FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Renee Dain, SVP, Strategic Partnerships and External Affairs, 410-987-1048

Millersville, Maryland – The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs is excited to announce its 2023 Disability Advocacy Award winners. Award winners will be recognized at the 2023 CenterFlix Gala, The Coordinating Center’s 40^th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser for the Family Resource Fund, which will take place on May 11th at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, MD!

“Disability advocacy is essential to improving the quality of life of people for disabilities and complex medical needs living in our community. The Coordinating Center is committed to recognizing those who have had a sustained positive impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities and complex medical needs living in Maryland,” said Dr. Teresa Titus-Howard, President and CEO, The Coordinating Center.

In 2020, The Coordinating Center established its first Disability Advocacy Award, which was presented to Disability Rights Maryland at The Coordinating Center’s virtual CenterFlix event. This year, in recognition of our 40th Anniversary, The Coordinating Center will award six unique Disability Advocacy Awards to several individuals, groups and/or organizations for outstanding systems advocacy consistent with The Coordinating Center’s mission and person-centered philosophy.

1. Distinguished Public Service Award: Delegate Bonnie Cullison of District 19, Montgomery County 
2. Distinguished Public Service Award: Amanda Harris, former Chief of Services to End and Prevent Homelessness, Montgomery County
3. Disability Advocacy Award: Van Brooks, Founder, Safe Alternative Foundation for Education, Inc.
4. Disability Advocacy Award: Itineris 
5. Disability and Inclusion Content Creator Award: Robert Stone, Artist and Advocate
6. Employee Choice Award for Outstanding Partnership: The Jill Fox Memorial Fund, Inc., a supporting foundation of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore
7. Excellence in Innovation Award: Joshua Basile, Esq.
8. Julie Beckett Award for Outstanding Child Advocacy: Jill Pelovitz, Parent Educator, Parents’ Place of Maryland

Meet the Award Winners:

Delegate Bonnie Cullison of District 19, Montgomery County will receive a Distinguished Public Service Award, which recognizes public officials at a state and local level, who have enhanced opportunities for people with disabilities and/or those with complex medical needs to participate fully in all aspects of society. Delegate Cullison, a member of the House of Delegates since 2011, has worked tirelessly to ensure Marylanders have access to the care they need to participate fully in their community. As chair of the Insurance and Pharmaceuticals Subcommittee, she has navigated complicated issues to ensure that Marylanders have affordable and accessible care. She has also been one of the most vocal voices in the Maryland General Assembly for improving our state’s home and community-based waiver programs. This past legislative session, Delegate Cullison successfully sponsored legislation to remove the cap on the number of individuals who can participate in the state’s waiver programs and to improve the communication between the state and individuals on waiver waitlists. Delegate Cullison recognizes the importance of supporting waiver programs to ensure Maryland keeps its promise to support all people with disabilities and complex medical needs in fully participating in all aspects of society.

 Amanda Harris, former Chief of Services to End and Prevent Homelessness, Montgomery County will receive a Distinguished Public Service Award, which recognizes public officials at a state and local level, who have enhanced opportunities for people with disabilities and/or those with complex medical needs to participate fully in all aspects of society. Prior to joining Montgomery County, Amanda was the Chief Operating Officer for Pathways to Housing DC and helped to advance Housing First principles throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan. Her experience ranges from direct services, program management, public administration, and advocacy. Amanda is not shy in her approach to solving homelessness and is resolute in her commitment to make homelessness a rare, brief, and one time only experience.

Under Amanda’s leadership, Montgomery County (one of 14 communities in Built for Zero movement to reach functional zero for Veteran homelessness), has largely sustained functional zero and made significant progress in ending chronic homelessness for people with disabilities, housing more than 500 individuals with the most severe service needs. Since then, the community has worked to sustain functional zero for veteran homelessness, while reducing chronic, family homelessness, seniors, and youth on its journey to ending homelessness for all. Amanda developed a strong coordinated entry system to ensure the most vulnerable individuals are prioritized first while creating innovative housing solutions for all households. She successfully established the county’s first medical respite house designed to provide space for homeless and permanent supportive housing individuals to recuperate post-hospitalization, prior to returning to the shelter or home. Amanda obtained increased funding to serve more individuals in need of permanent supported housing and the opportunity for individuals to move up to independent housing though use of Emergency Housing Vouchers, a partnership with Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission and the U.S.  Department of Housing and Urban Development. During her tenure as Chief of Services to End and Prevent Homelessness, local investment in housing and homeless services doubled resulting in a 31% reduction in overall homelessness, increased exits to permanent housing, and lower rates of returns to homelessness.

Van Brooks, Founder, Safe Alternative Foundation for Education, Inc., will receive a Disability Advocacy Award which recognizes an individual and an organization who work alongside a group or collaboration, which has demonstrated outstanding leadership and sustained positive impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities and/or complex medical needs living in Maryland. Van, a resident of West Baltimore City where he was born and raised, became an advocate for people with disabilities after he was paralyzed from the neck down from a high school football injury. Despite his injury, Van graduated on time from high school and later earned a degree from Towson University. In 2012 Van founded Safe Alternative Foundation for Education (SAFE) and in 2015 the SAFE Center in West Baltimore. Van’s work with SAFE has led to him receiving many local and national accolades including the President’s Volunteer Service Award from the Barack Obama administration. In 2017 Van was also appointed by Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan to serve as the Director of the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism.

After serving for two years at the GOSV, Van returned to SAFE fulltime with the mission to open a new workforce development center. Van also serves on multiple boards ranging from Loyola Blakefield, Towson University Alumni Board, the Maryland Commission on Disabilities, and the Kennedy Krieger Institute. In 2020, Van was appointed by Governor Hogan to serve as Chair of Maryland’s Commission on Disabilities.

Itineris  will receive a Disability Advocacy Award, which recognizes an organization and an individual who work alongside a group or collaboration, which has demonstrated outstanding leadership and sustained positive impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities and/or complex medical needs living in Maryland. Itineris was founded in 2010 by nine families who wanted to create a model program to fill a tremendous void in services for adults on the autism spectrum. Their vision was to develop the supports needed so every person could have the dignity of choice and self-determination, to find meaningful work and to be full stakeholders in the shared life of their community.

Today, Itineris serves 110 adults on the autism spectrum, providing customized opportunities for individuals to obtain gainful employment, be a part of their communities and to participate meaningfully in all aspects of adult life. They are also making significant strides to engage companies in hiring adults on the autism spectrum. Services offered include Community Living, Day Habilitation, Employments Services, Community Development, Personal Supports and Behavior Support Services. Itineris is an active member of the Statewide Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism-Related Needs and Ami Taubenfeld, their Executive Director serves on the Board of Maryland Association of Community Services.

Rob Stone will receive the Disability and Inclusion Content Creator Award, which recognizes an individual who brings awareness to an issue relevant to disabilities and/or complex medical needs, either in print, digital or social media. Rob is an artist, advocate, and client of The Coordinating Center. After graduating from Walt Whitman High School, Rob wanted to be a health care and disability rights advocate, so he began advocating with Little Lobbyists in 2019. Rob has been part of Capitol Hill press conferences and met with U.S. Senate and House congresspersons and staff. He also works with the Self-Directed Advocacy Network and other groups on state issues and has testified before the Maryland General Assembly. Rob always begins his testimony by introducing himself as an artist and advocate because others need to understand that people with developmental disabilities can have careers.

Rob is a 2020 graduate of The Arc’s Partners in Policymaking program, and also takes classes at Montgomery College. Rob enjoys writing poetry, composing music, and making art. Rob has a unique painting technique, where he paints with his knuckles while using gravity to create brushstrokes. He also sometimes uses his medical equipment to make designs and stamps to create abstract art. You can see more of Rob’s art here.

The Jill Fox Memorial Fund, Inc., a supporting foundation of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, will receive the Employee Choice Award for Outstanding Partnership Award, which recognizes an organization that has been an exceptional partner to the Coordinating Center team and exemplifies a shared commitment to The Coordinating Center’s mission and values. Elinor Jill Fox was a 19-year-old college student, attending Beaver College outside of Philadelphia when she became ill and unexpectedly died in January 1960. Shortly thereafter, Jill’s parents, Dorothy and Louis Fox, established a memorial fund to pay tribute to their daughter’s life. The Jill Fox Memorial Fund’s mission and philanthropic legacy reflect acts of loving-kindness on a daily basis.

For more than 60+ years, the Jill Fox Memorial Fund has provided grants to thousands of individuals and their families, helping them to obtain unmet medical and healthcare needs not paid for by medical insurance or other means (e.g., government agencies, health associations). So many clients of The Coordinating Center have been the recipients of these grants. Over the past eight years, the Jill Fox Fund has focused primarily on programmatic grants to medical institutions, agencies, programs that provide direct services to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, mental health, child obesity and special healthcare needs. The Coordinating Center’s Family Resource Fund, with designated funding to support children and young adults, has been a recipient of Jill Fox Memorial Fund programmatic grants.

Joshua Basile, Esq. will receive the Excellence in Innovation Award, which recognizes an individual for creating innovative product(s), which have had a positive impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities and/or complex medical needs living in Maryland. Joshua, a past client of The Coordinating Center, is an attorney, advocate, entrepreneur, and inventor. Joshua is committed to helping to fight for the catastrophically injured after suffering his own catastrophic injury in 2004. Since his injury, he has founded the Determined2heal Foundation Inc., cofounded SPINALpedia, and invented Slingshot Golf, a device and a new sport, which allows both able-bodied and players with disabilities to play against each other on a golf course. Joshua has also championed a smart phone app called, fuelService, which pairs gas stations available to help pump gas to those users who need assistance. His efforts expanded the app to over 5000 gas stations across the country over the last two years.

Jill Pelovitz, Parent Educator, Parents’ Place of Maryland will receive the Julie Beckett Award for Outstanding Child Advocacy, which recognizes a parent or family member for their voice and advocacy efforts on the ground and in the community, which has brought tremendous change for children and youth with disabilities and/or complex medical needs. Julie Beckett was a trail blazer for the rights of people with disabilities. Julie fought tirelessly and successfully to give her daughter Katie and other children with special health care needs the opportunity to grow up at home with their family, rather than a hospital. Through her efforts the Katie Beckett Waiver was established, which in Maryland became known as the Model Waiver.

Through caring for her daughter Nadiya, a client of The Coordinating Center, living with a rare disease (Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, which is impacted by the very rare KCNB1 gene mutation), Jill Pelovitz, a former Language Arts middle school teacher, became an advocate for other children living with rare diseases and complex medical needs. In 2016 Jill began to work at the Parents’ Place of Maryland, where she was able to use her experience to help other families. Beginning in 2010 Jill has participated on many committees and groups related to special needs children at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, including chairing their Family Advisory Counsel. Jill has advocated for investing in the field of pediatrics, children’s hospitals, the ketogenic diet, and for other numerous issues and programs for families with children with complex medical needs and disabilities. From 2018 through 2020, Jill met with politicians in Annapolis to advocate for increases in Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing services. Through Jill’s advocacy and the advocacy efforts of others, nursing rates were increased by three percent.

Congratulations to all the 2023 Disability Advocacy Award winners who advance inclusion in the community and ensure all Marylanders have access to the care they need to participate fully in their community. Be sure to come celebrate with all the winner on May 11th at CenterFlix!

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Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Millersville, Maryland, The Coordinating Center is a nonprofit organization that provides care coordination for individuals with complex medical needs and disabilities and their families.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging:
At The Coordinating Center we aim to dismantle inequalities within our policies, systems, programs, and services by embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) and leading with respect, acceptance and compassion. It’s what makes us exceptional in achieving our mission and drives us to deliver culturally competent and effective care coordination services. We believe we are stronger together.

 

 

December 19, 2022 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Renee Dain, SVP, Strategic Partnerships and External Affairs, 410-987-1048

Millersville, Maryland—The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs, is excited to announce that The Coordinating Center has been selected for Mogul’s Top 100 Companies with Inclusive Benefits in 2022! The Coordinating Center joins Comcast NBC Universal, DoorDash, Liberty Mutual Insurance, UNICEF USA, Xerox Corporation, and 94 additional companies who are making an impact in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in the workplace. Read the full list here. 

“Mogul is honored to celebrate the diversity and inclusion initiatives that these companies have developed and continue to foster. They have made enormous strides in implementing progressive practices, hiring diverse talent, placing more value on work-life balance, creating welcoming environments and communities for employees, and improving workplace standards worldwide.”

Mogul’s Top 100 evaluation process evaluates companies based on the following criteria: diversity hiring and advancement practices, inclusive company benefits and progressive workplace resources.

The Coordinating Center is an equal opportunity employer that offers an environment for coworkers to grow both professionally and personally. “We recognize that company benefits are an important part of our coworker’s overall compensation and aim to provide coworkers with access to the highest quality benefits. We are also passionate about embedding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) into everything we do for our coworkers, and this is exemplified in our benefit offerings. For example, we offer a Religious Accommodations Policy for holy days, recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday and when sourcing providers for our coworkers, careful consideration is taken to ensure that coworkers will have equitable access to providers across the state of Maryland,” said Dr. Teresa Titus-Howard, President and CEO, The Coordinating Center.

The Coordinating Center’s DEI&B Coordinator, Dianne Edwards-Barnes is partnering with coworkers and the Board of Directors to create a culture where DEI&B is not a checklist, but rather fully integrated part of the workforce culture.

“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy on bullying, harassment, and discrimination. We have instituted reasonable accommodations in the workplace and for clients to ensure equal access to services. We pursue cultural competency through substantive learning opportunities and formal, transparent policies and have integrated gender-neutral and anti-ableist language in policies and practice. All coworkers receive annual training on DEI&B (e.g., unconscious bias, microaggressions) and our leadership is focused on sourcing diverse talent and promoting a culturally diverse pipeline,” said Ms. Edwards-Barnes.

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Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Millersville, Maryland, The Coordinating Center is a nonprofit organization that provides care coordination for individuals with complex medical needs and disabilities and their families.

At The Coordinating Center we aim to dismantle inequalities within our policies, systems, programs and services by embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) and leading with respect, acceptance and compassion. It’s what makes us exceptional in achieving our mission and drives us to deliver culturally competent and effective care coordination services. We believe we are stronger together.

Visit www.coordinatingcenter.org for more information.

October 1, 2022 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Renee Dain, SVP, Strategic Partnerships and External Affairs, 410-987-1048, ext. 2350

Millersville, Maryland – The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs is excited to announce the appointment of four new Board Members.

“I am thrilled to announce that The Coordinating Center’s Board of Directors has appointed Bryan Williams, Collan Rosier and Alex Morris for a three-year term, beginning October 1st,” said Teresa Titus-Howard, PhD, MHA, MSW, President and CEO of The Coordinating Center.

Mr. Bryan D. Williams, MBA serves as Interim Vice President People and Culture for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) where he is responsible for operational and strategic workforce planning, benefits and pension administration, performance management, training, and employee relations for the Associations’ national headquarters.

“I am looking forward to serving as a board member of The Coordinating Center with great enthusiasm, passion, creativity, and expertise. I strongly believe the opportunity afforded to me as a board member; along with fellow board member partnership will further enhance the support of The Coordinating Centers’ People and Culture, Mission and Values,” said Mr. Williams. “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
~ Mother Teresa

Mr. Williams has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources (HR) Management and has held positions in HR Management and leadership within the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, including the Brighter, Stronger Foundation, Destination DC, Nonprofit HR, Toyota Financial Services. and CitiFinancial Citigroup, Inc. Mr. Williams has participated in community outreach initiatives including Habitat for Humanity, East Social Action Food Drive Program, Susan G. Komen for The Cure and Earth Day. He holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization Human Resources Management from Strayer University; and Bachelors of Science in Business Administration Management from the University of Baltimore. Mr. Williams also holds Certificates in Professional Human Resource Management from Howard Community College, University of Maryland Baltimore County and Montgomery Community College Workforce Development Program and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the National Black MBA Association, Inc. Mr. Williams resides in Baltimore, Maryland.

Mr. Collan Rosier is the Vice President of Government Relations for Pyramid Healthcare, Inc., where he leads all federal, state, and local legislative and regulatory efforts across the company. He is an experienced government relations executive who has been providing strategic solutions at the intersection of business, public policy, and healthcare for more than a decade.

“Throughout my career, I have strived to expand access to care for complex and vulnerable patient populations across all facets of people’s health. I’m thrilled to join the board to continue to expand those efforts and support the incredible work being done every day by the Coordinating Center’s caregivers, team members, and leadership,” said Mr. Rosier.

Prior to joining Pyramid Healthcare, Mr. Rosier created and led the national government relations function for a fully-transparent, 100% pass-through pharmacy benefit management (PBM) company and its in-house specialty pharmacy. He has also led advocacy efforts across 14 states and oversaw a community-based care management program for a national home healthcare company. His career began in corporate governance and regulatory affairs for an appellate litigation and strategic counseling firm. Mr. Rosier received a master’s degree in legislative affairs from the Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) at the George Washington University and his Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in government and history from Georgetown University. Mr. Rosier is an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Annapolis where he serves on the Church Council and is the former Operations Director for the Society of Health Policy Young Professionals (SHPYP). He and his wife live in Annapolis, Maryland.

Mr. Alex Morris, MBA has been with Edelman Global Advisory since July 2021 and serves as Chief People Officer, Global Advisory. Mr. Morris has nearly 30 years of management and leadership experience in Human Resources, in all business sectors (nonprofit, for-profit, government).

“I am absolutely thrilled to join such an incredible organization, whose Mission and Vision so perfectly align with me personally and professionally. Collaboration, Integrity, Equity & Inclusion are key tenets of my ethos, and I will bring my 30 years of Human Resources experience to compliment the bright, passionate, and empathetic servant-leaders that make up the current Board,” said Mr. Morris. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Previously, Mr. Morris served as the Senior Director, HRBA, US Programs, SCAN, Head Start, and Domestic Emergencies at Save the Children US, prior to which, he was the Executive

Director Human Resources at The Children’s Guild. Mr. Morris has experiences with working in healthcare (Corporate Director of Human Resources at Nexus Health Systems and with veterans (Human Capital Project Manager at the Department of Veterans Affairs). Prior to working in HR, he was a Police Officer in Prince George’s County. Mr. Morris has his MBA from Bowie State University and attended Mount St. Mary’s University and Bowie State University prior to pursuing his MBA and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Mr. Morris serves as President, Music Boosters President, Music Boosters at Elizabeth Seton High School and previously served as Human Resources Executive Board Member at Young Ladies of Tomorrow, Inc. where he provided legal compliance guidance, strategic planning, management coaching, and diversity training and volunteered at Hospice of the Chesapeake. Mr. Morris and his wife live and worship in Bowie, Maryland with their three children. He enjoys reading, playing chess with his kids and golf with his friends.

“Bryan and Alex bring significant experience in Human Resources and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in the workplace, which are invaluable assets to have on our Board, especially with the changing landscape of the workforce post-pandemic. Collan’s expertise in navigating the intersection of business, public policy, and healthcare is timely for The Coordinating Center as we are in the midst of a strategic planning process, which will require thoughtful leaders to help guide The Coordinating Center’s direction over the next few years. I’m confident that with their knowledge and expertise we will further our mission, to partner with people of all ages and abilities and those who support them in the community to achieve their aspirations for independence, health, and meaningful community life,” said Dr. Titus-Howard.

ABOUT THE COORDINATING CENTER

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Millersville, Maryland, The Coordinating Center is a statewide, nonprofit organization that provides care coordination services for more than 10,000 children and adults with complex medical needs and disabilities and their families. The mission of The Center is to partner with people of all ages and abilities and those who support them in the community to achieve their aspirations for independence, health, and meaningful community life.

At The Coordinating Center we aim to dismantle inequalities within our policies, systems, programs and services by embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) and leading with respect, acceptance and compassion. It’s what makes us exceptional in achieving our mission and drives us to deliver culturally competent and effective care coordination services. We believe we are stronger together.

Baltimore (September 20, 2022) — The Daily Record has named Teresa Titus-Howard PhD, MHA, MSW President and Chief Executive Officer, The Coordinating Center one of Maryland’s 2022 Most Admired CEOs.

Most Admired CEOs honors talented business CEOs, higher education leaders and nonprofit executive directors throughout Maryland whose leadership and vision are admired by those around them. A panel of judges selects these winners based on professional accomplishments, community service and the letters of references submitted by co-workers, board members and community leaders showing the CEOs leadership and vision. Three-time winners are inducted into the Circle of Leadership.

Gina Abate from Edwards Performance Solutions was named to the Circle of Leadership. A listing of all the winners is below.

“The 2022 Most Admired CEOs are leading the way in unprecedented times and are developing a culture of innovation resulting in continued growth. In addition, they mentor the next generation. These CEOs are leaders we all want to emulate,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, senior group publisher of The Daily Record. “Being a CEO today is a tremendously challenging job, and we at The Daily Record congratulate this year’s honorees for all their accomplishments.”

The winners will be honored Nov. 3 at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport, 1739 W. Nursery Road in Linthicum Heights. Food stations, drinks and networking start at 4:30 p.m., with the awards celebration at 5:30 p.m. followed at 6:30 p.m. with dessert, drinks and networking. Access to the celebration is limited to honorees and sponsors. Sponsorship includes a table for guests, multimedia marketing, logo usage and more. To secure a sponsorship, contact Suzanne Fischer-Huettner at shuettner@bridgetowermedia.com. The event hashtag is #TDRevents.

If space is available, a limited number of individual tickets will be offered after sponsorships close.

Winners will be profiled in a special magazine that will be inserted into the Nov. 4 issue of The Daily Record and will be available online at TheDailyRecord.com.

Celebration Sponsors are Epsilon Registration and Towson University.

For more information and updated sponsorship information about The Daily Record’s 2022 Most Admired CEOs, visit www.TheDailyRecord.com.

About The Daily Record
The Daily Record is a digital first, daily newsroom with frequent updates on business and law at TheDailyRecord.com. The Daily Record publishes a print edition on weekdays in addition to more than 25 special products a year including Power Lists ranking the key people in Maryland in a variety of industries, Doing Business in Maryland, Way to Be and Expanding Opportunities. It also focuses on women business leaders with Women’s Perspectives, including a monthly podcast, webinar series, every-other-week email newsletter and a special quarterly print content package along with Maryland’s Top 100 Women, Leading Women and Women’s Leadership Summit events. The Daily Record hosts 11 annual events to recognize excellence and provide leadership opportunities. These events include Most Admired CEOs, Influential Marylanders, Health Care Heroes, Icon Honors and more. The Daily Record also facilitates monthly webinars bringing local experts from the business community together to discuss current topics and trends. Its Digital Marketing Solutions helps customers with social media, search engine marketing and optimization, retargeting, email marketing and more. The Daily Record, with 134 years of editorial excellence, is part of BridgeTower Media, one of the country’s leading business-to-business media companies with more than 40 print and digital publications in more than 25 U.S. markets.

2022 Most Admired CEOs

***Indicates Circle of Leadership inductee

Government
Mike Gill, Maryland Department of Commerce
Troy LeMaile-Stovall, TEDCO

Higher Education
Kim Schatzel, Ph.D., Towson University

Nonprofit with less than $10 million in annual revenue
Nina Basu, Inner Arbor Trust Inc.
Al Hutchinson, Visit Baltimore
Martin Rosendale, Maryland Tech Council
Martin Schwartz, Vehicles for Change

Nonprofit with more than $10 million in annual revenue
Victoria Bayless, Luminis Health
Kevin Drumheller, Richcroft Inc.
Lynn O’Connor, MSA, LNHA, CASP, CMDCP, Ingleside
Bradley Schlaggar M.D. Ph.D., Kennedy Krieger Institute
Sheldon Stein, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital
Teresa Titus-Howard PhD, MHA, MSW, The Coordinating Center

Private company with 50 or fewer employees
LaKeita Carter, Institute for Healing LLC
Elizabeth Caulder, THE PHOENIX Lifestyle Marketing Group
Shawn Noratel, Liquified Creative LLC
Kwabena Osei-Sarpong, RIFE International
Gregory Proctor Jr., G.S. Proctor & Associates Inc.

Private company with 51-149 employees
***Gina Abate, Edwards Performance Solutions
Kim Groves, KCW Engineering Technologies LLC
Wes Guckert, PTP, The Traffic Group Inc.

Private company with 150-499 employees
Marty Janis, Atlantic Parking
Josh Levinson, Charm City Run
Steven Linkous, Harford Mutual Insurance Group
Creig Northrop, Northrop Realty
Elizabeth Rendon-Sherman, LG-TEK

Private company with more than 500 employees
Bob Barry, ZIPS Franchising LLC/ZIPS Cleaners
Carim Khouzami, BGE, an Exelon Company
Kevin Sowers, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Public company with more than $500 million in annual revenue
Christopher Ripley, Sinclair Broadcast Group
Carissa Rodeheaver, First United Corporation and First United Bank & Trust

August 1, 2022 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Renee Dain, SVP, Strategic Partnerships and External Affairs, 410-987-1048, ext. 2350

Millersville, Maryland—The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs, is excited to announce that effective August 1, 2022, Dianne Edwards-Barnes will serve as The Coordinating Center’s first, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) Coordinator. Dianne, who has served as co-chair of The Coordinating Center’s coworker led DEI&B Committee since 2000, recently obtained her Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University in 2021, where she studied strategies to improve engagement, counteract unconscious bias, and create a more supportive and engaging place to work.

As DEI&B Coordinator, Dianne will work with coworkers across all levels of the organization to foster a culture of community and inclusion, identify opportunities for advancement and support coworkers by serving as a central point of reference for all things DEI&B related.

“We are excited to appoint Dianne into this new leadership position. Under her leadership The Coordinating Center recently released its public DEI&B statement and efforts to date, including the integration of gender neutral and anti-ableist language across all policies and practice at The Coordinating Center,” said Teresa Titus-Howard, PhD, MHA, MSW, President and CEO, The Coordinating Center.

“It is my hope that The Coordinating Center will become a leader in DEI&B initiatives, recognizing that it is not one person’s responsibility, but all of ours to ensure that we are making a difference and creating a safe and welcoming environment where everyone belongs,” said Dianne Edwards-Barnes.

Dianne has more than 15 years of experience in social and human services and 10 years in training and professional development. Since 2014, Dianne has served as Supports Planner at The Coordinating Center, coordinating home and community-based services for older adults and individuals with disabilities to maximize their independence in the community. Dianne has held numerous volunteer positions, with Arthritis Research Foundation, March of Dimes, United Way, American Cancer Society, and the AIDS foundation. Dianne was also a former Crisis-Care Foster Parent along with her wife for over 75 at risk children.

 

July 18, 2022 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Renee Dain, SVP, Strategic Partnerships and External Affairs, 410-987-1048, ext. 2350

Millersville, Maryland—The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs, is excited to announce that R. Colby Bearch, BA, MA-SF, MA-M, RN, CDONA, Chief Operating Officer (COO), has been appointed by the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC) to serve on its Accreditation Committee for a three year term.

URAC is an internationally recognized accreditation organization providing accreditation and certification in multiple healthcare specialty areas. Dedicated to improving the quality of health care, URAC currently recognizes the quality of more than 1,000 healthcare organizations through its accreditation and certification programs. URAC’s standards keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system and provide a Gold Standard mark of distinction for health care organizations to demonstrate their commitment to quality and accountability.

“Earlier this year, our organization was granted full accreditation under URAC’s vigorous 6.0 Case Management standards. Colby played a critical role in making this happen and we are thrilled that he has been selected to serve on URAC’s Accreditation Committee,” said Teresa Titus-Howard, PhD, MHA, MSW, President and CEO, The Coordinating Center.

The Coordinating Center has continued to maintain accreditation in Case Management for its Amerigroup, Rare and Expensive Case Management (REM) and Model Waiver programs since 2001.

Mr. Bearch brings more than 25 years of experience in healthcare administration and has been with The Coordinating Center since 2011. Mr. Bearch provides executive oversight for The Coordinating Center’s Population Health Division, Quality Improvement and Outcomes Management Division, Facility Operations, Staff Development and organizational policy and accreditation. Mr. Bearch also serves as The Center’s Corporate Compliance Officer. Mr. Bearch has substantial clinical management experiences in critical care, acute care, subacute care, long-term care and population health arenas in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

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Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Millersville, Maryland, The Coordinating Center is a nonprofit organization that provides care coordination for individuals with complex medical needs and disabilities and their families.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging:
At The Coordinating Center we aim to dismantle inequalities within our policies, systems, programs, and services by embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) and leading with respect, acceptance and compassion. It’s what makes us exceptional in achieving our mission and drives us to deliver culturally competent and effective care coordination services. We believe we are stronger together.

 

Millersville, Maryland—The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs, is excited to announce that Maryland Nonprofits has awarded five Service with Distinction Awards to the following coworkers at The Coordinating Center: Amanda Dayton, John Cannistra, Beth Groves, Maureen Tabor, and Sheryl Nickel. Maryland Nonprofits’ Service with Distinction Awards recognizes nonprofit employees, in positions that are not often formally celebrated, but who are critical to our work and deliver significant commitment, integrity, compassion, and caring for their organization and their communities. Awardees will be recognized during an audiovisual presentation and in a printed booklet at the Maryland Nonprofits’ 30th Anniversary Celebration, ‘This is the moment to care…and CELEBRATE!’, on July 28, 2022, from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, MD.

“We are thrilled to honor the accomplishments of Amanda, John, Beth, Maureen and Sheryl at Maryland Nonprofit 30th Anniversary Celebration. The Coordinating Center is a long-standing supporter of Maryland Nonprofits. Since 2000, we have maintained certification under Maryland Nonprofits Standards for Excellence program, which certifies nonprofits according to measures of ethical practices and accountability. We are proud to be a sponsor of “This is the moment to Care…and CELEBRATE,” and look forward to celebrating other nonprofit professionals who are doing incredible work in Maryland to ensure individuals, families and communities have access to vital services and supports,” says Teresa Titus-Howard, PhD, MHA, MSW, President and CEO, The Coordinating Center.

Meet the Awardees:
Beth Groves is a Community Health Worker who has been with The Coordinating Center since 2005. She is a strong advocate for adults with complex medical needs and chronic conditions, helping them navigate life after being discharged from the hospital with dignity and grace. Beth does an amazing job of meeting people where they are, literally and figuratively, with absolutely no judgement. She is skilled at motivational interviewing, listening, identifying barriers to care, accessing resources to overcome social determinants of health, and supporting others to become self-advocates. She successfully guides her clients through application processes dependent upon their abilities and collaborates with multiple community partners to ensure client needs are met, providing warm transitions to appropriate long-term resources when needed.

Maureen Tabor is a Licensed Certified Social Worker – Clinical (LCSW-C) in Maryland, and a Certified Case Manager (CCM) with experience in trauma-informed care and community-based services. Since 2016, Maureen has served as a Clinical Care Coordinator at The Coordinating Center for the Rare and Expensive Case Management (REM) program, which provides community case management services to over 4,000 people with diagnoses rare and expensive to treat. Maureen’s ability to navigate her clients’ social determinants of health is exemplary. It is not uncommon to find her making an extra visit with a client to complete a housing application, advocating for community systems to think outside-the-box for the adoption of a foster child to be expedited, or locating funding resources for items not covered by Medicaid. As a Maryland Board of Social Work Examiner’s approved supervisor, Maureen volunteers three hours per month to provide clinical group supervision to newer social workers at The Coordinating Center who wish to advance their licensure.

Sheryl Nickel is a Certified Case Manager and Pediatric Nurse (licensed in Maryland and Washington, D.C.) with 14 years of nursing experience in pediatrics (hospitals and hospice). Since 2017, Sheryl has served as a Clinical Care Coordinator at The Coordinating Center, providing exceptional case management services and advocacy for Model Waiver clients. Clients and families report that Sheryl is kind, caring and willing to assist to overcome any barriers to support them. For example, Sheryl is assigned to a rural section of Southern Maryland where there is a significant nursing shortage. Proactively, she participated in a Maryland statewide Nursing Workgroup to seek resolution for the shortage and implemented an electronic notification system to match clients with available nursing services, by alerting nursing agencies when a client was in need of support. Sheryl goes above and beyond supporting her clients, attends weekly program meetings with our State Funder, is a member of The Coordinating Center’s Transitioning Youth and Bereavement Committees and Pay for Performance work group and participates in strategic planning meetings for transition of the program into a new documentation system.

Amanda Dayton is a R.N. Care Coordinator with VIPhysicians&Kids, a new medical home program at The Coordinating Center that was established in 2019 to improve health outcomes and quality of life for children and youth with special health care needs and their families. Amanda played an instrumental role in helping to develop the new program, improving the lives of the families she serves and engaging providers in their care. Her approach with providers is always polite, professional, and warm and her warm “bed-side manner” comes across through virtual meetings and phone calls. Amanda has a keen ability to lift others up through encouraging words and communication style (both verbal and nonverbal). Even under stress, she maintains her patience, calmness, and warmth. She is empathetic and is very good at meeting coworkers and clients where they are. Always wanting to give back, Amanda serves on The Coordinating Center’s Bereavement Committee and takes initiative to send sympathy cards to client and families and she enjoys sending birthday cards to coworkers.

John Cannistra, a Supports Planner II, has been at The Coordinating Center for one year. As a new Supports Planner for our Community First Programs, John had to quickly learn four complex Medicaid programs, which provide supports planning services to older adults and individuals with disabilities who live and want to remain in the community or are living in a Maryland nursing facility and want to move to a home. John has the unique ability to take what is complicated and simplify it so that he can do what he loves best – helping others thrive in the community of their choice. With a degree in psychology and experience in behavioral health, John is an asset to his team. John is motivated, passionate, knowledgeable, and caring. He is also a team player, sharing resources with coworkers and taking initiative when our team needs mentoring or assistance.

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Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Millersville, Maryland, The Coordinating Center is a nonprofit organization that provides care coordination for individuals with complex medical needs and disabilities and their families.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging:
At The Coordinating Center we aim to dismantle inequalities within our policies, systems, programs and services by embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) and leading with respect, acceptance and compassion. It’s what makes us exceptional in achieving our mission and drives us to deliver culturally competent and effective care coordination services. We believe we are stronger together.