The AA County Commission for Women
The Commission is comprised of sixteen women appointed by the County Executive to
serve a two-year term. These Commissioners are a diverse group of women living
in various parts of the county. Together they bring a wealth of expertise and
dedication to helping enrich the lives of the women and families of Anne Arundel
County.
Jeanne D. Cooper, LCSW - Chair
Jeanne is a
resident of the Russett Community, located in western Anne Arundel County who
has served the Commission since 2001. She is a licensed social worker currently
employed by the Maryland Department of Human Resources as the Manager of
Programs and Policy for the Office of Victim Services. She is a member of Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. a service sorority (North Arundel County Alumnae
Chapter), is an adjunct instructor of Sociology and Social Welfare at Prince
George's Community College, and serves as moderator (chief lay officer) of
Lincoln Congregational Temple, United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C.
Jeanne is married to Terence K. Cooper, a writer and director of publication and
communications of a Baltimore-County based organization. They have three
children and three grand children.
Ruth Tillett - Vice Chair
Ruth B. Tillett, JD, is an organizational development consultant in the
Washington Metropolitan area with years of experience providing training and
technical assistance to nonprofit organizations. She is a graduate of the
University of Maryland School of Law with an emphasis on nonprofit law. Ms.
Tillett has consulted with numerous national, local NGOs, faith based and
community based organizations, government agencies as well as local management
boards. She has served as an Executive Director and has been instrumental in
providing a leadership role in assisting organizations in transition and
community based organizations in its efforts to incorporate, seek funding and
build its capacity to more efficiently serve its clients and community. Her
specialty includes strategic planning and training board members and senior
management staff to increase their organization’s capacity and develop systems
of control.
Vacant - Secretary
Barbara Houchen - Treasurer
Barbara Houchen has lived in
Anne Arundel County for 18 years and currently resides in Arnold. She earned an
MBA and PhD in business from the University of Maryland, College Park. She
recently retired from a 23 year career in higher education. She currently is an
adjunct faculty member in the Merrick School of Business at the University of
Baltimore and has is consulting in the area of business management and planning.
She has two children who live in Anne Arundel County and six grandchildren who
all attend Anne Arundel County Public Schools. She and her husband Paul love to
spend time on the Magothy River on their boat and they love to travel. Their
favorite travel area is the Caribbean Islands and Central America.
Janis M. Harvey - Member-at-Large
Born in
Nashville, TN Janis lived in Nairobi, Kenya, Baltimore, Columbia, MD, and now
resides in Anne Arundel County. Janis earned a Master’s degree, with an emphasis
on clinical and community psychology from a joint graduate program with Fisk
University and Meharry Medical College of Nashville, TN. While living in
Nashville Janis built a career in mental health working particularly with women
and youth. Janis held several key management-level positions while helping to
develop and grow mental health services in TN. In Nashville Janis taught Women’s
Studies at Scarrit-Bennett College and she also taught child and adolescent
psychology at Volunteer State Community College. In Nashville Janis was active
in community development and service. Before moving from Nashville in 2003 Janis
was the Chief Operating Office for the YWCA Nashville and Middle TN, where she
served for six years. In 2004 Janis accepted the Chief Executive Officer
position for YWCA Annapolis and Anne Arundel County MD where she served for four
years. Janis is currently Chief Operations Officer for the Child and Adolescent
Services Division of Way Station, Inc., a subsidiary of Sheppard-Pratt. Janis is
actively involved in Anne Arundel County community affairs. She has served on a
variety of community boards and councils. Presently she serves on the County’s
Commission for Human Development and the Commission for Women.
Phyllis Marshall - Member-at-Large
Phyllis Marshall, M.S.W. has worked in the Health and Mental
Health field for thirty years. She has headed a psychiatric hospital, a state
mental health agency, a landmark mental health demonstration project, a national
managed behavioral health education and advocacy project, and most recently, a
national women's health information project. Ms. Marshall has consulted on
health policy, management and advocacy issues with professional care providers
and consumers of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Chemical Addiction
services in the United States, Canada and Europe. She and her husband, Randy
live in Edgewater, MD. Phyllis also serves on the Board of the Anne Arundel
Mental Health Agency and is involved in women’s sailing in Annapolis and with
the New Annapolitans organization.
Chong Barden
Kimberly Brown
Kimberly Brown Ph.D. is the CEO of Amethyst Technologies, LLC a company that provides custom and creative services and solutions for the biotechnology sector. Dr. Brown has taken an
active role not only in her community but in the state of
Maryland. She has been appointed as a Board Member for the
Minority Enterprise Committee (Maryland) and a Commissioner for
the Commission for Women for Anne Arundel County. Also, she is a
Board Member for the Engineering Alumni Association of the
University of Maryland, College Park. Kimberly Brown obtained a
Ph.D. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of
Maryland, College Park. She performed her undergraduate studies
at the University of Delaware and received a B.S. in Chemical
Engineering. As an undergraduate student, Kimberly’s research
received accolades including GTE Fellowship’s Award of Highest
Distinction and Rohm and Haas’ Most Outstanding African American
in Undergraduate Research (finalist).
B. Lynn Campbell
Lynn Campbell is retired from the Department of Defense after
33 years in various managerial positions. She earned a B.A. in
Management Studies from University of Maryland University
College. Her stint in the Office of Diversity Programs, as the
Federal Women’s Program Manager at the National Security Agency
and as a member of the Baltimore Federal Executive Board’s
Women’s Council provided her extensive background in workplace
equity and career development issues for women and minorities
and the importance of work/life balance. Since retirement, Lynn
has focused her interests on maintaining the quality of life of
our county’s senior citizens. She works part-time for the
Department of Aging’s Senior Plus Program and as a contributing
writer/community correspondent for Generations Newspaper –
Active Lifestyles for the 50+ Generation. She is a life-long
resident of Anne Arundel County and lives in Severn with her
husband Richard and has one son who lives in Elkridge.
Martha Fridrich
Katherine Higdon
Kathy Higdon grew up in Connecticut and Rhode Island. She
came down here to attend graduate school at Georgetown
University and earned an M.A. in International Relations. After
her marriage and wanting to stay closer to home, she earned an
M.A. from Loyola College in Clinical Psychology. Today she is a
licensed psychotherapist with a private practice. She has been
teaching at Anne Arundel Community College as Adjunct Faculty in
the Psychology Department for 12 years. Now that her two
children are both high school graduates and tackling college,
she and her husband have begun to re-enjoy some of their
favorite activities: sailing, biking, x-country skiing, hiking,
and traveling, and spending time with friends.
Rhonda Johnson
Rhonda Johnson joined VSTI in 1999 and currently serves as
VSTI’s Vice President of Federal Solutions. Ms. Johnson is an
industry leader with more than 20 years experience in the
management, design, development, engineering, documentation, and
installation of software systems for the Department of Defense.
Ms. Johnson also focuses on developing a team of experts that
are passionate about leading edge technologies, establishing new
business opportunities, and creating lasting relationships with
VSTI partners. Ms. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science degree
from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Master of
Science degree from Johns Hopkins University. She is a certified
Project Management Professional (PMP) and member of the Project
Management Institute (PMI).
Claire Louder
Claire Louder is the Executive Director of the West Anne
Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, a position she accepted in
February 2007. A graduate of Harvard University’s Kennedy School
of Government and the University of Virginia, she has been
involved in Chamber of Commerce and association management since
1989, when she began her career as Executive Director of the
Jackson County Chamber of Commerce in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
In addition to her involvement with business organizations, Mrs.
Louder founded and ran a volunteer-based peer support program
for breastfeeding mothers while stationed overseas with the
military; this program became a model for other military
installations through an Army grant designed to replicate
effective programs. She has been an active advocate for quality
schools, presiding over the transition to co-op status of her
local preschool in Germany which served 160 American families,
and serving as Legislative Chairman of her local PTA. She has
two sons: Andrew, 11, and Kelley, 8.
Susan Peeler, MD
Dr. Susan Peeler was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado and
moved to this area in 2000 with her husband, Mark Peeler, who is
a native Annapolitan. Susan is a Gynecologic Surgeon who trained
at Vanderbilt University and now has a private practice,
Comprehensive Gynecology Center in the Annapolis/Gambrills area.
She recently served as the Medical Director at AAMC for the
Women’s and Children’s programs, and now is concentrating on
finishing her MBA at Johns Hopkins in Medical Administration.
Her interests include her two children, Sarah and William, both
who have grown up in Annapolis enjoying boating, fishing, and
“life on the bay.” Susan has a keen interest in the mind, body,
spirit connection in women and how it relates to health and
wellness.
Anne Rutherford
Anne
Rutherford has lived in Anne Arundel County for thirteen years.
Mrs. Rutherford has been active and served in the Greater
Severna Park Moms Club, the Chartwell Garden Club, the Chartwell
Community Association, the Severna Park Republican Women’s Club
and the Benfield Elementary PTA. Anne has four children and is
currently coordinating community support for the deployed 158th
Cavalry Unit serving in Iraq.
Joan Wolle
Joan Wolle, Ph.D., M.P.H. resides in Crofton. She has worked
as director of the Health Education Center at the Maryland State
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and as health scientist
administrator at the National Institute of Health. Joan has also
been a part-time college instructor and a public health
administration consultant.
Associate Members
Rita Brooks
Rita J. Brooks, a former Baltimore City Public Schools
English teacher and administrator resides in Crownsville with
her husband, Melvin E. Brooks and retired B.C.P.S. assistant
principal and their son, Brock Brooks. They have three other
children, Cheryl Hayes, Tonia Powell and Melvin Brooks Jr. Mrs.
Brooks is a charter member and past President of the North
Arundel County Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., a
public service organization which provides tutorial, mentoring,
scholarships, health programs and other services to students,
seniors and young adults in Anne Arundel County. Also, Mrs.
Brooks is past President of her community organization, the
Waterbury Heights Civic Association and continues to serve in
other capacities. Mrs. Brooks has always been concerned about
the welfare of women and their families. County Executive Janet
Owens appointed Mrs. Brooks to the Anne Arundel County
Commission for Women in May 2002. Mrs. Brooks and her family
attend the First Baptist Church of Elkridge and have resided in
Crownsville for twenty-seven years.
Tonja McCoy
Tonja
McCoy has a Master’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Hawaii,
a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies and Business from Chaminade
University of Honolulu, a Management Certificate in Community Economic
Development from San Diego State University and a Mediation Certificate from
Loyola Law School Center for Conflict Resolution.
She has over seven years of experience in entrepreneurship training and
first-hand experience in business development, international and national; in
business plan writing; grant research; youth entrepreneurship; youth
development; mediation; arbitration; community economic development and
non-profit management. Her success can be measured by the fact that 99% of the
disadvantage youth attending her programs have gone on to college.
Tonja currently works for the Anne Arundel County Board of Education as a
School/ Community Engagement Liaison. She works to establish community
partnerships and community based and/or sponsored academic and social options
for targeted students. She provides leadership and facilitates meetings between
school and central office staff, community representatives and parents. She also
assists AACPS with meeting their Office of Civil Rights Memorandum of Agreement
goals. Tonja lives in Glen Burnie.
Student Associate Member
Katie Sears
Katie Sears is a proud junior at Annapolis Senior High school
where she participates in numerous activities such as, National
Honor Society, Student Government, DECA, Annapolis Ambassadors,
Varsity Soccer, Varsity Basketball, Track, and Varsity Softball.
Outside of school, besides the commission, Katie also
participates in Raising for Reasons and many other small, annual
volunteer activities within the community. Katie wanted to be
part of the commission because she is very interested in helping
women's issues within society not only because it affects her,
but because she feels that women still suffer various degrees of
inequality within society, despite the great contributions they
offer. Katie joined the commission so that she could offer her
perspectives and ideas in hopes of resolving some of these
issues.