The Charles County Board of Commissioners yesterday announced the newly appointed Resilience Authority of Charles County Board of Directors.
The Authority is a non-profit, government instrumentality financing organization, and will undertake and support resilience infrastructure projects that mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change by offering a range of financing structures, forms, and techniques that leverage public and private investment. Through projects and outreach efforts, the Authority will also encourage demand for resilience infrastructure projects throughout the County.
“On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, I’m pleased to appoint this group of professionals to our Resilience Authority Board of Directors,” said Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins, II, Esq. “The Resilience Authority builds on our climate preparedness efforts including professional education for our employees, planning efforts to include our Climate Resiliency Plan and Nuisance and Urban Flood Plan, and projects to transition our energy consumption from fossil fuels to renewables.”
According to a County press release:
“I’m delighted these talented individuals have agreed to share their expertise and vision to further our climate change mitigation and adaptation plans. Together, they are an extremely impressive group that collectively bring an unmatched combination of experience and skills to help us solve these complex challenges,” said County Administrator Mark Belton. “I want to personally thank each of them for their time and willingness to join our team.”
The Board of Directors include:
Dr. Craig Beyrouty is a professor and dean of the University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and previously served as the dean of Colorado State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences. He is also a fellow of the Soil Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy.
Bonnie Norman is the president of E3 International, LLC, where she directs strategic energy advisory services, sustainable energy project development, capacity building, and financial solutions—resulting in more than $500 million in clean energy and energy efficiency investment in developing and transition countries. She was a co-founder in 2010 and CEO of E3’s U.S.-focused affiliate, EnerCon Solutions, LLC. She is the current chair of the Montgomery County Green Bank.
Dr. Charles C. Glass, P.E. was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan in June 2020 as acting director and chairman at Maryland Environmental Service after serving as deputy secretary at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. His credentials include serving more than 20 years as a research and engineering professional in academia and the consulting engineering industries.
Ryan Hicks is the town manager of the Town of Indian Head and responsible for the overall supervision and administration of Town affairs. The manager makes recommendations to the Town Council and advises them on financial matters and future needs of the town, prepares the annual budget, ordinances and resolutions, supervises all personnel, and carries out the policies adopted by the Town Council.
Patrice Kelly serves as senior chief (legal) in the Office of Judge Advocate General Corps in the U.S. Navy. She is a member of the Southern Maryland Sierra Club and the Charles County lead for the Community Garden project.
Tom Schueler directs the Chesapeake Stormwater Network, a non-profit organization devoted to implementation of more sustainable stormwater practices across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. He has more than 30 years of experience in practical aspects of stormwater practices to protect and restore urban watersheds.
Jenifer Ellin is the director of the Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services at Charles County Government. During her more than 27 years of tenure, she has progressively advanced through the department. Ellin has played a key role with the budget team, earning the Government Finance Officers Association’s Excellence in Budget Presentation Award since 1996.
Dave Nemazie serves as the chief of staff for the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science and has extensive experience in aquatic research, science and policy interface, university administration, partnership development, and public relations. He has developed new partnerships with the public, private, and non-profit sector, locally, as well as internationally.
Daniel Donohue is a member of the Alice Ferguson Foundation Board of Directors, a nonprofit organization that promotes the environmental sustainability of the Potomac River watershed. He is a lifelong resident of the area and owns a farm that extends into Charles County.
Teresa Ball is the compliance officer for Soul Tree LLC, an energetic education, training, and consulting company; and has served on a variety of organizations including the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter, Charles County NAACP, NAACP Environmental Justice Leaders, Smarter Growth Alliance for Charles County and Clean Air Prince George’s.
Deborah Carpenter is the director of the Department of Planning and Growth Management at Charles County Government. She brings more than 25 years of experience in the field of planning, with expertise in land use, mineral resources, sensitive areas, and water resources. She excels at stakeholder engagement, communication, and project management, and is credentialed through the American Institute of Certified Planners.
