What is a Livable Community? Phyllis Madachy (LP’99)

LP 2017 Livable Communities – April 25, 2017

Speaker Bio and Contact Information (in order of presentations)
What is a Livable Community?

Phyllis Madachy (LP’99)

Phyllis Madachy has a BA in Political Science from Wheeling Jesuit University and MA in Management from Johns Hopkins University. Since 1974, her career has focused on creating new community based strategies for older adults to remain in the home and community of choice. She served as board chairs for several aging organizations in Maryland, and to advance efforts at the national level she was a founding member of the National Coalition of Disability and Aging and the National Home Modification Action Coalition.

In Howard County government, she served for 30 years as Administrator of the Office on Aging, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and most recently as Director of the Department of Community Resources and Services. From 2010-2015, she directed a federal grant with The Coordinating Center exploring a person centered approach for 150 older adults trying to remain in their homes with multiple health and economic barriers. She also served at the senior management level for the Coordinating Center’s successful work with three Baltimore hospitals in reducing the readmissions of their Medicare patients.
On retirement in 2016, she continues to be active in Leadership Howard County and other community organizations. [e-mail]
Meeting the Housing Needs in Howard County

Marcus Ervin, Senior Development Officer, Howard County Housing Commission

Marcus began his employment with HCHC in 2007 as a Development Associate for the Division of Development Finance and Project Management. Since joining HCHC, Mr. Ervin has managed the acquisition, development, and stabilization of mixed-income, multi-family developments to single-family for-sale homes through various stages of the development process. Prior to working for HCHC, he was a Mayoral Fellow with the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development, where he developed multiple financial metrics and recommendations to improve the underwriting, servicing, and compliance processes in the agency. Mr. Ervin earned a bachelor’s in architecture and environmental design from Morgan State University and a master’s in real estate development from the University of Maryland’s Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development.

Direct Dial: 443-518-7814 / [e-mail]
Sam Paul, Contracts Manager, Howard County Housing Commission

Sam has worked for HCHC since 2010. Mr. Paul manages the procurement and acquisition system of HCHC. Additionally, Mr. Paul investigates and prosecutes cases of fraud within HCHC’s housing assistance programs and provides research, writing, analytical, and advisory services to HCHC’s various operations. Prior to working for HCHC, Mr. Paul served as a law clerk for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Superior Court of Washington D.C., and the State’s Attorney’s Office of Montgomery County, Maryland, where he conducted complex legal research, legal drafting, and developed strategies for the prosecution of criminal cases and the disposition of civil cases. Mr. Paul holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law. Phone: [phone] / [e-mail]

Kelly Cimino, Howard County Housing and Community Development

Kelly was appointed to be the Director of the Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development in August 2016. Kelly began her employment with Department of Housing in 2008 as the Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) Coordinator and was promoted to the Chief of the Housing Opportunities Programs Division in 2012.

As director, Kelly manages the divisions that administer the federal CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) and HOME (Home Investment Partnership Program) programs, the state RAP (rental assistance program) and MHRP (Maryland housing repair program) programs, as well as the County’s affordable housing programs, including MIHU and SDLP (Settlement Downpayment Loan Program). The Department has plans to implement 2 new rehabilitation loan programs in 2017 to encourage homeownership and help revitalize older neighborhoods in the County.
Prior to joining Howard County, Kelly was employed in the mortgage lending industry for 23 years. Kelly received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland in 1986. A graduate of Atholton High School in Columbia, she currently resides in Ellicott City.

Direct Dial: 410-313-0190 / [e-mail]

Livable Community Topics:

Creating an Age-Friendly Community

Terri Hansen, Manager, Division of Social Day Program, Office on Aging and Independence

Terri has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Psychology and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. She has more than 32 years’ experience in the field of aging. Terri is the Manager of the Division of Social Day Programs at the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence. She has worked in Howard County since 2005. She worked for Baltimore County Department of Aging more than 17 years, managing a variety of programs. She resides in Ellicott City and is the proud mother of two adult sons. [e-mail] / 410-313-6537

Ofelia Ross Ott (LE‘09), Home & Community Based Services, Office on Aging and Independence

Ofelia has been with Howard County Office on Aging and Independence since 2000 with over 24 years of experience in the field of aging. She currently serves as the Home and Community Based Services Division Manager overseeing programs that allow individuals to maintain a maximum level of independence and facilitate aging in place with support services. Prior to this role she served as the Long Term Care Specialist managing the Long Term Care Ombudsman and the Public Guardianship Programs. As a graduate of Florida International University she worked as a Geriatric Care Manager for a private Care Management and Guardianship firm. She is a manager with leadership and training expertise that includes over 20 years in management, supervision, customer service, advocacy, conflict resolution, senior mediation and navigation of the long term care industry. She develops and foster partnerships with other agencies to improve and strengthen policies and services provided the citizens of Howard County in the community and the long term care setting.

As a passionate Elder Justice Advocate she played a vital role in the development and coordination of bringing partners and other agencies to serve on the Vulnerable Adults Committee for Howard County. In 2014 with the mission to educate professionals, law enforcement and first responders on how to identify elder abuse and exploitation, she spearheaded the first Elder Abuse Awareness Conference in Maryland.

[e-mail] / 410-313-6052

Clean Environment - Mark DeLuca (LP’13), Howard County Department of Public Works

Mark is the Deputy Director and Chief of Environmental Services for the Howard County Department of Public Works. He received his B. S. degree in civil engineering from the University of Maryland, before eventually becoming an Associate Vice President of regional environmental and geotechnical engineering services for ATEC Associates, a national engineering consulting firm.

After an 18-year career in the private sector, DeLuca joined Howard County Public Works in 2001, where he has held several key positions in the department. Most notably, he served as the county’s chief traffic engineer from 2005 to 2008 and deputy director since 2008. In addition to his deputy director responsibilities, he has served as chief of environmental services since 2012, providing strategic oversight to the county landfills, recycling programs, residential curbside collections services, and storm water management programs.
During his time in Environmental Services, the county has received state and national recognition for implementing the first curbside food scraps collection program in Maryland. This program, in conjunction with the newly constructed compost facility at the Alpha Ridge Landfill, is considered a model for sustainable waste management in the state by a local jurisdiction.

Mr. DeLuca has also served on many county-citizen workgroups and task forces as technical advisor and department representative, including the Historic Ellicott City Flood Workgroup, and the Citizen Task Force on Adequate Public Facilities. A cycling enthusiast, De Luca has also contributed to BikeHoward, the Howard County Bicycle Master Plan. He is current president of the County Engineers Association of Maryland and a 2013 graduate of Leadership Howard County. Mark lives in Columbia, Md. with his wife and children. He can be reached at [e-mail] / 410-313-4414

Parks and Open Space

John Marshall Parks Bureau Chief, HoCo Recreation & Parks

John has worked 41-years in the parks and recreation field beginning his career with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Prince George’s County as a Recreation Community Supervisor. He moved on to become the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Laurel and later as the Park Operations Supervisor for Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks. He has served has the Parks Bureau Chief for the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks for the past 6 years.

John earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Parks and Recreation Administration from the University of Maryland. Although he grew up in Prince George’s County he and his family have resided in Howard County for the past 37 years. W: 410-313-4640 / [e-mail]
Dennis Mattey, Director Open Space and Facility Services, Columbia Association

As the director, Dennis is responsible for oversight and planning for Columbia’s 3600 acres of open space which provide residents with a variety of open space amenities including 94 miles of pathways, 165 tot lots, 13 road underpasses, 46 ponds, 3 lakes and well over 100 individually landscaped areas in Columbia. Dennis is also responsible for actively managing CA’s energy program which has garnered several awards including most recently a department of energy better building certificate for a 20% reduction in energy usage at the Supreme Sports Club between 2012 and 2016. His department manages capital building expenditures for all CA buildings and new capital initiatives such as the $8 million tennis facility that is now under construction in Long Reach. As the director, his responsibilities include providing strategic leadership and management for the 107 team members who actively support Columbia’s overall mission to make Columbia the destination of choice for generations to come.

Dennis has a bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Maryland College Park and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins. [e-mail]
The Place of Art and Tourism in Livable Communities

Sen. Edward Kasemeyer

Democrat, District 12, Baltimore County & Howard County

Miller Senate Office Building, 3 West Wing, 11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401

[e-mail] / 410-841-3653 | 301-858-3653
First elected to the Senate in 1986. Member of the Senate, 1987-91. Next elected to the Senate in 1994. Member of the Senate since 1995.
Current Assignments:

2011- Chair, Budget and Taxation Committee (Member, 1995- )

2003- Rules Committee

2003- Executive Nominations Committee

1997- Legislative Policy Committee

2007- Management Subcommittee of the Legislative Policy Committee

1995- Joint Committee on Pensions

2003- Spending Affordability Committee

2014- Joint Oversight Committee on the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, July 18, 1945. Attended Baltimore City public schools; Howard County Senior High School, Ellicott City, Maryland; Western Maryland College, B.A., 1967. Member, Howard County Democratic State Central Committee, 1978-82. Delegate, Democratic Party National Convention, 1996. Board of Directors, Howard County Association of Retarded Citizens; Howard County Housing Alliance; Greater Howard County Chamber of Commerce, 1976-82 (president, 1980). Board of Trustees, Howard County Conservancy, 2013-. Member, Howard County General Hospital Advisory Board. Legislative Leadership Award, The Arc of Maryland, 2008. Municipal Super Star, Maryland Municipal League, 2011 (certificate of appreciation, 2008, 2009, 2010). Presidents Award, Maryland Independent College and University Association, 2009. Legislator of the Year, Mental Health Association of Maryland, 2012. Champion for Real Lives, Developmental Disabilities Coalition, 2013. Public Supporter of the Year, Maryland Food Bank, 2014. First Citizen Award, Maryland Senate, 2015. John R. Hargreaves Distinguished Legislative Fellow, Salisbury University, 2016. Married; five children.
Arts & Culture in Howard County - Coleen West (LP’99), Howard County Arts Council

Coleen West has been Executive Director of the Howard County Arts Council since 1997 – she is celebrating her 20th anniversary with the Arts Council this year. During her tenure, she has doubled the Arts Council’s budget, strengthened its signature programs and developed a variety of engaging programs that connect people with the arts. Prior to the Arts Council, Coleen worked at Maryland Art Place, a contemporary art center in Baltimore, as Director of Development for nearly 7 years. She is a 1999 graduate of Leadership Howard County.

An artist-turned-arts administrator, Coleen has over 35 years of experience in the field of the arts and non-profit arts management. She began her career as a painter and printmaker. She earned a B.F.A. from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and an M.A. with a concentration in Museum Studies from New York University. While living in Brooklyn, Coleen worked at a number of cultural institutions most notably the Museum of Modern Art, New York University Welcome Center and the Alternative Museum.
As an arts leader, Coleen is invited to serve on committees statewide to represent community-based arts organizations and to advise other agencies on the non-profit arts sector. She served two terms as President of CAAM, a state-wide coalition of county arts agencies, and on the Boards of Maryland Citizens for the Arts and Arts Education in Maryland Schools. Coleen is married to painter, Jonathan West, and has one son, Shane, who is graduating this spring from UMBC with an engineering degree and a minor in art history. [e-mail] / 410-313-2791
Visit Howard County - Amanda Hof (LP16), Director of Tourism Development, Ho Co Tourism

Amanda began her full time career with Howard County Tourism Council, now Visit Howard County, in 2006 as Special Events & Projects Manager. Prior to her full time position she interned for the organization while working towards her BS degree in Recreation & Parks Management through Frostburg State University’s partnership program at CCBC where she graduated with honors.

In her tenure Amanda has held four titles and led various aspects of the operation to include special events, promotions, project management, and membership sales and services. Her role recently transitioned to Director of Tourism Development where she focuses on working within the community to help grow existing and develop new hospitality products for use in marketing and selling Howard County as a destination. In this role, Amanda works to engage local tourism industry partners through ongoing outreach in the form of marketing inclusion, hosting meetings, events and training sessions, and participating in other organizations’ programs and events. Amanda’s work has been recognized at the State level at the prestigious Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit and includes recent awards, 2016 Best Product for Harvest Howard County Magazine and 2015 HowardOnTap - Howard County’s Craft Brew Trail App.
Amanda is a long time resident of Howard County. She moved to Howard County with her family as a teen over 30 years ago. She loves to reminisce over how as a small child she became enchanted with, the then, young Columbia while on family outings to iconic places such as the “The Columbia Mall,” the “Lakefront” and petting zoo at Merriweather. Prior to her family’s move from Baltimore County Amanda wished she could live in Columbia or Ellicott City. Today, Amanda enjoys raising a family of her own in Columbia and recognizes the quality of life Howard County has to offer through its diverse communities, excellent schools, open space and recreation, shopping & dining amenities, arts & culture opportunities, community resources, convenient location to Baltimore & Washington D.C., and much more. She cannot imagine living anywhere else. Phone: [phone] / Email: [e-mail]