MARYLAND CENTER ON ECONOMIC POLICY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the General Board
- Associate at Jackson Lewis PC
Alana R. Glover is currently an Associate at Jackson Lewis PC. Her practice is concentrated on labor and employment matters. Prior to entering private practice, Alana gained experience as a law clerk for the Hon. Andrea M. Leahy at the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, drafting opinions based on an array of legal matters, from administrative appeals to complex civil and criminal matters.
During law school, Alana served as an intern for the Hon. Paul W. Grimm and the Hon. Paula Xinis in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. She also participated in the Thurgood Marshall Clerkship Program at the Maryland Office of the Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Division, where she worked as a mediator operating in direct contact with consumers, businesses, medical providers, and insurance companies to settle disputes. In addition to her civil background, she gained criminal experience as a student attorney for the University of Baltimore School of Law Innocence Project Clinic.
Before attending law school, Alana graduated with honors from Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in criminal justice and African American studies with minors in Political Science and Homeland Security.
Job Titles:
- Admin
- Member of the General Board
Alejandro is an Admin and Onboarding Specialist and a business mentor with Baltripeneurs Accelerator. He is also the CMO and co-founder of Shareable Innovations and CACEROLA Growth Marketing. He is a Pennsylvania native, and currently resides in Baltimore. He has a Psychology degree from Loyola University-MD and a Masters in Organization Development and Change from Penn State University. He has a passion for data-driven social and organizational change to make things work better for all of us. His hobbies include travel, good food, health and nutrition, and copious amounts of soccer, snowboarding, and coffee. He has a particular interest in small businesses, culture change, and DEI at larger organizations.
Job Titles:
- Contact President and CEO
- Founder, President, and CEO of the Maryland Center
Benjamin Orr is the Founder, President, and CEO of the Maryland Center on Economic Policy. From 2011 to 2013 he was Interim Director, Transition Coordinator, and Policy Analyst for the Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute. Mr. Orr also spent three years with the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program, where he worked on policy issues affecting the greater Washington DC region. Prior to his time at Brookings, Ben worked for the CUNY Institute for Demographic Research, the New York Census Research Data Center, and the John Jay College Center on Terrorism. Mr. Orr holds a Master's in Public Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Vice Chair of the Board of Directors
- Chief Information Officer of WAEPA
Brandon T. Jones is the Chief Information Officer of WAEPA. Mr. Jones is responsible for executing existing and developing new technology strategies for WAEPA as well as ensuring the security of regulated and unregulated data of WAEPA members and WAEPA corporate systems handling PHI and PII. He has over 18 years in Business Management, Cybersecurity, Strategy and Information Technology across the DoD, Commercial and Non-Profit sectors.
Mr. Jones has published various technology articles and holds a B.A. in Computer Science from the St. Mary's College of Maryland and is a certified Project Management Professional and SCRUM Master.
Job Titles:
- MDCEP 's Research Analyst
Christopher Meyer is MDCEP's Research Analyst. Prior to joining MDCEP, Christopher worked as a College Aide at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York, where he assisted the Department of Subways with performance measurement and compliance reporting. He has also worked as a Graduate Research Assistant at Baruch College, City University of New York, where he contributed to research in government-nonprofit relations and development economics. He holds a Master's in Public Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Colin C. Richard's career has focused on understanding business and policy issues arising from innovation. He is an advocate for inclusive economies and regularly writes on issues of policy and emerging technologies.
Colin is Sr. Associate General Counsel at a financial technology company. He has previously been the General Counsel of a technology company and was in private practice for nine years, advising fintech companies and other financial institutions on strategic, regulatory, and transactional matters.
Colin studied political science at the University of California, Berkeley and law at Georgetown, and then was a Fulbright Fellow researching business and policy efforts to increase financial inclusion. He was later a Fellow with New Leaders Council's Maryland chapter.
Colin lives in Montgomery County, Maryland with his wife and their four children.
Job Titles:
- Member of the General Board
- Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs at the Defense Logistics Agency
Dr. Cordell Francis is the Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs at the Defense Logistics Agency, U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). He is a graduate of the University of Maryland Global Campus where he earned his Doctor of Business Administration degree in 2020. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work in 1998 and a Master of Social Work with a concentration in Social Policy and Administration in 1999 from the Florida State University. He is also a 2004 graduate of the Secretary of Defense's Executive Leadership Development Program.
Dr. Francis served as a Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs on operational policy matters regarding defense acquisition, sustainment, and logistics. He began his legislative career as a Policy Analyst for former U.S. Senator Bob Graham of Florida from 1999 to 2001, where he worked on U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) issues, justice & crime, the 2000 presidential election, the 2000 U.S. Census, health care, immigration, and education. He has also served as the Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Joint Forces Command, where he helped build and develop the operation and activities of the legislative affairs office. Dr. Francis was a registered federal lobbyist and one of four Directors of Congressional Affairs for the American Psychological Association's (APA) Practice Organization (APAPO) from 2008 to 2011; he primarily focused on legislation impacting DOD and VA psychologists, service members with Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and their families. While a lobbyist with the APA he also served as a liaison between the APAPO and the DOD and VA on issues ranging from the appropriateness of certain questions on psychological assessments to incentive pay for psychologists.
Dr. Francis is a U.S. Navy War Veteran, former P-3C Air crewman, and has been awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal for his service in Operation Desert Shield. He is an active member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., and the President of the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Alumni Association Inc. He and his wife, Cecilia, reside in Southern Maryland with their four children.
Job Titles:
- MDCEP 's Campaign Manager
Dr. Kevin Slayton is MDCEP's Campaign Manager. Prior to joining MDCEP, Kevin served as the Executive Director for the Baltimore City House Delegation in the Maryland General Assembly, where he assisted with the promotion and execution of City legislative policy initiatives. He has also worked as a civil rights lobbyist consultant representing the interest of clients that included CASA de Maryland, Progressive Maryland, and Associated Black Charities. Kevin worked with the Public Justice Center as the Public Policy Director, where he was instrumental in the passage of significant legislation impacting issues around housing, immigrant rights, worker's rights, education, and ex-felon voting rights. Prior to his legislative work he served as a program officer with the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Kevin is also a pastor in Lanham, Maryland. He holds a B.S. in Finance and Economics from Alabama A&M University and D.Min from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, New York.
Job Titles:
- MDCEP 's State Policy Fellow
Jasmin Aramburu is MDCEP's State Policy Fellow. Prior to joining MDCEP, Jasmin worked as a Research Associate at the Northwestern Bluhm Legal Clinic's Children and Family Justice Center, where she assisted in policy and research projects focused on addressing gun possession and gun violence issues, while simultaneously promoting healing and health among Illinois residents. Her professional background also includes provision of case management and social services to various communities in Chicago. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- MDCEP 's Vice President for External Relations
Kali Schumitz is MDCEP's Vice President for External Relations. Prior to joining MDCEP, Kali worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for more than 13 years, most recently covering local and state government in Virginia for Post Community Media. She also has an extensive background in nonprofit communications and management, having provided board and volunteer support to several organizations. She currently serves as co-chair of Marylanders Against Poverty (MAP), and is on the Board of Directors of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association. Kali holds a B.A. in Mass Communication from Towson University.
Job Titles:
- Secretary of the Board of Directors
Kevin is an experienced healthcare consultant working in the privatized Medicare arena. A New Englander at heart (Go Pats!), Kevin lives in Frederick, Maryland, with his wife, son, and temperamental cat. He holds a Masters degree in Public Administration and Policy from American University, and serves on the board of the Maryland Philanthropy Network, where he Co-Chairs the Policy Committee, as well as the Helen J. Serini Foundation.
Job Titles:
- MDCEP 's Research Assistant
Musaab Ibrahim is MDCEP's Research Assistant. Prior to joining MDCEP, Musaab was an intern for the DC Fiscal Policy Institute where he assisted analysts in producing toolkits on the DC budget and collaborated with partners and coalitions on matters of fair budgeting, taxation, and public safety. He holds a dual degree in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
- Executive Director of the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee
Nikia Sankofa is Executive Director of the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee. Focusing mainly on reducing racial and ethnic health disparities, Nikia's public health work encompasses a broad range of functions, including, multi-site project management and team leadership; program design, monitoring and evaluation; data management and analysis; advocacy; and delivery of training and technical assistance.
As the director of an infant mortality reduction initiative in Baltimore City, Nikia oversaw the provision of intensive case management services consisting of recruitment, home-visiting, and parenting education to improve the health and wellness of women and families. Most recently, Nikia served as Project Director for breastfeeding at the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
She received her Bachelors of Science in Chemistry at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. She later matriculated through the Master of Public Affairs program at Indiana University, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, where she concentrated on Environmental Policy. Nikia also has a Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she concentrated in Women's Reproductive Health and earned certificates in Health Disparities and Health Communication.
Job Titles:
- MDCEP 's KIDS COUNT Director
Nonso Umunna is MDCEP's KIDS COUNT Director. Prior to joining MDCEP, Nonso worked as Research Director at Advocates for Children and Youth, where he was responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of programs and policies for the state's children and youth. He worked to expand and update Maryland's child well-being indicators on the KIDS COUNT® Data Center. Nonso earned his Bachelor of Arts in Government and Public Policy and his Masters in Public Administration and Policy from the University of Baltimore.
Job Titles:
- MDCEP 's Director of Development
Raquelle Contreras is MDCEP's Director of Development. Prior to MDCEP, Raquelle worked as a Development Associate at Common Cause Maryland where she advocated on good government issues while successfully managing statewide cultivation events. Now as a Board Member, Raquelle continues to guide Common Cause Maryland towards success. Most recently, Raquelle worked at Montgomery Housing Partnership as the Development Associate where she played a critical role in launching a rebrand while creating innovative formats of their largest fundraisers and drives. She holds a Master's degree in Public Policy, with a focus on nonprofit management and leadership, from the University of Maryland - College Park. She is also a proud graduate of the Community College of Baltimore County.
Job Titles:
- Member of the General Board
Sa ble Frazier is from Upper Marlboro, MD. Her passion is to advance the African American community through education, political empowerment and strategy. Currently, she is a Senior Account Manager for a political consulting firm in Washington, DC managing clients across the country with strategic outreach. Most recently, she worked with a Capitol Hill consulting firm assisting with fundraising and strategic planning of events for high-profile political and corporate clients. She has volunteered and interned with various gubernatorial and senatorial campaigns. She is, also, the Founder of Political Brew, a platform created to educate youth and millennial African Americans on the importance of being politically empowered. Sable has appeared on ABC 7/CH.8News as a political commentator and advocate on behalf of African American millennials. She has hosted and has been featured as a panelist for multiple community outreach events that are geared to bringing political awareness to the African American community. Sable graduated from the illustrious Morgan State University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Psychology.
Job Titles:
- Member of the General Board
Shivonne L. Laird, PhD, MPH, serves as Director, Community Commitment and Social Investments for Bon Secours Health System, working on activities systemwide that make meaningful and sustainable community impact.
Prior to joining Bon Secours, Laird was a Program Officer for the Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Awards at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). She has also previously worked for the state and federal government, as well as in academic settings, on programs and research intended to reduce disparities in health and healthcare.
Laird received a BA in biological sciences, with a minor in sociology, from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. She has earned an MPH in international health policy and management from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Laird has also earned a PhD in health behavior and society, with a concentration in health communication, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Taneeka Richardson is MDCEP's Policy Analyst. Prior to joining MDCEP, Taneeka worked as a Housing Counseling and Research Assistant for the Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership, where she was instrumental in the development of program policies and forging relationships with community partners. Taneeka also has extensive volunteer experiences, including serving with AmeriCorps and participating on various work groups and committees with local nonprofits. She holds a Master's degrees in Public Health from the University of Maryland, College Park.