Academy for Excellence Celebrates 2024 Graduates

The Academy for Excellence in Local Governance celebrated its 2024 graduates on Sunday, September 22, at the University of Maryland.

The Academy, voluntary certificate program, was co-founded by MACo and the Maryland Municipal League (MML). It is sponsored by the Local Government Insurance Trust (LGIT) and coordinated through the School of Public Policy and the Institute for Public Leadership of the University of Maryland. Enrolled local government officials are required to take a set of core and elective classes, all available on a rotating basis during MACo, MML, and LGIT events. All courses focus on leadership and building a strong foundation of best practices for governance.

Academy core courses focus on local government fundamentals, such as consensus and teambuilding, ethics, conducting effective meetings, the Public Information Act, budgeting and finance, and more. Elective courses allow Academy Fellows to dive deeper into the hot topics of the day by attending timely courses at MACo, MML, and LGIT conferences and events. Are you a county official or employee interested in joining the Academy? Learn more.

Sunday’s graduation was held at the beautiful Memorial Chapel at the University of Maryland College Park, followed by a reception at the new School of Public Policy building.

141 county and municipal officials were recognized for completing the program, with about 60 attending the graduation ceremony. Additionally, the Academy celebrated reaching over 1,000 graduates. John Ronquillo, Director of the Institute for Public Leadership at the University of Maryland College Park, conducted the ceremony. MML President and Frederick City Mayor Michael O’Connor gave the keynote address.

University of Maryland School of Public Policy Dean Robert C. Orr said, “The Academy for Excellence in Local Governance is proud to recognize these graduates. Their commitment to public service and to providing the best possible local government to people across the state is not only admirable, it is of great importance.”

Some graduates took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their excitement, like Baltimore City Council Member Odette Ramos:

Congratulations to the 2024 Graduates of the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance!

  • Donald Abbatiello – Easton
  • Nicole Acle – Wicomico County
  • Wesley Adams  – Charles County
  • Martha Aguilar – Brentwood
  • Jacqueline Akers – Charlestown
  • Aten Cesante Alrey – Crisfield
  • Aaron Ashford – Perryville
  • Jud Ashman – Gaithersburg
  • Monique Ashton – Rockville
  • Robin Bailey-Walls – Glenarden
  • Diane Barrett – Hampstead
  • Edwina Benites-LM – Frederick County
  • Jason Michael Bennett – Allegany County
  • Michelle Betancourt – Gaithersburg
  • Kevin Bianca – Harford County
  • Kristy Bixler – Carroll County
  • Bryan J. Bokey – Carroll County
  • Douglas Wayne Bowles – Colmar Manor
  • Nathan Brown – Brunswick
  • Nicole Bryner – Cheverly
  • Timothy Burke – Carroll County
  • Danielle S. Carter – Mt. Rainier
  • Monica Casanas – Colmar Manor
  • Lajan Cephas – Cambridge
  • LaTonya G. Chew – Capitol Heights
  • Thomasina O. Coates – Charles County
  • Charles J. Colbert – Upper Marlboro
  • Ana Contreras – Brentwood
  • Christopher M. Corchiarino – Queen Anne’s County
  • Harvey Lee Cornwell – Bowie
  • Christina L. Cornwell – Laurel
  • Dr. Cashenna A. Cross – Glenarden
  • Brandon Lee Cunningham – Greensboro
  • Allen F. Davis, Jr. – Emmitsburg
  • Stephen Domotor – Mt. Airy
  • William Jesse Drewer, Jr. – Somerset County
  • Willis H. Dryden, Jr. – Somerset County
  • Philip L. Dumenil – Queen Anne’s County
  • Cindy Dyballa – Takoma Park
  • Deborah Effingham – Carroll County
  • Lynda Eisenberg – Carroll County
  • Paula Sutton Etting – Bel Air
  • Colleen M. Ferguson – New Carrollton
  • Jessica Fitzwater – Frederick County
  • Sarah Franklin – Upper Marlboro
  • Melanie Marie Friesen – Berwyn Heights
  • Scott Wayne Getchell – Denton
  • Gyasi Umi Gomez – District Heights
  • Ric  Gordon – Greenbelt
  • Elizabeth Guroff – Sykesville
  • Maurice Hairston – Glenarden
  • Thomas Hanchett – Upper Marlboro
  • Xander Harcourt – District Heights
  • Jameson Wilson Harrington – Cambridge
  • Isiah Harris, Jr. – New Carrollton
  • Joshua A. Hastings – Wicomico County
  • Joseph Hawkins, IV – Brentwood
  • Mary Katherine Healey – North Beach
  • TC Hegeman – University Park
  • Lisa Henderson – Gaithersburg
  • Michelle Henson – Elkton
  • James A. Herring – Glenarden
  • Alan Y. Hew – College Park
  • David L. Higgins – Hurlock
  • Ina Rosella Holden – Cambridge
  • Larry Hushour – Mt. Airy
  • Rafiu O. Ighile – Howard County
  • Kimberly Marie Jahnigen Abner – Federalsburg
  • Takisha D. James – Bladensburg
  • Pamela Janifer – District Heights
  • Tonya Jones – Cheverly
  • Donna L. Kahoe – Bel Air
  • Jennifer Keener – Worcester County
  • Heidi Keeney – Frederick County
  • Tammy Kelledes – Greensboro
  • Katrina Anna Kenney – Allegany County
  • James  Kole – Laurel
  • Kristen Linn Kopp Weaver – Greenbelt
  • David Chi-Wai Lai – New Carrollton
  • Bryan Lightner – Charlestown
  • Kristi D. Liller – Allegany County
  • Troy Barrington Lilly – Forest Heights
  • Karen Lott – Upper Marlboro
  • Dawn Patricia Luedtke – Montgomery County
  • Richard Keith Mahan – Charlestown
  • Elizabeth Marie Malasky – Queen Anne’s County
  • Holly McCleary – Mt. Airy
  • Jamilah C. McDonald – Forest Heights
  • Diana L. Mehaffie – Thurmont
  • Judy Melton – Rising Sun
  • Marcus Monroe – Brentwood
  • Larry Moran – Brentwood
  • Raymond M.  Morriss – Cumberland
  • Laurie Morrissey – University Park
  • Kim Moses – Worcester County
  • Marverly Nettles Simpson – Cheverly
  • Shaneka Nichols – Berlin
  • Albert Nickerson – Kent County
  • John A. Olszewski, Jr. – Baltimore County
  • Jock Orr – Hurlock
  • Jack L.  Orris, Jr. – Berlin
  • Scott Robert Ostrow – St. Mary’s County
  • Deb Painter – Hampstead
  • Dawn Marie Parks – Greensboro
  • Stephen  Pereira – Calvert County
  • Alexander J. Perricone – Manchester
  • Susan Petito – Ocean City
  • Kelly Gillian Phipps – La Plata
  • Michael Pruitt – Snow Hill
  • Odette Ramos – Baltimore City
  • Charles  Reading – Hyattsville
  • Giselle Carela Richards – Cheverly
  • Donald James Richardson, Sr. – Chesapeake Beach
  • Robert (Robb) Rinehart – Charlestown
  • Lisa Krauser Riner – Keedysville
  • Angela Robertson – Bel Air
  • Jocelyn Route – Bladensburg
  • Melissa Sam – Mt. Rainier
  • Kathleen L. SanDoe – Charlestown
  • Charles R. Schmechel – Wicomico County
  • Kizzie Andrea Scott – Seat Pleasant
  • Lawrence Scott – Cecil County
  • Debra Varady Sewell – Federalsburg
  • Rebecca  Sharer-Long – Thurmont
  • Kyle J. Snyder – Berwyn Heights
  • Ashley Nicole Staples-Reid – Calvert County
  • Celene E. Steckel – Carroll County
  • Emily T. Strab – Hyattsville
  • Frank J. Taylor – Denton
  • Cheri Lee Thompson – Union Bridge
  • Anthony Tilghman – District Heights
  • Heather Rae Tinelli – Queen Anne’s County
  • Esther Lang Troast – Pocomoke City
  • Briana Urbina – New Carrollton
  • John Michael Walker – Landover Hills
  • David Alan Weiskopf – St. Mary’s County
  • Susan Lynn Whitney – College Park
  • Robert Willoughby – Federalsburg
  • Savannah Winston – Preston
  • Benjamin Franklin Zolman – Hampstead
  • Gabrielle Zwi – Rockville