Skip to Main Content

About Us

 

Contact Information

Office Address
Rural Maryland Council
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

phone icon Phone: 410-841-5772
phone icon Fax: 410-841-5987

Email: rmc.mda@maryland.gov

Executive Board Members

Executive Committee – Officers
RMC Chair:
Susan O’Neill
Executive Director
Upper Shore Regional Council

RMC First Vice-Chair:
Greg Padgham
Executive Director
Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore 

RMC Second Vice-Chair:
Chris Benzing
Executive Director
Maryland Rural Development Corporation 

Representing Nonprofits:
Chris Abell
Executive Director
Carroll Technology & Innovation Council 

Representing RMC Legislative Committee:
Lindsay Thompson
Executive Director
Maryland Grain Producers 

Representing RMC Agriculture Committee:
Matthew Teffeau
Government Affairs Manager
Choptank Electric Cooperative

RMPIF Chair:
Scott Warner
Executive Director
Mid-Shore Regional Council 

Representing Rural Maryland Foundation:
Daniel Rider
Forest Program Director
Maryland Department of Natural Resources 

Representing University of Maryland Eastern Shore:
Dr. Heidi Anderson
President
University of Maryland Eastern Shore 

Immediate Past Chair:
John Hartline
Executive Director
Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland 

Board Members

By District

Representing District 1 (Garrett, Allegany, and Washington Counties)
Machelle Dwyer, Washington County Economic Development

Representing District 2 (Frederick, Carroll, and Harford Counties)
Elizabeth Chung, Asian American Center of Frederick

Representing District 3 (Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s Counties)
Chris Kaselemis, St. Mary’s County Office Department of Economic Development

Representing District 4 (Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s Counties)
Dan Schneckenberger, Kent County

Representing District 5 (Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties)
Debbie Bowden, Caroline County Economic Development

Representing District 6 ( Wicomico, Worchester, and Somerset Counties) 
Matt Holloway, Quantico Creek Sod Farm, and Baywater Farm

Representing For-Profit Organizations
D’Shawn Doughty, Delmarva Power

Representing State At-Large
Bill Valentine, Retired Allegany County Commissioner

Members
Representing the Maryland Association of Counties
Jack Wilson, Board of Commissioners, Queen Anne’s County

Representing the Maryland Association of Counties

Keasha Haythe, Foundation of HOPE, Inc.

Representing the Maryland Municipal League

Zack Tyndall, Mayor, Town of Berlin

Representing the Governor’s Office
Mollie Byron, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

Representing Maryland Farm Bureau
Ashton Shipley, Maryland Farm Bureau

Representing Special Appointment
Steve McHenry, Maryland Agricultural & Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO)

Representing USDA Rural Development
David Baker, USDA Rural Development

Representing Maryland Department of Commerce
Lori Ratzburg, Maryland Department of Commerce

Representing Maryland Department of Agriculture
Cassie Shirk, Maryland Department of Agriculture

Representing Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
Cindy Stone, Department of Housing and Community Development

Representing Maryland Department of Health
Sara Seitz, Maryland Department of Health

Representing Tri-County Council for Western Maryland
Leanne Mazer, Tri-County Council for Western Maryland

Representing Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council 
Craig Hartsock, Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council

Representing Special Appointment 
Jerry McLaurin, PFC Black Chamber of Commerce

Representing Maryland Association of Community Action Agencies
Santo Grande, Maryland Association of Community Action Agencies

Representing Maryland Forest Association  
Beth Hill, Maryland Forests Association

Representing Delmarva Chicken Association 
Grayson Middleton, Delmarva Chicken Association

Representing Maryland Association of Public Library Administration 
Elizabeth Hulett, Maryland Association of Public Library Administration

Representing University of Maryland Extension 
Jinhee Kim, University of Maryland Extension

Representing Maryland House of Delegates

  • The Honorable Sheree Sample-Hughes
    Delegate, District 37A
  • The Honorable Brian Crosby
    Delegate, District 29B

Representing Maryland Senate

  • The Honorable Mike McKay
    Senator, District 1
  • The Honorable Katie Fry Hester
    Senator, District 9
doit-ewspw-W02