the new Queen Anne's County YMCA being built in Centreville, serving on the leadership council.

Photo courtesy of Kelli Connaughton

Pictured here is the staff of Swan Cove.

Find what you are interested in and run with it. Surround yourself with people who know more than you.

WENDY PALMER

Executive Director

Easton Family YMCA

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY. As the Executive Director of the Easton Family YMCA, I oversee operations and programs at both of the Easton locations. My path led me to what I describe as my life's joy — helping people find their joy in movement.

As I began my Y journey, I quickly realized that our work is all about relationships and helping people make connections that are genuine and long lasting.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Service to me is the lifelong dedication and commitment to helping others. Service changes people, it brings out the best in each one of us. We hope to teach our children to be kind and giving, that is the true nature of service.

Photos courtesy of Wendy Palmer

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

My story moves from a for-profit business to working for a nonprofit charitable organization was not as large of a stretch as one would think. In the hospitality business, we want to please our guests, make them feel welcome and give them

an experience that they enjoy so they will come back. At the YMCA, we want to serve the community, we want them to feel welcome, provide them with great programs and activities so that they will return and continue their healthy lifestyle with friends and family at the YMCA.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

Many people inspire me, my family and friends inspire me to live a life filled with joy and love. One celebrity inspires me a lot — Brene' Brown, a professor, author, podcast host and lecturer.

I love that she brings up difficult conversations and presses us to think and look inward.

Author Kelly McGonigal; The Joy of Movement. She inspires me as she speaks my language of finding joy in movement, happiness, hope, connection and courage. Read the book! It's amazing.

My co-coach of Rock Steady Boxing, Lyn Sutton inspires me. She leads with her heart after coaching and then losing her father to Parkinson's, she continues to help people fight the good fight. We work so well together and she inspires me every day to be a better coach.

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

I have lived on the Eastern Shore since I was 5 years old. It is home. I remember I couldn't wait to get away to go to college and leave the quiet life here. Then returning after college and thinking how wonderful the Eastern Shore truly is. We are so blessed with so many beautiful small towns and our waterways. I love that we have such a loving community with so many organizations that want to help keep our community active, safe and healthy.

Service to me is the lifelong dedication and commitment to helping others.

KELLY SIMONSEN

Marketing and Communications Manager Easton Utilities

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY. Looking back, I believe marketing has been in my blood from my early years. I’ve always been drawn to the desire to make things better and approach many situations with this in mind. One of my first jobs after receiving a degree in mass communications from Towson University was in the sales and marketing department for a national hotel chain. This is where I learned first-hand the importance of branding, image and customer service.

Throughout my career, I’ve led the marketing and

communications efforts in an array of other industries including medical, industrial services in the energy sector, and now utilities. With each job, I have expanded my knowledge and broadened my skill set. However, the landscape continues to drastically change, especially over the last five years as digital marketing and social media platforms multiply and evolve in an attention economy. I realize there is always much to learn and, in my quest to not settle for complacency, I am currently pursuing an integrated marketing communications master’s degree at Georgetown University.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Service simply means helping others. It means putting the needs of others ahead of your own. It is such a rewarding feeling to give of your time, talent and treasure and there is such a need. As a mother of two who works full-time, I’ve not found as much space for this yet personally.

I try to perform small acts of kindness and

Simonsen poses with her family.

Photos courtesy of Kelly Simonsen

generosity which I count as my “service” right now. I am currently volunteering on the boards of the MD/DC Utilities Association, Talbot Chamber of Commerce and SOS: Sink or Swim. In time, I hope to get better and more supportive of the many organizations doing such great work in our community.

That said, my role is responsible for the majority of Easton Utilities’ charitable giving, enabling me to learn about all the nonprofits and their missions. It is rewarding and heartwarming to see what is being accomplished to make this community thrive. Offering support to these organizations and the people working tirelessly to provide services to those who need it most is gratifying.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

• Choose a field in which you are passionate — the beauty about the field of marketing is that you can easily change industries

• Intentionally insert yourself — don’t wait to be asked

• Get involved in the numerous opportunities that present themselves even if they are out of your comfort zone

• Know your strengths and weaknesses and capitalize on the strengths — instead of focusing on the weaknesses

• Find your tribe! I recommend finding quality women and making strong, lasting friendships with them. These ladies will be your biggest supporters — and you will be theirs. I am fortunate to have many women in my life fall into this category. Being around great people makes you a better person.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

My mom! While I can’t count the endless lessons she taught, by far the most important piece of advice which is still most prominent… “you get out of life what you put in.”

This was ingrained in me and is how I’ve always approached life as well. To this day, she still preaches the same thing and is living proof of those words.

And this sums up all my beliefs: With each day and every encounter, you can choose to make it good and positive.

You can choose to have fun. You can choose to be happy. When you do all of these things, they are reflected right back at you. Making my mother proud inspires me and motivates me to be a good employee, colleague, spouse, friend, and most of all, a good parent to my two daughters.

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

I was raised in Howard County and lived there until moving to Easton ten years ago. While it was a great place with numerous amenities, I never once felt the sense of community that is present in Talbot County. There is something very special here and you see how everyone and everything is connected. There is also a powerful natural beauty here that I try to take the time to appreciate daily. To sum it up, the Eastern Shore community means home to me.

CONGRATULATIONS

From left: Indra Bullock, Ed.D, Sherry Spurry, Kim Seidel, Sharon Pepukayi, Ed.D., Kari Clow, Ed.D., Theresa Vener, Lisa Devaric, Ed.D., Kelly Murdoch

Congratulations to our ExecutiveDirector Ashley Davis, MPH, MAHS, on being named a 2023 Woman to Watch!

TheEastern ShoreAreaHealth Education Center (ESAHEC)’smission is to increase the number of health careproviderswho provide services in our communityand eliminate health disparities among diverse populations on the Eastern Shorebyproviding and coordinating programs thatimprove thehealth status of all.

Our Initiatives Include:

DiabetesPrevention Program

Aresearch-based lifestyle change program designed to help individuals reduce their risk of developing Type 2diabetes.

REACH Program

Reducedisparities, Educate minorities And encourage individuals to takecharge of their health through Communitycollaboration and Healthyliving.

Professional Networking and Preceptor Program

Connects students and practicing professionals to training opportunities with minorityand disadvantaged populations.

To learn moreabout our programs and findout howtopartner with us, visit esahec.org.

Congratulations Ju lia Fox we ll of

“It must be said, my favorite part of this position is the daily interactionwithmycolleagues.Far beyond standard workplace interactions, it’s become my unofficial job to tend to the Bluepoint family -wehave over 150 employees -bychecking in regularly,I’ve developed wonderful relationships with the terrificindividuals on our team.”

- Julia Foxwell Director,Community Outreach

Abby Messick, Golf Professional, Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay

Abby Tyner, Co-owner, Striving for Wellness Together LLC

Alice Lloyd, Owner/Operator, Hambleton House LLC, Hambleton

House Events & Catering, Nutritional Lifestyling with Alice

Alisha Saulsbury, Forensic Mental Health Manager & Clinic

Allison Shafer, Marketing Manager, LUMINIS Health

Amanda Edwards, General Manager, Edwards Pharmacy

Amanda Kidd , Founder & Owner, Beat the Rush Delivery Service/411 Kitchen

Amanda Nelson Parks, Fitness Trainer, Fit Flock

Amber Tolley McGinnis, Development Director, Chesapeake College

Amy Horne, Executive Director, CASA of Caroline

Amy Keller, Owner, Aging at Home Solutions

Andrea Davis-Cetina, Farmer, Quarter Acre Farm

Angeline Hartmann, Director of Communications, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

Angie Wilson McCracken, President, iFrog Marketing Solutions

Ann Casamento, CRNP, Owner, Easton Advanced Aesthetics

Anne Miller, Special Needs Teacher, Pre-K, Easton Elementary School

Ashley Clark, Executive Director, Eastern Shore Area Health

Education Center

Ashley Mackenzie, Financial Planner, Northwestern Mutual

Becky Biggs, Associate Broker, Tilghman Island Realty

Brenda Andrew , Mortgage Loan Officer, Academy Mortgage Corporation

Brenda Walls, Owner, Ridgely Pharmacy and Gifts

Brienne Garland, Owner & Teacher, To the Pointe Dance Studio

Brittanie DiMichele, K-9 Deputy, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office

Brittany Wallace, Engineer, Lane Engineering

C. Lee Gordon, Attorney, Parker Counts

Carla Thorpe, Director, A.F. Whitsitt Center

Carmela Bono, Chef and Owner, Carmela’s Cucina

Carol Ibex Kettering, Owner, Foundations Island Yoga and Foundations School of Yoga

Carol Wheeler, Interior Designer, Jamie Merida Interiors

Casey Cep, Staff Writer, The New Yorker and Author

Casey Henckel, RN, Emergency Department, UM Shore Regional Health

Casey Scott, Medical Doctor and Deputy Health Officer, Dorchester County

Catherine Comer, Vice President of Development, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region

Catherine (Kate) Richards, Wellness Consultant, Hill’s Pharmacy

Cathy Cassell, Chief Executive Officer, Channel Marker, Inc.

Cecile Storm, Fine Art Photographer, Videographer, Creative Director

Charlotte Bramble, Restaurant Owner/Operator, Woolford Store

Chloe Campbell, Assistant State’s Attorney, Kent County

Christine Dulla Rickard, Deputy State’s Attorney, Queen Anne’s County

Christine M Dayton, Owner, Christine M Dayton Architect, PA

Colleen Williams, Marketing Director, THE EDGE

Connie Tubman, Manager, Bay Country Shop

Cristy Morrell, Executive Director, Critchlow Adkins

Crystal Hoback, Owner and Groomer, Shaggy Paws Pet Grooming Salon

Dakota Flowers, Muskrat Skinner Champion, Trainer

Danielle Cannon, Poultry/Cattle Farmer, Cannon Farms

Danielle Dennis, Algebra Teacher, Colonel Richardson High School

2023 NOMINEES Congratulations

Danielle Dressel, Owner, Personal Trainer, Ironclad Fitness

Danielle Vanriel, Owner, Cosmetologist, Mirror Mirror, LLC

Deborah A. Urry, Immediate Past Director, Higher Education Center at Chesapeake College

Deena Kilmon, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Easton Economic Development

Denise Walls, Home Health Admissions Nurse

Desiree Jefferson, Youth and Young Adult Program Director, His Hope Ministries

Diana Albers, Owner, Superior Staging and Redesign

Diana LeClair, Owner/Operator, Carriage House Canvas

Diane Towers, Owner, La De Da

Doncella Wilson, Director, Minary’s Dream Alliance

Dorri Gowe Lambert, Occupational Therapist and Owner, Building Bridges Pediatric Therapy Services

Edwina Kimball, Executive Vice President, COO BDK, Inc.

Eleanor Kilmon, Chemistry and Biology Teacher, St. Michael’s High School

Elizabeth Connelly, Marketing and Grants Specialist, Rauch Inc.

Elizabeth Cramer, Firefighter and EMT, Hurlock

Elizabeth Puddester, Marketing Director, LUMINIS Health

Estela Ramirez, Assistant Director, Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center

Faye Carson, Sales Entrepreneur

Genevieve Macfarlane, Real Estate and Land Use Attorney, Stevens Palmer, LLC

Gerald Dayrit, Rehab Director/Physical Therapist, The Pines

Heather Abbott, Self-Proprietor, RedCapeDesigns

Heather Hudson, Owner, Blue Heron Coffee

Heather Lynette Sinclair, Citizen Activist

Heather Tinelli, Economic & Tourism Development Director, Queen Anne’s County

Holly DeKarske, Executive Director, Easton Economic Development Corporation

Imani Black, Marine Biologist, CEO and Founder, Minorities in Aquaculture, Lacrosse Coach and UMCES student

Indra Bullock, Ed.D., Principal, St. Michaels Elementary School

Isabel Hardesty, Executive Director, ShoreRivers

Ivy Garcia, Director of Lation Outreach and Ed, For All Seasons

Jackie Wilson, Senior Vice President- Retail Banking Officer, Provident State Bank

Jaime Frankos, Chief Revenue Officer, Ferretly International

Jaime Windon, Owner, Lyon Rum/Windon Distilling Company and Photographer

Jana Meredith, Realtor/Associate Broker, Meredith Fine Properties

Jennifer Brown , Vacation Rental and Property Management, Flaneur

Jennifer Didonato, Owner, Didonato Properties

Jennifer Kennedy Hines, Owner and Director, Chesapeake Elite All Stars Cheer Gym

Jennifer Kenton-Hughes , Controller, Londonderry on The Tred Avon

Jennifer Smith, Owner, The Galley Restaurant

Jessica Eckbold, Training & Beverage Director, Ava’s Hospitality Group

Jessica LaPerch, Owner, Cabin Fever

Jessie Mulford, Owner and Daycare Provider, Jessie’s Busy Bees

Joan Brooks, Minister, Hurlock United Methodist Church

Joan Hoge-North, Owner, The Mercantile in Easton

Jocelyn Feist, Mentor, Women Supporting Women

Juanita Darby, EMT and Life Member, Rescue Fire Company Dorchester EMS

Judy Diaz, General Manager, WHCP Community Radio

Jules Hendrix , Farm & Crop focused Insurance Producer/ Agency Owner

Julia Foxwell, Director of Community Outreach, Bluepoint Hospitality Group

Justine Ireland, High School Math Teacher, North Caroline High School

Karah Bunde, Owner, Heirloom Athletics and Co-founder, THRIVE Dorchester

Karen Anderson, Loan Officer, Oceans Lending

Karen Callahan, Administrator

Kari Clow, Ed.D., Principal, Chapel District Elementary School

Kate Livie , Entrepreneur, Business Owner, Alosa

Communications and Author

Katherine Bradley , Director of Food and Beverage, Inn at Perry Cabin

Kathleen Higginbotham , Realtor/Business owner, Shore Home Team

Katie Thomason , Owner, Parlour 7 Salon

Kaya Abukassis , Associate Attorney, Stevens Palmer, LLC

Kelli Connaughton , Spa Owner, Swan Cove

Kelly Murdoch , Principal, Easton Middle School

Kelly Simonsen , Marketing & Communications Manager, Easton Utilities

Kim Seidel , Principal, White Marsh Elementary School

Kimberly Myers , Owner, Britts Barber Shop

Kimberly Quathamer , Owner, Midshore Solutions

Property Services and Volunteer Firefighter/EMT

Kimberly Wood , Co-Owner, Earth Tones Café

Kristen Jones , Volunteer Firefighter with St. Michaels Fire Department, Career Firefighter with Salisbury

Dr. Kristin Tallent , Owner, Shore Integrative Health

Kristina Hyland , Realtor and Hockey Player

Laura N. Era , Artist and Owner, Troika Fine Art Gallery

Laura Wright , Financial Advisor, Andersen Wealth Management

Lauren Blair , Provider & Community Relations Manager, Coastal Hospice

Rev. LaVonne Massey , Store Owner, Walking with Faith Thrift Store and More

Lesa Lee , Chief Clinical Officer, For All Seasons

Lisa Devaric , Ed.D., Principal, Easton Elementary School

Lisa McDonald , Nurse Practitioner

Liz Verhelle , Financial Advisor, Edward Jones

Liza Goetz , Owner/Educator, Wildly Native Flower Farm

Liza Ledford , Director, Oxford Community Center

Lora F. Davis , LPL Financial Advisor, Wye Financial & Trust

Marci Leach , Executive Director, Eastern Shore Higher Education Center at Chesapeake College

Margaret Enloe North , Business Owner, The Firebird Coaching and Consulting

Martha H. LeDoux , Chef/Owner, Happy Chicken

Mary Trahar -Thomas , Orthodontist, Smiles By The Bay

Meg McDermott , Divine Feminine Priestess

Megan Cook , Mayoral Candidate and Town of Easton Council President

Melissa Whittington , Director of Tenant Services, MidAtlantic Supportive Services

Michele Clough , Owner, Greensboro Pharmacy

2023 NOMINEES Congratulations

Michelle Callahan , Assistant Store Manager/Sales Manager, Harbor Freight

Nailah Woolford , Day Program Supervisor, Delmarva Community Services, Inc.

Niki Pino, Owner, Optical Galleria

Nikki Jantz, Nutritionist

Nikki Oakes, Owner, Tri County Roll Off

Dr. Patricia Saelens, Superintendent, QACPS

Petra Quinn, Real Estate Agent and Firm Owner, Realty Navigator

Rachel Grande, Math Teacher, South Dorchester High School

Rachel Mowell, Veterinarian, High Street Veterinary Practice

Rebecca DeMattia, Owner, Discovering Serenity Counseling Services, LLC

Rebecca Wales, Personal Trainer, B Well Nutrition & Fitness Coaching

Rebecca Warrington , Salon Owner and Hairstylist, Shapers Hair Salon

Renee Barringer, Registered Nurse, Caroline County Board of Education

Robin Sample, Social Worker, Domestic Violence Advocate, Founder, Owner of Journei by Robin

Robyn Brown, Minister and Hospice Chaplain

Robyn Ritter, Owner, The Paper Work Pros, Purple Peake CBD, Red Light Liquors

Sarah Schut, Certified Financial Practitioner, Envision Wealth Planning LLC

Shania Thomas, Owner, Designer, Gui’Shani, LLC

Shannon Potter Dill, Ag Agent, University of MD ExtensionTalbot County

Sharon Pepukayi, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Talbot County

Sharon Puckett, Owner, Tiny Tots Boutique Chestertown MD

Shelby Meyers, LPN, UM Shore Regional Health ED

Sherry Spurry, Principal, Easton High School

Sherye Nickerson, Owner, Three Fish Aquatics, LLC

Stephanie Berkey, Treasurer, City of Ridgely

Stephanie Hambleton, Owner/Attorney, Hambleton Law, LLC

Susan Roecker, Coordinator, Tilghman United Methodist Church Food Bank, Helping Hands and food delivery

Susan Runnels, Executive Director, Caroline Human Services Council, Inc.

Suzanne Sullivan, Director of Education, ShoreRivers

Tamika Hall, The Owner and Founder of Tamika Inc. She Wins Retreat, Speak Over Yourself podcast, Smell Pretty Gummies, The Tamika Hall Experience Photography, Tamika Hall Radio Show iworship96Family

Tasha Johnson, MSN/RN /SRH/Clinical Nurse Educator

Teresa Jetton, Art Teacher, Kent County Public Schools

Terri Kulp, Realtor, Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company

Theresa Vener, Principal, St. Michaels Middle and High School

Tracey Williams, Supervisor of Student Services and Secondary Education, Kent County Public Schools

Turkessa Tunnell Harris , Production Manager and Music Teacher

Valerie Brown, Owner, Powell Realtors

Wendy Collins, Wendy’s Divine Design, Bay Country Store

Wendy Palmer, Executive Director, Easton Family YMCA

Ashley Davis

Executive Director

Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center

Story by Debra R. Messick Submitted photos

The importance of access to quality health services hit home early for Ashley Davis. Still just 32 years of age, she's already devoted a decisive chunk of her adult life to improving care and education.

Named last April as executive director of the Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center based in Cambridge, Davis has stayed focused on those goals.

Raised by a mom who was a nurse in tiny, financially struggling Petersburg, Virginia, Davis learned how critical equitable availability of health care providers and programs are, especially to traditionally underserved populations such as rural communities and minorities.

In the process of becoming a mother herself, personally dealing with early delivery and other childbirth-related complications, the harrowing experience raised her own awareness of the difficulties many women regularly face, deepening her inner resolve to make a difference.

That core belief, coupled with a quest to expand, improve, and provide fair access to quality care, treatment and education has grown stronger with each progressive educational and career advancement she's earned.

When she began her current position on April 18, 2022, Davis made history as the first woman and first minority member to hold the top job in ESAHEC's 26-year history.

Unfazed, she hit the ground running, continuing in leaps and bounds, despite facing hurdles of financial deficit, staff turnover, and a building in need of updates that serves a region long beset by some of the most challenging fiscal, educational and job realities in Maryland. She's excited to keep up the pace and continue reaping sustainable results.

During the first year of Davis' enterprising stewardship, ESAHEC was awarded $400,000 in funding, including a large Pfizer grant towards creating critical Sickle Cell Disease education and support.

Under her direction, ESAHEC is also launching the proactive REACH program, aimed at reducing disparities, educating minorities and encouraging individuals to take charge of their health through Community Collaboration and Healthy

Living, using innovative business and community partnerships and Community Health Workers.

Davis is proud that this year, ESAHEC has reached the largest number of participants (30) signed up for state accredited community health worker training, which began in March.

She's already envisioning an enhanced CHW corps, where workers can receive badges for taking additional training in specialized areas, including eventually providing personalized support services currently lacking for those struggling with opioid and other addictions, to help them break the cycle of incarceration.

Davis is also working on promoting vigorous STEM and early health career educational exposure, to alert students of their future possibilities and to help train the next generation of providers.

Her insightful and dynamic leadership extends to concrete efforts towards

Serving rural communities are often the most enterprising

— Davis

Photos courtesy of Ashley Davis

molding ESAHEC into a national model of achievement, and a sought out career destination.

To achieve those ends, Davis helped secure raises and 100 percent paid health care for her staff. And, for the first time, two local team members will be making presentations at national AHEC conventions, she proudly added

Despite twists and turns in her own life journey, Davis has relentlessly navigated with purpose, buoyed by an inner spirit always striving for excellence, turning each challenge into an opportunity.

Blessed with creative talent, Davis won admission to the Governor's School for the Arts. But after high school, she chose to focus her future career in medicine, where she could help make a difference in people's lives.

Starting at Virginia State College's Nursing Department, Davis' plans hit a detour when the school discontinued the program. But she continued on, searching for the best way to pursue her ultimate goal.

Her passion for the field, plus a drive to innovate solutions, has helped her land top professional positions, in each case, applying what she's learned when taking the next step up.

Following a position working with youngsters in grades 9-12 in Petersburg where she was encouraged to develop her own programs, Davis joined the Virginia Department

of Health, where her stellar skills earned her appointment as manager of the Office of Rural Health. Next, she became director of programs and special initiatives at the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America in Baltimore.

"Even while working within a wider scope at SCDAA, I was always interested in how rural communities were affected. Because they've got to make the best use of the limited resources available, organizations serving rural communities are often the most enterprising," Davis said.

Her impressive educational background includes earning a bachelor’s degree in biology from Spelman College and a master of arts in human development, family studies and related services, as well as a master of public health degree from Liberty University. She is currently pursuing her PhD in social and public policy at Liberty University, in order to have a seat at the all important table where budgetary spending decisions are initially made, Davis noted.

In the midst of achieving academic and professional milestones, Davis' personal life has been happily thriving. Along with successfully raising her son DeKari, now a healthy 6-year-old, she's also recently married (February 2023).

Though not an Eastern Shore native, while driving up the road to her first interview, Davis felt the familiar down home vibes reminiscent of her hometown. Now, with each passing day, she's helping weave her adopted community's next chapter.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Imani Black

Founder & CEO

Minorities in Aquaculture

Story by Niambi Davis

Photos by Arden Haley

Imani Black grew up in Chestertown fishing off the town pier after church on Sundays and enjoying the region’s waterways with boat-owning friends. Her enthusiasm for conservation and restoration began when she was a seven-year-old camper at the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science at Horn Point in Cambridge. By the time the session ended, even in her young mind, there was no doubt about what career lay ahead.

“I want to do that when I grow up,” she proclaimed.

During an internship at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation the summer before her senior year of high school, Black was introduced

to aquaculture, defined for the layperson as “ the production of commercial seafood and restoration of habitats in our natural waters which together help replenish and rebuild oysters, clams, salmon, finfish and marine grasses.”

After working with an all-female team planting aquatic grasses and oysters, repairing boats, and participating in local community events, she was hooked.

Armed with a degree in marine biology and biological oceanography from Old Dominion University, in 2018 Black was fully immersed in the position of assistant hatchery manager at Hoopers Island Oyster Company. During those years she realized her passion for aquaculture

and commercial fishing. At times, her involvement in the field was questioned but Black stood firm on her belief that she was born to be an oyster farmer.

“I fell into my groove,” she recalls. “It was my dream job. The need to multitask and the physicality of the work made use of the best of my mental and athletic skills at the same time,” she said. (Black played Division I lacrosse at Old Dominion).

And then came 2020 and what Black describes as the year of redirection. It offered the unexpected opportunity to attend graduate school and at the same time, the summer’s social upheaval drew her attention to the issues of diversity and inclusion. Black took pride in her work and

was content with working her way up in the company, but she began to question who and where the people of color in commercial fishing were and leadership roles in aquaculture. She’d never met a Black oyster farmer or one running a hatchery.

“At one time Black people were the predominant demographic in commercial fishing but where are they now?" In what she describes as an “aha” moment, Black was determined not only to find them but to create a vehicle for their support. “I love what I do. I want to find other people who love it and give them the chance to experience it.”

Minorities in Aquaculture was born from that determination.

“My passion drove me,” she recalls. “Before I knew it I was sitting at my kitchen table Googling ‘how to start a

nonprofit.’ We turned in our IRS paperwork in May and by July we were official.”

And it has exploded over the past two and a half years with a specific mission to support women of color in whatever aspect of aquaculture they choose to explore. MIA provides access to businesses and organizations and offers programs that include workshops, training, mentoring, and paid internship initiatives with partner organizations. The organization provides mini grants for women of color beginning their careers in aquaculture. For all its success, Black readily admits that it’s been challenging, rewarding and heartbreaking at the same time.

“My family and friends have been amazing, even through the stressful days when I’m doing something I’ve never done before. And my board members are a tight inner circle who’s always been there for me. On hard days, the people who are close to me remind me that this is what I

I love what I do. I want to find other people who love it and give them the chance to experience it — Imani Black

Photo courtesy of Imani Black

was meant to do and I am not to let go,” she said.

Black is a self-described dreamer, someone who can “whip up a program on the spot” with five or six brain dumps working at the same time.

“I’d be a millionaire if I collected a dollar every time somebody asked me if I sleep at night. But I’m constantly seeing the vision. People like me get things done and sleep when we can.”

Even so, every great dreamer needs time to take a breath and shift their focus from the dream to themselves. For Black, it’s fishing with the friends she loves and serving as girls' varsity lacrosse head coach at the Gunston School in Centreville. Like aquaculture, the sport is in her blood. And as many current and former lacrosse players will attest, it’s more than a game — it’s the unique culture of traveling teams, parents who still identify themselves as

lax moms and dads, and players who hang hair ribbons from their very first game on the hooks of their rearview mirrors.

Black has traveled the world for Minorities in Aquaculture, speaking at climate change conferences and appearing in print and podcasts from Chesapeake Bay Magazine, the Baltimore Sun, to the Conde Nast Traveler and The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum. For Black, however, the best thing to come from the organization is engaging with women of color, the community she’s most connected with.

“Some of the women I encountered were older and more established and wished they had this network when they were young women,” Black said. “Talking with them brings my heart so much joy. It all goes back to when I was seven years old at science camp. I want everybody to have that same feeling. And the same opportunity.”

Photo courtesy of Imani Black

is proudly donating a portion of the proceeds of the event to

mscfv.org/ featuring our Women to Watch!

Empowering Victims From Crisis to Self-Sufficiency

JULIA FOXWELL

Director of Community Engagement

Bluepoint Hospitality, Easton

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

That’s a big question. Let’s start with the work. I was originally hired to manage the local philanthropy for Bluepoint Hospitality and the Prager Family. It’s my responsibility to work in the community to suss out the best ways to invest our philanthropic funds. That was how it all started, but it must be said my favorite part of this position is the daily interaction with my colleagues.

Far beyond standard workplace interactions, it’s become my unofficial job to tend to the Bluepoint family — we have over 150 employees — and, by checking in regularly I’ve developed wonderful relationships with the terrific individuals on our team. I know when they’re getting married, moving, taking kids to college, staying up all night with their little ones, taking care of parents. It’s not a formal role nor is it conventional to have someone checking in on how employees are doing in and out of work, but those things are connected, right?

Ultimately, if we — Mr. Prager or another member of our team — can help one of our own, well, I guess that’s a different, very important kind of giving.

Photos courtesy of Julia Foxwell

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Service: the action of helping or doing work for someone. True service begins by listening, followed by doing and finally by following up to ensure the recipient of your service feels cared for. It’s a basic formula that really doesn’t change much regardless of to whom the term is applied. When members of the community or staff approach me… step one is always listen. Then react — I always respond, even if the answer is no or “not now.” And then I re-engage to make sure I’ve done what I can to help.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

I’m not sure there’s a “similar path.” The road is long and winding and you should always be attuned to new opportunities; you never know how they will present. I met Mr. Prager while working for a local retailer. It was a part-time role I took as I wanted more time with my then middle schooler. Over the years we developed a rapport and absolute trust so when my daughter grew and got her license, I had the freedom to explore new avenues. Be content and hardworking where you are, but always stay ready for a new adventure.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

I find lots of traits inspiring in people, but honestly, both my mother and mother-in-law are forces of nature. More diverse backgrounds you could not imagine. My mom was born and raised here on the Eastern Shore, my motherin-law was born in what is now Pakistan. What makes them each extraordinary is their ability to be morally, ethically, and mentally strong and compassionate, thoughtful and magnanimous. Both women endured things

that could have caused them to be bitter. Quite the opposite of bitter, these ladies grew stronger in their adversity. On a professional level, I am surrounded by “women to watch.” Strong, brilliant women hold critical leadership roles at many of Mr. Prager’s businesses. I admire Mrs. Prager- Joanne in particular. Incredibly smart, intrinsically kind, she is very hands-on with the family’s philanthropy which makes my job that much more interesting and enjoyable. And she, like many of the women who inspire me, is an outstanding mom. Wow. Putting it all down on paper really highlights how lucky I am to have the support of so many beautiful women.

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

It’s home. I don’t know what else to say. I wrote and erased a half dozen responses but succinctly put — it is, and always has been, home.

I am surrounded by “women to watch.” Strong, brilliant women

KIMBERLY QUATHAMER

Volunteer Firefighter, EMT and business owner Midshore Solutions Property Services

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

I am a volunteer firefighter and EMT, in addition to working full-time at Midshore Recyclers as the scale operator. I also own and operate Midshore Solutions Property Services which is full-service mowing, landscaping, hardscaping, snow management and pest control company. I wanted to have something to call my own and use what I learned about business in college to establish something for my husband and I. We enjoyed mowing, so we added knowledge and services to our resumes.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

To me, service means helping someone with whatever they may need help with whether that means medical, fire, mowing, payment at the scale

window or even helping someone load things into their vehicle. Service is the act of helping.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

Don't wait to start making your dreams a reality. It's never too early, nor too late to build a life you can be proud of. Also, never let being a woman deter you from doing something. You can do anything you

set your mind and heart to — even becoming a firefighter or owning a landscaping company.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

The person who most inspires me is my husband, Robert. He is always pushing me to be creative and logical, he knows the potential I possess and wants me to use it to my full advantage. Outside of him, Savanaha Spencer with Spencer Lawn Care in Ohio, and Mike Andes with Augusta Lawn Care in Washington state also inspire me. Both own very successful businesses and are great mentors to the community. Savanaha being a woman influencer definitely inspires women in the industry.

PROFILE

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

The Eastern Shore community means absolutely everything to me; regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion and more, the community comes together when they need to in order to provide support, prayers or relief for those in need.

We are like brothers and sisters, sometimes we love each other and sometimes we don't. I see so many people coming together to help with fire victims, losses of loved ones, illnesses etc. — and I see so many willing to help with my "Adopt A Grandparent" event we started 3 years ago. We provide Christmas gifts and cards to every resident amongst 6+ nursing homes in the area. Our community is more than that, it's a family.

“Don't wait to start making your dreams a reality. It’s never too early, nor too late.

Photos courtesy of Kimberly Quathamer

TO ALL THE WOMEN OF APG MEDIA

HERE’S TO STRONG WOMEN. MAY WE KNOW THEM. MAY WE BE THEM. MAY WE RAISE THEM.

-APG Chesapeake

HEATHER TINELLI

Director of Economic and Tourism Development

Queen Anne’s County

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

I was first attracted to economic development while attending Washington College studying business management and

economics. During my time there I had the awesome opportunity of completing an internship with the Queen Anne’s Department of Economic Development back in the mid-1990s.

I really enjoyed the work and seeing what I had learned in school being put into action.

Through the years I have worked in several related fields including commercial lending, small business consulting and owned an accounting practice for 15 years. All of these experiences have led me to my current role where I get to lead a team of five extremely talented women in building a strong economic future for the businesses and residents of Queen Anne’s County.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

I believe that service to others is at the core of being a good human being. Each of us has God-given talents that are meant to be shared to make our world a better place. Service can take on many forms and I know that the feeling I get from sharing my gifts and talents with others is immeasurable. Of all of my accomplishments thus far in life, other than my children of course, I reflect most often on the opportunities I have been given to serve others.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

My advice to women hoping to take a similar path is to never give up on your dreams, but to also be open to new dreams and opportunities. I would also advise to never let others’ insecurities

and negativity hold you back from reaching your goals. Only you know what you are capable of and if you don’t believe in yourself who will? Most of what I have learned in life has been from actual experiences and even through mistakes. Looking through the business lens of career options your opportunities are endless and there are great career options in the government realm as well.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

I am truly blessed to have many women in my life that have been role models. I am hopeful that I learned from the way they lived their lives and hope that I am able to imitate their strength, kindness and grit. My great-

grandmother, grandmother and mom have all had the entrepreneurial spirit and I definitely have carried on that tradition. I most admire my mom as she has the best attitude about life. She always has something positive to say about everyone, has worked really hard over the years to support her family and grow her career, puts her family first all of the time and has recently overcome breast cancer while always keeping a smile on her face.

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

I think I am most proud of being an Eastern Shore Native. My family’s (Coursey) homestead

originated in 1656 with a thumb grant from Lord Baltimore located on the land where the current Queenstown Golf Links is located. The Eastern Shore community is rooted in family, tradition and hard work. I think we all understand how blessed we were to grow up in “God’s Country.”

We have certainly seen growth over the years as people easily fall in love with our way of life and make the Shore their home. In my current job, we recently worked on rebranding the county and through the surveys, stakeholder interviews and community meetings the common thread of why people lived, worked or visited our county was “community” and our way of life here on the shore.

Photos courtesy of Heather Tinelli

Woman Owned Gallery

C. LEE GORDON

Practices Law

Parker Counts Law firm, Easton

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

After a one-year clerkship at the Circuit Court for Wicomico County, I took a job as an associate attorney at Parker Counts focusing on estate planning which I quickly identified as my passion. I have spent the last fifteen years working with families on their estate plans and administering their loved one’s estates and trusts.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Service means listening to clients and being patient as they work through difficult choices in their estate plans. Ultimately, my job is to help create the best possible plan for the unique needs of my clients to ensure their legacies are maintained in the most efficient and effective way possible.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

My advice is to be gritty and surround yourself with strong professional relationships. Hard work and problem-

Be gritty and surround yourself with strong professional relationships. Hard work and problemsolving skills are extremely important

solving skills are extremely important when working with families and managing client relationships. These strong relationships not only benefit the client, they also grow and strengthen my practice. Working as part of a team is crucial in the work that I do.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

I have been lucky to be exposed to many professional women on the Eastern Shore, many of whom are working mothers who inspire me to continue to grow my practice.

PROFILE

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

I work with clients whose families have been here for decades and individuals who have moved here to retire. The Eastern Shore community is a special mix of people with very different backgrounds and I enjoy working with a diverse group of clients. The variety of people who live and work here provide many unique opportunities and challenges that make living and working here so special.

CRISTY MORRELL

Executive Director

Critchlow Adkins Children’s Center

DESCRIBE THE WORK YOU DO AND WHY YOU STARTED DOWN THE PATH THAT LED YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

My path actually started as a teacher. I taught elementary school for, I think, seven years in Florida, and then decided to move up to the Eastern Shore. My husband's family was from here, and my parents had moved here.

And from that point, I worked part-time at the Country School, still teaching. Fast forward to about 10 years ago: My dad had passed away and I was caring for my family, caring for little kids and working part time. It was a challenging time for me. I realized I needed to do something that kind of got me outside of myself.

My family has always been volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul. So my kids, from early on, and I have been volunteering there. And I thought, I just need to do something else. And the long and the short of it is I had learned about something called Imagination Library, an early free literacy program for children from birth to five. I realized that at the time there were roughly 1,800 kids in Talbot County under the age of five and about 760 of them lived at or below poverty.

I thought, how hard could it be to start a nonprofit?

I Googled my way through it. It was hard. But about five wyears ago, my children were entering college and my husband was like, hey, remember when we

Photos courtesy of Cristy Morrell

talked about you going back to work? And so I thought I would go back to teaching.

I sat on some committees that Critchlow Adkins had representatives on, and they were hiring an executive director and I thought I could probably do that. And so I interviewed and again, it's one of those ‘how hard could this be’ questions. Super hard.

That's how I ended up as the executive director at Crichlow. Our teachers are amazing. The children in our care are happy.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SERVICE AND WHAT DOES SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Service has always been so core to who I am, who my children are. Like at Imagination Library and St. Vincent de Paul, I think about the service that we provide; that we're doing mission work at Crichlow. And, for me, service is a way of life.

You know, I'm kind of a rising tide lifts all boats kind of person. And if I can help (other childcare and community children’s education groups), and not have any pitfalls, then we're making our community better. I want them to succeed, because if they succeed, then their families succeed.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN HOPING TO TAKE A SIMILAR PATH AS YOU?

Know that challenges make you stronger. Whenever I am faced with a challenge such as, ‘hey, do you want to build classrooms in the new school on your fourth week of work?,’ I think: In the midst of it, I feel overwhelmed. It's terrible right now, but I'm going to be better and stronger and wiser at the end of this.

Learn how to ask a good question; and, remember, it’s okay to ask for help.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

My parents and my mother-in-law. In their faith and in their dedication to the community. I was born overseas and grew up overseas. So it wasn't like I can say, ‘this isn't the same as living in the U.S.,’ which is what my friends would say. I just didn't know otherwise. But my mom dove into the culture, into the food, into the landscaping, whatever experience we could get.

WHAT DOES THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

Well, in all the places that I've lived, I know the Eastern Shore as somebody who is raising their family on the Eastern Shore; I find this community to be so remarkable. I find that when you read a story about a tragedy befalling a family, a house burns down or something, you know, an injury or an illness. I read that article and I think let's watch it happen, let’s watch how the community comes together so quickly to respond to the family's needs. I think that's the biggest strength of the Eastern Shore.

I mean, aside from the beauty and just the water and the wildlife, I think that it doesn't matter who you are, this community will rally behind you.

When I started at Critchlow Adkins, it was the first time that they had a teacher actually leading the organization as opposed to a nonprofit person. Ultimately, we are childcare providers, right? We were able to bring on an enrichment specialist; like an outreach coordinator. I want (the kids) to know that the world is out there. And by the time they’re old enough, there are going to be even more careers out there. So I'm forever trying to bring that into our program.

We do anything that we can do to push early literacy. Critical thinking, out of the box thinking, cooperative thinking. The kids love it.

TRADITIONAL MADE MODERN

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