GOVERNOR O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENTS TO STATE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor O’Malley announced appointments to a number of boards, commissions and councils. Collectively, the group represents the extraordinary skills, talents and diversity of the State of Maryland.

“These individuals have a proven record of achievement and possess the expertise and experience worthy of the people of Maryland,” Gov. O’Malley said. “I’m proud to appoint diverse, highly-skilled candidates who represent the best Maryland has to offer, and I’m confident in their ability to move our State forward.”

Some of the individuals appointed include:

Catherine J. (Cassie) Motz, Esq. – University System of Maryland Board of Regents. Ms. Motz currently serves as Executive Director of the CollegeBound Foundation. Formerly, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Deputy Legal Counsel to Governor Martin O’Malley. Ms. Motz earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Dartmouth College and her Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. She is President of the Baltimore Outreach Services Board and Secretary of the Baltimore KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) Charter Schools Board.

Eleanor M. Carey, Esq. - Morgan State University Board of Regents. Ms. Carey is a Partner with Synergies Consulting Group. As an attorney in private practice, she conducted major public investigations of financial and educational institutions. Ms. Carey also served as Deputy Attorney General of Maryland from 1979-1987, Senior Counselor to the Governor from 1995-1998 and President of the Governor's Workforce Investment Board from 1998-2003. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Wellesley College and Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. A member of the Governor’s Pre-K to 20 Commission, she is President of the Baltimore Efficiency & Economy Foundation and has been admitted to the Circle of Excellence of Maryland’s Top 100 Women.

Dawn Kirstaetter - Board of Trustees of Residential Boarding Education Programs. Ms. Kirstaetter serves as Deputy Mayor of Health, Human Services, Education and Youth for the Baltimore City Mayor's Office. Prior to joining the Mayor's Office, she served as Chief Operating Officer for Associated Black Charities, as a consultant for her own firm of Kirstaetter & Associates and as Executive Director for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. Ms. Kirstaetter received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Georgetown University and a Master of Social Work degree from Clark Atlanta University. She is a board member for the Maryland SPCA and Planned Parenthood of Maryland.

Monica Johnson, Esq. - Chair of the State Open Meetings Law Compliance Board. Ms. Johnson is currently a professor of Business Ethics at the University of Maryland University College. She previously served as the Chief Procurement Officer and Fair Practices Officer for Prince George's County Government and as Assistant Secretary for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. She earned her B.S. Degree magna cum laude in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, an MBA from John Hopkins and her law degree from Boston University Law School.

Wanda Martinez, Esq. - Member of the State Open Meetings Law Compliance Board. Wanda Martinez is an attorney with Rismiller Law Group, LLC and formerly served as Special Counsel to the Montgomery County Office of Child Support Enforcement. Ms. Martinez is a graduate of the New York University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Juris Doctor degree from The Columbia School of Law, Catholic University of America. She also serves as President of the Government Public Safety and Administration Cluster Advisory Board.

Mamata Poch, Esq. - Member of the State Open Meetings Law Compliance Board. Ms. Poch is currently an Offset and Industrial Trade Manager for Northrop Grumman. Prior to this position, she served as an International Trade Analyst for Northrop Grumman. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Penn State University and her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. She was awarded the Corporate Global Trade Management Award for Performance in 2013.

Katrina Dennis, Esq. - Maryland Transportation Authority. Ms. Dennis is a Principal with the firm Kramon & Graham, P.A., where she specializes in employment law, personal injury matters and contract disputes. Ms. Dennis is a cum laude graduate of the University Of Baltimore School Of Law and the University of North Carolina with a B.A. degree in Psychology with honors. Ms. Dennis was recognized as one of the "Rising Stars" in Maryland Super Lawyers for 2013 and 2014, and The Daily Record also named her as one of Maryland's Leading Women in 2013.

Martin G. Knott, Jr. – Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (MAIF) Board of Trustees. Mr. Knott is President and CEO of Knott Mechanical, Inc., Co-Founder and Vice President of Wye River Technologies, LLC, Co-Founder of Revere Strategies, LLC and Principal and Founder of Center Maryland. He also teaches coursework at the McDonogh School. Mr. Knott received his Bachelor of Science degree in Entrepreneurial Studies at Xavier University.

Maria Harris Tildon, Esq. - Board for the Chesapeake Employer’s Insurance Company. Ms. Tildon currently serves as CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield’s Senior Vice President for Public Policy & Community Affairs. Prior to joining CareFirst, Ms. Tildon was Senior Vice President of External Affairs for The Century Council. Ms. Tildon received her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Boston University and her J.D. degree from The American University, Washington College of Law. She serves on the Board of the Directors for The Leadership Greater Baltimore Committee and was named as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women for 2010 by the Daily Record.

John P. Coale, Esq. – Chesapeake Conservation Corps Program Board – Mr. Coale is a retired attorney having run his own private practice of law until retirement in 2006. His practice focused on tort law representing plaintiffs in environmental cases including victims of environmental negligence, plaintiffs in tobacco related lawsuits and workers in unsafe working environments. Mr. Coale received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Oscar Ramirez, Esq. – Chesapeake Bay Trust Board of Trustees. Mr. Ramirez is a Principal at the Podesta Group. He previously served as Special Assistant and Chief of Staff to Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), Deputy Chief of Staff to Rep. Al Green (D-TX) and Legislative Director to Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA). He served two terms as President of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association and was named by Washington Life Magazine as one of "Washington DC's most influential movers and shakers under 40". He sits on the Board of Advisors of Voces Verdes, a national coalition of Latino leaders who support sustainable environmental progress, and the Maryland League of Conservation Voters. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Arts degree from The George Washington University and a Juris Doctorate from George Washington University.

Janet S. Owens - State Board of Elections. Ms. Owens formerly served as Anne Arundel County Executive, Judge of the Orphans' Court for Anne Arundel County, Director of the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Director of the Anne Arundel County Housing Authority. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from The George Washington University, a Master in Education degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and was a Doctoral Candidate in Educational Management at the University of Massachusetts School of Education. Ms. Owens serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the University of Maryland at Baltimore Foundation.

Trisch L. Smith – Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission. Ms. Smith is Senior Vice-President at Edelman, a communications firm. Prior to joining Edelman, Ms Smith was an account manager at Widmeyer Communications and interned in the public relations departments of The American Red Cross and WUSA channel 9. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and has served as vice-chair of the board of the National Black Child Development Institute and is a trustee at Ebenezer A.M.E. Church. Ms. Smith received a Master of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Morgan State University.

Nicholas E. Johansson, Esq. – Maryland Economic Development Commission. Mr. Johansson has been an attorney with Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, LLP since 2004. Prior to that, he served as an attorney for the Baltimore City Solicitor’s Office. Mr. Johansson earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of California at Berkley and his law degree from the George Washington University Law School. For several years, he served as Board President of the Albemarle Square Townhouse Condominium Association. He is the author of several articles on Elder Law issues.

The Honorable Thomas Ward – Chair of the Baltimore City Board of License Commissioners. Judge Ward is a retired Judge from the Baltimore City Circuit Court, having served for 14 years on the bench. He attended Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania, earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, earned his legal degree at the University of Maryland School of Law and attended The Johns Hopkins University Graduate School. He is also a graduate of infantry school & airborne & glider school from the U.S. Army and is a former reporter for The Baltimore Sun. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Baltimore City Historical Society and author of numerous conservation articles published in newspapers and magazines throughout the U.S.

Dana Petersen Moore, Esq. – Baltimore City Board of License Commissioners –Ms. Moore is the owner of Petersen Moore LLC, in Baltimore MD. She has been Counsel at Venable LLP, Baltimore and a partner at Whiteford, Taylor and Preston, LLP, Baltimore. Ms. Moore has served on the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission for Baltimore City, the Maryland Appellate Courts Nominating Commission, the Bates College Board of Trustees and Mother Seaton Academy and the Elijah Cummings Youth Program in Israel. She chaired the Baltimore City Board of Ethics and chaired the leadership program of the Greater Baltimore Committee. Ms. Moore earned her degree in English Literature from the Bates College and her Juris Doctorate from the Washington and Lee University School of Law.