MDDA Board

Jacquelyn Schingeck
President    
Century Engineering


Jacquelyn Schingeck is serving her second year as the President of MDDA.  She is a principal in the firm of Century Engineering, Inc. which provides multi-discipline engineering including surveying, civil/land development, master planning, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, geotechnical, traffic, and transportation engineering.  Having spent most of her career in the Architectural/Engineering industry, Ms. Schingeck feels strongly about preserving Maryland’s downtowns and the historic buildings that are a big part of our heritage.

 

Andrea Van Arsdale    
Vice President    
Baltimore County Economic Development


Van Arsdale has worked in County government since 1989, beginning as a Master Plan Coordinator in the Office of Planning and most recently as the Director of Commercial Revitalization in the Department of Economic Development. She facilitated a wide range of redevelopment projects and administered comprehensive programs such as Architect-on-Call and the Commercial Revitalization Tax Credit initiatives. One of the highlights of Andrea's career was her role as the project manager for the redevelopment of the 63-acre Riverdale Apartment complex in Essex.  She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Natural Resource Management from Rutgers University and holds a Master of City and Regional Planning Degree from Ohio State University.
Glenda Sanders
Treasurer    
Sanders Designs - Architects & Planners


Glenda G. Sanders, began her Architectural firm, Sanders Designs, with her husband Tim in 1989. The firm specializes in community development projects as well as Senior Living Facilities, Educational and Commercial Projects. She is a graduate of Towson University with a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.S. in Public Relations. Prior to beginning her firm she was the Baltimore Sales Manager for Automatic Data Processing.
Meghan Simmons    
Secretary    
City of Havre de Grace


Meghan Simmons has served as the Manager of Economic Development for the City of Havre de Grace, Maryland since 2008.  With a Bachelor of Arts in Public and Urban Affairs from Virginia Tech, Meghan previously worked in the Department of Planning for the City of Aberdeen. Economic Development in Havre de Grace ranges from historic preservation of the Downtown Main Street District to competitive tools for job creation in the Havre de Grace Industrial Park. 
Richard Griffin    
MDDA Past President    
City of Frederick


Mr. Griffin is the director of Economic Development for the City of Frederick, Maryland, a position he has held since 2002.  An accomplished urban planner and economic developer with 21 years of professional planning and economic development experience, he has worked at the city, county, and regional level –as the executive director of the Downtown Frederick Partnership, Program Manager of Comprehensive Planning for Loudoun County, Virginia,  Regional Planner for the Appalachian Council of Governments, and on the staff of US Representative James McClure Clarke (11th NC).  Mr. Griffin also served in the US Army Cavalry in Fulda, Germany and as an Armor Officer in the North Carolina Army National Guard.  Mr. Griffin holds degrees from Western Carolina University and Clemson University.  He serves on the Board of Directors of the Downtown Frederick Partnership, the Maryland Downtown Development Association, the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc., the Frederick County Workforce Development Board and the Fort Detrick Alliance.  Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, he and his wife Lynne and three sons live in historic downtown Frederick.
Sharon Disque    
Board Member & Chair of Professional Services Committee    
Hagerstown Neighborhood Development Partnership


Sharon Disque is Executive Director of the Hagerstown Neighborhood Development Partnership (HNDP), a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the revitalization of historic Downtown Hagerstown, Maryland. She has more than 20 years of experience in economic development, including business park development, real estate sales and leasing, corporate site selection, community strategic planning, marketing and market analysis, and downtown redevelopment. Before joining HNDP, Sharon provided consulting services for clients in Maryland and West Virginia, was Regional Director of Industrial Development for CSX Transportation, and began her career with the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission. Sharon earned a Master’s in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor’s in Economics from the University of Virginia.
Erwin Mack    
Board Member    
Takoma Langley Crossroads Development Authority


Mr. Mack serves as Executive Director of the Takoma/Langley Crossroads Development Authority, Inc., an organization which he founded in 1985.  Mr. Mack also serves as Chairman of the Montgomery County Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee.
Michael Day    
Board Member
Town of Berlin


Director of Community & Economic Development for the Town of Berlin.
Main Street manager and coordinator of the Berlin Art & Entertainment District
Member of the Maryland Economic Development Association and Board Member of the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council.

Jerry Sanford    
Board Member    
Maryland DBED


Jerry Sanford has over 20 years of experience in community development, real estate, project management and economic development at the local, county and state levels.  Jerry joined the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) in August 2008 and serves as the Business Recruitment and Location Services Manager. Mr. Sanford directs a business unit of recruitment and project management staff who market Maryland’s strategic advantages as well as provide site location assistance.

 

Kara Norman    
Board Member    
Downtown Frederick Partnership


Kara has served as the Executive Director of Downtown Frederick Partnership since October 2002.  The Partnership is a nonprofit organization that works to enhance, promote and preserve the vitality of Downtown Frederick.  The organization implements the Main Street Program, a downtown development framework developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that is creating success in over 1,000 cities across the US.

Prior to joining the Partnership, Kara spent 5 years in San Antonio working as a neighborhood planner and a special projects coordinator.  Kara also has worked in North Carolina, Iowa and Missouri.  She has a bachelors from Iowa State University and a masters in planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Kara has more than 17 years of experience in the planning field and has worked for nonprofits, government agencies and consultants.
Jim Chandler    
Board Member & Membership Chair    
City of Hyattsville


Jim Chandler is a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) specializing in the management of local urban revitalization, community and economic development efforts including capital improvement projects and programs with Federal, State and local funding.  In 2007, Mr. Chandler joined the City of Hyattsville as Community Development Manager directing the City’s grant and capital projects management, development review, GIS operations and economic development projects.
 

Roylene Roberts    
Board Member & Events Chair    
Montgomery County Department of Housing & Community Affairs

 

 

Connie Margison    
Board Member    
Town of Oakland

Glenn Irwin    
Board Member    
Ocean City Development Corporation


Glenn Irwin has been Executive Director of the Ocean City Development Corporation since 2000.  The OCDC is a nonprofit organization charged with revitalization efforts in downtown Ocean City.  Prior to the OCDC, Glenn worked in redevelopment and affordable housing in South Florida for 15 years.

 

 

Ruth Davis-Rodgers    
Board Member    
Gaithersburg


Ruth Davis - Rogers came to Maryland after twenty years work experience in the fields of architecture, design, construction and development. Born in Wichita, KS. Ruth was raised in a historic home located in a district with other architecturally significant buildings. The history Ruth lived in and around greatly influenced, and instilled in her, a lifelong passion for history and architecture. Later after attending the University of Houston school of Architecture & Design one of Ruth’s early work experiences was introducing and starting The Main Street program to Peabody, Kansas in the late 1980’s. In 1988 she received an award from Governor Mike Hayden for her dedication and contribution to the Kansas Main Street program. After this Ruth went on to work for design firms in Atlanta, GA., Houston, TX. & Melbourne, FL. While in Florida Ruth’s career expanded into the development and construction industry. In 2008 Ruth moved from Florida to Maryland her home where she worked for The Department of Land Use and Growth Management in St. Mary’s County.  Currently Ruth is employed by the City of Gaithersburg Planning Department.  In addition to be a voluntary board member for the MDDA she is also serves on the Main Street Middletown Board.  Before going to work for Gaithersburg Ruth was the Main Street manager for Middletown Md. 

Amy Seitz    
Ex-Offico Board Member
Maryland DHCD

Amy E. Seitz is the Director of Community Access & Partnership for the Division of Neighborhood Revitalization at the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Ms. Seitz is the lead staff member responsible for maintaining and cultivating relationships Statewide with key stakeholders in community and economic development as well as serving as the Statewide Coordinator for the Main Street Maryland program.

Prior to joining DHCD, Ms. Seitz worked as the Director of Development and Communications for Preservation Maryland. Ms. Seitz's wide-ranging knowledge in management, public relations, marketing and economic development also includes work with the Howard County Economic Development Authority. Ms. Seitz received her Bachelor's degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA.

 

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