My decision to move to Howard County revolved around two key things, the outstanding public schools and the county’s diversity. I’ve now been a resident of Ellicott City for ten years. I moved to the county when my son, the eldest of two children, was about to enter middle school. We wanted our children to be educated in a public school system that placed a high value on excellence and achievement.
Now, having lived or worked in four other counties in Maryland — Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Harford, and Prince Georges, Howard County is definitely my favorite, and most importantly, I recognize the need for citizen involvement to keep it that way.
After a long hiatus, I re-launched my public service work about six years ago, serving as Communications Director for Mt. Hebron Parents of African American Students while my children were in high school and as Council Coordinator for the Howard County Council of MoveOn during 2009/10. Last year I also became active in the Columbia (MD) Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. a public service sorority where much of my work is focused around community health initiatives. I’ve also begun advocating for the use of Trauma Informed Care and ACES wherever I can, as I see this as real/proven way to reduce health care cost and improve outcomes.
I believe in and support HCCA’s mission. Since becoming involved with the group I have taken on responsibility for maintaining the HCCA website and have testified for initiatives that resonated with me. I really feel that HCCA can provide county residents with an organization that can provide a stronger voice and bigger numbers in support of their concerns. I think this is critical in order to sustain the type of values that propelled Howard County it to its place as one of the best places to live in the country.
My educational background includes a B.S in Chemical Engineering and M.B.A from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. I’ve worked in Corporate Marketing, and specifically, Brand Management. Additionally, I’ve worked in several industries including Industrial Gases, Pharmaceuticals, Energy, Home Improvement, and Telecommunications. I launched my own marketing business, Asage Marketing, in 2009, specializing in Marketing Strategy, Online Marketing, and New Idea Generation.