CBMM Board of Governors

As the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s governing board, the Board of Governors is tasked with supporting CBMM’s mission and advancing its values of relevancy, authenticity, and stewardship.

CBMM Board of Governors, FY2026

Joseph C. Robillard

Joe Robillard is partner and portfolio manager at Deepwater Asset Management. He and his wife, Alzbetka, live on Trippe Creek in Talbot County.

Robillard graduated from the University of Minnesota with BA and BS degrees. He received his MBA from the University of Chicago. Robillard is director of Renaissance Youth Center in the Bronx, chairs the board of Educational Passages, and serves on the boards of both RS11 Inc., and the RS11 Foundation.

Robillard is an enthusiastic boat owner and has restored many classic yachts. He and Alzbetka can be found cruising, sailing, or fishing all over the Chesapeake Bay, and from the coast of Maine to the Florida Keys.

Vice Chair

Jeff R. Vogel

Jeff Vogel is a government-focused transportation counsel with nearly two decades of experience advising maritime stakeholders in administrative, national security, maritime, government contracts, intermodal logistics, and trade law before federal agencies and Congress.

Prior to joining Cozen O’Connor in 2017, he was Attorney-Advisor for the U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, Washington, D.C.; and then Lead Attorney, Maritime Support Programs, and Acting Chief, Division of Maritime Programs for the U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, Washington, D.C.

Vogel has a BA in Government & Politics and Economics from University of Maryland College Park, an MA in Marine Affairs and Policy from University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Juris Doctor from University of Miami School of Law, and an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College.

For the last few years Jeff has served on CBMM’s Government Relations Committee and Dove Task Force. Jeff and his wife, Kiara, live in Annapolis with their two young children.

Treasurer

Richard J. Johnson

Rick Johnson is currently the lead independent Director for Morgan Stanley Banks. After 11 years of employment, he retired in 2013 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Financial Services Group located in Pittsburgh, Pa. Johnson’s career in banking began in 1984 with JP Morgan Chase. He spent 18 years with J.P. Morgan Chase with stays in New York City, London, and Delaware.

Johnson started his professional employment with a six-year stay at Coopers & Lybrand (currently PWC) in public accounting. He and his wife, Laurie, have a home in St. Michaels.

Secretary

Andrea Dynes

Andrea Fekkes Dynes is the Staff Vice President, International Trade & Compliance for General Dynamics (GD) Corporation and has worked at GD since 2004. In this role, she navigates complex and fluid regulatory and geopolitical environments and oversees GD’s enterprise risk management relating to international trade. She leads the corporate International Trade & Compliance Department, which oversees GD’s international trade compliance program and supports business worldwide, and is responsible for governance, budget, human capital management and continuous improvement. Prior to this role, for 15 years she served as the Staff Vice President and Associate General Counsel at GD, supporting the company’s international corporate and compliance matters.

She is recognized as a diplomatic change agent and serves as the Chair of the Defense Trade Advisory Group, a federal advisory committee to the U.S. Department of State. She also serves on several non-profit organizations relating to global and community betterment, with a focus on philanthropy, diplomatic relations, education, and material assistance to individuals experiencing poverty or homelessness. Prior to joining GD, she served as a lawyer with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (Of Counsel), Graham & James LLP (Associate), and the U.S. Department of Commerce (Attorney-Advisor).

Dynes has a BA in Criminal Justice from Indiana University, and a JD from The American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. She has lived in historic Alexandria, Va., since the mid-1980s, is the parent of two adult children, and has been a resident of Talbot County since 2016.

Nancy O. Appleby

Nancy O. Appleby retired as Special Counsel to America Online in 2002, having worked previously as the Vice President & Deputy General Counsel for Systems Center, Inc., and as Associate General Counsel for Booz Allen Hamilton. She is a former president and member of the Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Corporate Counsel Association; served for two terms and as secretary on the board of the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Md.; and is a past board member and past president of the Board of Directors of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens in Washington, D.C.

Appleby volunteered in the independent school arena, serving as chair of the Parent Association of The Langley School in McLean, Va., and secretary and member of the Board of Directors of The Parents Council of Washington. She also served as board member and secretary of St. Andrews Episcopal School in Potomac, Md., and on the Parents Advisory Council of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.

Appleby received a Bachelor of Arts with honors from Furman University in Greenville, S.C., and a J.D. with honors from The George Washington University Law School. She is married to CG Appleby, an Emeriti member of CBMM’s Board, and they have one daughter, Christine.

Dr. Michael Chiarappa

Dr. Michael Chiarappa is a Research Professor of Chesapeake Regional Studies, and Director of Cultural and Natural Resource Initiatives in the Center for Environmental Studies (CES) at Washington College. He has held previous positions at Quinnipiac University, Western Michigan University, and Laval University.

Dr. Chiarappa’s research, teaching, public programming, and civic engagement focus on the history of America’s built environments and landscapes, American environmental history, American maritime history, and the wider field of material culture studies. He also specializes in public history and has taught courses in historic preservation, maritime preservation, documentation methods, and cultural resource management. Through this work he has conducted numerous field schools and outreach projects, in the Middle Atlantic, New England, Chesapeake and Great Lakes regions, and in Canada and the Pacific Islands. Michael is a graduate of the Munson Institute of American Maritime Studies and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Vernacular Architecture Forum. He currently co-edits Buildings and Landscapes: The Journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum.

Dr. Chiarappa has worked extensively with a variety of museums, government agencies and environmental organizations, including the Smithsonian Institution and the National Park Service. He serves as Historian-in-Residence at the Bayshore Center in Port Norris, New Jersey and is a member of the New Jersey State Review Board for Historic Sites.

He conceptualized Washington College’s Chesapeake Semester program—later developed by CBMM Board alumnus John Seidel—an interdisciplinary study of the Chesapeake Bay, and one which CBMM is engaged in.

Dr. Chiarappa holds a BA from Ursinus College, and an MA and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. He and his partner Liz Watson live in Chestertown, Md.

Mike Cottingham

Mike Cottingham is the President of Rommel Chesapeake, Inc. in Fruitland, Md. He is a graduate of Western Maryland College—now McDaniel College—where he earned a BA in Economics and Sociology, and he later earned an MBA from Duke University.

Cottingham first discovered CBMM in 1991, when he and his family moved to Talbot County. He and his wife were searching for a fun place to take their children, and soon discovered that CBMM was also a great location for adults. Thus began his love affair with CBMM.

Cottingham got involved as a way to “pay it forward” to CBMM, which he says has brought him and his family much enrichment and joy over the years. He has fond memories, for example, of attending a Lighthouse Overnight Adventure with his son. Additionally, CBMM’s previous exhibition on ferrying on the Chesapeake Bay has always stayed with Mike for its ability to take guests back to a time before the completion of the Bay Bridge.

As a member of the Board, Cottingham brings his experience as a longtime Talbot County resident and ability to contribute a business perspective to CBMM’s strategic planning. His favorite activity on the Bay is kayaking and biking in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge with his family.

Leonard W. (Jay) Dayton Jr.

Leonard W. (Jay) Dayton Jr. was born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland before attending the University of Maryland, College Park. He has spent ten years in the marine industry, building and maintaining yachts and vessels of all sizes and types. He has worked with the James B. Richardson Boatyard, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Crockett Brothers Boatyard, and Dickerson Boatbuilders. He has been in the insurance business for 37 years specializing in commercial marine insurance with ISG International and Avon Dixon, and Alera Group Agency, LLC.

Dayton’s other niches include insuring seafood processors and wholesalers, contractors, and light manufacturing with a business designation of CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor). His primary centers of influence are the Waterfowl Festival, Inc. in Easton, Tred Avon Yacht Club in Oxford, Marine Trades Association of Maryland in Annapolis, U.S. Superyacht Association in Ft. Lauderdale, Shields Class Sailing Association in Marion, Mass., and the Shields Class Foundation in Oxford.

As someone who grew up on the Eastern Shore, Dayton has always enjoyed sailing, hunting, and fishing. He currently resides in Oxford, Md. He has served on the boards of the Waterfowl Festival, Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage, Nature Conservancy, Adkins Arboretum, Ducks Unlimited, Cambridge Yacht Club, Tred Avon Yacht Club, Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club, Tidewater VA Marine Trades Association, Rhode Island Marine Trades Association, US Superyacht Association, and the Shields Class Association.

June Langston DeHart

June Langston DeHart is a partner in the national law firm of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, LLP’s Washington, D.C., office. DeHart previously served as Managing Partner of the firm’s D.C. office and as Co-Chair of its Federal Government Practice Group. She also served on the firm’s Management, Finance, Intake, Women’s Initiative, and Associate Review committees. DeHart represents a variety of corporate, non-profit, city and local, and foreign clients on a variety of policy issues, with particular expertise in transportation and infrastructure, appropriations, and energy and related tax.

Before joining Manatt, DeHart was Chief Counsel to the Subcommittee on Nuclear Proliferation and Government Processes for the U.S. Senate Governmental Affairs Committee and was Legislative/Legal Counsel to U.S. Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi, specializing in energy, judiciary, international trade, and other issues.

DeHart serves on several non-profit boards. She is Vice Chair of the Board of the International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), where she also serves on the Budget Committee, and is Vice President and on the Audit and Personnel committees of the Board of the OAS Trust for the Americas. Her past board service includes The Advocacy Group (past president); the International Women’s Forum, DC Chapter (past president); the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America; the Center for International Private Enterprise; and the Association of Women in International Trade (past president). In 2017, she was selected for and participated in the Harvard Business School’s Women on Boards, an executive leadership program.

DeHart graduated in 1981 from Mississippi College School of Law, J.D., with distinction; and in 1974 from Millsaps College, B.S., Political Science, with honors. She and her husband, Dan (a member of CBMM’s Shipyard Committee), live in Alexandria, Va., and Oxford, Md.

Douglas M. Fears

Douglas M. Fears served as the eighth Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor to the President, and also as Acting Deputy National Security Advisor for a concurrent four-month period, during which he developed and implemented over two dozen strategies and policies, and led dozens of key decision-making forums to address complex homeland and national security challenges.

During his tenure, Fears oversaw the Federal Response and Recovery efforts to one of the most devastating hurricane, wildfire, tornado, and volcano disaster seasons in U.S. history. Through his 40-year Coast Guard career, he has served as an operator, program manager, policymaker, strategist and national security decision-maker leading efforts to manage risk to the nation at the tactical, operational and strategic levels.

Fears was a ship driver in the U.S. Coast Guard having served in eight Coast Guard and Navy ships, including as Commanding Officer in the cutters Hamilton, Diligence, and Sitkinak. Other assignments included Assistant Commandant for Response Policy, Atlantic Area Chief of Staff, Chief of Law Enforcement, Program Reviewer in the Office of Budget and Programs, Liaison to the U.S. House of Representatives and the Thirteenth District Aide to the Commander and Command Center Controller. He retired from the Coast Guard in 2022 as a Rear Admiral.

Fears is Chief Operating Officer at Artis International, which specializes in integrating artificial intelligence and behavioral science. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for Black Mountain Investment Company and is a Senior Advisor to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, The Chertoff Group, and Disaster Tech. He is a member of The Vandenberg Coalition’s Advisory Board, a Senior Mentor in FEMA’s Vanguard program for executive development and a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the U.S. Naval Institute. He has an MPA from Harvard, an MA from the U.S. Naval War College, and a BS from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

J. Christian (Chris) Fenger

Chris Fenger is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Astound Broadband and has been with the company since February 2011. He has been in the cable industry for over 40 years.

Prior to joining Astound Broadband, Fenger was the President of Bright House Networks’ 900,000 customer operation in Central Florida. And before that, he was with Charter Communications for five years, initially as a Regional SVP of Operations for their 800,000 customer north central region, and then as Divisional SVP of Operations for their two million-customer Western Division.

Earlier in his career, Fenger held various general management and senior operations positions at Marcus Cable, Simmons Communications, Warner-Amex Cable, and Rogers Cablesystems. In October 2019, he was inducted into the Cable Pioneers.

Fenger and his wife, Paula, moved to Easton in 1986, which is when they first visited CBMM. In 1989, Chris worked with the Talbot County Council to secure the first Cable TV franchise and then helped oversee construction of the first cable system in the county in 1990.

Craig Fuller

Craig Fuller arrived in Washington, D.C., from California with the Reagan Administration in 1981. He served eight years in the White House, first as Assistant to President Reagan for Cabinet Affairs before becoming Chief of Staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush during the second term of the administration. He co-chaired the President Bush Transition and then entered the private sector in Washington, leading public affairs consulting firms and associations, and serving as an officer of a major consumer packaged goods company.

He finished his full-time career serving as the president and CEO of the 400,000 member Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, combining a lifetime of flying as a private pilot and his knowledge of Washington. Upon his retirement from AOPA, he returned to The Fuller Company, a strategic consulting group he organized when he initially left government in 1989.

His business interests remain focused on aviation through board service on two private companies and with time spent focusing on a film production company formed in California by his stepson.

An active sailor most of his life, Craig’s sailing activities include time in Northern and Southern California, the Chesapeake Bay and the Caribbean. For a time, he became involved with America’s Cup racing, helping to fund the programs of One Australia and America One. Currently, he is an active power boater with a 2017 Ranger Tug. He is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club and the Poplar Island Yacht Club.

In addition to serving on the CBMM board, Fuller is a member of the board of the Academy Art Museum and The Benedictine School. He and his wife, Diane Terpeluk, live in Easton and enjoy boating and photography as well as three dogs at their home on Trippe Creek.

Dagmar D.P. Gipe

Dagmar Gipe grew up splitting time between Galveston, TX and Miami, FL. Both locations gave her the opportunity to appreciate being out on the water, fishing with her father.

Gipe even won several fishing tournaments while in Florida. Later, after moving to Virginia, she quickly discovered and connected with the Chesapeake Bay. She introduced her children to water life as well, and has had them on a boat since they were six months old. The Chesapeake Bay now holds many memories for Gipe and her family, from time spent boating, hydro sliding, waterskiing, and fishing. She finds great joy in watching her children—and now grandchildren—enjoy the same things she enjoyed as a girl.

It was her children that first connected Gipe with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. She used to bring her son and daughter here when they were little, to look at the exhibitions and take out the boats. Taking the family out on the Bay bonded them together—especially over many fishing adventures—and had a profound effect on both children. They now have careers that tie them to the Chesapeake Bay area. Dagmar and her husband, Al, have a home in Royal Oak, and they are thrilled that their home has become a place for their children and grandchildren to gather.

Becoming a Board member in 2000, Gipe has had many great experiences serving and supporting the Museum. After serving six years, she took a break from the Board and is now serving her fourth year of her second term. It’s easy to see when talking to her just how much passion she has for CBMM.

Gipe finds it incredibly significant that we have a maritime museum that offers so many different things to different people. She especially wishes that everyone could see just how great the education programs are, especially the Lighthouse Overnight Adventure program for youth groups. Gipe points out how impressive the Museum’s history is, and wants people to see just how much more we have to offer.

When asked about her favorite part of the Museum, Gipe finds it impossible to identify one single aspect. She sees the exhibitions are among the best in the country. The history and the festivals also jump to mind. What keeps Gipe coming back is “everything that the Museum does.” She has so many fond memories of CBMM, and takes so much pride in it, that it’s easy for her to continue her support, even after so many years.

Myra Gons

Myra Gons currently owns Chestnut Street Designs, a monogramming and custom embroidery shop after previously working with Denise Soisson, a specialty window design shop.

Gons has worked in many volunteer capacities in both Camp Hill, Pa., and locally, including Chair of the Camp Hill Borough Design Review Board, President of Falcon Families of Central Pennsylvania, and Fredrickson Library Board of Trustees where she served on the Furniture and Furnishings Committee, Building Design Committee, and was chair of the Landscape Design Committee. She also served as Church School Superintendent and as a member of the Nominating Committee of the Camp Hill Presbyterian Church, as well as Secretary of the Camp Hill Economic Development Group. Locally, Gons is involved with the Talbot County Garden Club.

Gons currently serves on CBMM’s Curatorial and Boating Party committees, and recently agreed to co-chair the 2023 Boating Party. She and her husband, Steve, have three children and seven grandchildren. They live in Camp Hill, Pa., and spend much of their time on the Eastern Shore.

Dr. Frederick (Fred) Hocker

Dr. Fred Hocker is the Head of Research at Sweden’s Vasamuseet/The Vasa Museum, where he has worked for 16 years. A leading maritime archaeologist, Dr. Hocker is the global authority on Vasa, a Swedish warship that sank on its maiden voyage in August 1628. Hocker spent time as a shipwright at Mystic Seaport before shifting into the academic world. He earned his PhD from Texas A&M University, where he also taught nautical archeology, and has written and edited countless works about archaeology and shipbuilding.

Dr. Hocker was CBMM’s Design Quality Advisor for the current Maryland Dove project. His expert consultation in maritime archaeology proved an invaluable resource working through further details in the vessel’s rigging, deck furniture, longitudinal structural joinery, and deck planking schedule. His survey, excavation, and research of 16th and 17th century wrecks provided us with tangible artifacts from Dove’s period.

Dr. Hocker also serves on the board of the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, and when possible, serves as crew on the vessel.

Reza Jafari

Reza Jafari is in his second stint on CBMM’s Board of Governors after serving from FY21-22. He was a member of CBMM’s Government Relations and co-chair of DEIA, Audit, and Executive committees.

Jafari is the Chairman and CEO and Founder of e-Development International. Based in Easton, Md., e-Development International is an executive advisory group that promotes, facilitates and participates in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) initiatives for Transformational Leadership and Turnarounds, Mergers and Acquisitions, Social Entrepreneurships and Change, Strategic Alliances and Eco-systems Development, Social Media, Connected Healthcare, e-Education, Smart Cities and Connected Communities, e-Government, Public Safety and Security, Cyber Security, Customer Relations Management, Big Data and Cloud Computing and Public-Private Partnerships worldwide. He is the Co-Managing Editor of “Connected City Blueprint.”

On the non-profit side, Jafari was appointed by the Governor of Maryland and currently serves as Chair of the Trustee Board of Chesapeake College. Also, he is currently the Chair of Talbot County Chamber of Commerce, a Board member of the Channel Marker Foundation, Co-Chair of Connected City Advisory Board of Wireless Broadband Alliance and Senior Executive Advisor to the Board of WBA, and a Board member of the India, China & America Institute.

Jafari has served as Chair of the Board of Directors of ITU TELECOM (a UN Agency, 2007-2015), Commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Digital Development (2010-2015), board member of GSMA Ltd (2008-2013), Commissioner of Maryland Economic Development Commission and Chair of its Innovation and Entrepreneurship Committee (2013-2014), Chair of Annapolis Economic Development Corporation (2010-2014), and a founding board member of the UN Digital Health Initiative.

Jafari has been a leading authority in the transformation of ICT and services into Cloud and Unified Communications for the entire industry as well as health care, financial services, cyber security, education, public health and safety industries through his extensive thought leadership, contributions, and work in the private sector (EDS, HP, NeuStar, Omega Partners and e-Development International) and at ITU, UN Broadband Commission, Wireless Broadband Alliance and GSMA Ltd.

Jafari has spent 35 years in the IT services and broadband, competitive telecoms and mobile, media and entertainment, education, and health-IT industries. His portfolio of business relationships and interests include advising senior executives of established and startup companies and organizations in wireless, e-health and mobile health, public safety and cyber security, broadband, social media, knowledge economy, e-Education, digital innovations, Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), business transformation, and business process outsourcing services. He has served as an independent Director on the Board of Directors of two public companies: TeleCommunications Systems, Inc. (TSYS); and Cartesian (TMNG).

Jafari served as the Chair and Managing Director of NeuStar International in Sterling, Va., (2005-2008). He also served as the Chair, CEO and Founder of The Omega Partners in Atlanta, Ga., (2002-2005).

From 1990 to 2002, Jafari held various senior executive positions at Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS, now an HP Company), including Group President of EDS’ Global Communications, Media and Entertainment Industry Group (which was responsible for $3.1B annual revenue), Managing Director of the Communications and Media Industry Group for Europe Middle East and Africa (which was based in Germany and responsible for $400M annual revenue from 1996-2000); and Managing Principal of Communications Consulting Group. He was involved in several acquisitions in Europe, the USA, Latin America, and Asia.

Jafari’s career also includes seven years as the Founder, President, and CEO of Satellite Conference Network, Bankers-TV Network and CPA-TV Network in New York City, offering professional and continuing education to the banking, public accounting, and healthcare industries. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards for Innovation from the International TeleConferencing Association, and the Council for the Advancement of Science and Technology in Education.

Jafari is a frequent speaker on innovation, Connected/Smart Cities, Business Transformation, Customer Relations Management and Analytics, Citizen Engagement, Cloud Computing and Big Data, Social Media, entrepreneurship, transformational leadership, e-Health and m-Health, cyber security, mobile technology, e-Education, e-Government, and the role of ICT and Broadband for economic development and improving the access to and quality of healthcare, education and customer/citizen engagement.

Jafari received his MBA in International Business and Organizational Development in 1976 and S. Ed Specialist Degree in Education in 1980. He received his ABD (PhD) in Instructional Systems Technology and Innovation in 1981 from Indiana University.

Paula Johnson

Paula Johnson has been a Curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for over three decades.

As a Curator in the Division of Work and Industry, she is responsible for the food history and marine resources collections. She is also the Project Director for the Smithsonian’s multi-faceted American Food History Project and co-curator for the exhibition, FOOD: Transforming the American Table, which opened in 2012 and had a refresh completed in 2019. As one of the curators who collected the home kitchen of Julia Child in 2001, she also co-developed the exhibition Bon Appetit! Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian, on view from 2002 to 2012.

Selected past curatorial projects include her direction and co-curation of the exhibition On the Water: Stories from Maritime America, which opened to the public in 2009 at the National Museum of American History. Johnson was also the curator for several maritime-related sections of the permanent exhibition America on the Move, also at the National Museum of American History. She has published books and articles on the fisheries of the Chesapeake Bay, traditional work boats, and maritime communities, and she has lectured widely on these and topics related to food history, field research, oral history recording, and documentation.

Prior to joining the Smithsonian, Johnson was a curator and folklife researcher for 10 years at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Md.

Johnson has a master’s degree in anthropology and folklore from the University of Texas, Austin. She is skilled in nonprofit organizations of various sizes, public speaking, museum collections and archives, field research, public history, community-based documentation, and American folklore. She has a strong professional background in research, writing, editing, and storytelling within the fields of food and wine history, maritime history, and material culture.

Johnson first served on CBMM’s Board of Governors in the late ’90s and has served on CBMM’s Curatorial Committee since 1998, including being chair of the committee from 1998-2000. She lives in Washington, D.C. and Port Republic, Maryland, with her husband Carl Fleischhauer.

James H. Kizziar Jr.

Jim Kizziar has devoted his law practice to the representation of management for labor and employment law issues for 48 years. He advises all levels of management, including boards of directors, executives and Human Resources, regarding compliance with federal and state employment laws and local ordinances. His practice encompasses all aspects of employment law, including executive employment agreements, separation agreements, confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, developing and implementing voluntary exit programs and reduction in force plans and drafting employment policies, reviewing employee handbooks and conducting employment training for executives, managers and supervisors. Kizziar has also represented employers for over four decades regarding union organizing campaigns and representation elections, proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, collective bargaining negotiations, contract administration and unfair labor practice charges.

In addition to advising clients, Kizziar advocates on their behalf in contested proceedings before federal and state courts and administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U.S. Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board and various state and local agencies. His litigation practice encompasses discrimination actions, wrongful discharge claims, employment class actions, FLSA actions, employment tort claims and constitutional law issues for church organizations. He also represents clients in union-related and employment arbitrations. As part of Kizziar’s litigation practice, he regularly mediates employment claims to settlement. Jim represents corporate entities, institutions and not-for-profit organizations in diverse industries.

Jim and his wife, Renee F. Kizziar, split their year between Annapolis, Md., and San Antonio, Texas. The couple are members of the Lake Canyon Yacht Club and the Annapolis Yacht Club. They enjoy sailing and racing their Alerion Express 28 and long distance cruising their powerboat Unleashed IV. Kizziar is actively involved in planning and implementing AYC cruising fleet activities and events.

Deborah Lawrence

Deborah (Debbie) Lawrence retired in 2015 as Vice President of Government Affairs from The Williams Companies, a Tulsa-based energy company where she was the first female officer. Her responsibilities included representing Williams before Congress, federal regulatory agencies, and national trade associations. During her 35 years with Williams, she was recognized as a leader for her work on federal energy resource and transportation matters in Washington, D.C. She also had responsibilities for the company’s state government affairs staff. Prior to Williams, she worked for the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee.

Lawrence represented Williams at numerous trade associations, including the American Petroleum Institute and the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America. She was recognized by the National Energy Resources Organization with a Lifetime Energy Industry Achievement Award.

She rejoined the CBMM Board as a Governor for another term this year, after previously serving from 2015–2020, including a stint as Chair of the Governance Committee. Debbie also serves as a Regent for The Fund for American Studies, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., and previously served as a Board member for the national non-profit Rebuilding Together.

Lawrence received a BS degree from the University of Maryland, and a law degree from George Mason University Law School. She is married to Tom Lawrence and has two daughters and six grandchildren. She resides in Easton and Hyattsville, Md.

Jonathan (Jon) Leeb

Jonathan Leeb is a forty-year veteran in commercial real estate finance, investment and development. In 2010, he formed Leebco, Inc., to reposition an underperforming portfolio of office and industrial buildings in Palo Alto, Calif., into life science labs and upgraded office buildings. He sold the portfolio in 2020, tripling its value from 2010, which resulted in one of the highest dollar per square foot sales at that time.

Prior to Leebco, Leeb was President of U.S. Select Capital where he was responsible for overseeing the real estate lending and borrowing, asset management and investor reporting for U.S. Select and its affiliates. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Capital Markets at PNC ARCS where he led the Capital Markets division, which provided financing alternatives to real estate developers and investors through placements with investment banks, life insurance companies, and commercial banks on a national basis.  Prior to PNC ARCS, he was a founding employee of LoopNet (a NASDAQ listed company, since sold to CoStar), and Marcus & Millichap Capital. He began his career in Silicon Valley as an agent with Cornish and Carey Commercial.

Leeb received his BA in international affairs from University of Colorado. In 2010, in his continuing quest to challenge himself (or perhaps it was a lapse of sanity), he entered Concord Law School, and graduated on the Dean’s List four years later. He has been admitted to the State Bar of California to practice law. 

He lives in Easton with his wife Lisa, their German Shepherd and six rescue mini horses. His daughter and son in law reside in Annapolis with their two boys, and his son and daughter in law are in California with their two boys. When he’s not visiting grandchildren, he spends his time on the water and tries to get on the golf course.

Elizabeth C. Moose (Libby)

Elizabeth C. Moose is Vice President of Mid-Atlantic Realty, Inc., a developer of free standing drug stores, medical centers, and convenience stores in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Prior to forming Mid-Atlantic Realty in 1992, she was Vice President of Land Acquisition for BTR Realty, a publicly held company in Baltimore, Md.

Originally from Greensboro, N.C., Moose is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Business & Public Service. She worked for Marriott Corporation in New York and Washington after graduation. After years of visiting CBMM and renting summer vacation homes, she built a house in Claiborne in 2007. Moose also serves as Chair of SOS Sink or Swim.

Moose previously served on CBMM’s Board of Governors during FY 2018-23 and was a member of the Advancement, Audit, and Master Plan committees.

John E. Pflieger Jr.

John Ely Pflieger Jr. was first introduced to the Eastern Shore as a young man frequently hunting and fishing with his father on the Chesapeake Bay.

In 1990, Pflieger’s parents, Donna and Jack, built a home in Royal Oak which they owned for nine years. At that time, he was first introduced to CBMM not realizing the effect the area had on him until his parents sold their home in 1999.

In 2001, Pflieger and his wife Melissa bought Holly Cove Farm in Bozman, Md. Over the past 20 years, they have been at the farm as often as possible. As they started spending more time here, he has become more involved in the community and local organizations.

Pflieger currently serves on the Board of The Avalon Foundation. He and Melissa have supported CBMM since 2001 and became life members a few years later. They have been active supporters of CBMM through sailing classes for their daughter and the many events hosted by CBMM, including the Charity Boat Auction on Labor Day weekend. He has been an admirer of what CBMM continues to do to preserve the history and heritage of our Chesapeake Bay.

Since 2012, Pflieger has served as Global Head of External Research Services at T. Rowe Price Associates based in Baltimore. Before that, he was a Managing Director at Merrill Lynch for more than a decade. He is a graduate of The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa., and Denison University in Granville, Ohio.

Robert J. Reaves

As a CBMM Life Member following in his father’s footsteps, who joined over 40 years ago, Robert Reaves has enjoyed CBMM and witnessed its growth and improvement over 45 years of visiting and living on the Eastern Shore. CBMM is considered a treasure of the community. When approached to serve on the Board of Governors, he felt honored and interested.

Reaves’ background in mechanical and electrical construction, retrofit, and maintenance, as well as management and administration, has been beneficial to many non-profit organizations. His work experience includes roles as Project Manager, Vice President, CEO, and Principal at RM Thornton, Inc., a commercial and institutional mechanical contractor in the Washington, D.C., area from 1977 to 2012.

Reaves has extensive non-profit experience, having served as President of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Metro Washington in 1990, President of the Washington Building Congress in 1993, Chair of the Young Presidents’ Organization Gold Chapter in Washington/Baltimore in 2002, and President of the Glen Echo Partnership for Arts and Culture in 2018. Additionally, he has participated on boards including Catholic Charities of Washington, Archbishop Carroll High School, St. Jane DeChantal Finance Council, Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School (Chair of Buildings and Grounds), Columbia Country Club Board (Chair of Building and Grounds), Catholic Charities of DC Presidents Council, and Edgemoor Condominium Association

Reaves holds a BS in Biology from the University of Bridgeport and attended the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. He enjoys family activities, gardening, golf, tennis, travel, bridge, and working out in his free time.

Miles Reidy

Miles Reidy is a seasoned business executive with extensive experience in leadership, crisis management, and overseeing analytical functions. He has successfully guided turnarounds and optimized operational efficiencies across various industries, including finance, retail, and healthcare.

Currently, Reidy serves as a board member and Audit Chair at ClearScore, a board member at Fair Money, and the Audit Committee Chair at Liberis Holdings. He has also been a board member of the Royal Bank of Canada (US) since 2013, where he chairs the Risk and Audit Committees, and engages in public service with board roles at the Heinz School of Public Policy and Easter Seals of Baltimore/Washington since 2009.

Previously, Reidy was an Investor and General Partner at Fenway Summer Advisors, Chair of the Advisory Board at the Cambridge Winter Center, and held transformative roles at QED Investors, where he led UK FinTech investments. As CFO of Audax Health, he secured $35 million in funding and oversaw a successful sale, while at Network Solutions, he reversed revenue declines and reduced expenses significantly. At Sears Holdings, he enhanced financial strategy and operational efficiency.

Earlier, Reidy held key positions at Capital One Financial Corporation, Chevy Chase Bank, and Mellon Bank Corporation, focusing on financial strategy and mergers. He holds an M.S. in Economics from Carnegie-Mellon University and a B.S. in Finance from Georgetown University. Throughout his career, Miles has transformed challenges into opportunities, driving sustainable growth in complex business environments.

Bill Ryan

Bill Ryan is Meteorologist-Research Scientist Emeritus at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa. He has been a leader in air quality forecasting in the Mid-Atlantic for many years. He developed the first operational ozone forecast models for the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan areas in 1993, extending to Philadelphia in 1996.

Ryan has been an operational air quality forecaster in the Mid-Atlantic, for both ozone and fine particles, since 1995. He has also provided technical analysis and advice to the state of Maryland on subjects ranging from photochemical modeling to data trend analysis in support of State Implementation Plan (SIP) development. He is a member of the Air Quality Forecasters Focus Group that provides technical feedback to the developers of the NOAA National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NAQFC) and, in 2010, was named the EPA AIRNow “Partner of the Year” at the EPA National Air Quality Conference.

Ryan has a long-standing tradition of community service, including serving as basketball coach for the Centre County YMCA, State College, Pa., 2000-2017; on the Planning Commission for the Borough of State College, Pa., 2004-2008; on the Board of Directors for Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, State College, Pa., 2008-2012; Head, Green Crew, Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, State College, Pa., 2005-2019; on the Board of Directors for YMCA of Centre County, State College Branch, State College, Pa, 2008-2010; on the Board of Directors for Building African American Minds (BAMM), Easton, Md., 2013-2015; President of the Board for BAAM from 2016; and on the Board of Directors, Talbot Mentors, Easton, Md., 2019-present.

Bill has a BA from University of Notre Dame, a JD Law from University of Chicago Law School, and a MS in Meteorology from University of Maryland, College Park. He lives in Easton with his wife, Joan Richtsmeier.

John L. Seidel, Ph.D.

John L. Seidel joined Historic St. Mary’s City as Executive Director in January 2024. Holding two Master’s degrees and a Ph.D., Seidel has previously taught at Rutgers University, Drew University, University of Maryland College Park, and Washington College.

While at Washington College, Seidel developed a new archaeology program, resulting in a new Anthropology major and spearheaded the eventual establishment of a stand-alone Department of Anthropology.

In 2006, Seidel was appointed Interim Director of the College’s Center for Environment Society (CES), becoming its full-time director in 2007 after a national search. Under his leadership, the CES saw an explosive growth in annual gifts, grants, and contracts; the development of extensive public programming that ranged from environmental science and habitat restoration to archaeology; K-12 STEM initiatives and extensive teacher training programs; growth of the Center in staffing and volunteers; and the establishment of three labs, the Public Archaeology Laboratory, the Watershed Innovation Lab, and a Geographic Information Systems Lab.

His wife, Elizabeth, also worked as the Archaeology Lab Director and Senior Staff Archaeologist at Washington College. Elizabeth Seidel began her career in the late 1980s at the Baltimore Center for Urban Archaeology. She has worked for the University of Maryland College Park, Historic Londontown, the Lost Towns Project of Anne Arundel County, and various consulting firms. In 1999, Elizabeth launched Washington College’s Public Archaeology Lab, stepping down from the role in March 2023.

Dr. Clara Small

Dr. Clara Small, who has served on CBMM’s Curatorial Committee since 2021, is Professor Emerita at Salisbury University, where she spent 36 years teaching history in courses including World Civilizations, Civil Rights in American Society, African American History, and related topics. Prior teaching positions included two years at Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Va., and four years at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo.

Dr. Small received her BA and first MA in History from North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., and her second MA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, N.M. After starting her Doctorate at the University of Missouri, she began working at Salisbury University in 1977 (then Salisbury State University) and completed her Doctorate in History at the University of Delaware.

Dr. Small’s article, “Abolitionists, Free Blacks, and Runaway Slaves” was included in the book, A History of African-Americans on Maryland’s and Delaware’s Eastern Shore. She also authored a book titled, Reality Check: Brief Biographies of African-Americans on Delmarva, which was published by Salisbury [State] University Press and placed in all schools and libraries in the surrounding counties, and co-authored, with Rev. David Briddell, Men of Color, To Arms!: Manumitted Slaves and Free Blacks from the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland Who Served in the Civil War. Her other publications include Compass Points: Profiles and Biographies of African Americans from the Delmarva Peninsula, Vol. 1; They Wore Blue and Their Hearts Were Loyal: The United States Colored Troops of Dorchester County, Maryland, Slaves and Free Blacks Who Served in the Civil War, co-authored with Teresa M. Neild; Compass Points: Profiles and Biographies of African Americans from the Delmarva Peninsula, Vol. 2; and The Last Black Skipjack Captain: Captain Kermit Travers. Dr. Small’s latest book is Compass Points: Profiles and Biographies of African Americans from the Delmarva Peninsula, Vol. 3.

Dr. Small is presently researching the history of African Americans on the Eastern Shore and was appointed to serve on the Governor’s Commission to Coordinate the Study, Commemoration, and Impact of the History and Legacy of Slavery in Maryland. In 2011, she was appointed to the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture by then Gov. Martin O’Malley. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the University System of Maryland Regents’ Award for Public Service; the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore’s Frank H. Morris Humanitarian Award; the Faithful Service Award from Pi Gamma Mu, the International Honor Society for the Social Sciences; and the Harriet Tubman Lifetime Achievement Award. Since 2011, she has served as Second Vice-President of Pi Gamma Mu, in addition, she served as interim chairperson of the social sciences department at UMES in 2016-2017.

Richard W. Snowdon

Dick Snowdon is a retired attorney. Prior to retiring, Snowdon was with the law firm Trainum, Snowdon & Deane, specializing in estate planning, personal and corporate income tax, and taxation of exempt organizations. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Syracuse University, College of Business Administration, and a Juris Doctor with honors from the National Law Center, George Washington University. Following two years of active military service with the United States Army (1968–1970), which earned him an Army Commendation Medal and an honorable discharge at the rank of Captain, he returned to the legal profession.

Snowdon is active in the Washington, D.C., community and has served on many nonprofit boards and advisory councils. Some of his current and past positions include National Children’s Museum, Vice Chair; Children’s National Medical Center, Chair; Children’s Hospital Foundation, Chair; Black Student Fund, Treasurer; For Love of Children, Vice Chairman; Protestant Episcopal Foundation of Washington (The National Cathedral), Chair; and Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, Treasurer. He previously served on CBMM’s Board of Governors from 2014–2019.

Enos T. Throop V

Enos Throop spent most of his career working in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., area as an investment management professional. He held the positions of research analyst and portfolio manager for Johnston, Lemon & Company, was the Director of Equity for the Maryland State Retirement System, Vice President for Legg Mason Investment Management, and Director of Investments for the United Mine Workers Health and Retirement Funds. As its first employee and Chief Investment Officer, he started a $20B trust at the National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (NRRIT). He retired from NRRIT in 2006, at which time the assets in the trust’s portfolio had increased to $36B.

Throop grew up on the south shore of Long Island and first visited the Eastern Shore in the mid-1950s on a family trip to Easton to look at skipjack sail boats. He has both undergraduate and master degrees from Hofstra University, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. Throop spent four years in the Army Security Agency in the late 1960s as a Czechoslovak linguist. He and his wife, Muriel, have owned property on the Eastern Shore just outside of St. Michaels for decades and moved to the area full-time in 2006.

Throop previously served on CBMM’s Board of Governors during FY 2018-23 and was a member of the Finance, Investment (chair), and Executive committees.

John K. Villa

John K. Villa is a partner at Williams & Connolly LLP in Washington, D.C., where he has practiced since 1977, becoming a partner in 1981. He served on the Executive Committee from 2002 to 2017 and has chaired several practice groups, including Banking and Financial Services Litigation. Recognized as a leading legal malpractice defense lawyer by Chambers International and named among the 100 Best Trial Lawyers, he has received multiple “Lawyer of the Year” honors in various fields.

Villa has also taught as an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown, Columbia, and Duke, focusing on ethics for corporate lawyers. He has published over 100 articles and four notable legal treatises. His career includes high-profile cases like Enron and Madoff, and his work in financial fraud investigations is rated Tier One nationally.

Before joining the firm, Villa was a Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Honors Program. He holds an A.B. in Economics from Duke University and a J.D. with Honors from the University of Michigan Law School.

Active in civic and charitable activities, Villa is a Board Member and Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee for the Washington National Cathedral. He lives in Bethesda and St. Michaels, Md., with his wife, Ellen, a former Washington Post editor. They have two children, Katherine and John, both residing in D.C.

In his free time, John enjoys classic American cars, reading, and rowing. His professional and personal achievements reflect a lifelong commitment to excellence, leadership, and service.

Claire Voorhees

Claire Voorhees is a seasoned investment professional with two decades of experience across hedge funds, private equity, and banking in global financial hubs including New York, San Francisco, and Singapore. She currently serves as Director and Wealth Advisor at Chevy Chase Trust, where she provides comprehensive investment management and financial planning services to high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. Her personalized and strategic approach to wealth management has earned her recognition as Bethesda Magazine’s 2025 Best Financial Advisor.

Prior to this, Vorhees held senior roles at Saybrook Fund Advisors and Wells Fargo’s $40B municipal bond investment portfolio, where she managed distressed investments, led cross-functional initiatives, and represented the firm at national conferences. Her career also includes key positions at Fundamental Credit Opportunities, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and York Capital Management, where she helped launch the firm’s Asia operations.

Vorhees holds an M.B.A. from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, where she received a merit-based scholarship and won the Cornell M.B.A. Stock Pitch Competition, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia, graduating with high honors and distinction. Deeply committed to community service, Claire is active on the Investment and Finance Committees of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and serves on the Board of Georgetown’s Friends of Volta Park. Her personal interests include boating, hiking, skiing, wine tasting, and spending time with her golden retriever, George.

Helen M. Wernecke

As a lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County in Southern Maryland, Helen Wernecke has engaged deeply with the community through various roles in leadership, program management, and customer service, particularly in support of the U.S. Navy. Her career trajectory led her to become a skilled real estate professional, currently serving clients at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty since 2017.

Specializing in waterfront and agricultural properties, Wernecke leveraged her strong market analysis and negotiation skills to assist clients in making well-informed decisions. She also has extensive experience as the Executive Director of Leadership Southern Maryland, where she oversaw programs and maintained professionalism in all transactions.

Wernecke’s previous roles included deputy program manager at the Naval Air Systems Command, leading significant training initiatives and managing substantial budgets.

In addition to her professional achievements, she is an active community volunteer, serving on the St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation and Trinity Lutheran Church, among others.

Wernecke holds a BBA in Human Resources and various real estate certifications, including Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) and Luxury Collection Specialist. She is currently the President-Elect of the Southern Maryland Association of REALTORS® and is actively involved in several community organizations.

Emeriti

CG Appleby
Dick Bodorff
James P. Harris
Margaret D. Keller
Charles L. Lea Jr.
Fred C. Meendsen
Sumner Parker
Joseph E. Peters
Norman H. Plummer
Tom D. Seip
Henry H. Spire
Diane Staley
Henry H. Stansbury
Benjamin C. Tilghman Jr.
Richard C. Tilghman Jr.

CBMM Board of Governors, FY2026

Emeriti

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