Seventh Annual Nonprofit Institute Conference: Jump-Start Your Leadership!

Friday, April 28, 2017 La Plata Campus, Center for Business and Industry (BI Building)

Jumpstarting or refreshing leadership is important to any organization, especially nonprofits that generally are short staffed and have limited training funds. Board membership changes and employee turnover are struggles for nonprofits due to the impacts of time away from day-to-day work due to position marketing, resume reading, job search analytics, interviews, and new member training. These time-consuming activities of searching, hiring and training new board members and/or staff, impacts the overall mission of the nonprofit and affects its productivity.

Jumpstarting leadership is an answer. Whether it is learning best practices from others, employee recognition and reward programs or tweaking mentoring skills, leadership occasionally needs an “enhancement” for the success and welfare of the nonprofit organization.

Our NPI 2017 conference, Jumpstart Your Leadership, provides insight and information to address this concern. Break-out sessions feature experienced leaders in all levels of organizational leadership or management and a panel discussion with recognized community nonprofit leaders explores what works and why.

Who Can Benefit

Nonprofit board members, chief executives, staff, sponsors, volunteers, community and business leaders, young professionals, and consultants committed to strengthening nonprofit organizations and the communities they serve.

Conference Agenda

8-8:30 a.m.: Check-in, continental breakfast, and networking

8:30-8:45 a.m.: Welcome by Dr. Gottfried

9-9:50 a.m.: 1st break-out session (descriptions and presenters below)

10-10:50 a.m.: 2nd break-out session (descriptions and presenters below)

11-11:50 a.m.: 3rd break-out session (descriptions and presenters below)

12-12:30 p.m.: Serving lunch

12:30-1:30 p.m.: Panel discussion: "Leadership in the Nonprofit Community" (panelists below)

1:30 p.m.: Concluding remarks and thanks!

Session 1: 9-9:50 a.m.

Social Media Analytics - Room BI 113

It's enough to make your head spin: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest... The list goes on and on! This session will cover how to choose the right platform(s) for your audience, some tips and tricks, and how to measure the success of a social media campaign.

Presenter: Kristen Titsworth

As the Web Services Director at the College of Southern Maryland, Kristen is responsible for all facets of the college's main website and other web properties, including design, development, web governance, and SEO, in addition to working with the marketing team to develop online marketing campaigns and social media strategies. She was previously the Media and Graphics Developer, where she worked with a team to develop web graphics, social media branding, online advertising, and e-marketing campaigns.

She also builds websites and does other freelance graphic design work as part of her company, Let It Be Creative, LLC. With a background in

journalism, Kristen's work has been published by POLITICO, Sports Illustrated, The News & Observer, and Discovery Education, earning awards from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, South by Southwest, and The Society for News Design, among others. She is a graduate of the University at North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Creating Fundraising Development - Room BI 104

During this session, we will walk through a fundraising plan and its structure. We will discuss and determine content with a focus on specific activities, goals and results.

Presenter: Denise Foster

Denise Foster is a native of St. Mary’s County and a graduate of Great Mills High School and the College of Southern Maryland. While supporting the Department of Defense at NAS Patuxent River for over 15 years, she received her BA Degree in Public Communications from American University. Soon after, she relocated and made a career shift to the nonprofit sector, going on to receive her Master’s Degree in Public Administration – Nonprofit Management Certification.

Denise has worked with nonprofits across several states to provide the best impact to the community. She spent three years as Associate Director of Development for

K9s For Warriors, eventually returning to Southern Maryland. She is now the owner of DKFoster Services, LLC., a company dedicated to helping and educating nonprofits.

In her spare time, Denise is active in the community and currently serves on the Board for the Community Foundation of Southern Maryland. She is also an active duty spouse and a member of the Patuxent River Officer Spouses Club.

Unemployment Insurance - Room BI 103

Executive Round Table - Trimming Your Insurance Budget: Insurance can be one of the largest line items on an annual budget. The goal of our session is to discuss what drives premiums up, where premiums can be trimmed and how to control costs for the future.

Presenter: Nick Lewis

Nick is a Commercial Sales Executive as well as the Business Development Director at Raley, Watts and O’Neill Insurance. He has over 15 years’ experience in the insurance industry. He specializes in Business Insurance and Risk Management w/ a focus in Social Services and Defense Contractors. Nick strives to provide his client’s with the appropriate coverage for their needs and helps them understand how their insurance programs work. Nick enjoys building relationships and works endlessly to meet the expectations of his clients.

Nick was born and raised in Hollywood, MD and feels so lucky to be part of the Southern MD community.

Strategic Planning 101 - Room BI 113E

Every organization should have a current strategic plan that is tailored to their particular needs. This road map helps organizations better achieve their goals by refocusing their direction to issues that matter most. In this session you will learn the why's, how's, and when's of strategic planning. You will also learn how your organization may qualify for strategic planning facilitation by the NPI.

Presenter: Brad Gottfried

President of the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) since 2006, Dr. Bradley M. Gottfried has had a long and distinguished career in higher education. After receiving his Ph.D. in Zoology from Miami University in 1976, Dr. Gottfried served as faculty member and as a chief academic officer for many years before becoming president of Sussex County Community College in 2000. His strengths are in strategic planning and assessment of institutional effectiveness, fund-raising, and academic program development. Dr. Gottfried is also a historian specializing in

the Civil War. His eleventh book on this subject will be out any day now.

In addition to his leadership at CSM, Dr. Gottfried is very active in the region serving on many committees and boards. Among his many community-based initiatives are the Money Smart Seminar Series to promote financial literacy throughout the region; the Southern Maryland Nonprofit Institute at the College of Southern Maryland to strengthen the region’s nonprofit organizations; the Diversity Institute of Charles County, which promotes a culture of inclusiveness and understanding in a rapidly changing community; and, his latest initiative, the Entrepreneur and Innovation Institute, to build programs and processes that promote innovation and entrepreneurship in Southern Maryland is now up and running.

Dr. Gottfried and his wife, Linda, donate countless hours each year helping the region’s nonprofit organizations become more successful by leading strategic planning exercises and working with boards to strengthen governance, marketing, advocacy, and fund-raising efforts.

How to Be an Effective Board Member - Room BI 104

Board member performance is widely recognized as a critical ingredient in a nonprofit organization’s ability to achieve impact. But what does effective board performance look like? And how can nonprofit board members become more effective?

Presenter: Kim Rosenfield

Ms. Kimberly J. Rosenfield is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Practitioner and CHARTERED RETIREMENT PLAN SPECIALIST™ with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management in La Plata. Kim graduated from North Carolina State University and worked several years in the Human Services field before joining Legg Mason, now Morgan Stanley, in 1997. Kim provides financial planning and investment management to high net worth investors and small institutions and advises on business and corporate retirement plans.

Outside of Morgan Stanley, Kim serves on the advisory boards for the Non-Profit Institute of Charles County, the Community Foundation of

Southern Maryland, and the College of Southern Maryland Foundation. She is a member of the Leadership Southern Maryland class of 2010, the Leadership Maryland class of 2014, and the Southern Maryland Women’s League. She is a member and past president of the Zonta Club of Charles County and the Center for Children.

Session 2: 10-10:50 a.m.

Mission-Driven Branding - Room BI 101

Your brand is your stand; your stand is your brand. A great brand is aligned with your mission - it's always out there, telling people who you are and what you stand for. Get your nonprofit's message focused and aligned with its brand so that you fulfill your mission, grow your donor base, and make the difference you say you want to have in the world.

Presenter: Maggy Sterner

Maggy Sterner is a coach, writer, speaker and branding expert. Her superpower is helping you discover your words, find the courage to own them, and deliver your message with confidence, clarity and conviction. She helps nonprofits be the master of their message.

Maggy spent a career in wildly different day jobs - photojournalist, TV & radio reporter for CBS News, supergeek at NPR.org, and the Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids. She realized all of her work boiled down to one superpower: The ability to look at a chaotic big picture,

see what’s at the essence of it, and then describe it in a way a five-year old can understand. She's turned that superpower into a business helping others figure out what's at the heart of what they do and find the courage to do it.

Board Role in Advancement and Development - Room BI 103

Serving on a Nonprofit Board of Directors is both a privilege and great responsibility. This session will review the fundamental fundraising role you must embrace to be an effective member of the board. A wonderful opportunity for executive directors and board members to explore how to ensure adequate funds to achieve their organization's mission.

Presenter: Linda Gottfried

Linda Gottfried has a passion for fundraising and helping nonprofits go from good to great. Now retired, Linda returned to the MedStar family in June of 2014 and served as the Director of Philanthropy for MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center. Prior to this, she served as the Director of Development for Calvert Hospice setting new records for their Festival of Trees and other fundraising efforts. Linda also served as the Regional Director for the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter, Southern Maryland Regional Office. During her tenure with the Alzheimer’s Association she led efforts that increased revenues and participation by more than 30 per cent.

Linda also served as Director of Development at MedStar Washington Hospital Center Foundation where she solicited and received the largest single donation in the hospital’s history at that point; a $2 million dollar gift to fund the new Gwendolyn and Morris Cafritz Electrophysiology Center.

Linda is a 2012 graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland. She serves on the Executive Board of the Southern Maryland Nonprofit Institute. Linda and her husband provide pro-bono strategic planning and fundraising retreats for Southern Maryland nonprofits.

Linda lives on Cobb Island with her husband, Brad Gottfried, president of the College of Southern Maryland. Between them they have four adult children and are proud grandparents of six grandchildren.

Building Diversity - Room BI 104

The goal of this session is to discuss what diversity looks like. How to attract diverse leadership. Once you have diverse leadership, how to keep it!

Presenter: John Felicitas

John Felicitas is a teacher; teaching elementary to Masters Students, union organizing for public school teachers in Arizona and California, senior policy analyst for National Education Association (NEA), human resource specialist for two school systems, and a high school administrator are what comprised 37 years in the education field. "Education That Is Multicultural,” is the Masters course Mr. Felicitas taught for Notre Dame of Maryland University for over 10 years. Additionally, he has presented various Diversity workshops and training sessions for K-12 school systems, hospitals, state and county agencies, parent advocacy groups and non-profit groups.

John has close to 16 years as a Human Resource Specialist experience serving two Maryland County school systems, as well as, experience as an Executive Director for a 6,000 member teacher's union and Senior Policy Analyst for the NEA. Upon retirement, he was accepted into the Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM) program and graduated in 2013. Mr. Felicitas has been a board member for this organization since 2013 and currently serves as its president. Mr. Felicitas is currently a diversity consultant and trainer with Be-aThEdge Consulting, serves on the Diversity Advisory Board for the College of Southern Maryland, and a part-time Corporate Trainer for the College of Southern Maryland.

Board Recruitment - Room BI 214

This seminar will address concepts involved with recruiting a balanced, engaged, and connected board which is critical to any organization’s short and long-term success. A number of important questions about selection and development of board members, and other important actions and activities involved with recruiting the board will be discussed!

Presenter: Jim Wilson

Dr. J.S. (Jim) Wilson, Principal, SLOFLT Group LLC, will facilitate seminar. Wilson’s broad background includes leading various defense acquisition programs and business development organizations within Raytheon Company. He is a retired Navy Captain, and holds a Doctorate in Management, in Organizational Leadership. Wilson has been involved with the support of a number of non-profit organizations. In addition to sitting on Boards at various levels of non-profits, he teaches and facilitates training for executive boards, as well as supporting the effective onboarding of new organization executives. His organization is focused on supporting strategically-

led, operationally-focused leadership teams.

Leadership During a Crisis - Room BI 113E

Don’t wait for the media to be calling and your members and constituents demanding answers in a crisis to plan your response. Even though you can’t imagine a crisis in your organization, it can happen to anyone, so be prepared.

Presenter: Steve Morgan

Stephen H. Morgan, Executive Director, has served in such position with The Arc Baltimore since 1985 and previously was employed by The Arc Baltimore since 1972. He received a BA degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 1972 and an MA, in Clinical Psychology from Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland in 1980. He has served as president and as a Board member of: the National Conference of Executives of The Arc’s, the Maryland Association of Community Services, the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, the Baltimore County Police Athletic League,

the Maryland Chapter of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the Maryland Conference of Executives of The Arc. Previously, he chaired the Community Services Advisory Commission and served ten years on the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council. In 2015, he was recognized as one of Maryland’s Most Admired CEOs by The Daily Record.

Session 3: 11-11:50 a.m.

Content Marketing– What to Say and When to Say It - Room BI 113 E

Heard of "location, location, location"? For online marketing, it's "Content, Content, and Content!" This seminar will teach you the time-saving tips, techniques, and yes, even apps that will help your content - and the way you share it - succeed! You’ll learn how to create, curate, and extend the content that will help you achieve your goals.

Presenter: Chris Ripley

Chris Ripley spent 22 years in retail sales and marketing with Macy’s, Dayton-Hudson, and May Company. He was a women’s shoe buyer for 4 years and a store manager of 14 years. He also spent two years as Senior Director of Development at the College of Southern Maryland. Currently Chris is the owner of the Strategic Marketing Group, a Waldorf, MD based marketing and business development firm. He

helps companies separate themselves from the competition and eliminate them. The company uses direct marketing, video marketing, social media marketing, and local search. He also is an adjunct professor at the College of Southern Maryland and UMUC. Chris earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia in 1981 and received his M.S. in Management with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Maryland University College in 2005.

Board Role in Advancement and Development - Room BI 103

Serving on a Nonprofit Board of Directors is both a privilege and great responsibility. This session will review the fundamental fundraising role you must embrace to be an effective member of the board. A wonderful opportunity for executive directors and board members to explore how to ensure adequate funds to achieve their organization's mission.

Presenter: Linda Gottfried

Linda Gottfried has a passion for fundraising and helping nonprofits go from good to great. Now retired, Linda returned to the MedStar family in June of 2014 and served as the Director of Philanthropy for MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center. Prior to this, she served as the Director of Development for Calvert Hospice setting new records for their Festival of Trees and other fundraising efforts. Linda also served as the Regional Director for the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter, Southern Maryland Regional Office. During her tenure with the

Alzheimer’s Association she led efforts that increased revenues and participation by more than 30 per cent.

Linda also served as Director of Development at MedStar Washington Hospital Center Foundation where she solicited and received the largest single donation in the hospital’s history at that point; a $2 million dollar gift to fund the new Gwendolyn and Morris Cafritz Electrophysiology Center.

Linda is a 2012 graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland. She serves on the Executive Board of the Southern Maryland Nonprofit Institute. Linda and her husband provide pro-bono strategic planning and fundraising retreats for Southern Maryland nonprofits.

Linda lives on Cobb Island with her husband, Brad Gottfried, president of the College of Southern Maryland. Between them they have four adult children and are proud grandparents of six grandchildren.

Nonprofit Financial Literacy - Room BI 104

This session will discuss overall board governance responsibilities with respect to financial oversight. Highlighting such topics as understanding financial statements and balance sheets, and identifying red flag trends and indicators early.

Presenter: John Wiland

Mr. John G. Wiland has over 17 years of experience in public accounting serving clients in assurance, accounting, and tax advisory roles. He has extensive experience across multiple industries including not for profits, health care, construction, and employee benefit plans. He also continues to serve commercial clients in dealerships, professional services, and medical industries across the Baltimore/ Washington Metro Region. As a firm, Mullen, Sondberg, Wimbish & Stone, PA provides audit, attest, and taxation services for approximately 120 not for profits in Maryland, DC and Virginia. A significant portion of Mr. Wiland’s experience has been with auditing and consulting with

not for profit organizations. He has performed several seminars and industry trade conventions including topics such as fraud, internal controls and the federal form 990.

Mr. Wiland received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Economics from Frostburg State University. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Maryland and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He currently lives in Calvert County with his wife and two children.

Strategic Recognition Retention Programs - Room BI 214

Keeping quality volunteers and donors interested in your nonprofit is the key to success. Join us for a discussion on strategically thinking about retention methods as well as thoughts on recognition of volunteers and donors for their service and contributions to your organization.

Presenter: George Connelly

George Connelly is currently the Legislative and Governmental Affairs Director for the Chesapeake Regional Association of Realtor Brokers where he manages a staff of 24 local governmental affairs directors spread out over South-Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the West Virginia Pan Handle. Effective management of grassroots outreach, including volunteers to testify, provide advocacy, and rally on behalf of the organization is a part of the day to day routine for

George in this position.

A St. Mary's County Native and graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland with a BA in Political Science and International Studies, George has been involved in many local, state, regional, and national non-profits and political campaigns. George's past professional experiences include volunteer management, development/fundraising, compliance, accounting, as well as strategic development and capital campaign planning at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, House of Ruth Maryland, the Southern Maryland Association of Realtors, and Historic St. Mary's City. George is currently a board member for the Community Foundation of Southern Maryland, serves on the advisory board for House of Ruth Maryland, and is a board member emeritus for the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB).

Cultivating Staff and Volunteers for Leadership Roles - Room BI 101

Cultivating staff and volunteers for leadership roles - Your best and most efficient source of organization leadership are the people who know you and are already dedicated to your mission! We will discuss how to identify these teammates, when to look outside, what skills to look for and grow, and how to fit them into your leadership cadre - or what you could become.

Presenter: Matt Scassero

Matt is the Director of the University of Maryland Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site, focusing the resources and efforts of the state of Maryland on working with the FAA to integrate UAS into the national airspace, and enabling public access to these valuable assets to empower a flourishing new industry. Prior to his work with UAS, Matt was the Chief Contracts Officer for Melwood, a non-profit dedicated to empowering

people with differing abilities to enrich their own lives through rehabilitative services and employment opportunities.

Prior to joining Melwood, Matt completed a 27 year career in the US Navy, retiring as the Vice Commander for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, the Navy’s principal research, development, test, evaluation, engineering and fleet support activity for naval aircraft and systems. Matt has served America in a wide variety of leadership roles both at sea and ashore, including command of the Navy’s weapons school devoted to electronic warfare and Air Boss on a carrier. He has flown combat missions in Iraq and Kosovo, and has deployed to six of the seven seas and 25 nations across five continents.

Matt earned a BS in Physics (Oceanography) from the United States Naval Academy in 1982, and is a Leadership Maryland 2007 graduate. He is on the Leadership Council and was a founding board member of Leadership Southern Maryland, as well as a facilitator and peer/mentor for operational stress programs for veterans, and a facilitator at the Naval Academy Leadership Capstone program. He has previously served on the boards of the Center for Children and Southern Maryland College Access Network. He has worked extensively with the St. Mary’s County Public Schools, was an adult leader and Scoutmaster with a local Boy Scout Troop, and sings in his church choir. Matt enjoys living in Leonardtown, Maryland blessed with his wife and two children.

Meet the Panelists

Kathleen O. O’Brien, PhD is CEO of Walden/Sierra, Inc., a premier behavioral health organization serving Southern Maryland. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Maryland, and her doctorate in clinical psychology from La Salle University.

Dr. O’Brien began her long association with Walden/Sierra in 1973, serving as the clinical director from 1978 to 1990, when she became the executive director. Her commitment and dedication have been a driving force in the development and expansion of a multi-service behavioral health organization that is respected throughout the state and has received national recognition.

Dr. O’Brien plays a prominent role in her community and throughout the state where she is a strong advocate for quality services for children and their families. She serves on numerous boards and commissions. She is a gubernatorial appointee on the State Drug and Alcohol Council, the Health and Human Services Referral Board, and the State Victim Services Board. She serves on the Maryland Executive Council of AARP.

Additional local and state boards include Healthshare, Camp Maria Board, the Maryland Juvenile Justice Coalition, and the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence. She has also served as a member of the National Council on Accreditation, the Child Welfare League of America Steering Committee, and a subcommittee of the White House Drug policy council. Dr. O’Brien is the founding chairperson of the St. Mary’s Family Violence Coordinating Council.

Dr. O’Brien is a Weinberg Fellow and was a member of Leadership Maryland Class of ’08. Dr. O’Brien was the 2008 recipient of the National Sunshine Peace Award, from the Buffet Foundation in recognition of her outstanding work on behalf of domestic violence victims. In 2010, she received the Social Impact award from the Weinberg Foundation for her efforts to assist the homeless. During the summer of 2013, Dr. O’Brien participated in the Harvard Business School Nonprofit Leadership Institute where she had the opportunity to work with nonprofit leaders from around the world.

Dr. O’Brien has been married to her husband Paul for 38 years, and they are the proud parents of six highly accomplished young adult children.

Ellen Flowers-Fields is the Southern Maryland regional director for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosted by the College of Southern Maryland. The SBDC promotes and fosters entrepreneurship and business growth throughout Southern Maryland, providing information and guidance for business owners to help them utilize effective strategies, initiate start-up, or manage growth.

Ms. Flowers-Fields has over 20 years of progressive professional experience in the field of workforce development and human capital management. Her diverse background

includes the implementation of various federal, state, and local programs and initiatives that address community economic needs and challenges. She is credentialed as a Global Career Development facilitator from the Center for Credentialing and Education. She is a member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals and the Maryland Economic Development Association.

Prior to serving as the director of the SBDC, Ms. Flowers-Fields served as deputy assistant secretary of the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning at the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation from 2011 to 2014; regional director of Economic Development at the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland from 2006 to 2011; and executive director for Southern Maryland Works from 2000 to 2006. Affiliations include: former board member, Maryland Broadband Coordination Board; past board chair, Bethel House Inc.; past board chair, Community Foundation of Southern Maryland; and alumni of Leadership Southern Maryland’s inaugural class.

Recognitions include: recipient of 2005 Charles County Minority Business of the Year; 2008 Woman of the Year award from Calvert County Concerned Black Women; nominations for the 2006 Leadership Maryland class and 2006 Maryland’s Top 100 Women; and Calvert County Commissioner’s business owner appreciation recognition for 2008 and 2014.

She is a resident of Charles County and co-owner of RE Fields, LLC. She is married to her loving husband of 25 years, Ricky Fields. They have three children: Joice, Ricky II, and Ross.

Bernie Fowler, Jr. heads a successful building company, offers consulting and management services, and is a principal in several development companies.

In 2012, Mr. Fowler founded Farming 4 Hunger to serve his neighbors in the Southern Maryland community. He wanted to ensure that his neighbors had access to fresh fruit and vegetables, and to augment the nutrient poor, canned and boxed goods are distributed by food banks.

He formed a unique partnership with Feeding America, the Maryland Food Bank, and Serenity Farm owners, the

Robinsons, creating an organizational structure that allows Calvert’s citizens to serve, educate, share, fellowship, exercise, rejoice, laugh, learn, and carry out its mission. This mission is to feed the hungry and feed the soul through programs that include a mobile pantry, a demonstration garden and education center, inmate mentoring and life coaching, and a “Life Sharing” program for middle and high school students.

Farming 4 Hunger works with the Department of Corrections to provide community service to the inmate population; with CAASA to promote alcohol and other drug prevention efforts; and works with the Calvert County Public Schools to provide community service for students, while giving students the opportunity to learn about the benefits of farming and the importance of serving others in need.

Mr. Fowler continued to broaden the impact of Farming 4 Hunger by engaging with United Way of Calvert County, College of Southern Maryland, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Young Marines, local churches, local businesses, and area food pantries and hunger relief organizations.

His efforts have motivated him to lead over 2,500 volunteers a year to harvest and package 1.7 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, collect produce from the local farmers, and plan for the establishment of a food retail program to serve Calvert memorial Hospital and local restaurants. Because of the success of Farming 4 Hunger and its benefit to the community, it is recognized as a model and is being replicated in seven other states.

The Calvert Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) proclaimed its appreciation and recognized Mr. Fowler as one of its citizens dedicated to improving the lives of Calvert County citizens. The BOCC thanked him for his significant contributions to the county, state, and federal level.

Kathy Franzen is the director of Hospice of St. Mary’s. The Hospice House is part of the overall Hospice Department. She resumed these duties in the fall of 2016 after a short hiatus to work in the administrative offices of Medstar St. Mary’s in Leonardtown.

Ms. Franzen grew up in Bethesda, Maryland and went to college at Towson University where she met her husband, Carl, a St. Mary’s County native. Upon graduating from the Towson’s nursing program, Ms. Franzen moved to Southern Maryland.

She worked for Medstar St. Mary’s for 21 years with 15 of those years in the Hospice Department. She started out as a staff nurse, then she was promoted to assistant director, and then to

director of Hospice in 2006. Ms. Franzen has stated, “My proudest accomplishment was the opening of the Hospice House in November 2009. I learned a lot about fundraising, testifying for bond bills, etc. We built the Hospice House without a mortgage.”

The Hospice House of St. Mary's serves as a place of dignity, comfort, and peace. At times, individuals with terminal illnesses need care which cannot be provided in their own homes. For these individuals, Hospice House offers care and a place to call home.

“I have always said that hospice is the hardest job I have ever had, but also the best job--it is very emotionally gratifying work,” Ms. Franzen said.

Bill Buffington, a U.S. Navy veteran and a strong advocate for veteran entitlements, has long been recognized as a source of information and connections for veterans in the Southern Maryland region. Whether they served during World War II, the Vietnam era, Operation Desert Storm, the Gulf War, or recently separated from the military, on any given day, you can find Mr. Buffington seeking out and helping veterans by providing guidance or connections about available resources and potential benefits.

His interactions with hundreds of veterans who are unaware of potential resources and entitlements available to them led him to move forward with establishing VConnections, Inc. as a resource for

serving veterans and their families, particularly in the rural communities of Southern Maryland.

In addition to a military career, which has included two nominations as Sailor of the Year and numerous selections as Sailor of the Quarter, Mr. Buffington has achieved a stellar academic career, as well. His performance in the classroom--where he is studying business administration and recently received a General Dynamics Scholarship to pursue an extended education in Business Law--has earned him a spot on the Dean’s List at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), and he was elected to the college’s chapter of the National Society for Leadership and Success as well as Phi Theta Kappa, the top National Honor Society for community colleges. In 2014, Mr. Buffington was one of 125 students chosen from 1,500 applicants to attend the Student Veterans Association (SVA) Leadership Institute in Bentonville, Arkansas. Hosted by Walmart

Corporate Headquarters, the Leadership Institute is a cohort-based program for emerging leaders within the SVA and institutions from around the country.

He is a co-founder of CSM’s Veterans Organization and currently serves as the veterans liaison at the college. Within the community, Mr. Buffington established the VConnection Veterans Coffee Breaks held in La Plata and Waldorf sponsored by Chick-Fil-A and the VConnection Charlotte Hall Coffee Breaks sponsored by Burger King.

A recent quote by Mr. Buffington explains his passion for continued service, “It was a great honor to serve my country and it’s a blessing to be able to serve Southern Maryland veterans and their families.”