Local leaders of Leadership Washington County Class 34

BY CHRISTINA WILLIAMS

DIRECTOR OF GRADUATE ENGAGEMENT

LEADERSHIP WASHINGTON COUNTY

Our community has numerous passionate, purposeful and dedicated leaders. We are excited to celebrate the Class of 2021, Class 34, by sharing some fun and fascinating information about each one. A special “thank you” goes to Mary Teal Medina (LWC Class 31, 2018) the LWC board secretary who puts her creative writing skills to use for the highlights in our weekly announcement of the #LWCLocalLeaders!

Brian Albert

Washington County Government - Maryland has incredibly talented and compassionate first responders, including Albert. Albert serves as the assistant director of emergency communications at our local 911 call center. A Clear Spring native, he enjoys visiting Fort Frederick and the C&O Canal with his family. As someone on the front lines of service, Albert has a heart for those struggling with addictions. He also has an interest in local and state politics and is running for Washington County sheriff.

Angie Auldridge

Aside from being a contributing author, blogger and podcaster, Auldridge serves as the Western Maryland parent educator and content coordinator for The Parents’ Place of Maryland. She is a bit of a foodie, noting that some of her favorite local restaurants are Rooster Moon Coffeehouse for scones, Hummus Mediterranean grill for Chicken Shawarma and Free Range Cafe for avocado toast. Her ideal picnic spot is her backyard, which sits at the foot of South Mountain near the Appalachian Trail. Even though she’s a Boonsboro native, Auldridge has appreciated learning more about Washington County through her LWC experience.

Jenny Bakos

As executive director of Washington County Free Library, Bakos serves as an advocate for the library to local and state governments. She said the most interesting person she ever met was her father because he was truly an “overcomer” and never complained about hard work. Bakos is a bit of a gardening guru and said she would like to learn five languages. When asked how her neighborhood could be improved, Bakos suggested a recreation center within walking distance for local kids.

Chelsea Bleigh

The branch manager at CNB Bank Inc., Bleigh loves gardening and would like to see her neighborhood sprinkle plants and greenery in sparse areas to bring more color and “life” to them. She likes to share the community’s beautiful nature with out-of-town guests by taking them to hike Annapolis Rock. Bleigh has enjoyed being part of Class 34 and is looking forward to learning more about the community’s history.

Brielle Bodoh

Bodoh loves a good cup of coffee, and is a fan of Rooster Moon Coffeehouse and the spectacular views at Big Cork Vineyards. As the talent development manager of JLG Industries, Bodoh has the unique opportunity to help employees learn more about themselves and grow. She claims it is the “fun side” of the human-resources world. In high school, Budoh was a friend to everyone and loved connecting with others. That is, unless there was competition involved, in which case, all bets were off. (Budoh can get JUST a little competitive.) We think her competitive spirit will serve her well as a member of the “Best Class Ever!”

Luann Brechbill

This boxer dog mom is a proud member of LWC Class 34. Brechbill is the executive director of Star Community Inc. and oversees the execution of the organization’s mission, which serves children with intellectual disabilities. She has always wanted to learn how to play the bagpipes. She also looks forward to giving back to the community during and after her experience in Leadership Washington County.

Amy Butts

Hailing from Boonsboro, Butts loves to travel with her husband and spend time outdoors – hiking, exploring one of Washington County’s state parks, playing tennis and biking along the Western Maryland Rail Trail. She’s also a “pizzaiola.” Butts serves as assistant controller for Bowman Development Corp., where she works with a variety of industries – from trucking to hospitality. She would love to help in the continued redevelopment and expansion of the downtown Hagerstown area.

Baranda Dixon

Hailing from just north of Hagerstown in Greencastle, Pa., Dixon loves numbers and enjoys a good debate. She serves in partner management with Fiserv in Washington County, where she experiences new, challenging and fun scenarios every day. Through her LWC experience, she hopes to learn more about the history of the community and how to make it the best place to live, work and play. On a weekend, you might find her at The Broad Axe (a local favorite) or Hagerstown’s City Park.

Kim Duncan

Duncan is a creature of habit and has the same breakfast every day. We can get on board with consistency, for sure. As the executive director for OnTrack Washington County, she has the unique opportunity to be the only staff person at the agency, yet works with more than 50 stakeholders in the community to accomplish OnTrack’s mission. She’s a regular at 28 South and loves to bring her friends there when they are visiting from out of town. She has always wanted to learn how to knit and crochet.

Tina Fraley

Now more than ever, it’s important to keep your mind, body and soul in shape. As a personal trainer, well-being counselor and motivational speaker with FitMinded Living, Fraley coaches her clients on how to live a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. She is from Hagerstown, but spent some time living in New Mexico, where she attended the Balloon Fiesta every year and learned to make authentic New Mexican dishes. Her secret talent is writing poetry.

Christina Grove

Grove has a unique hidden talent: She is into plant propagation. In fact, she’s pretty darn good at it, having turned a five-species planter into a total of 44 potted plants. When Grove isn’t in the garden, you might find her on a walk at City Park. When asked how her neighborhood could be improved, Grove recommended that a community garden be planted, where residents could have easy access to fresh, whole foods.

Amy Gulino

Gulino is originally from Charlotte, N.C. As director of development and marketing for Habitat for Humanity of Washington County, she covers lots of ground for the organization, including Women Build events, ReStore promotions and home dedications. While she is still exploring the local area, she has already identified a hometown gem: the Pennsylvania Dutch Market. Gulino’s secret talent is baking incredible chocolate chip cookies.

Tim Haines

Haines considers Hagerstown to be his adopted home and serves as recruitment and retention coordinator with Washington County Public Schools, where he scouts top talent on a national level. He claims the most interesting person he’s ever met was B.B. King because he was genuinely down to earth and gracious. Haines is an experienced thespian, having spent many years participating in theater and musical productions. In fact, he has played various roles, including Santa, a war criminal and Irish storyteller. Fun fact about him? He can “play a pretty mean game of darts.”

Elisa Hermes

Hermes is the director of development for San Mar Family and Community Services, and has the unique opportunity to speak with community members about philanthropic goals. While her hometown is Urbana, Md., Hermes is enjoying learning more about Washington County and the tourist attractions in its backyard. She mentioned that the most interesting person she has ever met is Elton John because “his musical talent is legendary.”

Stacy Horst

As executive director at Breast Cancer Awareness-Cumberland Valley Inc., Horst is making a difference in the lives of those struggling with breast cancer. While her favorite picnic spot is Fort Frederick State Park, she also enjoys the beautiful and picturesque mountain views at Blairs Valley Lake. When she’s not busting a move in Zumba class, Horst enjoys spending time mentoring other young women in the community through Bible study groups. She’s a family girl to the core and loves her rescue puppy, Baby Girl.

Jena Judd

Judd, director of human resource operations for Meritus Health, hails from Frederick County, Md. When Judd hosts an out-of-town guest, she takes them to Schula’s Grill & Crab House to enjoy a cup of crab soup. Judd recently had the unique privilege of training her staff at Meritus on the proper use of PPE (personal protective equipment) – something she did not expect to do as a human-resources professional. We are grateful to have leaders like Judd serving our community through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Allison Keller

By the age of 13, Keller had traveled to seven countries as a student ambassador with the program People to People. It’s safe to say she has an adventurous side and an appreciation for various cultures. Additionally, Keller hosted a German exchange student and learned more about German culture. As the client-services specialist with Carson Wealth Management, she has the opportunity to interact with clients on a daily basis. If you would have known Keller in high school, she claims you might say she was involved in everything. She liked to stay busy with school activities and got into a little mischief occasionally.

Denise Kleppe

Kleppe is a proud small-town Iowa farm girl at heart, but has enjoyed living in Washington County so far. The plant manager at Conagra Brands in Hagerstown said some of her favorite places to visit in the county are the historical spots, especially when she is hosting out-of-town guests. Kleppe has been given the opportunity to live in multiple areas throughout the United States with various jobs over the course of her life, and she loves the unique perspectives offered by each community. On a weekend, you might find Kleppe picnicking at a local brewery or winery.

Andrew Lewis

Lewis is a detective sergeant with the Hagerstown Police Department and is particularly excited to be in this year’s LWC Class 34 because he is interested in learning more about Washington County’s history. On a frigid winter night, you might find him out on the slopes enjoying an evening of skiing. He hopes to leverage his experience with LWC to strengthen the bond between law enforcement and community leaders. His favorite local eatery is Schmankerl Stube.

Jennifer Marsh

Marsh is a Southerner at heart, but has found her place in Washington County. She is the director of corporate communications for Meritus Health and recently had the opportunity to help craft the messaging and implementation for the Meritus Go For Bold initiative, which focuses on encouraging healthy lifestyles and good nutrition. Marsh is a fan of supporting small businesses, and enjoys visiting local breweries and wineries on weekends. She also loves going to local restaurants with her hubby.

Denver Martin

Who has completed the JFK 50 Mile, known as the nation’s oldest ultramarathon, three times, can sing and play guitar, and has the ability to demystify tax codes? Class 34 member Martin. He hails from Chambersburg, Pa., and serves as the tax manager for SEK, CPAs & Advisors. Martin has enjoyed learning more about Washington County through his leadership class experience.

Genie Massey

A long-term substitute teacher for Frederick County (Md.) Public Schools, Massey hails from Miami, so we’re pretty sure she is enjoying the area’s 80-degree weather. She is a volunteer with the League of Women Voters in Washington County, where she gets to play devil’s advocate to help her students better understand different perspectives and ideologies. Massey says some of her favorite spots in the community are Washington County Museum of Fine Arts and Krumpe’s Do-Nuts. When she was a junior in college, Massey spent a year in London learning the history of the area and visiting beautiful cathedrals. One of her hidden talents is being able to read a book from across the table when it is upside down from her view.

Cory McKinney

The executive assistant at Gaye McGovern Insurance Agency Inc., McKinney loves to take out-of-town guests to Break Away II Sports Lounge for chicken wings. He also enjoys City Park at Christmastime, particularly watching the synchronized light show. Add in some good company and hot chocolate, and the memories will last a lifetime. McKinney’s hidden talent is being an artist who enjoys drawing and painting. The most interesting person he has met is Naijun Zhang, a talented WVU painting professor who is originally from China. Zhang showed great passion in his work, cared about his students and had amazing stories of his childhood in China.

Stacy Michael

The project manager at Polsource, Michael plays a mean game of nine-ball and participated in a pool tournament in Las Vegas. You might find Michael picnicking at City Park on a sunny Saturday. She loves her family, friends and community more than anything, and is grateful for the chance to be in this year’s LWC Class.

Angela Miles

Miles is a Clear Spring native and proud mother of twins. A CPA with Miles & Smith CPAs, PLLC, she is a skilled flute, piccolo and piano player. She would love to play in an orchestra that records movie soundtracks. When she’s not chasing around her two adorable little ones, you might find Miles picnicking by the C&O Canal. She is also passionate about fighting the drug epidemic in the community.

Kandie Nield

On a nice summer evening, you might find Nield enjoying the outdoor seating at one of her favorite spots – Foster’s on the Point. While Nield has always wanted to learn how to swim, she happens to be a pro knitter. Now the customer service/door estimator for Jamison Door Co., Nield said her high school principal would probably say she was always willing to help. She would like to improve her community by coordinating a trash pickup event.

Melissa Noel

Noel has lived in Washington County for more than 30 years. She is the proud owner of Noel’s Fire Protection LLC and The Yarn Shop. Noel loves to take out-of-town guests to downtown Hagerstown for a walking tour to see the historic infrastructure and to shop. Noel has enjoyed being part of Class 34 so she can learn more about Washington County and how it serves the needs of all residents. Some words of wisdom from Noel: “I don’t have a college degree, yet I own five businesses. I didn’t know how to knit until 2009, yet I opened a yarn store. I didn’t know how to lead, but I have 86 employees. Life isn’t about what you don’t know, it’s about what you’re willing to learn and achieve.”

Krystle O’Brien

As the president of My Pristine Clean LLC, O’Brien faces daily changes and constant shifts in focus. She enjoys the outdoors and appreciates many beautiful places in the county: High Rock, Fort Frederick, C&O Canal and Antietam National Battlefield, to name a few. Keep an eye on O’Brien because she never considered running for local government until she participated in Class 34. She’d like to be a contributor to Washington County’s continuing success.

Jonathan Parrish

The executive director of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, Parrish is originally from Lynchburg, Va. He performed the national anthem on opening day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992. His favorite picnic spot is his backyard. While he dabbled in a few hobbies during high school (even wrestling, which he admits was not his forte), Parrish always came back to his passion: playing music. He can even build a French horn.

Maddison Rinehold

A finance analyst at JLG Industries Inc., Rinehold enjoys being near the water and has loved learning more about the local community through her time in Class 34. When asked how her neighborhood could be improved, she said that forming a neighborhood watch group could be helpful. When she’s not walking on the wild side and posing with tigers, you might find Rinehold enjoying a meal with friends at Rik’s Cafe, one of her favorite local restaurants.

Jimmy Rowland

As project manager for Outdoor Contractors Inc., Rowland is a man with many talents. He works with his family on a variety of projects through their business and strives to be a blessing to someone every day. His high school principal would say he is ambitious. Rowland is from Clear Spring and loves the outdoors. He thinks his neighborhood would improve if it could buy back state game land, where he could put his archery skills to use.

Joshua Thomas

Thomas’ favorite quote is “Some people can read ‘War & Peace’ and come away thinking it’s just a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe,” by Lex Luthor. The Hagerstown native is a self-proclaimed musician, chef, writer, poet, gamer, traveler, mentor and scholar. It’s safe to say he’s a professional learner, and he gets to learn and train on a daily basis as the service manager at Innovative Inc. One of his favorite picnic spots is Funkstown Park. When hosting out-of-town guests, Thomas likes to visit Schmankerl Stube in downtown Hagerstown.

Ashley Whaley

Whaley is a native of Hagerstown and, like many locals, loves to enjoy a fresh doughnut from Krumpe’s Do-Nuts. As a Hagerstown Community College graduate, Whaley has the unique opportunity as senior director of college advancement at HCC to be an advocate and fundraiser for the school that offered her a scholarship when she was in college. She’s also a triple threat: She can play piano, baritone saxophone and xylophone. On a weekend, you might find Whaley hiking or getting ice cream with her adorable 11-year-old Saint Bernard, Bernie.

Joretta Willard

The director of Fiserv is originally from Kentucky, but planted roots in Washington County – Boonsboro, specifically. Willard and her husband love to visit local Civil War sites and learn about the rich history in the area. She’s also a fan of Krumpe’s Do-Nuts.

Billy Woods

Woods is one of Washington County’s finest, serving on the front lines and protecting our citizens as captain of the Washington County Division of Emergency Services. On the weekends, you might spot him visiting a local brewery or enjoying a Sunday brunch at the Old South Mountain Inn. One of his favorite things to do is visit the animals at the humane society. Woods has enjoyed learning more about the community while participating in the LWC program.

Class 34 definitely had a different experience due to the pandemic, but in the end, the members learned a lot about Washington County, had a chance to closely network with 34 classmates and now have the opportunity to find a way to give back to the community.

Stay tuned for the announcement of Class 35 later this summer.

To find out more about Leadership Washington County, go to leadershipwashingtoncounty.org.

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