2025 Cohort-Based Programs Launched
Rockville, MD (October 3, 2024)—Leadership Montgomery (LM), a Montgomery County-based nonprofit that connects leaders working in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, is set to launch their 2025 Emerging Leaders (EL), Connecting Our Region’s Execs (CORE), and Encore Programs last month.
“LM is thrilled to convene such a diverse group of leaders to participate in the leadership programs,” said Dana Pauley, President and CEO of Leadership Montgomery. “By gathering cross-sector leaders to advance thinking around regional issues, they can examine challenges and solutions from multiple perspectives.
CORE, the organization’s flagship program, gathers a cohort of seasoned leaders looking to enhance their leadership, while the EL program is for rising leaders who demonstrate commitment to their community and are looking to improve their leadership development skills.
The Encore program will help leaders transitioning or who have transitioned out of full-time work find their post-professional leadership purpose.
Class participants will attend learning sessions to connect and prepare them to build thriving and inclusive communities in Montgomery County and beyond.
Applications can be found at leadershipmontgomerymd.org. Applicants can be completed at any time.
Scroll down to see the current list of 2025 EL, CORE, and Encore program participants.
2025 Emerging Leaders Class Participants
| Name | Company/Organization | Title |
| Haley Amdur | KABOOM! | Programs and Outreach Administrator |
| Wendy Ayala | Collegiate Directions, Inc. | Director, Scholars Program |
| Morgan Carter | Clark Communications | Senior Graphic Designer |
| Pam Cervera | Ruder-Finn | Senior Account Manager, Hispanic Division |
| Melanie Chansky | Westat | Senior Study Director |
| Asa Council | Guaranteed Rate “DBA” Certainty Home Lending | VP of Mortgage Lending |
| Erica Fuentes | Office of Rep Jamie Raskin – U.S. House of Representatives | Director of Constituent Services |
| Alyssa Hermann Applebaum | Sandy Spring Bank | VP – Commercial Relationship Manager |
| Justin Hoke | The Universities at Shady Grove | Project Manager |
| Roxanne Issurdatt | USG | Program Manager |
| Kris Jones | JSSA | DORS Liason / Training Coordinator |
| Renée Katz | IMPACT Silver Spring | Co-Executive Director |
| Erin Lee | Community Bridges Inc. | Elementary School Program Manager |
| Deva Ludwig | Compass Inc. | Director of Communications and Resource Development |
| Paul Miller | Montgomery College | Professional Development Director |
| Efrata Obsa | Oromo Professionals & Entrepreneurs Network | Executive Director |
| Supriya Pandit | Interfaith Works | Program Director |
| Ness Perry | The Latino Economic Development Center | Advocacy Specialist |
| Sabina Rai | Interfaith Works | Operations Manager |
| Julie Reiff Santos | MedStar Montgomery Medical Center | Director, Experience Transformation |
| Yanira Rodriguez | Montgomery College | Collegewide Community Engagement Manager |
| Valerie Salazar | IMPACT Silver Spring | Co-Executive Director |
| Maya Smith | Long and Foster Real Estate – One Bethesda | Real Estate Agent |
| Leah Spivey | Holy Cross Health | Social Care Specialist Supervisor |
| Katie Weber | Maryland-National Capital Region Emergency Response System | Emergency Response Specialist |
| Maggie Williams | University of Maryland | Lecturer |
| Sydney Wilson-Hunter | Montgomery County Collaboration Council | Director, Out-of-School Time Programs |
| Naomi Yount | Westat | Principal Research Associate |
2025 CORE Class Participants
| Name | Company/Organization | Title |
| Olu Adebayo | Rainbow Place Shelter | Executive Director |
| Sarah Andrew Wilson | Chordia | Co-Founder |
| Rokas Beresniovas | Montgomery County Green Bank | Senior Director |
| Naz Beyranvand | The Universities at Shady Grove | Assistant Director of the Macklin Center for Leadership & Communication |
| Thomas Breakey | MedStar Montgomery Medical Center | Vice President, Operations |
| Dave Buonora | Universities at Shady Grove | Business Partnerships Program Director |
| Frankie Clogston | Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation | Vice President, Research & Polidy |
| Pablo de Oliveira | EducArte | Executive and Artistic Director |
| Indira Dingledine | Jewish Council for the Aging | Volunteer Manager of JCA Interages |
| Brian Fox | Mission Partners | Chief Strategy Officer |
| Donna Gabriel | Interfaith Works | Director |
| Kristine Gallagher Sargsyan | Primary Care Coalition | Development Manager |
| Manny Geraldo | Washington Gas | Manager, Government Relations & Public Policy |
| Jason Green | SkillSmart | Co-Founder and Board Chair |
| Michelle Grigsby-Hackett | Affiliated Sante Group | CEO |
| Clarissa Harris | Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce | Director of Marketing, Communications and Events |
| Stephanie Helsing | Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce | President & CEO |
| Lizzy Horton | JSSA | Senior Hospice Administrator |
| Afreen Husain | M&T Bank | Vice President |
| Jessica Issoufou | WorkSource Montgomery | Deputy Director, Workforce Services |
| Matt Logan | Montgomery History | Executive Director |
| Charles Lu | National Institutes of Health | Branch Chief |
| Kim McBride | Holy Cross Health | Vice President, Community Health |
| Kate Medina | Charles Koiner Center for Urban Farming | Executive Director |
| Duncan Mullis | Montgomery Village Foundation | Director of Recreation and Parks |
| Dushanti Peiris | M&T Bank | Senior Branch Manager |
| Deidre Price | Montgomery College | Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs/College Provost |
| Daisy Rickert | WSSC Water | Customer Engagement Specialist |
| Roz Roberts | Interfaith Works | Director of Faith and Community Partnerships |
| Natalie Robinson Babaniyi | V-Tech Solutions | Supervising Attorney |
| Dourakine Rosarion | MC Department of Health & Human Services | Special Assistant |
| Heller An Shapiro | Nonprofit Consulting/Coaching | |
| Amy Shaw | Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center | Director of Public Relations and Marketing |
| Dave Silbert | So What Else | Executive Director |
| Corey Smedley | MC Fire & Rescue Service | Fire Chief |
| Sue Stolov | Montgomery County Committee Against Hate/Violence | Member |
| Sharon Wilder | The Oaks Hospitality Group | Co-Founder and CEO |
| Najla Wortham | Rock Creek Foundation | President |
| Rachel Zutshi | Snyder Cohn | Manager |
2025 Encore Class Participants
| Name | Company/Organization | Title |
| Peggy Bourg | JSSA Hospice | RN/NP |
| Wiley Hodges | Apple, Inc. | Retired |
| Mary Hoferek | RDTS | Retired |
| Trib Narain | U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development | Sr. Advisor / Mgt.Analyst |
| Tracy Washington | Washington Advisors | Managing Director |
| Madeline Weiss | Weiss Associates, Inc. | President |
| Kathleen Wu | United States Agency for International Development | Retired |