Members

Dr. David Anderson was born in Washington, DC the son of a Baptist preacher. In 1984, empty and dissatisfied after years of seeking fulfillment in the ways of the world, David finally committed his heart and life to Jesus Christ at age 18. At that time, God gave him a powerful desire and calling to preach.

After 2 years at a local DC college where he became the first black president of the student body, he transferred to Moody Bible Institute. During his first year there David served as class president, then as student body president the following year. He became the first African American in the history of Moody to be elected to this position as well as to be reelected and complete a second term.

At age 20, while continuing his studies, he obtained his license to preach and accepted the position of Assistant Pastor at the Near North Baptist Church in the inner city of Chicago. David also served as Assistant Chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserve for eight years.

After graduating with a B.A. in Pastoral Studies with a Greek Language Emphasis, he served full-time on staff at Willow Creek Community Church (15,000 strong in attendance then) as a pastoral intern. During this period David served on the Alumni Board of Directors for the Moody Bible Institute where he was elected to serve as President of the Board during his second term.

His internship at Willow Creek in conjunction with his quality education and ample leadership experience prepared him in fulfilling his dream to plant and pastor a racially integrated church. In 1991, David formed a church planting team, which brought him to Columbia, MD, where his vision for an integrated, non-denominational Church in the DC area was finally realized.

In 1992, Bridgeway Community Church was born, which David Anderson currently pastors. David completed his master’s degree at Moody Graduate School in 1998 and his doctor of Philosophy in Sociology and Religion at Oxford Graduate School in 2001. He advanced to the level of Fellow in the Oxford Society of Scholars in 2003. He currently serves on the board of the Friends of Zambia, a non-profit organization comprised of business, civil society and philanthropic leaders whose mission is to promote knowledge and understanding of Zambia in order to encourage business investment and development, and support for education and welfare among Zambia’s people. He previously served on the board of the Columbia Foundation.

In addition to founding Bridgeway Community Church, he is the founder and president of the BridgeLeader Network, a multicultural leadership consulting organization, and an instructor of cultural diversity at the University of Phoenix, Maryland campuses. He has co-authored a book titled Letters Across the Divide: Two Friends Explore Racism, Friendship and Faith (Baker, 2001), which has generated media interest nationwide through exposure on over 2000 radio stations and television appearances, which include CSPAN, Black Entertainment Television (BET), TBN, PAX TV, and ABC. His book, Multicultural Ministry: Finding Your Church’s Unique Rhythm (April 2004) highlights his messages and lessons in doing multicultural ministry. Dr. Anderson hosts a live radio show, called Reconciliation Live on the largest Christian radio station in the nation’s capital. He is a highly sought after conference speaker, lecturer, and consultant for large corporations on local, national and international levels. Dr. Anderson and his wife Amber reside in Ellicott City, Maryland with their three young children, Isaiah, Luke, and Asia.

Victor A. Broccolino is President and CEO of Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine, a 227-bed, not-for-profit, acute-care medical center located in Columbia, Maryland.

During the 20 years of Broccolino’s leadership, the hospital has experienced significant change and growth, including its acquisition by Johns Hopkins Medicine, the completion of several significant expansion projects and the addition of numerous services and programs. These enhancements have resulted in national and regional recognition of the Hospital’s exceptional care and service, including its recent receipt of the HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence.

An active member of the community, Broccolino serves on numerous boards and committees, including as Vice Chair of the Maryland State Emergency Medical Services Board; member of the United Way Community Partnership Board of Howard County and a member of the Howard County Public School System’s Educational Foundation Board

Prior to his tenure at Howard County General Hospital, Broccolino served as the Chief Executive Officer of Bon Secours Baltimore Health Corporation from 1986 to 1989. Broccolino is married and has four grown children and eight grandchildren.

Sydney Cousin, Superintendent of Howard County Public Schools, began his career in education in Baltimore City in 1967 as a teacher of world history. He left the classroom after four years to begin his career as an educational facilities planner with Baltimore City. In 1987, he joined the Howard County Public School System as Director of School Construction and Planning. Over the past 22 years, Dr. Cousin has filled a variety of positions with the county school system including Associate Superintendent for Finance and Operations; Deputy Superintendent/Chief Operations Officer; and Superintendent, a position to which he was appointed in March 2004 and reappointed in June 2008 for another four year term.

As President and Chief Executive Officer of The Columbia Foundation, Ms. Francis oversees all aspects of the Foundation’s operations. She has been a Howard County resident since June 2008 and has been the President of the Foundation as of June 16th. She is a 2009 graduate of the Leadership Howard County Premier Program and is currently serving a three-year term on the Board of Trustees. She is on the Advisory Board of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. She also serves on the Selection Committee of the Women’s Commission, Women’s Hall of Fame and on the Selection Committee for the Choose Civility Award Program of the Howard County Library. She has most recently been appointed to the Nonprofit Resource Development Council by Howard County’s Executive. She is a member of the Council on Foundations, Maryland Community Foundations Association and the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers.

She is an active volunteer in her new community as well. Beverley has had an interesting career in the nonprofit sector for more than 20 years. Prior to joining The Columbia Foundation, she was the Director of Philanthropic Services at the Triangle Community Foundation in North Carolina for ten years and Executive Director of Women-in-Action for the Prevention of Violence and Its Causes, Inc. for six years. She has been a frequent presenter at local, regional and national conferences on the topic of philanthropy, giving circles and nonprofits and has served on various conference planning committees as well. She has also been a facilitator and taught classes in philanthropy at Duke University’s Nonprofit Management Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Leadership Triangle.

Previously, she served on the Board of Project Graduation and Sister Cities of Durham, is a founding member of the Next Generation of African American Philanthropist, and has received numerous awards and community recognitions. She holds a Masters degree in Industrial and Community Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Mass Communications from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, listening to music, going to the movies, cooking gourmet seafood dishes, reading and meeting people. She is the mother of three daughters and is originally from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

Valerie J. Gross has served as Chief Executive Officer of Howard County Library for nine years. She takes pride in Howard County Library’s top national ranking among the great public library systems (American Libraries, November 2009) for its educational mission and unparalleled curriculum that comprises three pillars: Self-Directed Education, Research Assistance & Instruction, and Instructive & Enlightening Experiences. For this achievement, she credits the unsurpassed support of the HCL Board of Trustees, Howard County Executive, Howard County Council, State Legislators, Friends of HCL, dynamic community, philanthropic partners, devoted volunteers, and innovative staff, who continue to raise the bar for excellence.

Ms. Gross chairs the Local Children’s Board and Choose Civility Advisory Board, and serves on the Leadership Howard County Board of Directors, Howard County Arts Council Board of Directors, Howard County BRAC Task Force, Howard County Nonprofit Resource Development Council, Maryland Library Association’s Legislative Advisory Panel, and Howard County Public School System’s District Planning Team.

A frequent guest lecturer, Ms. Gross holds Masters Degrees in music and library science, and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence. She is a member of Leadership Howard County, American Library Association, Public Library Association, Maryland Library Association, and California Bar Association. Ms. Gross grew up in the French-speaking part of Switzerland and has taught English in China. She and her husband, Tri Nguyen, live in Columbia, MD. Their son, David Nguyen, attends the University of Maryland.

Dr. Kathleen Hetherington is the fourth president of Howard Community College (HCC) and the first in its nearly 40-year history to have begun an academic career by earning an associate degree from a community college. Following a unanimous vote by the college’s board of trustees, Dr. Hetherington, who has over 30 years of progressively responsible community college leadership experience, assumed the presidency of Howard Community College on June 1, 2007.

Dr. Hetherington, who has been named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women by The Daily Record, leads an institution that is nationally recognized for its strong academic programs, innovative approaches to instruction, and student support services. HCC continues to be one of the fastest growing community colleges in Maryland and the only college in Howard County. The college, which enrolls over 28,000 credit and noncredit students annually, has experienced unprecedented growth. Under the leadership of Dr. Hetherington, the college has received a number of accolades including the 2007 U.S. Senate Productivity Award for Organizational Performance Excellence; its designation by The Chronicle of Higher Education as a 2009 “Great College to Work For” in the U.S. and an honor roll college; as well as a finalist for the nation’s highest recognition of excellence, the 2008 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Prior to her presidency, she served HCC for eight years as a senior member of the president’s team. At the time of her appointment, she was executive vice president and capital campaign manager, having been promoted from vice president of student services. In her capacity as executive vice president, she led a highly successful capital campaign raising $14 million during a $12 million campaign. Before arriving at HCC, she held various positions at the Community College of Philadelphia, including dean of student systems for ten years. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at Delaware County Community College.

Dr. Hetherington holds a doctorate in higher education leadership from Widener University, a master’s degree in counseling and human relations from Villanova University, a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Pennsylvania State University, and an associate degree in arts and sciences from the Community College of Philadelphia.

Richard Krieg is President and CEO of The Horizon Foundation and also serves as a Foundation Trustee. He is former Health Commissioner and First Deputy Commissioner of Health for the City of Chicago. The Chicago Department of Health is the nation’s largest local health department, with a staff of approximately 2,000 people and an $85 million annual budget. Its fifty-two general and specialty clinics make up the largest ambulatory care system in the Chicago, handling one million patient visits annually.

He is former Executive Director of the Institute for Metropolitan Affairs at Roosevelt University in Chicago, an urban policy and community action center. Richard formerly served as Associate Dean of The University of Illinois School of Public Health. For four years, he held the position of Director of Policy Analysis and Planning for the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council. He was a Peace Corps volunteer, working in the community health area in central Brazil.

He received his doctorate from the University of Chicago where he specialized in health policy and administration. He holds a masters degree from the University of Chicago’s Harris Graduate School of Policy Studies. He is a graduate of the Executive Management Program at the Harvard Business School and the Brookings Institution Advanced Studies Program.

He has served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers. He was a member of the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism in Maryland and chaired the statewide Cancer Treatment Task Force established by the Maryland General Assembly in 2001. He was the founding Chairman of the Howard County Community Emergency Response Network (CERN). Currently, he is a member of the Strategic Planning Committee of Howard County General Hospital and serves on the Advisory Board of the National Peace Corps Association. Richard is a recipient of the Illinois Department of Public Health’s “Award of Merit” and the Illinois Public Health Association’s “Presidential Award” for 1990. Under former Illinois Governor James Edgar, he was awarded the “1992 Governor’s Award for Unique Achievement” for his chairmanship of the League of Woman Voters’ statewide ElderHealth Project.

Lois Mikkila is the Director of the Howard County Department of Citizen Services. She was appointed to this position in February, 2010, after serving three years as the Department’s Deputy Director. Prior to joining County government, she had extensive experience in a wide range of human service organizations.

Lois’ career includes working for a youth development program that was part of a Community Action agency, the Office of Disability Operations in the Social Security Administration, a statewide association of nonprofit organizations providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities, an AmeriCorps program that helped nonprofit human service and environmental organizations develop their volunteer programs, and independent management consulting to nonprofits. In addition, she has served on a number of nonprofit Boards of Directors, including the Association of Community Services, FIRN, and the Volunteer Center Serving Howard County.

Ned Tillman advises corporations, non-profits, and government agencies on how to become more sustainable.

• Chair of the Howard County Sustainability Board which advises the County Council and the County Executive on sustainability issues and how they impact nearly every major decision.
• President/CEO of Energy and Environmental Services Firms for 27 years providing consulting services to Corporate 500 firms and federal and state agencies throughout the US and abroad.
• Received various patents for the award winning SmartData Solutions® data management and visualization process.
• Published papers on business, environmental, and sustainability issues including an alternative energy paper in Science.
• Author of The Chesapeake Watershed, the 2010 Winner of the Best Book on Environmental and Natural Resources Administration – The American Society for Public Administration.
• Alternative Energy – Chair of the Commission on Groundwater Heat Pumps for the State of Maryland and wrote the regulations governing their installation.
• Past Chair of The Howard County Conservancy.
• Executive board member of the 40,000 member conservation organization, The Izaak Walton League of America.
• A Maryland native, Ned moved to Howard County in the 1970s to work for The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.

Coleen has spent the last twenty-nine years as artist-turned-arts administrator and advocate. She has been the Executive Director of the Howard County Arts Council since October 1997. She earned her M.A. with a concentration in Museum Studies from New York University and her B.F.A. in painting and printmaking from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She is a 1999 graduate of Leadership Howard County.

Prior to her tenure at the Arts Council, Coleen worked at Maryland Art Place, a contemporary art center in Baltimore, MD, where she served as the Director of Development for nearly 7 years. In New York, Coleen worked at a number of cultural institutions most notably New York University, the Alternative Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art.

Coleen is married to artist, Jonathan West, and has a seventeen-year old son, Shane, who is an emerging artist.