2023 Upper Chesapeake Women to Watch

CLASS ON THE WATER

LAUREN WARREN

DOUGHTERY TALKS

EDUCATION ON THE RIVER

PROFILES OF EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN IN THE UPPER CHESAPEAKE

We invite you to read about extraordinary women in our community and their accomplishments! Women to Watch spotlights the work, dedication, talents and community service of women in the Upper Chesapeake who continue to lead in their respective fields and those who embody strength, vitality, leadership and integrity for our community. We invited readers to nominate women who exemplify excellence, both in navigating their career path and as community leaders.

Our portal that accepted nominations was open on cecildaily.com from Friday, January 13th, 2023 through Wednesday, February 8th, 2023. During this 4-week period, we received (77) nominations of extraordinary women who work or reside in Cecil County, Harford County, Eastern Baltimore and New Castle County, DE.

An APG Media of Chesapeake internal committee and an external committee made up of community members met after nominations closed. They embarked on the extraordinarily difficult task of identifying women to interview for the 2023 Women to Watch Magazine. The committee worked through a set of criteria for the nominees. The criteria includes nominees’ community service, professional accomplishments and entrepreneurship as well as their work with mentoring and inspiring others.

As you can imagine, it was an exceedingly difficult decision. Each nominee had invaluable contributions indelible both in the community and workplace. The names within these pages represent women who are breaking stereotypes to positively impact our world today while inspiring future generations.

— The Women to Watch 2023 Committee

CAROLYN ROGERS

Chief of Police Elkton Police Department

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

It is an honor and a privilege to be chosen as a Woman to Watch and to be recognized as a successful leader. I feel blessed to work for the community of Elkton and its officers. To be considered among these great women, who inspire and encourage other women to pursue leadership roles, is an unexpected bonus for doing something I love.

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU HAVE FACED AS A WOMAN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT?

While unconscious biases do exist, most of the challenges I faced were created and based on my own selfdoubts. As one of only a handful of female officers in Cecil County in the early 1990s, I felt that I had to prove myself worthy of being a police officer. I had to perform better than

Photo courtesy of Carolyn Rodgers

my male colleagues, couldn’t show any weakness or let anything I witnessed affect me in order to be accepted. But as I reflect back on those early days, I’m not sure that was true but it was more likely a result of my own insecurities. Despite these insecurities, I outwardly exuded confidence and competence. The professionals I worked with treated me with respect and dignity because I worked hard, was a team player and didn’t expect special treatment.

WHAT IS ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK FOR EPD?

Policing is an honorable profession that I’m proud to be a part of. As the Chief, my main focus is ensuring that the Elkton Police Department provides the highest level of service to those we serve while supporting all levels of the organization. The Elkton Police Department is a team and, as the leader, I work for the team and therefore am accountable to them. My success is measured, not by how I’m doing, but by how the people that I am leading are doing. Watching our police have positive interactions with kids in some of our more vulnerable neighborhoods is heartwarming. Getting a hug from a crime victim because our team solved

the case makes difficult days a little easier. Being able to give back to the profession and the community is a privilege.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT?

Don’t let fear, friends, family or the current social climate prevent you from pursuing your dreams. To anyone entering this career field, I encourage them to never lose sight of their reasons for pursuing this specific career. There will be difficult and traumatic times during which you will need to reflect on this purpose. You must remain true to yourself and never compromise your integrity, values and morals. This is, in my humble opinion, the best job ever and we need good people to join the ranks and do what few can do.

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN BUT HAVE NOT YET

My goal is to become more engaged with the community to determine realistic expectations and goals for their Police Department. W2W

My success is measured, not by how I’m doing, but by how the people that I am leading are doing.

CHRISSY SHEPARD

Owner Healthies of Perryville

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

Being selected for this honor is extremely exciting. This honor helps my leadership potential to be seen - to get me and my business and the difference it makes, the problems that will be solved and the value it adds out of the wings and onto center stage.

HOW DO YOU JUGGLE ALL OF YOUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTS?

There are so many wonderful opportunities to get involved in our community. The important thing for me is to commit to ones that align with my values and allow me to give it my all and be my word.

WHAT IS ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK RUNNING HEALTHIES AND IN THE COMMUNITY?

I have created a welcoming environment where everyone knows your name. It allows me to connect with our community in a positive way. Fitness and nutrition is unique to each person. We are not a box cutter gym and nutrition center. We create an entirely different experience.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS AS LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS?

Don’t allow fear to stop you from starting your own business. Find mentors that are successful in the area of business you want to pursue. As someone who found themselves anxious and confused before starting, I can honestly say that you can do whatever you put your mind to, what you don’t know you will learn, what you haven’t

Photo by Southern Shutter Photography

PROFILE

tried you will experience, and if you fail you will survive. The journey is as important as the end result, and it’s a heck of a ride!

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN BUT HAVE NOT YET? I would like to get involved with preparing young women to navigate the journey of life with tools that will see them succeed in whatever their hearts desire.

Fitness and nutrition is unique to each person.

Photos by Southern Shutter Photography

BECKY MARTIN

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

It is an honor to be selected. Dundalk has alot of professional women and to be nominated is a true honor.

WHAT IS ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT AND AS THE OWNER OF RLM?

I love helping people find homes that are the best fit for them, and helping renters become homeowners is a wonderful feeling.

Owner

RLM Property Management

Photo courtesy of Becky Martin

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE FACED AS A WOMAN IN REAL ESTATE AND AS A BUSINESS OWNER?

I think this is a stereotyped question. I feel the challenges of a business owner are the same for everyone. I have been lucky in the fact that I have a huge support system of family and friends, and have not encountered any more challenges than any other business owner.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN

WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS IN REAL ESTATE?

Associate yourself with a broker that you are comfortable with. Do your due diligence and get as much education as possible. Call me. I am happy to walk you through it.

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN BUT HAVE NOT YET?

Join the Dundalk Chamber of commerce, and serve on the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors.

Do your due diligence and get as much education as possible.

“

Photo by Tarshea Smith

Photos courtesy of Becky Martin

Beth Creek

Executive Director

Youth Empowerment Source

Story

One thing motivates Beth Creek to juggle writing grant proposals, visiting high schools and managing her staff: the needs of Cecil County children.

Creek founded Youth Empowerment Source in 2014 to advocate for children through programs to offer drug abuse prevention initiatives and help students complete their GED. Now in a testament to the nonprofit’s growth, its Drug Free Cecil program alone served over 800 high school students in the county last year.

Creek began as a teacher working at a private school and in a church program with at risk students. The stark difference between students at the private school, who had

parents who had the time and resources to be a cheerleader, and poor students, whose parents were unable to devote as much time or resources to their child. The experience inspired her to become an advocate for children.

“The children who are struggling, aren’t struggling because there is lack of love from the people in their families,” Creek said. “Sometimes it’s just a lack of resources.”

At the time, Creek said, there were few resources focused on drug prevention or organizations focused on tailoring programs for the unique needs of Cecil County.

One of her most memorable success stories is a child who started at Youth Empowerment Source in the

ninth grade. People had little hope that she could succeed due to a difficult home life marred by drug addiction. She managed to succeed in school at the Cecil County School of Technology and now has a job in her chosen field.

“(There was) an assumption that because she wasn’t in school regularly when we started with her that she didn’t have a desire to complete her education,” Creek said. “That wasn’t the case, she had a lot of other mitigating factors that led to her not being in school regularly.”

Children at Youth Empowerment Source programs learn anger management skills and other ways to process their feelings and grief. The institution also helps children

by Matt Hooke Photos courtesy of Beth Creek

by teaching them to set concrete goals to improve academic performance so they can be successful.

“No matter how hard the school system works, there will always be kids who fall through the cracks,” Creek said.

She hopes to expand the staff at Youth Empowerment

Source to provide more drug prevention classes at the middle and late elementary school years. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a mental health crisis that makes Creek’s work even

more important as anxiety problems become a bigger issue. Youth Empowerment Source even added a new curriculum focusing on mental health. Creating new programs in response to the demands of the community is not new for Creek. After a study found that many people at Youth Empowerment Source had

incarcerated parents, she began a program focused on helping children deal with the trauma of having a parent in the criminal justice system.

“Kids’ potential is limited only by what we as adults put on them and what resources we don’t provide to them,” Creek said.

Kids’ potential is limited only by what we as adults put on them and what resources we don’t provide to them

— Beth Creek

SARAH BOYCE

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

There are so many amazing women in Cecil County that I admire and look up to. I’m honored to stand among them.

WHAT IS ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK AS A BUSINESS OWNER?

It is truly enriching as a business owner to create a team of people that are connected by a common purpose and set of goals. Through the past few years, we’ve been able to give back, repairing and replacing HVAC equipment for families in need. We

love to include the team in those projects and they always jump right in to help. While I work in HVAC, everything we do is about relationships and people and that is incredibly fulfilling.

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE FACED AS A WOMAN WHO OWNS A BUSINESS?

All of the trades are absolutely male-dominated and it is a huge opportunity for women. One of the challenges that I faced early on was developing my network and creating those relationships. Another woman business owner

Photo courtesy of Sarah Boyce

invited me to her networking group and I’ve been a member of that for several years.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS RUNNING THEIR OWN BUSINESS?

Start small and write out your goals. Find a mentor that will pull you up, and help introduce you to the networks that can support your growth. Understand the importance of people in the process.

HOW HAVE YOU BALANCED YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER WITH GRAD SCHOOL AND YOUR OTHER INVOLVEMENTS?

Balance in life is certainly unique to each person and changes every day. The first step for me was accepting there is no such thing as a perfect worklife balance. I’ve found it helpful to always rate my to-do list by priority level. I love to travel and I set goals to visit certain countries every year.

W2W

Understand the importance of people in the process.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Boyce

NINA ZUNT

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

It is such an honor. I would love to be able to get women in the trade more in the spotlight and let other women know that breaking through the glass ceiling is possible and being equal in a male dominated field is as well.

WHAT IS ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND RUNNING A NON-PROFIT?

I feel like I get the best of both worlds in both my profit construction company and in the community

nonprofit I run. In both organizations, I pride myself on dedicating time to the underprivileged, the minorities (race or gender), and people that sometimes may not get a fair first glance. It is rewarding in both industries to invest back into the community you work in, and I hope to one day grow big enough to start making a positive impact and change not just in our zipcode, but on a national level.

Contractor

EHS Maryland, LLC

Photos courtesy of Nina Zunt

PROFILE

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE FACED AS A WOMAN IN CONSTRUCTION AND AS A BUSINESS OWNER?

To this day, nine years into owning this business, I STILL deal with hardships and barriers for being a woman. It is almost a double whammy that I am a woman in the construction field. Whether it is a client assuming I am the secretary, or a client telling me “how cute” I look with a tape measure, I get my daily dose of the reality of sexism. However, I treat it like my dose of redbull for the day. It energizes me, and makes me want to work that much harder to prove that women are of equal skill and competency, if not more.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS IN CONSTRUCTION OR RUNNING THEIR OWN BUSINESS?

I have so much advice that I am not sure I have enough characters! :) Most importantly, be confident in everything you do and don’t let others bring you down. But to that same effect, don’t be afraid of the stereotypes keeping you from asking questions. It is important to be open to criticism no matter who you are. Break free of stereotypes. Build trust in other women and networks in the industry. Set boundaries...and EMPOWER.

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN BUT HAVE NOT YET?

I always have new things in the works! I am currently taking classes to be certified to teach as I would love to start offering construction related classes (OSHA/blue print reading/ordering/ management) in both English and Spanish.

Build trust in other women and networks in the industry. Set boundaries... and EMPOWER.

Photo courtesy of Nina Zunt

LAURA HOLT

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

Wow. I am incredibly honored to be selected for Women To Watch. I am often so busy that I forget to pause and reflect on accomplishments so it’s nice to be recognized. I would like to congratulate all the strong, successful women who make our local businesses so amazing. One of my favorite parts of local business is the support and encouragement all the women give to one another in our community. It really is amazing and I am incredibly honored to be a part of that.

HOW DO YOU JUGGLE ALL OF YOUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTS WITH YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR BUSINESSES?

One of the things I like to focus on most is the ability to be present. I try my best to focus on each avenue with complete concentration when required. And then, I have a lot of planning calendars that keep me on track for future schedules. It also helps that my family and community support me in all my crazy ideas and business adventures. Little steps add up to big achievements so I set goals and chip away at them a little at a time.

WHAT IS ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK RUNNING YOUR SHOP AND CECIL CRAB CONNECTION?

Rogers Customs is a business that requires consistent change in terms of education and training. Late model vehicles with electronics and new aluminum and carbon fiber bodies are always improving and evolving. The collision industry requires a high level of documentation and skill for safe and proper repairs; some of which escalate to

legal subrogation. I love my team and my customer base. We wouldn’t be in business without them so it’s important to recognize those who support us as well.

Cecil Crab Connection is my avenue for creativity and fun. The team there is so much fun and that happiness radiates through our products. We only serve the freshest quality seafood which makes me feel good. I often tell people, I opened Cecil Crab because I want to be here serving the community fresh food, not because I have to. We will never sell anything less than premium quality, because that would go against our mission. I know most customers by first name and am so grateful for their support. Be sure to stop by on a Saturday or Sunday to say hi. You may just hear

Owner, Manager

Crab Connection, Rogers Customs, Inc.

Photo courtesy of Laura Holt

our karaoke cooks in the back (that would be me and lead cook Brian Lloyd, a long time professional in the industry).

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS AS LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS?

My biggest advice is to never give up on dreams. There will always be challenges to face, but know that all the women in the community are rooting

for you! Don’t be afraid to take chances, ask important questions, and keep your big ideas growing. With hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU HAVE FACED AS A WOMAN IN TRADITIONALLY MALE- DOMINATED INDUSTRIES?

Both of our family businesses operate in maledominant fields. I could not be the leader I am in the collision industry without great mentors (most of which were men). Doug Rogers, my father-inlaw, always supported knowledge-led leading. Sharon Rogers, my mother-in-law always taught me to have a tight grasp of my surroundings. She always says, trust your gut. It always knows best. I know that in many situations where negotiations regarding insurance led repairs are done by men, that I have to have my facts correct and that I have to deliver my message in a very direct way. As more women start to enter our industry, I want to help lift them up and teach them to also be at the forefront of the industry so that maybe one day we don’t have to fight so hard to be seen as equals in the collision industry.

My husband Kenny is a commercial waterman who catches the crabs we sell at Cecil Crab Connection. Brian Lloyd is our lead cook and assistant manager. Together, they have given me confidence and knowledge within the seafood industry. They embrace the fact that I can shake a crab pot and steam them to perfection just like most men in the industry. It’s neat to have their driving forces encouraging me to keep breaking barriers.

Photo courtesy of Laura Holt

With hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

Alice Stewart, Real Estate Agent, Coldwell Banker Realty

Amanda McAvoy Brownhill, Co-owner, Domain Spa and Salon

Amber Kackley, Owner, Elite Home Entertainment

Amy Scarbro, Administrative Director, Tri-State Christian Academy

Anne DeCaire PMHNP-BC, PMH-C, President, Perinatal Prana LLC

Annetta Lidy, Doula, Ask Seek Knock Doula Services

Aprile Harris, Nurse Practitioner, Nephrology Associates of Elkton

Autumn Marquess, Owner, Crouse Auto Body and ACM Insurance Agency

Becky Martin, Real Estate Broker and Owner, Realm Realty and RLM Property Management

Beth Creek, Executive Director, Youth Empowerment Source

Bobbie Spangler, Owner, Market Street Cafe

Brittany Brodo, English Teacher, Bo Manor Middle School

Brooke Dixon, Owner, The Glow Factor

Carolyn Quelly, Real Estate Agent, The HQME TEAM of Integrity Real Estate

Carolyn Rogers, Chief of Police, Elkton Police Department

Chrissy Shepherd, Owner, Healthies of Perryville

Christie McDevitt, Owner, North East Chocolates

Christine Barton – Batton, Oncology Nurse from Dundalk, Maryland

Connie Muller-Thym, Owner, Resolution Services

Danielle G Brown, Paramedic and Firefighter, Singerly & Rising Sun Fire Companies

Desiree Johnson, Owner, Get Wick’D

Devon Ragan, MS, CNS, CBS, Owner/Nutritionist, Devon Ragan By Design

Donna Sekora, Owner, Donna’s Tavern & Restaurant

Donna Woodis LPN, Case Manager, Union Hospital

Elizabeth (Shelly) Farris, Nuclear Medicine Technologist/ Supervisor, CCHS Elkton

Elizabeth Felts, Owner, West Street Village Mall

Erin Wright, Chief Operating Officer, Voices of Hope

Heather Holding, Head of Enterprise Risk Management & Chief Privacy Officer, Marlette Funding

Heather Sinclair, Owner, Limitless Property Management

Heidi Hunt, Owner, Teacher Turned Mama Llama

Jaime White, Owner, All About Me Adult Day Program

Jamie Sipala, Owner, Simply The Best Nutrition

Jamila Mettee, Human Resources and Accounting, Frederick Ward Associates

Jane Luke, Retired Social Worker, Newark, DE

Jeanna Ashby, Freight Train Engineer, Norfolk

Southern Railroad

Jenel Davis, Business Owner, Mid Atlantic Mortgage Solutions

Jennifer Rollins, Owner, Blue Iris Day Spa and Salon

Jessica Thompson, Insurance Agent, Crothers Insurance Agencies, INC.

2023 NOMINEES Congratulations

Jirleymar Morgan, Owner, Mint Magnolia Cleaning and Organizing Services

Joan Pepper, Postal Worker, USPS

JoAnn Dawson, Owner, Fairwinds Farm & Stables

JoAnn Ragan, Insurance Agent, Crothers Insurance Agency

Kat Koenig, Vice President and Curator, Port Deposit Heritage Corporation

Keleigh Davis, Marketing, Guild Mortgage

Kelly Albanese Bedder, Estate Attorney, Walla Law

Kimberly R. Jones, Aquatic Director, Delaware Swim School

Kristen Lehr, Student Mental Health Coordinator, CCPS

Kristi Jenkins, Owner, Yoga Mouth Studio

Kristin Lewis, Real Estate Agent, Follow My Heels at Integrity Real Estate

Krystina Bubb, Author, Elkton MD

Laura Hannan, Executive Director, Fair Hill Nature and Environmental Center

Laura Holt, Owner, Cecil Crab Connection, Manager, Rogers Custom INC

Lauren Warren Dougherty, Boat Captain and business owner, Upper Chesapeake Boat School

LeeAnn Nelson, Owner, LeeAnn Nelson Physical Therapy

Lisa Fields, Community Engagement Manager, Union Hospital/ChristianaCare

Lynda Woodside, Director, MRDC Early Head Start

Megan McRay, Executive Director, Cecil County Chamber of Commerce

Meghan Brown, Principal, Thomson Estates Elementary School

Melinda McAvoy Blailock, Co-owner, Domain Spa and Salon

Melissa Hunt, Bartender, Queen Street Nutrition

Melissa Hunter-Rash, Nurse Practitioner, Tri-State Health

Melissa Tapp, Executive Director, United Way of Cecil County

Meredith Boas, Graphic Designer, Grunge Muffin Designs

Natalie Sanchez-Williams, Co-owner, Crave Eatery

Nikki Bowen, Owner, Equitable Title

Nina Zunt, Contractor, EHS Maryland, LLC

Pamela Evans, Owner, Pookie Bear Daycare

Sarah Boyce, Owner, Aire Serv

Sharleen Kaiser, General Manager, Pharmkent

Shiela Malatesta, Owner, SM&T Insurance Services LLC

Stacey Malm, Bartender, Elkton MD

Staci Mitchell, General Manager, Micks Crab House

Tahiya Cooper, School Counselor, North East Elementary School

Tammy Smithers, Owner, Cafe on the Bay

Tracy McCullough, Realtor, RE/Max Vision

Valda Rotolo, Victim Witness Coordinator, Cecil County Circuit Court

Yvette Valentin, Director of Homeowner Services, Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna.

PROFILE

Jeanna Ashby

Freight Train Engineer

Norfolk Southern Railroad

Story and photos by Jane Bellmyer

She’s been working on the railroad all the live-long day for 15 years and, even now, Jeanna Ashby is one of few women conductors driving the trains for Norfolk Southern.

“I’m one of two women at my yard,” she said, adding that in the entire company perhaps 10% or less are women.

Her career can often be a hot topic.

“When I tell people what I do for a living it is usually a conversation starter. I get a lot of questions and I immediately become the most interesting person in the room,” Ashby said. “Depending on my mood to chat, I sometimes avoid telling people because I don’t want to talk about work or I don’t want to take away from the event or celebration I am attending.”

However, Ashby was invited to participate in a Women’s History

Month celebration hosted by the New Castle County Department of Community Services. She was part of a Women on the Move session that found her seated alongside Nicole Majesky, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation, US Coast Guard Chief Angela Strong, Chanel Riviere-Francis, Aviator.

“It was awesome,” she said.

Ashby began her railroad career in 2007 as a single mom.

“I was working in logistics,” she said. “I needed something that would support us.”

A friend suggested she apply for a conductor job with Norfolk Southern. At first, she was working long shifts that included down time away from home.

“I used to go from Baltimore to Enola or Harrisburg

(Pennsylvania),” Ashby said. Arriving there, she’d face a layover with a company funded hotel room.

Ashby said she would be at the hotel as much as 24 hours before the train would make the return trip to Baltimore. “After 16 hours in the hotel they have to pay you,” she said.

“Now I work in the yard. I don’t do long haul any more,” she said. A typical day is 8- to as much as 12-hours. It’s a job that doesn’t stop for holidays, weekends or bad weather.

“There’s a lack of quality of life,” she said. Now married with another daughter she still finds time to help with the Girl Scout Troop 727.

“I like baking, I like party planning,” she added. “But in the summer time we are on our boat all the time.”

Being able to afford to boat makes the long hours away worth it, she said.

ENGINEER SCHOOL

Ashby got called up from conductor to engineer in 2015.

“When it’s your turn to go you go,” she said on the month-long training.

She traveled to the McDonough, Ga. training grounds, known in the company as ‘Choo Choo U.’ Students are given two chances to pass the test. There’s no going back to being a conductor.

“You pass or you’re out,” she said.

After the month of instruction, she returned to Baltimore and worked for the next year being mentored. Although she likes the money she makes as an engineer Ashby admits she prefers being a conductor.

“The conductor is the boss of the job,” Ashby said. “I liked being the conductor better. I guess I’m a control freak.”

As an engineer she is stationary, sitting in the cab most of the day. The conductor job is fluid, physical and outdoors.

“You work in all the elements; sometimes at night. You’re climbing on cars, getting in between cars to lace hoses and throw switches,” she said. “You’re away from an office, serving the customers.”

There’s a lot of detail to being the conductor too. She had to be aware

of the freight being hauled. A line of coal cars is different than a mixed freight train. However as the engineer it’s also important information.

“You’ve got to know your slack, your draft and your buffer forces,” she said.

As the engineer of the diesel-electric train it’s a lot of moving throttles and levers. It’s also sitting in the same place as the train moves.

Norfolk Southern travels through Port Deposit and Perryville en

You’ve got to know your slack, your draft and your buffer forces

— Jeanna Ashby

route to the rails that travel north and south. Ashby explains how she is required by law to sound the horn as she brings the train through both towns.

Ashby said the public needs to understand that a freight train can’t maneuver or stop like a vehicle on the road.

tons; just to give you an idea of the weight you are trying to stop.”

“Unless there is an emergency stop, your stops are planned,” Ashby said. “So you’re thinking about how much air you need on a downgrade hill or if it’s raining and there are leaves on the rail. I might slide while trying to stop so maybe I’ll use sand before stopping to give myself some traction.”

“People have no idea how dangerous it is to play on tracks or try to beat the train at a railroad crossing,” Ashby said, stressing the need to respect the signals at crossings. “This can result in deaths, derailments, derailments that can turn into something like East Palestine, Ohio.” (A Norfolk Southern train derailed March 1 in that Ohio town leaving in its wake a massive environmental clean up of chemical contamination of air, land and water.)

“You have to sound it 19 seconds before you reach a crossing,” she said of the Morse Code-like trill of two long, one short and another long blast of the horn. “If we don’t do it we could be held personally liable.”

“For a large, heavy train such as a loaded coal train, it will take a mile and a half to stop if the engine is going track speed (50mph),” she said. “A loaded coal train is 6,700 feet (almost 1.5 miles) and is 17,000

Ashby said she wants her daughters to choose their own careers, not just follow in her footsteps.

“My oldest is 22, my youngest is 7. I want them to do something they are passionate about,” she said. W2W

JAIME WHITE

Owner

All About Me Adult Day Program

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

I am honored to be selected as a woman to watch in 2023. I feel wonderful knowing that I am able to reach many goals as a female business owner. I also owe thanks to my wonderful mate and business partner, Justin in addition to many friends and family that believed in me. I feel it is only up from here and am excited to be an entrepreneur in a male dominated society.

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU’VE FACED AS A FEMALE BUSINESS OWNER?

Although I faced many challenges during the opening process, my biggest challenge was finding the right

location and completing the build out. Being a new business and a first time business owner, I had to find a building where the owner believed not only in my mission but also the fact that I would be able to carry out all of the tasks to become successful. After looking at more than a dozen locations, I was able to find a landlord who believed in me as an entrepreneur and the mission I was trying to fulfill. After I successfully found a location, I had to deal with many more challenges in finding a contractor to complete the project for a decent price. Being a female it was intimidating due to the fact the construction field is a male dominant profession.

WHAT IS ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH THE ELDERLY AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES?

Elderly members are far more intelligent than myself. Being able to learn from them, help them and provide a safe nurturing environment provides me with motivation to be successful. I find working with

Photo courtesy of Jamie White

Photo courtesy of Jamie White

adults with a disability and aging adults brings happiness and comfort to me daily. Knowing I created an environment that is motivated by smiles, is the most enriching work I could ever do in my life.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS AS LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS?

Ask questions as many times as you need to in order to understand what is needed for a project. With persistence and asking questions you will be able to accomplish anything in life. Dream big and don’t let others tell you that something cannot be done. If you fail, that’s okay, get back up and try again. You are going to win the race if you keep going. Always remember, you cannot control the actions of others, but you can control your own destination. Make your life meaningful and enjoy every minute of the process.

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN BUT HAVE NOT YET?

I enjoy being involved in the community where I live and work. I would love to work with assisted living and nursing homes in our community on a regular basis. I would also enjoy working with schools on the high school or college level to offer internship opportunities.

You are going to win the race if you keep going.

Photo courtesy of Jamie White

MELISSA TAPP

Executive Director

United Way of Cecil County

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

I am humbled and honored to have been selected as a Woman to Watch and to receive recognition for my contribution and hard work in our Local Community. It is truly humbling to have been chosen from among so many amazing, talented women who are also working hard in their Leadership roles. None of this would have been possible without the encouragement and constant support from my Husband, and my loyal friends pushing me to go out of my comfort zone and encouraging me to aim as high as the sky without abandon.

United Way Cecil invests in programs that show measurable outcomes – every year. Together we create new solutions to old problems and join with people from all walks of life to put those solutions into action. We make it easier for people to make a difference, whether it’s through time, money, or empowering YOUR voice. To Live United is our call to action for the entire community. It’s about working together to achieve more than any single person or organization could do alone. We recruit people and organizations from across the community that share the same passion, expertise and resources needed to get things done. To me, this is everything. Lastly, but

WHAT IS ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH UNITED WAY AND YOUR OTHER WORK IN THE COMMUNITY?

There are so many meaningful relationships that have been forged along my path to what led me to where I am today with United Way of Cecil County, and I am thankful for each one. Part of our work that is enriching to me and fills my heart to capacity is together with our non-profit agencies,

Photo courtesy of Melissa Tapp

Temporary fixes aren’t going to cut it.

never least, I am thankful for the relationships that I get to build with our communities and their families. Those relationships are priceless. Restoring hope to someone which may have previously been lost is something you can never forget; a memory to cherish for a lifetime.

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE FACED AS A WOMAN IN EXECUTIVE ROLES?

I’m not sure if some of the roadblocks I have faced while being an Executive Director are directly associated to my being a woman. I can say that when I face challenges that need to be tackled and I meet resistance, that’s where my persistence kicks into high gear. When a need is asked, I become stronger in myself because I realize sometimes it takes a strong-willed person to be that change, to be the person who needs to advocate on their behalf because the problems are going to solve themselves. Most of the barriers aren’t a simplistic, easy fix. They need to be addressed quickly. Temporary fixes aren’t going to cut it. We need to be fast moving, and thorough, covering all bases.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS IN NONPROFITS OR WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES?

My best advice would be to NEVER let ANYONE try to extinguish the light that you have inside of yourself to help others or in anything that you do. Let no one hold you back. Push forward. Don’t be afraid to disagree and commit to what you KNOW is right in your heart. Find positive people from all walks of life, full of endless ideas and keep them close to you. Be brave, be strong and never be afraid of change. Embrace it. Be ready to move with it, to adapt to it, so that you can create a goodness in your community that can be everlasting.

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN BUT HAVE NOT YET?

I would love to have the opportunity to be a mentor to young ladies, so that I can have the honor of teaching them from very early on to be fierce in their passion for what they love. I want to teach them to think outside of the box and take with them the knowledge of not being afraid to stand firm, stand tall and fight for what they truly believe in. I want to be the cheerleader with the loudest voice in the backround constantly telling them THEY CAN do this. I want to remind them that they too have a voice, and to use that voice to be heard, and to take in all of the learning knowledge they can to succeed to the highest standards because when they KNOW that they can, they WILL. The limits will be endless.

W2W

Photo courtesy of Melissa Tapp

CO NGR AT UL AT IONS TO AL LS ELEC TED AS

Iamhonored andhumbled to be nominated among so many successful women. Let's continue to accomplish, inspire and cheer each other on!

COVER PROFILE

Lauren Warren Dougherty

Boat Captain & Business Owner

Upper Chesapeake Boat School

Story by Matt Hubbard

Photos by Jennifer Quinn

The captain. The courageous, passionate leader of a vessel, who is often portrayed to be older with a rough-aroundthe-edges aesthetic. The captain of the M/V Summer Breeze, a 48-foot tritoon tour boat based in Chesapeake City, Lauren Warren is less of a hard-bitten old seadog as much as she is a helping hand, an instructor and a woman living her dream.

Warren, 32, the Summer Breeze’s captain and owner of the Upper Chesapeake Boat School, cited her journey to bearing boating’s top rank as organic.

“I am proud because I am doing what I really enjoy doing while helping other people and that makes me happy,” said Warren.

Warren’s time on the water dates back to her toddler years, where visits to see her grandfather involved a trip to Florida. There, her grandfather would

teach boater safety courses and was part of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. “He was a big boater and I think that’s where I developed my love for boating,” said Warren.

When Warren was 16-years-old, her grandfather passed away, which prompted her mother to buy a boat. It was then that Warren and her mother set out on their voyages to explore and find fun places for boaters to enjoy –bumping docks and running a propeller into the ground along the way.

“It was fun and we made all of the mistakes that everybody makes starting out,” said Warren.

Upon graduating high school, Warren worked at her mother’s candy store, Candy For All Occasions, where she said she developed her work ethic that would later be identified by the owner of the M/V Summer Breeze, Tom Connell, as part of the reason he chose her to captain his boat.

“What I like about Lauren is that when I tell her something that I know for a fact, I can tell that she is listening to me,” said Connell. “She likes to absorb knowledge and I love her personality.”

Connell met Warren when she was 26-years-old and was working on getting her captain’s license. Warren explained to Connell that she needed a certain amount of hours on a boat to get her license, which is when Connell brought her aboard the M/V Summer Breeze as a crew member.

“Riding on a boat and driving a boat are night and day, so when she needed hours to get her captain’s license, I told the captain of the Summer Breeze at the time to give her as much sick time as he could,” said Connell.

Warren completed the remaining hours needed for her captain’s license aboard the M/V Summer Breeze, officially ranking her as Captain Lauren Warren at age 27.

Warren getting her captain’s license was an important milestone in her boating career, but it came with some unfortunate attention.

“Sometimes when I announce I am captain, I get a lot of agonizing looks and I have even been questioned of my ability to captain a boat,” said Warren.

Starting out as a woman in a leadership position in a male-dominated field, Warren explained that it was difficult for her to adjust.

“It’s not even like you start from scratch, you start lower than that and you have to work your way to just equal and I hate having to prove myself,” said Warren. “It’s a judgment thing first and it’s all because I don’t look like the guy on the fish-stick box.”

But the judgment didn’t stop her. When Connell called upon Warren to captain his boat for the first time, he said Warren did not hesitate at the offer.

“I called her one day because I needed someone to run the Bay Breeze and

she said she would and from that day on she was running my boat,” said Connell. “She is as good as even myself behind that wheel.”

Warren said that looking back on her experience as a woman captain starting out, the comments and “dock stares” made her self-conscious but, now, she finds it to be laughable.

“I wake up every morning and I do the best I can and I think other girls who go into boating should have the confidence to do the best they can too,” said Warren. “Do not be intimidated by anyone because two weeks ago, Joe hit the dock too.”

Warren served as the M/V Summer Breeze’s captain doing tours out of Schaefer’s Canal House in Chesapeake City, while also doing boat deliveries all over the east coast

from 2017 until 2020. In 2020, Warren found out she was pregnant.

With the COVID-19 pandemic and her pregnancy, Warren took the summer of 2020 on land.

“Come the summer of 2021, I had no idea what I was going to do,” said Warren. “I had a baby at home so I couldn’t do deliveries so I decided to work the dock at Schaefer’s in between captaining the Summer Breeze.”

It was during her time as a dockhand at Schaefer’s Canal House that Warren found her next journey – opening her own boating school.

“When I worked on the dock at Schaefer’s, I saw a lot of mistakes by boaters and I’ve made all the same mistakes, so I thought I should start a boat school to help people not make the same mistakes I did,” said Warren.

Warren noted that once she put her idea for a boat school on Facebook, hundreds of people endorsed her; which led to her teaching multiple classes until she officially opened the Upper Chesapeake Boat School in 2022.

The M/V Summer Breeze is now not only the vessel Warren completed her training hours on, allowing her to become a captain, but it is where

It’s a judgment thing first and it’s all because I don’t look like the guy on the fish-stick box.

— Laura Warren Dougherty

Warren hosts her classes for Upper Chesapeake Boat School when she is not running tours.

“The reason this is so special to me is because I also started out a brand new boater at one point, too,” said Warren. “I want to give all of the information that I didn’t have.”

Warren said that her goals with Upper Chesapeake Boat School are to make local waterways safer, smarter and more enjoyable for boaters by offering a comfortable learning environment for anyone interested in boating.

“I want people to know that there is a comfortable, judgment free, friendly environment that wants to help make our waterways safer while having fun,” said Warren. “There is a big stigma with boating where you think you

need to know everything and it’s just not true.”

From boating with her grandfather to exploring with her mother, Warren has made her passion for boating her legacy.

“My mom always had a word sign that said ‘if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough’ and that has always helped me through a lot because this industry is anxiety ridden but if it didn’t scare you, it wouldn’t be rewarding,” said Warren.

Anyone interested in learning more about Upper Chesapeake Boat School should visit them on Facebook. W2W

ELIZABETH FELTS

Owner West Street Village Mall

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

To be honest I was surprised. I feel I have done less in the past few years, as far as community involvement, but I am honored.

WHAT IS ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK RUNNING WEST STREET VILLAGE MALL AND HEART FELTS GIFTS?

What I like best about running West Street Village is it allows me to give small business owners the opportunity to be successful. Heart Felts Gifts is my outlet for stress. It’s the fun part I get to do after a long week.

WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE FACED RUNNING YOUR BUSINESSES?

The biggest challenge for me is trying to play “mediator” to the small businesses in WSV. I have been blessed to have a good mix of business owners in the past year or two. They all get along and look out for each other, but it hasn’t always been that way.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS AS LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS?

The advice I would give is to get as much training as you can on how to own and operate a small business. When I started, I went to the SBA and took classes through SCORE. I also took basic accounting courses and Quickbooks so I understood how to

properly track business expenses, profit and loss and file and pay taxes.

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN BUT HAVE NOT YET?

I feel my life is complete and fulfilling. I stay pretty busy. I visit our Florida home as much as I can so fly between Maryland and Florida 6 to 7 times a year. I also volunteer as a Museum guide and do KP duty at our local Florida VFW. Between traveling, managing WSV and being Mom Mom to my 4 grandsons, my life is nearly perfect. W2W

Heart Felts Gifts is my outlet for stress.

LISA FIELDS

Community Engagement Manager

Union Hospital/ChristianaCare

Photo courtsey of Lisa Fields

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SELECTED AS A WOMAN TO WATCH?

It is a true honor and I am humbled beyond words to be selected. The work in our community is so very important and I am proud to lead the way with such a great team at ChristianaCare.

HOW DO YOU JUGGLE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE WITH YOUR WORK AT THE HOSPITAL?

Work-life harmony is definitely something that is important to me. Being a mom, wife and grandmother can be challenging when it comes to a career. However, prioritizing, time management and having leadership that supports caregiver wellbeing and self-care is critical to being the best I can be.

WHAT DO YOU FIND TO BE ENRICHING ABOUT YOUR WORK AT UNION?

As a lifelong citizen of Cecil County, it allows me to give back to the Community I grew up in. The Cecil County Campus is a special place where we are family, and we can work closely with our community partners in achieving the best outcomes for our patients.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO OR ARE PURSUING CAREERS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD?

Choose a role that speaks to your heart. A role that gives you pleasure and fills your bucket. But always know that you have options to grow and change as you do as a person.

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN BUT HAVE NOT YET?

Yes, I want to really get more involved in our youth and their well-being. Working closely with our partnerships to be front and center in youthled programs.

Choose a role that speaks to your heart. A role that gives you pleasure and fills your bucket.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE WOMEN TO WATCH

• So hia Grace •

• usan Lavoie •

• Samantha enasion •

• Kath Wi gins •

• e han cGuirk •

• Shauna Wright •

• Alyssa Biggs •

• Victoria Burrows •

• Christina Da •

• Carrie Grice •

• ebekah enle •

• m unle •

• Chloe Williams •

• Jirleymar Morgan •

Domain Spa and Salon congratulates all past and present nominees and are appreciative of their contributions to our community-congratulations!!!