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Jawando Names Policy Committee Members; Transition Team Includes Over 150 Volunteers

Jawando Names Policy Committee Members; Transition Team Includes Over 150 Volunteers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 12, 2026
Media contact: David Kunes, Transition Director, 240-350-5104

Eleven committees will help shape the 100-Day Action Plan due Dec. 8

ROCKVILLE, Md. (Nov. 12, 2026) – County Executive-elect Will Jawando today named the members of the 11 policy committees of Our Moment Montgomery, his transition into office. More than 150 residents are now volunteering on the transition team, counting the committee members, the 22 co-chairs named Nov. 4, the Steering Committee and the outreach team.

The members reflect Montgomery County’s diversity in age, background, faith and profession. They are parents and students, faith leaders, small business owners, union members, educators, health care providers and advocates. Every committee includes a youth representative.

“Montgomery County’s greatest strength is its people, and these committees look like the county we love,” said Jawando. “There’s a young person at every table, next to faith leaders, union members, small business owners, teachers and advocates. I asked them to tell us the truth and help us build a government that works for everyone. I’m grateful to every one of them for saying yes.”

The committees held their kickoff on Nov. 11. Each will recommend priorities for Jawando’s first 100 days and beyond. Jawando takes the oath of office on Monday, Dec. 7, and will release the 100-Day Action Plan on Dec. 8, his first full day in office.

The committees report to the Transition Steering Committee: Karine Jean-Pierre, Yaminah Leggett-Wells, Kathleen Matthews, Hon. Kristin Mink, Hon. Nancy Navarro, Hon. Jeffrey Slavin, Rev. Tim Warner and Shalanda Young.

The full list of co-chairs and members is below and at willjawando.com/transition/committees. More members will be announced as they are confirmed. Residents can follow the committees’ work and sign up for community workshops at willjawando.com/ourmoment.

About Our Moment Montgomery
Our Moment Montgomery is the transition of County Executive-elect Will Jawando. It brings residents, community organizations and the incoming Jawando administration together to help shape the county’s future. Learn more at willjawando.com/ourmoment.

Addendum: Policy Committee Co-Chairs and Members

Our Moment Montgomery, as of Nov. 12, 2026

Early Care, Youth & Education

Co-chairs: Hon. Nancy Navarro, Former Montgomery County Councilmember and Former Montgomery County Board of Education Member; Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus on Children

Members:

  • Dr. Sheryl Brissett Chapman, Retired Executive Director, National Center for Children and Families (NCCF)
  • Leul Dawit, Student Member of the Board of Education, Montgomery County Public Schools
  • Rossana Espinoza-Thorndahl
  • Joseph Hooks, Founder & Director of 480 Club
  • Brigid Nuta Howe, President, MCCPTA
  • Mecha Inman, Chief Executive Officer, CollegeTracks
  • Pia Morrison, President, SEIU Local 500
  • Kimberly Rusnak, Executive Director, Children’s Opportunity Alliance
  • Danillya Wilson, Vice President, Montgomery County Education Association
  • Lesley Younge

Housing & Land Use

Co-chairs: Hon. Rohit Khanna, Mayor, Town of Somerset; Cheryl Gannon, President, Montgomery County Civic Federation

Members:

  • Melissa Bondi, Mid-Atlantic Senior Director, Enterprise Community Partners
  • Hon. Cherri Branson
  • Russell Brazil, GCAAR President
  • Tonia M. Chestnut, President, Progressive Maryland’s Enclave Tenant Association
  • Brayan Diaz
  • Tope Fajingbesi, Co-Owner, Dodo Farms LLC
  • Amanda Farber
  • Tino Fragale, Organizing Director, Everyday Canvassing
  • Debbie Heller, Council President, Town of Somerset
  • Kush Kharod, Community Organizer, Housing Justice Montgomery
  • Lamar Mutts, Council Representative, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
  • Sarah Reddinger, VP Housing & Community Strategies, Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland
  • Robin Salomon, HOC Commissioner
  • Hon. Tracy Terrell, President, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Theta Omega Omega Chapter
  • Rev. Timothy B. Warner, Heritage Emory Grove Community Development Corporation

Transportation & Infrastructure

Co-chairs: Shawn Eum, Chief of Staff, Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration; Board Member, CAPAD; Ken O’Connell, President, O’Connell & Lawrence

Members:

  • E. Felicia Brannon, MPA, President, The Brannon GRP
  • Hon. Al Carr, Former Maryland State Delegate
  • Kristy Daphnis
  • Scott Darling
  • Sourish Dey
  • Jake M. Goodman, Board Member, Action Committee for Transit
  • Noam Kovacs
  • Michael Larkin, Vice President, Action Committee for Transit
  • Derrick Nabors, Heavy Overhaul Collision Mechanic
  • Katherine Roboff

Environment & Energy

Co-chairs: Wendy Howard, Executive Director, One Montgomery Green; David Blockstein, Member, Takoma Park Mobilization

Members:

  • Augustus Aja-Onu, CEO Y.E.G Contractors LLC
  • Allyson Black-Woodson
  • Dr. Truphena Choti, CEO, AfriThrive
  • Rob Edwards, Managing Director, Hamilton Clark Sustainable Capital
  • Tom Hoffmann
  • Jayne Park
  • Sundjata Suma, Community Advocate, Climate Justice Co-creation Initiative Fellow
  • Mike Tidwell, Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network
  • Kevin Walton, Member, Climate Coalition Montgomery County
  • Dr. Sacoby Wilson, Professor and Director, THE EJ lab and CEEJH INC

A Government That Works for All

Co-chairs: Michelle Whittaker, Executive Director, Ranked Choice Voting Maryland; Communications Director, Rank the Vote; Jheanelle Wilkins, Chair, House Ways and Means Committee, Maryland House of Delegates

Members:

  • Samir Ahmed
  • Joanne Antoine, Executive Director, Common Cause MD
  • Rachael Evans, Chair, Friends of White Oak
  • Stephanie Gawlinski, Political Action and Legislative Support Committee Chair, Montgomery County Education Association
  • Vidal Hines
  • Francine Kerner Klein, Chair, Friendship Heights Village Council
  • Huixing (Kate) Lu, Director, CCACC Health Center
  • Hon. Pamela Luckett, Chair, Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee
  • Nagender Madavaram, CEO, ACCIS
  • Rev. Kendra Smith, Kingdom Fellowship AME Church

Economic Opportunity

Co-chairs: Kim Jones, Executive Director, Montgomery County Black Collective; Jerry T. Sanford, Managing Director, The Harbor Bank of Maryland

Members:

  • Raymond E Bell, Founder and CEO HOPE Project
  • Pablo Blank, Director, Immigrant Integration, We Are CASA
  • Steve Boden, Executive Director, Automotive, Construction and IT Foundations
  • Travis Cutler, Vice President of US Public Policy, Marriott International
  • Samuel Epps, President, Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO
  • Angela Franco, President & CEO, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
  • Avi Halpert, Vice President, United Therapeutics
  • Jennifer Hsin, Board Chair, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation
  • Victoria Leonard, Consultant, Baltimore-DC Building Trades
  • Stanley Martin, President, O’Connell & Lawrence, Inc.
  • Jerrod Moton, CEO of Goldman Edwards
  • Dr. Ike Ogbuebile, Chief Executive Officer Encase Consulting
  • Christian Oliva
  • Jim Soltesz, President & CEO, Soltesz
  • Hon. Herman Taylor, President, MBEC
  • Bill Tompkins, President WiGiT LLC

Health & Human Services

Co-chairs: Ann Mazur, Chief Executive Officer, EveryMind; Hillery Tsumba, Chief Operating Officer, Primary Care Coalition

Members:

  • Korey Anthony Chisholm, Co-Lead DMV Area, Brothers In Public Health (BiPH) & Renewed SDA Church
  • Leidi Garcia, Director of Health and Human Services We Are CASA
  • Dr. Pat Grant
  • Dr. Ebony Grey, Chair, Interagency Commission on Homelessness
  • Kelli-Dominique Hudson
  • Chris Leacock, The Arc Montgomery County - Government Affairs Specialist
  • Yvette D. Monroe
  • Brenna Olson, Advocacy Manager, Shepherd’s Table
  • Topher Spiro, Former Associate Director, White House Office of Management and Budget
  • Jani Tillery
  • Elizabeth Ucheya, Renoxx Caregivers, Inc.
  • Jenna Umbriac, VP of Programs, Manna Food Center

Immigration

Co-chairs: Azeb Ataro Adere, President, Ethiopian Eritrean Special Needs Community (EESNC); Chair, African Communities Coalition; Alex Vazquez, Maryland Organizing Director, We Are CASA

Members:

  • Fatmata Barrie, Attorney and Founder, Barrie Legal
  • Juanita Cabrera Lopez, Indigenous, Maya Mam Nation
  • Luz Chavez-Gonzales, Founder, Montgomery County Immigrant Rights Collective
  • Jody Gil, High School Director, MCEA
  • Fresia Guzman, Program Director at Identity
  • Jaime Tackett Koppel, Lead, MoCo Immigrant Rights Collective (IRC) | Blair Unida
  • Grace Kurland Mann
  • Jariane Martinez Mapp, President, Student FAIR (Fans of Asylum and Immigration Reform)
  • Devang Shah, Managing Attorney, Devang Shah Immigration Law Group LLC
  • Ariel Woods, Organizer, MoCo Immigrant Rights Collective

Public Safety

Co-chairs: Cynthia “Cindy” Coe, Chief Executive Officer, Cynthia Coe Advising; Antonio B. DeVaul, Chief of Police, City of Takoma Park Police Department

Members:

  • Jeffrey Buddle, President, IAFF Local 1664
  • Paul DelPonte, Executive Director & CEO, National Crime Prevention Council
  • Lesly Diaz
  • Eddie Ellis
  • Ike Ezunagu
  • Russell Hartung, President, Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association
  • Christy E. Lopez, Professor from Practice, Georgetown Law
  • Sadiq Muhammad
  • Dorien Rogers
  • Joanna Silver, Public Defender and Community Organizer
  • Arif Wali, International Sports Org, Founder
  • Isabella Wise
  • Stephanie Wolf, Director of Immigration Services, MD Office of the Public Defender

Fiscal Responsibility & Fairness

Co-chairs: Benjamin Orr, Executive Director, Maryland Center for Economic Policy; Hon. Will Roberts, Senior Vice President, Rights and Justice, Center for American Progress

Members:

  • Hon. Saman Ahmad, General Counsel, Emgage Foundation
  • Hon. Arthur Edmunds, Member, Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee
  • Pamela Hubbard, MS, MBA, CIA
  • Ottis Johnson Jr., National Vice President, AFGE District 14
  • Hon. Jim Michaels, Attorney (retired, Federal Reserve Board)
  • Bailey Reed, Senior Political Science Student at Howard University
  • Travis B Simon, Executive Director, SEIU 500
  • Max Socol, Director of Campaigns, Progressive Maryland
  • Nancy Soreng, Action Chair, League of Women Voters of Maryland
  • David Stein, President, MCEA
  • Yoseph Zerihun

Civil Rights, Culture & Belonging

Co-chairs: Rabbi Scott Perlo, Rabbi, Adat Shalom; Tasnuva Khan, Montgomery County Muslim Council

Members:

  • Minister Daniel Bailey, Black Ministers Conference of Montgomery County
  • Hon. Mumin A. Barre
  • Lee Blinder, Executive Director, Trans Maryland
  • Dr. Troy Boddy, Co-director of the Sandy Spring Slave Museum and African Art Gallery
  • Marc Brenman
  • Suzan Jenkins, CEO, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County
  • Shana Khader
  • John Landesman, Strategic Dialogue Group
  • Seth Morgan
  • Laura Wallace, Montgomery County Director, Jews United for Justice
  • Ella Wan

Outreach

The outreach leads take Our Moment Montgomery into neighborhoods across the county. Leads: Hon. Izola Shaw; Fatmata Barrie; Josie Caballero