GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION for the
WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA
presents the
Second Annual
Q UA R T E R LY C O N F E R E N C E
Washington Marriott at Metro Center
March 22, 2016
GIFTS IN KIND DONATED BY:
WELCOME!
THIS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER MEETING! The WMA-GFOA Women’s
Forum is an exclusive opportunity to personally interact with more than 200
of your peers in the fields of government and finance. Exposure to new ideas and approaches, best practice management of everyday issues and
learning from observing the best and the brightest is an excellent and abundant return on your investment.
Today, you will enjoy a panel of diverse c-suite executives as they discuss
their personal career paths and the critical choices they made that helped
them get where they are. They’ll discuss lateral career moves, “time outs”,
the importance of sponsors and mentors, and “roads not taken”. You’ll hear
the personal stories of these career “innovators” far-from-standard leadership journeys.
I encourage you to take notes, collaborate, and simply enjoy being in the
room!
Kindest Regards,
Mohamed A. Mohamed
President, GFOA-WMA
The GFOA-WMA Board of Directors would like to thank all
the women in government and public service for their dedication and contributions to the communities they serve.
Thank you for your footprint in our history!
Thank You to Our 2016 Annual Partners
The support of our Partners allow the GFOA-WMA to provide our
members and associates with continued quality education and networking opportunities.
2016 PROGRAM AGENDA
10:30 AM Opening Remarks
Mohamed A. Mohamed, GFOA-WMA President
10:45 AM Open Forum I: Economic Empowerment: Diversity + Inclusion
Moderator: Yvette Downs, CFO, WSSC
PLATINUM
Panel: Melinda Bolling, Marva Jo Camp, Esq., Marcia J. Griffin,
Ana Recio Harvey, Karen Hawkins, and Lily Qi.
11:30 AM Morning Keynote: Women and the Power of Negotiation
Barbara Lang, President + CEO, Lang Strategies, LLC
12:00 PM Luncheon
1:00 PM Open Forum II: : Flashback, Dream Forward
Moderator: LaKendra McNair, AVP, M&T Bank
Panel: Melinda Bolling, Marva Jo Camp, Esq., Marcia J. Griffin,
Karen Hawkins, Lily Qi, Carla Reid, and Tonia Wellons
2:00 PM
DIAMOND
Break
2:15 PM Afternoon Keynote: The Journey to Leadership
Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, Dir., Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
3:00 PM
Open Forum III: Embracing Our Civic Duty
Speaker: The Honorable Rushern L Baker, III,
Prince George’s County Executive
Moderator: LaKendra McNair, AVP, M&T Bank
Panel: Marva Jo Camp, Esq., Karen Hawkins, Lily Qi, LaVonn Reedy Thomas,
and Tonia Wellons
4:00 PM
Remarks and Acknowledgements
Mohamed A. Mohamed, GFOA-WMA President
MODERATORS
YVETTE DOWNS, CFO, Washington Suburban Sanitary Com.
GFOA-WMA Board Member
LAKENDRA MCNAIR, Assistant VP, M&T Bank
GFOA-WMA Board Member
In honor of National Women's History Month
SPEAKERS
THE HONORABLE RUSHERN BAKER, III, County Executive
Prince George's County, MD
Rushern L. Baker, III is the seventh County Executive of
Prince George’s County, the highest income African-American
majority county in America and the second largest jurisdiction
by population in the State of Maryland.
Baker has raised the profile of Prince George’s County in the Washington, D.C.
Metropolitan region through the implementation of innovative programs designed to improve the quality of life for residents. Programs such as The Economic Development Incentive Fund (EDIF), an unprecedented $50 million fund
designed to stimulate business growth in the County, and his advocacy initiatives to address the healthcare disparities throughout the region. He has ensured that the schools receive adequate funding and resources, resulting in
rising test scores and a significant reduction in overall crime.
Baker was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 22B (1994 – 2003). There, he earned a reputation of being a consensus builder,
an honest professional, and a tough, well-respected leader. He has received
numerous awards and honors to include the National Forum for Black Public
Administrators’ National Leadership Award for Public Service and 2012 Most
Innovative Executive of the Year for Minority Business from the Maryland/
Washington Minority Contractors Association.
Baker earned his Bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctorate from Howard University.
He and his wife, Christa, live in Prince George’s County, with their three children.
(March), GFOA WMA's quarterly conference,
Recognizing Women in Government and Public Service,
highlights women in the Washington Metropolitan
Area for their unwavering dedication and commitment to Government and Public Service!
Each year, we anxiously look forward to our participants sharing their journey, milestones, and accomplishments in their respective areas. In an open forum setting, participants and attendees engage in
discussions on life skills and learnings, leadership,
mentoring, emotional intelligence, and professional
development.
MELINDA M. BOLLING, Director for the DC Department of
Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (“DCRA”)
UPCOMING GFOA-WMA CONFERENCES
Quarterly Meeting, June 2016
Date + Location TBD
Quarterly Meeting, September 15, 2016
Washington Marriott at Metro Center
Annual Conference, November 16, 2016
Washington Marriott at Metro Center
w w w. g fo a - w m a . o r g
Ms. Bolling was confirmed as Director for the “DCRA” in July
2015. The agency is charged with protecting the health, safety,
economic interests and quality of life of District of Columbia
residents, businesses and visitors by issuing licenses and permits, conducting inspections, enforcing building, housing and
safety codes, and regulating land use and development.
Previously, Ms. Bolling served as DCRA’s General Counsel where she managed
the agency’s legal staff in both prosecutorial and defensive litigation before administrative and judicial forums in the District of Columbia.
Melinda earned her bachelors degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology
and her law degree from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of
Law. She resides in Ward 7 with her husband and two children.
MARVA JO CAMP, Attorney, Marva Jo Camp & Associates
Marca Jo Camp specializes in governmental relations,
real estate transactions and land use, not-for-profit governance, small, minority and women-owned business,
governmental agencies and trade associations. Her
work includes serving as counsel for several large mixed
-use developments, counsel for the Citizens Complain
Oversight Panel, Tax and Staff Counsel for the United States Congress,
member of a Presidential Transition team, Consultant to the African Development Bank, and Director of Government and Community Outreach for
Bowie State University. Marva Jo has also represented Prince George’s
County Council and served as Of Counsel for a national law firm specializing
in housing.
Marva Jo is the recipient of numerous awards, recognizing her leadership
drive and contributions to her community. She earned her bachelors degree in Government and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and
her Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law. Marva
Jo’s memberships include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The Links, Inc.,
Jack & Jill of Prince George’s County, the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association, the National Association of Health Services Executives, the Maryland
State Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, and the
Supreme Court Bar.
DR. JOHNNETTA B. COLE, Director of the Smithsonian
National Museum of African Art
Dr. Johnnetta Cole was appointed the Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) in March,
2009, hosting a collection of over 12,000 objects from nearly region and country on the continent of Africa. Before assuming her current position Dr. Cole had a long and distinguished career as an educator and humanitarian. She served as president of
Spelman College and Bennett College for Women, and is the only person to
have served as president of these two historically Black colleges for women
in the United States. Through her work as a college president, university professor, her published works, speeches, community service, consultations with
corporations and not-for-profit organizations, she consistently addresses racial, gender, and all other forms of inequality.
Dr. Cole has been awarded 68 honorary degrees and she is the recipient of
numerous awards. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College
and her Master’s and Doctorate in anthropology from Northwestern University
with a focus on African Studies. She is married to James D. Staton Dr. and
has three sons, one step-son, three grandchildren, and is a mentor to countless young women and men.
MARCIA GRIFFIN, Founder and President HomeFree-USA
Marcia Griffin is on a mission to strengthen people, elevate partners, and enhance communities across America. As founder and
president of HomeFree-USA, Marcia has helped thousands to
achieve and retain the dream of homeownership and greater
wealth. Nationally recognized as a homeownership expert, Marcia serves as an advisor to 300 black faith-based leaders in a
financial empowerment movement designed to improve the financial stature of
50,000 church members across the country.
Marcia is a member of the Freddie Mac Affordable Housing Advisory Committee,
the Ocwen Financial Community Advisory Council, the America’s Home- owner
Alliance Advisory Board, and the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation Steering Committee.
Marcia is the recipient of numerous awards, recognizing her efforts to increase
homeownership and personal financial stewardship.
2016-17 GFOA-WMA Executive Board Members
PRESIDENT
Mohamed A. Mohamed, District of Columbia Government
VICE PRESIDENT
Jeffrey Barnette, District of Columbia Government
SECRETARY
Paul Lundquist, District of Columbia Government
TREASURER
Wilma Matthias, District of Columbia Government
PAST PRESIDENT
Cyril Byron, District of Columbia Government
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Belete Sitota, District of Columbia Government
AT - LARGE MEMBERS
Ed Bianchi, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Rhonda Cheatham, District of Columbia Government
Yvette Downs, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
Paul Geraty, KPMG, LLP
John Henry, District of Columbia Government
Uzma Malik-Dorman, SB & Company, LLC
LaKendra McNair, LSM & Associates, LLC
Heather Ness, KPMG, LLP
Marshelle Richardson, District of Columbia Government
Dave Ryder, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
TONIA WELLONS, Head of Global Partnerships, Peace Corps
KAREN HAWKINS, CEO, Dept. of Finance for Montgomery
County, MD
As the Head of Global Partnerships for the Peace Corp, Tonia
Wellons is responsible for leading the agency’s partnerships
with government, the private sector, and international NGO’s.
She expertly facilitates strategic opportunities that advance
the Peace Corps’ mission and the role of volunteerism as a
tool for development.
Karen Hawkins lead the development and implementation of
fiscal policy and operations. Prior to holding this position, Ms.
Hawkins was the Controller for Montgomery County for twelve
years.
With 18 years of development experience, Wellons has led USAID-funded initiatives in the immediate post-apartheid era in South Africa and established
‘south-south’ partnerships in neighboring Zimbabwe, Zambia and Swaziland.
She has sphere headed countless Youth Employment, Leadership, Talent Development, and Social Entrepreneurship initiatives for a broad range of US
communities and continues to serve as advisor on youth leadership and civic
engagement programs locally in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Wellons earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from North Carolina
A&T State University and her Master’s Degree in Public Administration and
International Development Policy from the University of Delaware.
Prior to joining Montgomery County in 1995, Ms. Hawkins was a senior manager in
KPMG Peat Marwick’s Washington, DC, audit practice, where her client base was
primarily government, not-for-profit, and real estate. She also worked in the area of
performance improvement for not-for-profits. She is a member of the Board of Visitors, Bolte School of Business at Mount Saint Mary’s University, the Association of
Government Accountants, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA),
the Maryland GFOA (MDGFOA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPA’s), and the Maryland Association of CPA’s.
A speaker and trainer, Ms. Hawkins is the recipient of numerous awards, recognizing her rich contributions tin public finance. Ms. Hawkins graduated summa cum
laude from Mount Saint Mary’s College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and
a Minor in Business and Finance.
∫
To Our Speakers
BARBARA B. LANG, President and CEO of Lang Strategies, LLC
As President and CEO of Lang Strategies, LLC, Barbara Lang provides operational oversight of each of the boutique firm’s practice areas: Crisis Management, Business Development, Political
Strategy Management, Executive Leadership and Business Tactical Planning, Assessment and Problem Solving, while managing
the overall brand of the company.
Prior to Lang Strategies, she served as President and CEO of the DC Chamber of
Commerce for 12 years. Advancing the Chamber’s interests through advocacy,
education, information and business development, Ms. Lang transformed the
organization into the most powerful and respected business group in the region.
For sharing your time and career experiences.
Ms. Lang was awarded an honorary doctorate and is the recipient of numerous
awards. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Edward Waters College, a Juris Doctorate from Trinity University, and graduate studies at Harvard
University. Ms. Lang and her husband, Gerald, live in Washington DC.
LILY QI , Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for Economic and
Workforce Development, Montgomery County.
LAVONN REEDY THOMAS, Community Affairs Manager
Prince George’s County, Md.
Ms. Qi was appointed to her current post by County Executive
Ike Leggett, and has led priority initiatives to include privatizing
economic development functions, establishing an innovation
partnership to advance biomedical research commercialization,
developing strategic partnerships with China, improving
nighttime economy, and advancing government cultural competency in serving its
increasingly diverse and multilingual populations.
LaVonn Reedy Thomas is responsible for producing the annual Women’s History Month Luncheon, the Community
Partnership Grant, and the Transforming Neighborhoods
Initiative on behalf of the County. Additionally, she works
with faith-based, non-profit and philanthropic organizations,
and civic leaders to address concerns and support their initiatives.
Prior to joining Montgomery County, Lily served as Vice President of Business Development and Marketing for the Washington, DC Economic Partnership and as
the spokesperson for the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking.
An immigrant from Shanghai, China, Lily is also a writer, speaker and trainer on
immigrant integration and Asian American issues. She was featured in the Washington Business Journal, Bethesda Magazine, China Daily, and Asian Fortune for
her professional accomplishments and community leadership, which includes
serving as immediate past chair of the Maryland Governor’s Commission on
Asian American Affairs.
ANA RECIO HARVEY, Director, Dept. of Small and Local
Business Development , District of Columbia Government
Prior to her appointment to the Department of Small and
Local Business Development, Ana Recio Harvey founded the
HarveyHudson Group, a bank advisory group comprised of
national experts in the areas of financial compliance, community reinvestment, community engagement and CSR. In 2009, President
Barack Obama appointed her as the Assistant Administrator for Office of Women’s Business Ownership, under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
There, she managed a $50 million budget and directed the agency’s efforts to
increase access to credit and capital to women business owners. As the President and CEO of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,
(2007), her leadership and direction increased access to capital and federal and
local contracts for its membership.
Among her many accomplishments and civic engagements, Recio Harvey has
served on the White House Business Council, the White House Council on Women and Girls, and the APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy
(PPWE) and APEC Gender Focal Point Network (GFPN).
LaVonn is passionate about women’s empowerment and advocacy, which is
evident through her participation in the community and her volunteer work
with several church ministries.
In 2013, she was named among “125 Who’s Who in Prince George’s” in Prince
George’s Suite Magazine. LaVonn earned her Bachelors degree in journalism
from the University of Maryland College Park, and is a graduate of Leadership
Prince George’s Class 26.
CARLA REID, General Manager, Chief Executive Officer
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
Carla Reid is the 12th General Manager and the first woman
to serve in this capacity in the Commission's 97-year history.
Reid began her 20-year career at WSSC in 1986. Prior to rejoining the Commission in January 2016, Reid worked for
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett as the Director of the Department
of Permitting Service. In 2011, she served as Dep. Chief Administrative Officer
for Economic Development and Public Infrastructure under newly elected Prince
George's County Executive Rushem L. Baker'. In this position, she led all operations related to economic development including permitting, transportation,
environmental matters and tourism.
Reid serves on several boards to include DC Water, Melwood, Montgomery Alliance, the Prince George's County Revenue Authority and Arts on the Block. To
honor her stellar seven-year tenure as an adjunct professor, The University of
the District, of Columbia established an award in her name .
Reid earned a bachelors degree in Civil Engineering from Howard University and
her master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland,
University College.