Cohort 8 Doctoral Bios

Professional/Personal Highlights

Judy Weiskopf knows that when a door of opportunity opens, she should walk through it. She began her teaching career as a substitute teacher in Killeen, Texas. After only a few months of subbing, she decided to return to school for her Elementary Education degree. While teaching elementary school, she was invited to become the first Campus Technologist at her school, teaching teachers to use computers. After completing her master’s degree in elementary science curriculum, Judy gifted herself a trip to the Galápagos Islands. Her tour leader recognized her passion for teaching and for the Galápagos. He invited her to design Galápagos trips for science teachers where she would also be the tour guide. Judy continued teaching while leading Galápagos tours during the summer for several years. After moving to Santa Monica, California, Judy took a job where she could focus on teaching only science to upper elementary students. Several years later, after returning to Maryland, it was an easy transition to teach middle school science. Judy teaches her students to stay positive, love learning, appreciate the outdoors, and stay curious.

Outside of school, Judy enjoys spending time with her husband, fly fishing, birding, and gardening. She also enjoys cooking, baking, crafting, and spending time with her cats.

Education

• Texas A & M, College Station, Texas, M.Ed., Curriculum & Instruction (Elementary Science), 1993
• University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, Texas, B.Ed., Elementary Education, 1983

Professional/Personal Highlights

Josyane Kengni, CRNP, PMH, is a board-certified nurse practitioner specializing in Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. Holding dual bachelor's degrees in computer information systems and nursing, as well as a master's degree in nursing, Josyane boasts a wealth of nursing experience across diverse healthcare settings. Her inclination towards leadership has been nurtured and refined throughout her journey, and marked by numerous roles and responsibilities she has undertaken. These roles span from Nurse Case Manager to Medical Director, and CEO of Kema Health Services.

Josyane exemplified remarkable leadership abilities, and she has also exhibited a commitment to community welfare. Since her relocation to Frederick in 2006, she has been an integral and active member of the local community. Josyane’ s active engagement in community initiatives and organizations has left a substantial impact, notably through her voluntary roles at St. Katharine Drexel church (SKD) and the African Faith Community (AFC) of SKD. In these capacities, her exceptional leadership abilities shine through as she collaborates with fellow community members, working towards shared objectives and fostering positive transformation.

Josyane’s commitment to mental health advocacy shows through her community and workplace efforts, as well as her promotion of policies prioritizing mental health support. Her tireless work ethic, genuine empathy, and unwavering dedication reflect her strong passion for creating positive impacts in others' lives. She's hardworking, compassionate, and persistent in her efforts to bring about positive changes for everyone.

Education

• MSN, Nursing, Walden University, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• B.S., Nursing, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, West Virginia
• B.S., Computer Information System, Strayer University, Takoma Park Campus

Professional/Personal Highlights

Jay Mason’s family has been a true inspiration for him to pursue a career in education, although he does not come from a family of primary or secondary educators. After completing his Master’s degree in 2011, Jay began to engage in the Frederick community. Jay’s Board member participation with organizations such as Eliminating Achievement Gaps, Boys and Girls Club, Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, and the Frederick County Board of Education have also been instrumental in his ambition to be an educator as a 2nd career. The pursuit of his goal came to fruition in 2022 and now Jay enters his second year as a 5th Grade teacher with Montgomery County Public Schools. His drive to be a mentor and leader of young minds will help continue the legacy of his many mentors. While being an educator, Jay also maintains a career as an Associate Broker with Frederick Land & Home. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, coaching football and playing golf.

Education

• MAT, Frostburg State University
• Regents Bachelor of Arts, Shepherd University

Professional/Personal Highlights

Kelly Wilkes’ passion for education began in her late twenties, as she was preparing her three young children to begin their own educational journeys in school. While pursuing her associates in business Kelly was encouraged by several of her professors to pursue employment and learning opportunities in business and management information systems because of her ability to quickly learn and assist others with new applications and systems. After finishing her AA degree, Kelly joined a marketing firm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Over the course of 10 years she worked her way up from receptionist to project manager, while also completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at MSMU. Kelly was responsible for several system implementation projects, including production-integrated ecommerce systems and various CSM tools. Kelly now works as a technical project manager at a pharmaceutical firm headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where she blends her passion for business organization with technology through systems enhancement projects, designed to meet a wide variety of business needs.

In her spare time Kelly tries to unplug from technology, where she can be found playing cards with friends, watching movies with her family, or rotating through a variety of crafts including crochet and stained glass.

Education

• MBA, Mount St. Mary’s University, 2023
• BS, Business Administration, Mount St. Mary’s University, 2019
• AA, Business Management - Business Information Systems, Harrisburg Area Community College, 2013

Professional/ Personal Highlights

Anna Schlossberg  is an experienced intermediate elementary school educator in Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS), Maryland, specializing in intermediate English Language Arts at Ballenger Creek Elementary School. Schlossberg has drawn on her academic background, including a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a psychology focus and a Master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis on Literacy from St. John’s University, New York City. She is also a member of the St. John’s University chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education.      With seven years of experience in a diverse educational setting, Schlossberg has worked extensively with underprivileged youth in special education and behavior management. Her commitment to multiculturalism and inclusivity is central to her teaching philosophy. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership at Hood College, where she is focusing on integrating her father’s renowned hostage negotiation techniques to support children in crisis. Her research aims to bridge educational and psychological practices to enhance student outcomes.

Education

• B.S. Ed. Childhood Education, St. John’s University, Queens, New York
• M.S. Ed. Special Education, St. John’s University, Queens, New York

Professional/Personal Highlights

Rebekah Collogan has always been interested in how things work. Growing up on a farm in the Midwest, there were numerous opportunities to learn about equipment and processes, so it was logical for her to pursue an engineering degree. In college, she completed projects and an internship at different manufacturing companies while earning her Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. This is where a passion for continuous improvement began. While working for a heavy equipment OEM, Rebekah gained skills and experience in project management and investment. She spent 10 years managing and supporting new product launches, capital investment, and lean manufacturing initiatives in plants all over North America. Rebekah is currently the Engineering Services Director at Phoenix Mecano where she is responsible for design, manufacturing, and quality engineering as well as building maintenance and facilities. With her team, Rebekah is implementing Industry 4.0 initiatives in the processes to improve productivity and drive competitive advantages for manufacturing businesses.

In her personal time, Rebekah enjoys time with family and friends traveling and cooking and eating good food. 

Education

• Hutchinson Community College, Associate of Arts, 2003
• Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering, 2006
• Master of Engineering, Professional Practice, 2014

Professional/Personal Highlights

Charmyra E. Fleming currently works as a Procurement Oversight Professional in Washington, D.C. Charmyra has a passion for inspiring others. Through her company, Creative Calfuray, LLC®. Established in 2018, to self-publish her first novella, The Violet Rose, she is also involved in supporting the efforts of diverse businesses and nonprofits.

Education

• Graduate Certificate in Business (Healthcare Business Leadership), Northeastern University, 2016
  MBA, High Point University, 2009
• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry-Business, High Point University, 2006
• Associate of Applied Science in Chemical Processing Technology, Guilford Technical Community College, 2001

Professional/Personal Highlights

Johnathan received his master's degree in educational leadership from Hood College (2022) and a bachelor's degree in music education from Catholic University of America (1999). Formerly the general/choral music teacher at Sherwood High School in Montgomery County, Maryland, he now serves as the Assistant School Administrator (ASA) at Wheaton High School. Johnathan co-supervises the Freshmen Class of 2027, as well as the Science and Visual & Performing Arts Departments at Wheaton. A decorated educator, Johnathan serves as a mentor to students, staff, and an advocate for families. As a member of the admin team at Wheaton, Johnathan is a member of the instructional leadership team and the winner of the Montgomery County Public Schools 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year award.

Education

• M.S., Educational Leadership, Hood College, 2022 
• B.M., Music Education, The Catholic University of America, 1999

Professional/Personal Highlights

Ms. Haynesworth’s educational journey started at Hood College where she received training in Biology and Biomedical Science (Molecular Biology and Regulatory Compliance). She started her professional career at Lonza, where she worked as a Research Associate providing scientific support to the endotoxin detection product line in a GMP environment. At Lonza, she served as a Project Manager for a project that resulted in releasing a new product to the marketplace. Subsequently, Ms. Haynesworth was employed by Meso Scale Diagnostics, LLC to conduct research and development of immunoassays. She worked on several research grants, for example, to design assay panels for Autoimmune Diseases, TB Surrogate Markers, and Biomarker-Based Biodosimetry. She was involved in a 510(k) clinical study, and in 2020, in assay development for COVID-19. Currently, Ms. Haynesworth works as a Supervisor for the COVID-19 Serology Laboratory at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, where she leads development, validation, and standardization of serology assays, reagents, and procedures to enable the comparison of different studies evaluating immune responses induced by vaccines, as part of the National Cancer Institute’s Serological Sciences Network (SeroNet) initiative. Ms. Haynesworth is affiliated with the Project Management Institute and is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP).

Education

• University of Maryland Global Campus, M.S., Biotechnology: Concentration in Bioinformatics, 2019
• Hood College, M.S., Biomedical Science: Concentration in Biotechnology/Molecular Biology and Concentration in Regulatory Compliance, 2015
• Hood College, B.A., Biology, 2007

Professional/Personal Highlights

Kellie Marz Mele started her career as an educator with Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) for 10 years, where she taught K-12 classroom art. She then shifted careers to become the Museum Literacy Coordinator for seven years. In this role she served as a liaison between WCPS and Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (WCMFA). During this time, she had a dual role at WCMFA as the Educational Engagement Coordinator, designing curriculum to meet classroom goals using the museum’s collection and exhibitions. Marz Mele started a business at this time as well and illustrated an educational children’s book in collaboration with the Washington County Watershed, Marew’s Stormwater Adventure, which was published and is used in elementary science curriculum regionally. Kellie Marz Mele is currently the Director of Education at Washington County Museum of Fine Arts. Marz Mele focuses on creating an inclusive atmosphere in museum spaces and programs through collaborations in the community. Driven by the deep passion and belief that Everyone deserves access to art museum education, she develops programming to enrich the lives of the entire community, helping people connect to art through exploration and experiences.

Education

• Kutztown University, B.S. Art Education, 2004
• Grand Canyon University, M.S. Curriculum and Instruction, Reading with an Emphasis in Elementary Education, 2013

Professional/Personal Highlights

Thurmond Maynard drew an interest in law enforcement while participating in ride along programs and interacting with local law enforcement agencies while in high school. As a youth, Thurmond was an avid boy scout, enjoying the outdoors and completing service projects within his community. Today, Thurmond serves as the Director & Chief of Campus Safety at Hood College, leading a diverse security team which provides a safe atmosphere conducive to the growth and development of college students. Thurmond has over twenty years of experience in college law enforcement, working as a special police officer at Catholic University of America and Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C. prior to his role at Hood. While working at Catholic University, Thurmond was awarded the, “Most Outstanding New Officer Award,” in 2003, being the youngest officer to ever achieve this goal. Thurmond has received several written commendations for providing outstanding service and leadership to the campus’ he’s served.

In his spare time, Thurmond enjoys fishing, hiking, and weight lifting. Thurmond also volunteers with the boy scout troop he grew up with and promotes community service projects, learning life skills, and developing great character.

Education

• M.S., Organizational Development, Trinity Washington University
• B.S., Criminal Justice, University of Maryland Eastern Shore