Will Rowel is senior advisor to the Mayor of Annapolis and Director of Public Engagement and Community Relations. Rowel is a journalist, poet, actor, playwright, project manager, political strategist, and change agent who brings personal experiences, as well as, critical and strategic thinking to bear on pertinent social issues. From his work in philanthropy and community-based advocacy, to policy initiatives and prose, Rowel seeks to increase equity and awareness through any and all mediums. He recognizes that his own experience in an innovative/progressive educational program greatly impacted his ability to think differently from his Annapolis peers in high school, and helps him understand the importance of New Village Academy’s outside-of-the-box approach.

Dr. Paul W. Dyer has devoted 40 years to learning and studying human development at the master’s and doctoral levels, with advanced degrees in the study of Neuroscience, Neuroanatomy, Stress Management, Psychology, Applied Psychology, and Neuro-Linguistics Programming. He is also a Grandmaster of Martial Arts, an inductee in several national and international martial arts halls of fame, and an Army veteran with 15 years of service. Dr. Dyer is an active member of the Caucus of African American Leaders of Anne Arundel County, a member of the AACPS Equity Advisory Committee, a board member of the People Escaping Poverty Project, a racial sensitivity educator, an organizer and leader of free self-defense clinics for women and children, and a volunteer in multiple Annapolis-area community programs and organizations.

Dr. Blaxall is a retired economist with a lengthy professional career in economic policy and economic development. She served in the federal Office of Management and Budget in health policy and international trade, taught health policy at G.W. University, and was a Senior Scholar at the National Academy of Medicine.

Since moving to Annapolis, she has focused on non-profit work, serving as Treasurer of Anne Arundel Women Giving Together, as a Vice President of the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County and as Treasurer for the Anne Arundel County Public Library Foundation. She is currently a member of the “Rise Up” Committee at The Banneker-Douglass Museum, formed to raise private funds in support of the Museum’s many educational programs and art exhibitions.

Mari Fernandez has been a progressive educator in a variety of contexts in Puerto Rico and the US. She founded Puerto Rico’s first Sudbury school. Since moving to the US in 2007, taught Spanish at Monarch Academy Glen Burnie, Anne Arundel County’s first EL Education charter school, where she honed her skills as a project-based learning facilitator and curriculum designer. Most recently, Ms. Fernandez teaches ESOL at Annapolis High School, where she has developed a program to support long-term English learners to transition to independence from the ESOL program.

Laura Gutierrez is the Manager of the Office of Community Services of the City of Annapolis. With a background in community and political organizing in the US and Argentina, Gutierrez has brought together stakeholders to better serve Hispanic communities in her role as the Hispanic Liaison for the Office of the Mayor of Annapolis and to connect and enrich the entire Annapolis community as Community Services Manager.  She also serves as chairperson of the Anne Arundel County Immigrant Affairs Commission, and a board member of the Anne Arundel County Commission for Women.  

Dr. Linda Boyd is Supervisor of Interns and former Director of Field Placement at Bowie State University’s Department of Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development. Before her work at Bowie State University, she was Director of School Improvement at the Maryland State Department of Education, after spending 20 years with Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Dr. Boyd has an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.  She is involved in multiple community organizations as a board member or volunteer.

Karen V. Johnson, D.Min, Senior Pastor, co-founded First Christian Community Church (FC3) in 1991 with her husband, the late Apostle Richard Johnson, III.  Beginning with only eight people, the congregation has grown to over 500 members. Under her leadership, FC3 provides pastoral and outreach services to Fairfield Nursing Home, the Light House Shelter, Heritage Harbor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Hope House and the Chrysalis House for Addictions Rehabilitation. 

“Pastor K” is former co-chair and currently serves on the strategy team of Anne Arundel Connecting Together (ACT). ACT is a non-partisan organization made up of 28 faith and community-based organizations and businesses building the necessary power to enable people in our communities to have a place at the tables of power where decisions are being made that affect this generation and generations to come. 

Jonathan McKetney is the Vice President for Union Labor Life’s Real Estate Investment Group, responsible for managing credit risk and compliance issues. Mr. McKetney has over 23 years of commercial real estate finance experience and originally began his real estate career with Ullico from 1993 until 2000, with responsibilities that included loan origination, portfolio management and transaction due diligence. Prior to re-joining Ullico in September 2007, Mr. McKetney was a principal in a privately-held real estate development and management company. He has also worked with National Electrical Benefit Fund Investments (NEBF) and Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA). Mr. McKetney graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.

Funmi Osunfisan is a financial analyst specializing in Data Analytics, Risk Analysis, Financial Planning, Reporting and Analysis, Business Process Analysis, and Project Management for government, private, and non-profit sectors.  Ms. Osunfisan is currently a Manager of Financial Planning and Analysis at Fannie Mae, and previously served in the same role at the Children’s Guild, a multi-million dollar non-profit operating nine charter schools in DC and Maryland.  She has also worked as a strategic and financial analyst for Exelon Corporation and the Maryland Department of Housing.

Emanuel Fernández is the new Exectuive Director of the Organization of Hispanic Latin-Americans (OHLA).  Fernández joined the OHLA team in 2022 with the vision of helping to restore the organization and grow in its capacity. Of Argentine nationality, he arrived in the US four years ago with his family and worked in agriculture. In Argentina, he worked for the City of Lanus in the Communications Department and later in the Department of Athletics. He also served in the City Council as an advisor, and later joined the Department of Protection of Citizen’s Rights as one of the three advisors to the department.

Cheryl Nkeba, a graduate of the NAIS Fellowship of Aspiring Heads 2020 Cohort, is an educational leader with over 20 years of experience. Ms. Nkeba is an administrator, music director, and teacher, with a B.S. degree in Music from Norfolk State University, an M.S. in Music Education from West Virginia University, and G.P.D. in Bassoon Performance from Johns Hopkins University. In addition, she holds an Educational Leadership for Independent Schools certification from Johns Hopkins University and a Diversity Leadership Institution certification from NAIS. She served as the founder/director of the Mitchellville Community School of the Arts, Education Director of the Prince George’s Philharmonic Education Program, and currently as Education Director of the DMV Music Academy. She has performed as principal bassoonist of several chamber music groups. Currently, Ms. Nkeba is a Music History and Instrumental Music teacher at Gilman School in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Angela Brisbane is a professional graphic designer, an art and design teacher at Annapolis High School, and has been an adjunct professor at the Univerisity of Maryland, Southern New Hampshire University, and the Art Institute of Pittsburg.  She was formerly Director of Marketing and Communications for West Virginia Wesleyan College. She has also worked extensively in the nonprofit sector in service of marginalized communities and is working on a project to purchase and staff a home for unhoused youth in Anne Arundel County.

Choyce Simmons is a grief counselor and author with Master’s Degrees in both Education (NILD Educational Therapist) and Human Service Counseling. She also serves as a School Secretary in AACPS. As the parent of a child with special needs, she understands the struggles of students and families in ensuring their unique educational needs are met.  She is the founder of Beautiful Minds, LLC, an organization that supports families navigating the IEP process among other services.  She also serves multiple community organizations as a volunteer and activist. 

Shauna Battle served Prince George’s County Public Schools as legal counsel for many years, first as Intergovernmental Relations Officer, then Deputy General Counsel, then General Counsel, and finally, for the past 5 years, as Senior Hearing Administrator, before retiring last summer.  Before that, she served as legislative counsel to the Marland General Assembly from 1993-1997. She earned her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.

Marcus Jones is a former manager at Wells Fargo Bank, and currently works for the US Department of Agriculture. A resident of Baltimore, Mr. Jones has deep roots in the Annapolis and South County areas. A product of Anne Arundel County Public Schools, the mission of the New Village Academy resonated especially strongly with Mr. Jones. Jones received his post-secondary education from the University of Baltimore (B.A. of Government and Public Policy) and the University of Maryland at Baltimore County (M.A. of Public Policy Concentration in Public Management).

Monica Lindsey’s passion is working with students with learning differences, and she is a highly qualified English and Special Education teacher with AACPS. She also holds certifications in Reading and Pupil Personnel Work. She is a member of the AACPS Joint Commission on Eliminating the Achievement Gap, co-chair of Connecting the Dots, a grassroots racial justice organization that she helped found in 2017, and recipient of the Fannie Lou Hamer Award from the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Anne Arundel County, Maryland; the Alan Hillard Legum Award; and the MSEA Human Civil Rights Award.

Darius A. Stanton was recently appointed by the Register of Wills in Anne Arundel County as Chief Deputy to manage the executive functions/operations of the agency. Known for his solid track record of transforming the way public, private, and government sector entities operate, Stanton’s love of people and emphasis on providing high-quality services to communities and organizations drives his work with both large and small-scale companies and government agencies that want to create positive change based on results. Stanton has deep experience in operations, as Project Manager with the DC Housing Authority, and Vice President of Operations for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington and Baltimore regions. He holds a Master of Human Service/Administration degree from Lincoln University.