Our Staff & Board

Meet the dynamic group of people responsible for championing the humanities throughout Maryland!

Group photo of Maryland Humanities staff

Our Staff

Isabella Altherr
Program Assistant
Chautauqua, Maryland History Day & Maryland Voices
(410) 685-0452
Email

Lia Atanat
Maryland History Day Outreach & Professional Development Assistant
Email

Stephanie Boyle
Program Officer
Chautauqua, Maryland History Day & Maryland Voices
(410) 685-4185
Email

Eden Etzel
Program Assistant
Maryland Center for the Book
(410) 685-3715
Email

Adrienne Gieszl
Advancement & Grants Program Associate
(410) 246-9415
Email

Marilyn Hatza
Program Officer
Grants & Community Outreach
(410) 685-4187
Email

Aaron Heinsman
Director of Advancement
(410) 685-4183
Email

Anna Keneda
Maryland History Day Outreach & Professional Development Coordinator
Email

Kelly King
Grants Specialist
(410) 685-1653
Email

Jim Kitterman
Fiscal Officer
(410) 685-4182
Email

Andrea Lewis
Program Officer
Maryland Center for the Book
(410) 685-6161
Email

Susan Millard
Office Manager
(410) 685-4184
Email

Phoebe Stein
Executive Director
(410) 685-0095
Email

Sarah Weissman
Communications Specialist
(410) 685-4186
Email

Theresa Worden
Program Officer
Traveling Exhibitions & Program Evaluation
(410) 685-0303
Email

Our Board

Cynthia Raposo, Chair
Montgomery County

Keith Stone, Vice Chair
Baltimore City

James (Jim) Cornelsen, Treasurer
Charles County

Scott Casper, Secretary
Howard County

Ronald (Pete) Lesher, Jr.*,
Government Liaison
Talbot County

Allyson Black
Anne Arundel County

Mary Callis*
Garrett County

Mary Kay Finan
Allegany County

Rian Hargrave
Baltimore City

Mary Hastler*
Harford County

Mark Irwin
Montgomery County

Julia (Julie) Madden*
Howard County

Tiffany McGhee
Baltimore County

Heather Mitchell
Howard County

Ronald (Ron) H. Nowaczyk
Allegany County

Randy Ontiveros
Prince Georges County

Maarten L. Pereboom
Wicomico County

Jeanne Pirtle
St. Mary’s County

Gale Rasin
Kent County

Thomas (Tom) B. Riford
Washington County

Nancy Rogers
Montgomery County

Carmel Roques
Howard County

Stephen J. Sfekas
Baltimore City

Jennifer Shea
Montgomery County

Guffrie M. Smith, Jr.
Calvert County

Sharon Whitney
Anne Arundel County

Jayson Williams
Baltimore City

*Gubernatorial appointee

Are you or is someone you know passionate about the humanities and lifelong learning and have an interest in volunteer service? Consider nominating yourself or them to our Board of Directors.

FIND OUT MORE

 

  • I thought the interview was gonna be boring but since it happened I had a lot of fun learning about my veteran’s experiences.

    Standing Together: Veterans Oral History Project, student participant

  • “All of [this event] was wonderful! I enjoyed Ms. Ifill’s facilitation very much! I enjoyed Taylor Branch. I hadn’t heard him before; he was very refreshing. Ms. Wilkerson was fabulous. I appreciate her candor and passion.”

    Pulitzer 100 event attendee

  • “This contest gives [students] a chance to practice [letter writing] while also expressing themselves about a work of literature or a particular author that has made an impact on them personally. As a teacher, I benefit from reading the letters because I always learn new things about each student.”

    ​Letters About Literature teacher

  • “My students became more competent researchers, and took ownership of their work. They had total free reign to choose their topic, direct their research, and create their final project.”

    ​Maryland History Day 2015 Teacher

  • “What a discussion! That what’s needed in every town, city, and every age group.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 participant

  • “The students are now far more prepared for the high level of scholarship and achievement that will be expected of them in future years. MHD also elevated many other skills too. These include public speaking, the use of technology, learning to collaborate.”

    ​Maryland History Day teacher

  • “The humanities allow us to learn about lives and experiences that are different than our own through compelling and engrossing experiences.”

    ​Maryland Humanities survey participant

  • “It was an amazing experience to meet and talk to a veteran.”

    ​Standing Together: Veterans Oral History Project, student participant

  • “The program has definitely helped me refocus on caring for patients versus helping physicians treat their diseases.”

    ​Literature & Medicine participant

  • “Maryland History Day challenged my daughter to go deeper, deeper in research analysis and presentation. It took her to a whole new level academically.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent

  • “The project definitely raised the visibility of our organization in western Maryland. Spruce Forest Artisan Village has become a fixture in Garrett County, but it does become taken for granted. This project gave local residents a new reason to make the effort to make a return visit to the Village. Moreover, the programs hosted by the adjacent Penn Alps Restaurant helped us in reaching a new audience.”

    ​Kara Rogers Thomas ~ Frostburg State University faculty, and Board Member at Spruce Forest Artisan Village, Grantsville, MD, Host Site, Museum on Main Street

  • “[The humanities] provide us with tools and perspectives to analyze and interpret social phenomena with different lenses; they open up perspectives we may not have thought about and help us look at issues in more empathic ways.”

    ​Maryland Humanities survey participant

  • I felt that I had a very unique oral history experience. It was very emotional and I feel that I learned valuable information. I got to learn stories and practice skills that normally I wouldn’t have been comfortable with.

    Standing Together: Veterans Oral History Project, student participant

  • “I distributed copies of the book and we engaged in an afterschool discussion which included students and staff. Everyone who participated was so engaged that our 45 minute planned discussion ended up stretching into an hour and a half!”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 teacher

  • “The discussion of the [2015 One Maryland One] book could not have been better. Everyone had a particular part of the story that touched them. One of the newcomers was an experienced rower and gave us wonderful insight into the physical and spiritual aspects of the sport. It is the first time in my ten years with this group that everyone loved the book.”

    One Maryland One Book 2015 participant
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About Us
Maryland Humanities is a statewide, educational nonprofit organization that creates and supports educational experiences in the humanities that inspire all Marylanders to embrace lifelong learning, exchange ideas openly, and enrich their communities.
Maryland Humanities
108 West Centre Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-4565
(410) 685-0095
(410) 685-0795 fax
info@mdhumanities.org
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