Our Staff & Board

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

Our Staff

Claudia Allen (she/her)
Director of Advancement
(410) 618-5633
callen[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Isabella Altherr (she/her)
Program Coordinator
History
(410) 685-0452
ialtherr[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Lindsey Baker (she/her)
Chief Executive Officer
(410) 699-3130
lbaker[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Ellie Benedict (she/her)
Development Specialist
(410) 618-5725
ebenedict[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Stephanie Boyle (she/her)
Program Officer
History
(410) 685-4185
sboyle[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Alexandra Cenatus
(she/her/ella/elle/li)
Director of Programs
(410) 618-0753
acenatus[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Aditya Desai (he/him)
Program Officer
Literature
(410) 618-3769
adesai[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Eden Etzel (she/her)
Program Assistant
Maryland Center for the Book
(410) 685-3715
eetzel[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Robert Forloney (he/him)
Program Officer
Partnerships
(410) 541-7612
rforloney[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Emily Ross (she/her)
Program Officer, Grants
(410) 618-5017
eross[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Camilla Sandoval (she/her)
Program Coordinator
Grants & Community Engagement
(410) 762-8663
csandoval[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Emmie Schulz (she/her)
Maryland History Day Outreach & Professional Development Assistant
(410) 618-5709
emiliam[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Savannah Imani Wade (they/she)
Grants Specialist
(410) 685-1653
siwade[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Sarah Weissman (she/her)
Communications Specialist
(410) 618-5893
sweissman[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Lou Williams (they/she)
People & Operations Officer
(410) 564-1548
lwilliams[at]mdhumanities[dot]org

Our Board

Chanel Johnson
Chair 
Baltimore City

Carmel Roques
Vice Chair and Governance Committee Chair
Howard County

Soo Koo
Secretary
Montgomery County

Ruth Kim, a young or middle-aged Korean or Korean American woman, smiles in front of a solid gray photo backdrop. She wears a dressy tan jacket, dark grey top, and drop necklace.

Ruth Kim
Finance Committee Chair and Treasurer 
Montgomery County

Julia (Julie) Madden*
Government Liaison
Howard County

Alejandra Balcázarzar, a young or middle-aged light-skinned Latine woman, in a professional or classroom building on a college campus. She smiles and has long brown hair, wears a navy and light blue striped blouse, and navy slacks.

Alejandra Balcazar
Baltimore County

Dr. Elizabeth Benton
Montgomery County

Kendra Brown
Prince George’s County

Mollie Caplis
Baltimore County

Dr. Brian Casemore, a middle-aged white man, stands outside in front of a fence with trees in the backyard and smiles. He wears a checked button-down shirt and a navy blue blazer.

Brian Casemore
Montgomery County

Tahira Christmon
Howard County

Jill Ferris
Talbot County

Dr. Kara French, a young or middle-aged white woman with dark red or brown curly hair, smiles in front of her bookshelf. She wears a cream-colored blouse with embroidery on top, and hoop earrings.

Kara French
Wicomico Count

Veronica Gallardo, a young or middle-aged Latine woman with curly brown hair, poses by standing in front of her green door to a brown house. She subtly smiles and wears a white suit and light blue blouse.

Veronica Gallardo
Prince George’s County

Rachael Gibson
Programs Committee Chair
Montgomery County

Mary Hastler
Harford County

Dr. Shauna Knox
Montgomery County

Alicia Jones
Immediate Past Chair
Baltimore City

Dr. Kimberly R. Moffitt
Grants Committee Chair
Baltimore County

Jeanne Pirtle
St. Mary’s County

Christian Pulley
Prince George’s County

Tamar Sarnoff
Development and Communications Chair
Baltimore City 

Saima Sitwat
Baltimore City

Dr. Marshall F. Stevenson, Jr.
Somerset County

Allyson Black Woodson
Anne Arundel County

Dr. Charmaine Weston
Frederick County

*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

  • “Lifelong learning is continuing to read, listen, learn, share ideas, discuss, and be enlightened by the great ideas and events of the human experience during the course of an entire life.”

    ​Maryland Humanities survey participant

  • “I had two students participate who told me they’ve never finished a book before and they finished this one and want to read more!”

    ​One Maryland One Book 2015 teacher

  • “The impact of this particular book was probably stronger than any other Maryland One Book due to the connections we could make with real world events and police brutality in the headlines. Many groups were reading and discussing the book at our school: Student Equity Team, Drama Club, Faculty book club, sociology and English classes. It fostered important discussions about race relations.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 teacher

  • “Being a part of the group provided me with a safe area to revisit my thoughts and feelings on my experience during the war.”

    Veterans Book Group participant

  • “One of my students, a boy who works 35 hours a week at McDonalds, took the time to write me a letter stating the book had changed his life.”

    ​One Maryland One Book 2015 teacher

  • “The enthusiasm, and preparedness of your students was impressive. I have spoken about them at different forums, as the leaders of a new generation of Americans, who will study the past, so, not to repeat the mistakes.”

    ​Standing Together: Veterans Oral History Project, veteran participant

  • “Humanities are stories of human endeavor. They are at the root of who we are as human beings. The humanities matter because the better we understand and appreciate each other’s cultural and creative foundations the stronger we all become. We then have the ability to work together to solve the problems we all face.”

    ​Maryland Humanities survey participant

  • “[My favorite part of the tour was] learning about the literary giants who lived and visited Baltimore!”

    Literary Mount Vernon Walking Tour Participant

  • “One student who has been held back several years and suffers from emotional disorders spent several minutes asking One Maryland One Book [author Daniel James Brown] questions. He very patiently listened and answered each question. He then signed her book: ‘Write with your heart not your head.’ To watch this interaction was very touching.”

    One Maryland One Book 2015 teacher

  • “The part of History Day that had the most impact on me was seeing all the other entries and entry categories. It was really inspiring to see so many different people of history honored for their leadership and legacy as that was this years theme. You forget that the whole world has a history and there are so many different people and leaders who make up that history. The fact that this day brings together all of us students, our imaginations, our creativity, research skills, and history really reminds you how much of us would be lost if we didn’t remember those who made an impact.”

    ​Maryland History Day student participant

  • 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

  • “[My favorite part of the tour was] learning about some of the people and places I hadn’t realized were part of Baltimore’s past.”

    Literary Mount Vernon Walking Tour Participant

  • “[Participation in the program] continues to remind that as humans, we are diverse and handle situations in accordance with who we are as individuals. Being so reminded fosters patience and empathy in dealing with everyone I come in contact with.”

    ​Literature & Medicine participant

  • “We had our best attendance, ever, for a book discussion, in the seven years I’ve been here.”

    One Maryland One Book 2015 participant

  • “[One Maryland One Book taught me that] these types of book discussions that include diverse populations across the state open necessary dialogues to help solve problems. We need to have many more.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 participant
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