Profiles of extraordinary women in Southern Maryland
Congratulations to allofthe women includedinthe2021 Women to Watch SouthernMaryland.Wecelebrate andhonorthe contributionsofthese ex traordinar ywomen. Thank youfor your commitment anddedication to our community.
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Dr.TamaraStrouth,DDS,and Carrie Samora, RDH,OMT,havebeenpracticing togetherat Lexington Park Dentistry forover20years.Both grew upinthis communityand returnedhome to practiceDentistry.Dr. StrouthandCarriehave athirst forknowledgeandpersonalgrowth to providethebest experiencefortheir patients. Theystudyand consultwith world-renowned healthcareprofessionals to providethebestcare forour community.
In recent years, bothhave foundtheir passion inAirwayDentistryandMyofunctionalTherapy. Dr.Strouthisanambassador forTheBreathe Instituteand has completedthe TongueTie Academy. Carrieis amyofunctionaltherapistand is amember of theInternational Association of OrofacialMyology.
Theystrivetobehealthadvocates fortheirdental patientsand work collaboratively with anetwork of professionalsin variousfields to makesurethattheir patientshave thebestcare here in SouthernMaryland.TheyspecializeinSleep DisorderedBreathing inchildrenandadultsandprovide solutions to airway healththat focusonthe root of theproblem,notjustatemporaryfixor band-aid.Their solutionsprovidelife-long health forpatientsinour community.
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Lexington Park Dentistryishappytoprovide complimentaryconsultations and welcomes referralsfromotherhealthcareprofessionalsanddentists.
We invite you to read about extraordinary women in our community and their accomplishments! This new program spotlights the work, dedication, talents and community service of women in Southern Maryland 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 and vote for these women who exemplify excellence, both in navigating their career path and as community leaders. Our portal that accepted nominations was open on SomdNews.com from Friday, January 22, 2021 through Friday, February 19, 2021. During this 3-week period, we received (210) nominations of extraordinary women who work or reside in the Southern Maryland counties of Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s. The Women to Watch committee ultimately decided to keep the nomination portal open for an extra week to accommodate the volume of nominations flooding in during the period the nomination portal was open.
An APG Media of Chesapeake internal committee then embarked on the extraordinarily difficult task of identifying women to interview for the 2021 Southern Maryland 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.
Next year, we anticipate the program to grow and develop even further. We will be augmenting our internal selection committee to include female leaders in several vital categories like education, health, philanthropy and science. We would also like to develop mentoring opportunities from this program to pair the extraordinary women recognized within the magazine with younger girls in our communities for role modeling. So, enjoy, read on and join us in saluting the trailblazers featured within.
— The Women to Watch 2021 Committee
STAFF INFO
Women to Watch 2021 is brought to you by Southern Maryland News. Southern Maryland News (Maryland Independent, The Enterprise, The Calvert Recorder) is published weekly on Fridays, at 204 Washington Ave., Suite 104, La Plata, MD 20646 by APG Media of Chesapeake, LLC. For more information www.somdnews.com.
To contact advertising, call Brook Ash, multimedia ad manager, at 240-561-1390 or email bash@chespub.com. To contact the newsroom, send an email to:
Executive editor: Eli Wohlenhaus ewohlenhause@chespub.com
Community coordinator: Michael Reid mreid@somdnews.com
Charles County news: Caleb M. Soptelean csoptelean@somdnews.com
St. Mary's County news: Dan Belson dbelson@somdnews.com
Calvert County news: Marty Madden mmadden@somdnews.com Education: Madison Bateman mbateman@somdnews.com
ABOUT THE COVER
On the cover is Shannon Wang, who co-owns Shop 53 in La Plata. The nominator — all of whom did so anonymously — had this to say about Shannon: “Shannon is a huge asset to our community. She thinks outside the box when it comes to our community, her unique shop, and our local businesses.“
• She was the founder of Fierce Female Friday — a night that recognized female businesses owners in La Plata.
• She is the host of quarterly art-themed shows that are unique and specialized.
• Some themes included SAVE THE BEES, MYTHS LEGENDS & LORE SHOW, CARDS, and BOTANY.
• She is the artist of La Plata’s first mural which is 44’ long.
• She is a member of the Keep La Plata Beautiful Arts Workgroup.
• She was instrumental in transforming the Town Hall atrium into an art gallery featuring a local artist.
• She is a part of a team determined to make La Plata an Arts & Entertainment District.
• She is constantly giving of her time, energy and talent.
“She is an energetic leader with an appetite to make our Community the best it can be. She embodies strength, leadership and integrity, not only in her career but also within her local community. She is most definitely a Women To Watch in 2021 and beyond!”
DR. DIANNA A BNEY
Pediatrician
Cambridge Pediatrics
“I could be a nurse, but I could also be a doctor if I wanted to ”
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
My formal education actually began in a one room school in Shreveport, Louisiana with one teacher who taught pre-K through elementary school. It was one of the only places that would admit a 3 or 4 year old who wanted to go to school. I stayed there until I was old enough to enter first grade in the public school system. After graduating from high school, I studied biology and writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge Massachusetts. Then I returned to Louisiana to attend the Tulane University School of Medicine. I completed my pediatric residency at Howard University and DC General.
WHAT
IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
I have been a pediatrician in the community for almost thirty years. In that time I have had the privilege of taking care of thousands of our community’s children. Very many of them were my patients from a few hours after birth until they were too old to see a pediatrician. In fact some of those patients have given me the honor of allowing me to take care of their children--my “grandpatients.” It has always been important for me to contribute to our community. I felt the best way I could give back was to make a difference in the lives of all of the children of Charles County In addition to practicing pediatrics in Charles County, I have worked with many organizations, boards, and committees that improve the life of children and adolescents in the county.
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
William Lloyd Garrison Abney, my grandfather, who was born in 1884, is one person who inspired me. In 1934 he started a business that is still in our family. He traveled widely throughout the United States and around the world. He did all of this at a time when many people did not have those opportunities--especially not African Americans. He also encouraged me to become a physician. I talked of taking care of sick people like my mother who was a nurse. He let me know that I could be a nurse, but I could also be a doctor if I wanted to. That is when I decided I would become a physician. This was in the early sixties during the civil rights period and before women’s lib. My grandfather empowered his African American granddaughter to dream big. In college and in medical school, I kept a picture of him near my desk. I am Dr. Abney because of and in honor of W.L.G Abney.
DR. MAUREEN M URPHY
President of College of Southern Maryland
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
A recent event that really inspired me to keep going was a college-wide Zoom after George Floyd’s murder. That incident, with the pandemic as a backdrop, had so many of us feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. When the college came together, and people shared their feelings, I had a glimmer of hope. It’s hope that sustains us, and I’m grateful to the CSM community for sustaining me.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
My education was interrupted several times by life. It took me quite a while to complete my degrees while raising children and working. It’s one of the reasons the lives of community college students resonate with me.
WHAT IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
The College of Southern Maryland is a community college dedicated to serving the learners in the Southern Maryland region. Our impact is deep. Nearly 90% of our graduates remain in the region and build our local economy.
“It’s hope that sustains us ”
When youchooseSt. Mary’s College honors-level education, you’re askingfor something special: elevatedacademics,a pathway to a prosperouscareer, prestigewithout thepretentiousness,andprofessors whogenuinelycareabout your success.
POPULAR AC AD E MIC PROGRAMS like EducationalStudies,Psychology, EnvironmentalStudies;and Women, Gender& SexualityStudies.
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MARIA I CAZA
Ownr/Operator of four Dunkin’ locations
“Maria observed and drew inspiration from her mother’s worth ethic and determination ”
Born and raised in Panama, Maria Icaza later attended Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pa., where she learned to fluently speak English. She spent a semester abroad at the Universite de La Sorbonne in Paris, France, studying the French language and culture. Upon graduating, she attended New England School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor’s degree. After having met her husband in Law School, the pair moved back to Panama where she practiced law in a private firm for a decade.
In 2000, Maria and her husband relocated to St. Mary’s County and after five years in the area, she decided to open her own business. Following a visit from family one weekend, her mother-in-law from New Jersey expressed how much she loved Dunkin’ back home and made the suggestion to Maria. After finding that St. Mary’s County did not have a Dunkin’, Maria researched the opportunity and made the call to Dunkin’ Brands that following Monday. Maria has been a Dunkin’ franchisee since 2005 and opened her first store in 2007. To date, she currently owns and operates four Dunkin’ locations in two counties with the fifth store opening in the coming weeks.
Both as a Dunkin’ franchisee and a member of the community, Maria has strived to get involved in a number of different ways. Previously, she sat on the St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for seven years and is currently a member of the Lexington Park Rotary Club. On a personal front, she is an avid supporter of Special Olympics and employs at least one special needs individual in each of her stores. As a Dunkin’ franchisee, she enjoys supporting local schools through sponsorships for special events, as well as donating to other charitable organizations in St. Mary’s and Calvert Counties. Since 2017, Maria’s restaurants have also participated in an annual charitable program through Dunkin’, which includes helping raise more than $75,500 toward Children’s National Health System through the market’s Iced Coffee Days program.
Maria’s mother is and has always been her greatest inspiration. After her father passed when she was at a young age, Maria observed and drew inspiration from her mother’s worth ethic and determination in handling raising a family of five while simultaneously running her father’s business.
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We wouldliketohonor Anna Jonesfor hercommitmentto excellencetoherclientswhilecontinuallyservingthelocal communityandbeyond. Anna Jones,TeamLeaderof TheJones Team hasbeen givingbacktoChristmasConnectionforover25 years.
“Make sure you take care of yourself and your responsibilities”
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
My grandmother, Georgia Taylor, because she only had a thirdgrade education and she worked very hard to take care of her family. She always had such grace in the face of adversity. She taught me it was always important to do your absolute best and make sure you take care of yourself and your responsibilities.
WHAT IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
First, for local community members and visitors to our area, is the recently completed Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland. It is deeply meaningful to me and gives voice to the enslaved who once toiled on the grounds of the St. Mary’s College campus. I invite you to come visit the Commemorative, which was commissioned in 2019 and created by artists Norman Lee and Shane Allbritton of RE:site with erasure poetry by Quenton Baker. It honors those who once worked on our land from 1750-1815.
Continuing these important discussions on race equality, I have also joined with Maryland Humanities to patriciate in “Beyond the Statements: Leading Racial Equality in Humanities Organizations,” a free series on operationalizing racial equity work in the humanities field. Join me on March 22 at 10 a.m.
I launched the Mulberry Music Festival in 2019 to complement the popular River Concert Series, and am excited to bring the event back virtually this summer.
I also contribute to the St. Mary’s County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC). I recently was the keynote speaker at Sotterley Plantation, and I read to any student willing to listen to me at Spring Ridge Middle School.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
I was happy to join St. Mary’s College of Maryland in July 2014 as its seventh president. Prior to St. Mary’s College, I was a tenured faculty member and administrator at Xavier University of Louisiana and also at Lewis and Clark College in Oregon. I hold a Bachelor’s of Science in chemistry from Fisk University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Purdue University.
Since joining the College, I have been honored to be recognized for my contributions to higher education and the larger community. Recently, I was named one of the Top 25 Women in Higher Education by the national magazine, Diverse Issues in Higher Education. In addition to serving on numerous national panels and boards, I was recognized as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, named a Black Leader in Education by the AFRO, was awarded the Education Excellence award by the Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce, and received the inaugural CEO’s Excellence Award from the Prince George’s County Public Schools Foundation. I note these because I am not only humbled by them but hope they bring further honor to the collective efforts of our college.
Incredibly important to me as a scientist, I spearheaded the creation of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance (SEA) program and the launch of its first initiative, the SEA Phage program, which engaged novice undergraduates in research in genomics and bioinformatics. This program has been implemented at more than 50 diverse institutions across the nation, impacted thousands of students and faculty, and resulted in numerous scientific and pedagogical publications.
ELYSE M CKINSTRY CEO & President of McKinstry Consulting
“You can love what you do and still make a difference ”
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
I graduated from California State Polytechnic University with a B.S. in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations. With over 10 years experience, I’ve brought exceptional marketing talent to the nonprofit organizations, retail businesses and corporations with whom I’ve worked with.
WHAT IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
There are so many brands/businesses out there who are doing good in the world and have a hard time finding ways to share that. We partner with those brands specifically to help tell their story. Whether they’re a nonprofit organization or a business with a mission to help, our goal is to help them continue the good work they’re doing and leave this world a little bit better than how we found it. It’s an honor that we get to partner with brands who are making a difference in our community.
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
I’ve always had a heart for giving back and a passion for marketing. The option of working at one nonprofit was always there but there are so many brands who are making an impact and I want to help share as many of their stories as possible. When my son was born a couple years ago, I knew I wanted him to see that as one person, you can love what you do and still make a difference. It’s important that he sees and experiences being part of the change-making this world a little bit better than when he came into it.
Field instructor for the University of Southern California and University of Maryland, Schools of Social work Executive director of LifeStyles of Maryland Author
“The thing about a faith walk is, no one can take it for you ”
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
I have worked in the social services field for over 40 years. In 1998, I co-founded LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc., whose mission is to empower people and assist in providing a better quality of life through social awareness and community development. From social psychology to disciplines focusing on wealth building and eliminating poverty all education has focused on making a change wherever she lands. For the last seven years I have served as a field instructor for the University of Southern California and University of Maryland, Schools of Social work. This is done in conjunction with my duties as executive director of LifeStyles of Maryland, Inc. In 2020 I added author to my accomplishments.
WHAT IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
I believe my contribution is to make sure the needs of the underserved are expressed and addressed in my community. To be a voice for so many that are not heard. Whether they are homeless or at the brink of homelessness, they must be recognized. People need to hear more than words. They need to see that we really care. I hope that is what I bring to the table, action not just words. Whether its shelter, food, or clothing. Let us take care of the immediate needs and then let’s see how we can help make a long-lasting change. We have developed a model of service delivery that has been replicated in several states. This is service built on compassion. From our team taking food and other essentials to those living in the woods, cars or other places that should not be inhabited to providing water to those without indoor plumbing. Everyday we interact with our neighbors who are in crisis, helping them to navigate these emergencies and connecting them with services I believe truly makes a difference.
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
My journey has been a faith walk. While many may have inspired, mentored, and poured into me, this walk has been and is personal. It is between me and God and He continually reminds me because I continually ask Him. I have survived stage 4 breast cancer, had a bilateral mastectomy. Survived a stroke where my family was told I would never walk or talk again and would be eating from a feeding tube the rest of my life. Yet here I am. The thing about a faith walk is, no one can take it for you. Your tolerance for pain, heartbreak, disappointment, and endurance is individually measured, meaning it is different for each person. If I had to choose one person, it would be my cousin Marie “Rita” Magwood who encouraged my faith walk.
ChristinaLuishasworkedwithFounderand Chairman,SteveMorris,sincetheageof 18,beforetherewasanEXITRealty.Asthe company’sSenior VicePresident,shesupervises thesalestrainingdepartmentandisthetop facilitatorthatoverseesever ydetailofever yEXIT AnnualConventionevent.In2011,Christina wasnamed afinalistintheEmployeeofthe Year categor yinthe8thannualStevie ®Awards for WomeninBusiness.Unofficially,sheisthe heartbeatofthecompany.
MARSHA W ILLIAMS
Attorney Williams, McClernan, & Stack LLC
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
After graduating from Camden Catholic High School in New Jersey in 1993, Marsha attended Douglass College — Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey where she graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and a Certificate in Criminology. Marsha received her Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law in May 2000.
In August 2000, Marsha began her legal career as a Legal Advocate with the House of Ruth. Upon passing the Maryland State Bar Exam in December 2000, Marsha was promoted to Attorney Advocate. Marsha at the House of Ruth’s domestic violence legal clinic in Hyattsville District Court House. She zealously represented people seeking protective orders or peace orders. In February 2002, Marsha began working at the Maryland Legal Aid — Southern Maryland’s Office. As a Staff Attorney — and later Senior Attorney — with Maryland Legal Aid, Marsha represented abused and neglected children in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties. In 2018, Marsha, along with two other women attorneys, Kathleen McClernan
“Obstacles can be overcome ”
and Alycia Stack, formed the law firm of Williams, McClernan, & Stack LLC (WMSLawyers). WMSLawyers is a general practice law firm located in Leonardtown, MD. Marsha’s primary area of practice is family law where she represents clients in adoption, custody, and divorce proceedings.
WHAT IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
Seeing youth succeed is very dear to Marsha’s heart, so she was honored to be appointed by the St. Mary’s County Commissioners to serve as an adult board member on the Youth Advisory Commission from 2018 — 2020. She is a member of the St. Mary’s County NAACP #7025’s education, membership, and economic development committees. As a member of the St. Mary’s County NAACP education committee, Marsha was honored to serve as a member of the St. Mary’s County Public School’s Equity in Education Task Force and a member of the Southern Maryland’s HBCU College and Career Fair committee. Marsha is the president of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at her son’s school, is the chairperson for the St. Mary’s County Bar Association’s Scholarship Committee and a member of the Board of Directors for St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce. Her law firm also hosts an Expungement Day Clinic where she and other attorneys from the firm provide free legal advice relating to the expungement of criminal records.
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
My parents, Percy and Rutha Richardson, were my first role models. Throughout my life they have been my encouragers and inspirations through both their words and deeds. I remember a conversation I had with my father when I was a young child where I asked him if I could be President of the United States one day. Without hesitation, he responded “Yes”. He reinforced in me the belief that I could be whatever I wanted to be. It may not be easy and I may be the first, but obstacles can be overcome. My mother grew up in the segregated South, but she did not let her circumstances stop her. She persevered and showed me how to persevere and speak out against injustice and inequality. Both taught me the importance of being involved in the community. If something needed to be done or changed for the betterment of the community, then they took the initiative. They organized meetings with local politicians, police, and community residents to discuss and address safety concerns and solutions. Further, they made sure that the solutions were implemented and neighborhood partnerships were established. I learned to advocate for what is right, speak out against injustice and inequality, be persistent, help those in need, put God first, and be the change I want to see from my parents. They are my inspiration and a big part of why I am the woman that I am today.
CalvertHealthisproudto celebrate the achievements of women acrossour entire network of care.
Thank you for your contributions to our health system, our patients and our community. e are so ver y grateful you choose to share your time and talents with Calver tHealth.
TIFFANY D URBIN
Owner of White Hall Farm
“It all starts with inspiring people through good food ”
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
I grew up at White Hall Farm and attended college at Towson University. My roots started here on the farm and my heart never left, the same as eight generations of my family before me. After graduating college, I knew I wanted nothing more than to continue to watch the farm grow and flourish as my ancestors did years ago. Now I own White Hall Farm where we have fresh cut flowers, herbs, farm fresh eggs, baked goods and beeswax candles. In 2020, Governor Hogan awarded us as a historic Bicentennial Farm — White Hall has been farmed by the same family for over 200 years.
WHAT IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
I am an advocate for local, sustainable food systems that completely support local farms. The Covid-19 pandemic has put a strain on the food supply chain where people could not find food to feed their families at grocery stores. It is important to me that people know that whether it’s a crisis like Covid-19 or an every day lunch, small farms are here for you. There is such a need for local food sources — where food is grown ethically with the land and nature in mind, produce has not spent weeks in transport or stuck in a warehouse (eggs at the grocery store can be over 2 months old!) and care and concern is given to each plant and animal. We want to be part of that solution by providing the local community with food that is grown locally with love. I am so thankful for my supportive community who encourages our farm in so many ways. Everything in our farm market is made by our own hard working hands and fellow local Maryland farmers. My goal is to hand down my love for the land, farmers and history to not only my children, but the entire community. Being sustainable and thinking of the future for not just my family, but my local community is my motivation.
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
My community inspires me everyday. Every week I receive messages from people providing me with words of support and how much they love watching our farm flourish. I believe that when a community comes together and connects wholly, we grow — cultivating a strong future. Communities are completely encircled by food — it is what brings us together. From romantic date nights, to Sunday night family dinner, to long lost friends gathering around a table, to making your own pureed baby food — it all starts with inspiring people through good food. People are choosing to support local farms to heal, enliven themselves, connect with the Earth and feed their families nourishment. I know if my local community is pleased with my farm goods and other local farms, then my community is elated and thriving. That is how I know I’m doing the right thing.
We want to congratulateour very own:
Bernadette Cole
On being selectedas aWOMAN TOWATCH2021!
CongratulationsB ernadette on beingselectedasone of theTop 15 WomentoWatch in Southern Maryland during theseunprecedented times!! It is your hard work anddedicationwhichmakes youstand out amongstthe rest as asuccessful real estate companyBroker/O wner,and nowRegionalO wner of EXIT Realty Virginia.This awardshows how much youhavedonetoattainsuchgrowthfor thecompany,andhow theEXIT Formulaisdesignedtoenhance thepersonaland professional goalsofeachpersonittouches. We arever yproud of you. -Jonathan andJanettRundlett, Regional Owners of EXIT Mid-Atlantic
A communityleaderdedicated to herclients.
A Woman-OwnedFirm
Whateverlegalsituation youarefacing, youneedadedicatedandexperiencedlawyer by yourside. YoucantrustWilliams,McClernan,&StackLLCfor reliablelegalcounsel inSouthernMaryland.Ourlawyerscanassist youwithmatters relatedto:
•CivilLitigation
•CriminalLaw
•EstateAdministration
• FamilyLaw
•SmallBusinesses
• TaxSales
WMScongratulatesMarshaon herselectionasa2021 Woman to Watch.Seeotherattorneys towatchatourfirm:
MarshaL.Williams
KathleenM. McClernan
AlyciaE. Stack
Tiffany Ashton, Associate
JoshuaS.Brewster, of Counsel
GinaFioravanti, of Counsel
Callnow 240.309.4179 orvisit wmslawyers.com 2021 Women to Watch:
•EmploymentRights
•Guardianship
•Wills&Estates
DR. ERICA CONTRERAS
Obstetrics and Gynecology
“I attended my first delivery as a high school student it was exciting and scary and amazing ”
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
I am from Durham, NC. I went to Xavier University in New Orleans and did my medical school and residency training at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. I fell in love with OB/GYN during my medical school rotations as it was always exciting, gave me the change to solve problems and deliver babies- which has always been the most fun part.
WHAT IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
I try to serve as a role model as to what women can do- have a demanding job that allows me to improve people’s life, be down to earth, be a mom, etc. I try hard to help patients as much as possible by listening to their stories, making sure they understand why I recommend them and providing community resources for those that need it to ensure they get good health care.
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU?
Growing up I had an older cousin that I looked up to and therefore wanted to do whatever she wanted to do. Initially she wanted to be a veterinarian and so did I. Then she wanted to go into medicine and so did I. She later went into education. I however, really loved medicine and science- cutting things open, looking at organs, blood and guts. I also liked being able to really permanently fix problems, not just manage them( although I do that as well). When I attended my first delivery as a high school student it was exciting and scary and amazing and I thought that I could do it too.
“I use my faith as my guidepost to always lead with love and compassion”
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
I earned a BS in Financial Services from Wright State University. As a military spouse and mother of three children, we moved often, and I held various positions in sales and sales management. After being relocated to Maryland I was finally able to start a career in real estate and earned my real estate license in 2006. With less than 2 years of experience, I opened my first brokerage EXIT Landmark Realty in White Plains. I am the broker/owner of EXIT Landmark Realty with three offices and over 300 agents, with two in Maryland and one in Virginia. Additionally, I am the Regional Owner of EXIT Realty Virginia and currently serve as Vice President of the Southern Maryland Association of REALTORS.
WHAT
IS
A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
Service to my community and helping others has always been a driving force in my everyday activities. I am active in combating human trafficking and I am partnered with various organizations that work to stem the tide of human trafficking in both Mexico and the United States. Additionally, I have worked to support the homeless population in Charles county. From securing shelter with a local hotel during a winter storm, to raising tens of thousands of dollars and procuring clothing and meals for the homeless for Thanksgiving and Christmas for the past 5 years. We have partnered with various community organizations to ensure the “unseen population of Charles County” are not forgotten. Most importantly, the real estate business is intertwined with the local community, I believe in giving back and supporting our local community where our business can reside and thrive.
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
Harriet Tubman was an amazing and inspirational person not only because of her unwavering faith, but her perseverance and her willingness to risk so much to lead others to freedom…She truly inspires me. I am also very much inspired by those who are able to find the smallest sliver of light in the darkest of places.
I have also been impacted and inspired by trips to Mexico City to work with El Pozo de Vida (an anti-trafficking organization) and survivors of trafficking as well as those who have yet to be set free. I am inspired by the individuals and volunteers who left their comfortable lives, packed up, followed their hearts and relocated their families to serve others. By the girls and women who have been rescued and have overcome so much adversity to get to where there are now give me hope for a brighter future for them as well as those who are still waiting to be set free.
I cannot forget my family and the agents of EXIT Landmark Realty, they inspire me through their various selfless acts like coat drives, toy drives for Christmas Connection, Lifestyles and the Judy House, Christmas day breakfast and gifts for those in Safe Nights, food collections, gifts for seniors, adopting families for the holidays, fundraisers and so much more. They remind me that together we are stronger and can have an even larger impact in our local community and in the lives of those around us.
It is a large group of individuals that I work, live and collaborate with that inspire me and together we encourage one another. I use their stories to help motivate and drive me to “do more” and I use my faith as my guidepost to always lead with love and compassion.
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“Unrestricted love she has always given honestly, without judgement, and without fail ”
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
Education — public health trained physician. Graduate school in public health and medical school from University of Miami (FL). Clinical training post-medical school in the medical specialties of family medicine and sports medicine.
Career — Have served as the St. Mary’s County Health Officer for eight years which involves directing our local health department. Prior to this, spent some years addressing public health with the Indiana State Dept of Health. Prior positions also include teaching medical students, primary care residents, and sports medicine fellows at Indiana University. Patient care responsibilities included primary care for all ages, and team physician for different sports and levels of athletics.
WHAT IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
Public health is all about community. I’m grateful to serve in a role where my main job is to bring community partners and residents together to work on better health for all. We have incredible public health professionals at our local health department that are compassionate, creative, and always ready to serve our community. It is an honor to work alongside them as we lead public health for our county. Some of the services we provide as a local health department include planning for and responding to disease threats (including COVID!), prevention and control of chronic or infectious diseases, health communications and education, environmental health services, health data monitoring, promoting mental health and addressing substance use, and promoting access to and providing health care services. In all of this we emphasize the importance of health equity and make sure to consider the needs of our most vulnerable.
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
My sister, who lives here in St. Mary’s County, is the person who has influenced me most in my life. Monika Lee is an outstanding human being — someone who always uplifts others. She is genuine, truthful, direct, caring, and humble in everything she does. She is a remarkable family physician, mom, and sister. I admire her enthusiasm, energy, “just get it done already” attitude, and practical approach towards life. I am so grateful to her for so much, but mostly for the unrestricted love she has always given honestly, without judgement, and without fail.
SVP, Director of Marketing and Communications Community Bank of the Chesapeake
“To mentor is to touch a life forever and I am grateful having mine along my journey.”
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND CAREER.
I received my Bachelor of Science in Marketing from University of Maryland University of College. I joined Community Bank of the Chesapeake in 2006 and served as Executive Assistant and Shareholder Relations for a short period before transitioning into the Marketing Department. I joined the department as AVP, Marketing Manager. Promoted to VP, Director of Marketing and currently serve as SVP, Director of Marketing and Communications. We are a multi-billion dollar financial institution with branch locations in Maryland and Virginia.
Over the years, I have been responsible for marketing governance, communications, strategy, channel marketing, strategic partnerships, budget, social media, direct and channel marketing, community relations, public relations, etc.
From a giving back to the industry perspective, I participated in a panel discussion at the ABA (American Bankers Association) Annual Conference about content creation, use and value.
I spoke on a panel at the 2020 CSM Non-Profit Institute Conference called Shift in Focus: The Changing Nature of Nonprofits and Interactions with the Business Community.
WHAT IS A WAY YOU CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY?
I currently serve as Chair-Elect of the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center Foundation. The Foundation mission is to enhance the medical center’s financial resources, while building awareness, so it may provide excellent health care services to all members of the community. I serve on event/fundraiser committees, volunteer at events, etc. I am a former Board Member of the Community Foundation of Southern Maryland.
As an organization, we support our community in numerous ways. From financial support, volunteering, serving on committees and boards, etc. We found a particular unique way to support local businesses through our Cash Mobs. We launched this program in 2017 to support shop local, support local. More can be learned about Cash Mobs at https://www. cbtc.com/community/cashmob/, if of interest. When the pandemic hit, we knew we had to support our small business community. We turned our Cash Mobs digital, encouraging small business support via online ordering, etc.
TELL US ABOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
I had a mentor much of my career that played a large role in growth and success. From imparting the skills and mindset to shape my career, to guidance, support and inspiration. To mentor is to touch a life forever and I am grateful having mine along my journey.
I have tried to live by Audrey Hepburn’s quote, “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
WOMEN IN HISTORY
Marie Sklodowska Curie was born Nov. 7, 1867, in Warsaw, Poland.
MARIE C URIE
She studied at the clandestine Flying University, which operated from 1885-1905, then again from 1977-1981. Institutions like the Flying University were instrumental in resisting Germanization and Russification under occupation.
In 1891, she followed her sister Bronislawa to study in Paris, where she earned degrees. She married French physicist Pierre Curie in 1895 and shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with him and physicist Henri Becquerel for their work in radioactivity. She also won the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her discovery of polonium, named after her native country of Poland, and radium, using techniques she invented for isolating radioactive isotopes.
The Curies had two daughters, Irene and Eve. Marie, who never lost touch with her Polish identity, hired Polish governesses to teach her daughters Polish and took them to Poland for visits. After the accidental death of Pierre in 1906 — he was hit by a horse-drawn vehicle — she became the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris.
Marie also founded the Curie Institute in Paris and the Curie Institute of Warsaw, both of which are still major centers of medical research. In 1910, she succeeded in isolating radium and defined an international standard for radioactive emissions, the curie.
During World War I, Curie developed mobile radiography units, the “Petites Curies,” to help assist battlefield surgeons and save soldiers’ lives and limbs. Marie served as the director of the Red Cross Radiology Service and set up France’s first military radiology center, assisted by her daughter Irene. The Petites Curies would eventually treat more than a million wounded soldiers.
After the war, she was awarded a stipend from the French government and toured the U.S. to great applause and success. Marie traveled broadly, giving lectures and making appearances in Belgium, Brazil, Spain and Czechoslovakia. Her daughter Irene and son-in-law won their own Nobel Prizes for their radioactive research. She was named a member of the League of Nations’ International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation in 1922, along with Albert Einstein. Marie also won the Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh and was named to the International Atomic Weights Committee.
In 1934, Marie was confined to the Sancellemoz sanatorium in Passy, Haute-Savoie, suffering from aplastic anemia, thought to have been caused by her long-term exposure to radiation. The dangerous effects of radiation weren’t known at the time of her work, and she frequently carried test tubes containing radioactive isotopes in her pocket and was also exposed to unshielded radiation during World War I.
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WOMEN IN HISTORY
Maya Angelou, a Black poet, memoirist and civil rights activist, was born in 1928 in St. Louis.
MAYA A NGELOU
She was sent at an early age to live with her paternal grandmother, Annie Henderson, in Stamps, Ark. After suffering sexual abuse in her mother’s household, Angelou became mute for almost five years. Cloaked in silence, Angelou developed an extraordinary memory, coupled with a love for books and an ability to listen and observe.
At 16, Angelou — then living with her mother and brother in Oakland, California — became the first Black female cable car conductor in San Francisco. Soon after, she gave birth to her son Clyde. In 1959, after a failed marriage and song-and-dance career, novelist John Oliver Killens urged Angelou to move to New York to concentrate on her writing. She did, and met Black authors and was published for the first time. In 1960, she and Killens organized the Cabaret for Freedom to benefit the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was named the SCLC northern coordinator.
She moved to Africa with South African freedom fighter Vusumzi Make in 1961, where she worked as an associate editor at The Arab Observer, an English newspaper. By 1962, her relationship with Make was over and she and her son lived in Accra, Ghana, where she was an administrator at the University of Ghana, a feature editor for The African Review and worked and performed in Ghana’s National Theatre. She became close friends with Malcolm X, and eventually returned to the U.S. in 1965 to help him form the Organization of Afro-American Unity. She was living in Watts during the 1965 riots and, devastated by the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, she wrote. She produced and narrated “Blacks, Blues, Black!” a 10-art series of documentaries about the connection between blues music and Black heritage for the precursor of PBS. This work was followed by her first autobiography and one of her most famous works, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” published in 1969.
This was followed by work as a composer, screenplay writer, authoring short stories and documentaries and poems. Angelou was nominated for a Tony Award for 1973’s “Look Away” and appeared in “Roots” in 1977, chalking up more than 30 honorary degrees from universities around the world. She taught at Wake Forest University until 2011 and also lectured around the country, winning a Grammy, directing a feature film (“Down in the Delta”), even receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 from President Barack Obama.
Angelou died in 2014 at 86. Her papers were donated to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem.
Cynthia Sclater, D.M.D. General &Cosmetic Dentist,Owner
Dr.SclaterattendedtheUniversityofPittsburgh, Schoolof Dental Medicineand graduatedcumlaude.Whileindentalschool, she receivedan Army Health Professions Scholarship.She wascommissionedinto the Army whileindentalschoolandserved onactivedutyfor 3years.Shehad toursin South Carolina, Wurzburg, Germanyand Virginia.She completed aone yeargeneral practiceresidencywhilestationedin South Carolina.Dr.Sclaterservedatotalofeightyearsinthe Army and receivedthree medals,includingthe Army Commendation Medaland TheArmyAchievementMedal
Dr.Sclaterhasbeen adentist for18years,andhasbeeninthedentalfield for27years.Shebecamethe ownerof Gentle Family Dentistr yin2008.Shehas apassion forcontinuingeducationandnewdevelopmentsindental technology.She isBiolase,CEREC, Allergan,OrthodonticandClearCorrect certified.Visitourprocedurespage to learnmoreaboutour technologyandtheservicessheprovides.
Dr.Sclateriscertifiedinorthodonticsandenjoys the cosmeticaspectofdentistr y. Shelovesthejoyitbrings apatient whentheirsmileishealthyandbeautiful.Dr. Sclaterisexcited to bringadvanced cosmeticdentistr ytechniques to Gentle Family DentistrywithBOTOX®,JUVÉDERM®, KYBELLA®andJeuveau®.Dr.Sclaterfindsit very rewarding to incorporateBOTOX®andJeuveau®into herpracticefordentalaestheticsandpainmanagement.
Dr.Sclaterisamemberofthe American AcademyofFacial Aesthetics,PatuxentDental Society, Maryland StateDental Association, AcademyofGeneral Dentistr yandthe American Dental Association.Sheis Allergan certifiedin Facial Aesthetics.Dr. SclaterisalsoAAFEtrainedand certifiedinBOTOX®&dermalfillerandfrontlineTMJ &orofacialpain.She is aformer Maryland StateDental Association Vice Presidentand wasaPANDAtrainer forfour years.
Dr.SclaterisaCalvertCounty native, andstronglybelievesinlocalbusinessessupportingeachotherandthe community. Dr.Sclaterknewfrom aver yyoungagethatshe wanted to become adentistdue to herfrequentvisits to thedentist -shespentfour yearsinbracesas ateen,andhadbraces asecondtimeasanadult.Dr. Sclaterenjoys her work and givingback to others.Shelovesvisitinglocalschools forCareerDaywhenshecan.
At home,shelovestocurlupwith agoodbookandan excellentcupof coffee(she’s aconfessed coffeesnob)orasmall batchbrew(shesaidshebecame abeersnobwhenshelivedin Germany).Sheisan avidskierandlovestojetskionthe bayinthesummermonths.She rarelysitsstill...she’s ago-go-gopersonality, andshelovesabargain!Dr.Sclaterhasbeen married to herhusbandCharlie for25years.Charlieis aMPT at EliteCarePhysical TherapyinChesapeake Beach. Their son, Cameron,is acollegesophomoreinFlorida.Dr.Sclaterloves to travelandshelovedlivingin Germanywhenshe wasinthe Army.AndshethoughtPittsburgh wasafantastic townwhenshelivedthereduringdentalschool.Herdream retirementdestinationisHawaii.
WOMEN IN HISTORY
Margaret Thatcher was the first woman to serve as British prime minister and the longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century.
MARGARET
T HATCHER
She was born in 1925 in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, and worked briefly as a research chemist before becoming a barrister, then Member of Parliament for Finchley in 1959.
Thatcher, who by then was married to her husband, Denis, continued to work her way up through Britain’s Conservative Party, becoming the first woman to lead a major political party in Britain. She won the 1979 general election to become prime minister under Queen Elizabeth II.
Once in power, Thatcher introduced a series of economic policies intended to reverse high inflation and deregulate industry. Her popularity was buoyed by a victory in the 1982 Falklands War against Argentina and she won re-election in 1983. Thatcher survived an IRA assassination attempt in 1984 and scored a victory in the 1984-1985 miners’ strike, propelling her to victory in the 1987 election as well.
But her increasingly caustic views on the European Community and support for a poll tax forced her resignation in 1990 after a challenge against her leadership launched. She retired from the House of Commons in 1992 and was given a life peerage as Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, Lincolnshire, which allowed her to sit in the House of Lords.
Thatcher also wrote two memoirs, “The Downing Street Years” and “The Path to Power.” She worked for tobacco company Philip Morris as a geopolitical consultant and established her own foundation and worked for other causes, such as Croatian and Slovenian independence. She also published another book, “Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World,” which was dedicated to Ronald Reagan.
In 2007, Thatcher became the first living British prime minister to be honored with a statue in the Houses of Parliament. It stands opposite her hero, Sir Winston Churchill. She died April 8, 2013, after suffering a stroke.
She was ranked as one of the 100 Greatest Britons by the BBC in 2002 and 100 of the most important people of the 20th century by Time. Her nickname was the Iron Lady, a moniker first given to her by a Soviet journalist, that eventually became associated with her uncompromising politics and leadership style.
WOMEN TO WATCH
Alethia Maus, Bar tender/Manager, Babes Boys Tavern
Amanda Peretich, Owner/Trainer, A2O Fit: Home of CrossFit Panthera
Amanda Stewar t, Commissioner, Charles County Board of County Commissioners
SonjaCoxsteppedintothe role of President andCEOof SouthernMarylandElectric Cooperative onMarch 1,2020, continuinga longandesteemedcareeratthe cooperative
Coxiscommitted to the cooperative and the community.
Your cooperative isproudofitstwonewest vicepresidentsandallofthe women who workatSMECO to provideourmembers withsuperiorcustomerserviceand reliableelectricpower.
Beth Kennedy Vice President of Financial ServicesandCFO
Kennedybeganhercareerat SMECOas aclerktypistin July 1999. Shemost recentlyserved as controllerbeforebeing promoted to vicepresident.
Sally Ride was the first American woman in space and the third woman overall, behind Russian cosmonauts
Valentina Tereshkova and Svetlana Savitskaya.
SALLY
R IDE
Ride was born in 1951 in Los Angeles and earned a Ph.D. in physics from Stanford University, where she studied the interaction of X-rays with interstellar medium. She was chosen to be part of NASA Astronaut Group 8 in 1978, which was the first class to include women. She worked as the ground-based capsule communicator for the second and third space shuttle flights and helped develop the shuttle’s robot arm.
In 1983, she joined the crew of Challenger for STS-7 to deploy communications satellites and the first Shuttle Pallet Satellite. Ride conducted experiments in the cargo bay and operated the robot arm to deploy and retrieve the Shuttle Pallet Satellite. Her second flight happened the next year, also aboard Challenger. After the deadly Challenger explosion in 1986, Ride was named to the Rogers Commission to investigate the incident. She was also later named to the commission to investigate the Columbia shuttle disaster.
Ride worked at NASA headquarters in Washing-ton, D.C., leading a strategic planning effort for the future of America’s space program. She also worked at the Stanford University Center for International Security and Arms Control and founded Sally Ride Science, a company that creates entertaining science content for students. Ride also continued to work for NASA, directing public outreach and educational programs.
During her career, she won NASA’s von Braun award, the NASA Space Flight medal, the Lindbergh Eagle and the NCAA’s Theodore Roosevelt Award. Ride also posthumously received the Presidential Medial of Freedom. She was also inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, the Astronaut Hall of Fame, the California Hall of Fame and the National Aviation Hall of Fame. In 1994, she won the Samuel S. Beard Award for Greatest Public Service by someone under the age of 35.
Ride died in 2012 at age 61 of pancreatic cancer. At that time, it was revealed that the intensely private Ride was a lesbian, living with her life partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy. In 2013, the Navy named a research vessel, RV Sally Ride, after her.
WOMEN IN HISTORY
Elizabeth Blackwell, 1821-1910, was the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States and the first woman on the Medical Register of the General Medical Council.
ELIZABETH
B LACKWELL
Blackwell didn’t start out in medicine. She first became a schoolteacher, but an interest in medicine kindled after a friend fell ill and remarked that she might not have suffered so much had her doctor been a woman. Blackwell applied to and was rejected from medical schools except for Geneva Medical College, where the male student body voted to accept her.
Blackwell wrote her inaugural thesis on typhoid fever. It was published in 1849 by the Buffalo Medical Journal. The medical community deemed the paper — which showed empathy and advocacy for justice — feminine. In 1852, she began delivering lectures and research on the physical and mental development of girls. She established a dispensary in New York in 1853, which eventually became the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children. Women served as trustees and Blackwell, her sister, Dr. Emily Blackwell, and Dr. Marie Zakrzewska served as attending physicians.
During the Civil War, the Blackwell sisters helped nurse Union soldiers even though male-dominated United States Sanitary Commission refused to work with the sisters. In response, Blackwell organized the Woman’s Central Relief Association, which eventually did work with the USSC.
Blackwell, though educated in the United States, was a British native. In 1858, a clause in the Medical Act of that year recognized doctors with foreign degrees practicing in Britain before 1858, paving the way for her to return permanently to the country in 1869. There, Blackwell established a women’s medical school in London, where she worked until her retirement in 1877.
Blackwell was also an active reformer, working for moral reform, hygiene, women’s rights and more. She contributed to the foundering of two utopian communities and published Christian moral literature, including the 1878 “Counsel to Parents on the Moral Education of Their Children.” During her career, she worked with Florence Nightengale, Sophie Jex-Blake and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. She worked in active practice and lecturing until her death.
WOMEN IN HISTORY
Magdalena Carmen Frida
Kahlo y Calderon was a Mexican painter known for her portraits, self-portraits and works inspired by Mexico.
FRIDA K AHLO
She was born in 1907 in Mexico City to a German father and a mestiza mother, spending most of her life at the family home which is now the Frida Kahlo Museum.
Kahlo was disabled by polio as a child and also suffered a bus accident at 18 which caused her lifelong medical problems. During the recovery from this accident, she returned to a childhood interest in art. In 1929, she married fellow artist Diego Rivera and spent the late 1920s and early 1930s traveling throughout Mexico and the United States, developing her artistic style that drew from Mexican folk culture, including preColombian and Catholic beliefs.
Kahlo held her first solo exhibit in New York in 1938, which was followed by another in Paris in 1939 that resulted in the Louvre acquiring one of her works, “The Frame.” Kahlo continued to work and teach art, landing at the Escuela National de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado. She became a founding member of the Seminario de Cultura Mexicana. However, her fragile health caught up with her, and she died in 1954 at age 47.
Her work remained relatively obscure until the 1970s, when her work was discovered by feminist scholars and the Chicano movement. In 1977, “The Tree of Hope Stands Firm,” painted in 1944, became the first Kahlo painting to be sold at auction, fetching $19,000. A retrospective of her paintings opened in London in 1982 and traveled the world, followed by 1983’s bestselling art history book “Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo.”
In 1984, Mexico declared her works part of the national cultural heritage, which prohibited their export from the country. Now, her paintings seldom appear in international auctions but have still managed to break records when they do. In 1990, “Diego and I” sold for $1,430,000 and in 2016, “Two Lovers in a Forest” sold for $8 million.
Kahlo’s life and work have inspired a variety of fashion looks and merchandise. She has become an icon for minority groups and political movements and a symbol of non-conformity and the cultural minority.
EXIT LANDMARKREALTY
TemekaThompson
The NobleTeamgivestheirtime byvolunteeringwithHabitat for Humanity andHeartlandHospice. Theyalsocreate opportunitiesfor peopletocometogetherto supporttheneedsofTheArnold HouseandMorningsideHouse throughfoodandgiftdrives.
Victoriausesherplatformto impactcommunitiesinneed through multipleavenues, includingprovidingChristmasto theunhoused,providingcomfort cases to foster facilities,and creating anon-profitorganization tohelpbethehandsforother organizations,inneed.
ThePinderGroup
TheJonesTeam
Lisa Pinderand her teampartner withTheArnoldHousetofeedthe hungry andfillweeklybackpacks withfood forstudentsinneed. Theyalsoprovidemealsandgifts annuallyduringtheholidaysfor familiesinneed.Additionally,they hostfreemovienights for local students.
Isabelis affiliatedwithHomesfor Heroes, aprogramdedicatedto givingbacktolocalheroes includingteachers,firefighters, law enforcement, militaryand medicalprofessionals.She has coordinatedlunchesfor medical professionalsduringthetimesof COVIDandteachersupplydrives.
