Mark M. Freestate, Board Chair, is a native of Centreville, Maryland, where he grew up attending the Queen Anne’s County public schools before attending St. James School in Hagerstown, MD. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College with a BA in English in 1975, and returned to Centreville with his wife, Diane, joining his father in the W. M. Freestate Insurance Agency, later becoming owner and president of W. M. Freestate and Son, Inc. In 2003, his agency was purchased by Shore BancShares and he became an executive vice president with the Avon Dixon Agency and holds that position today. He has two sons, William M. Freestate, II, and John Stuart Freestate (Colleen), and two grandchildren, Claire and Wells Freestate.
Mark has been involved in a variety of community organizations throughout his career. Listed below are a few:
Kent School – Board Member and Board President
Gunston School – Board Member and Board President
Queen Anne’s County Arts Council – Board Member and Board President
Centreville National Bank – Board Member and Board Chair
St. Martin’s Ministries – Board Member and Board Chair
Memorial Hospital Foundation – Board Member
Corsica River Conservancy – Board Member
Compass Regional Hospice – Executive Committee of the Capital Campaign
Queen Anne’s County Economic Development Committee
Paula Warner, of Chester, Board Vice Chair, consummate volunteer and former owner of Paula’s Fine Jewelry. Warner has supported numerous civic and charitable groups. She is past president of the United Way of Queen Anne’s County, member of the gala committee for Compass Regional Hospice, and has served as a member of Bosom Buddies Ball Committee of Bosom Buddies Charities Inc.
Dr. Jodie E Gray, Board Secretary, has served as the President and CEO of Customer Relationship Metrics since 1993. Jodie served on the Celebration of Charity committee for Chesapeake Charities’ inaugural event in November 2016, and joined the Chesapeake Charities board of directors in March 2017. She also serves on the Juniata College Board of Trustees, the Juniata Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and was a past Chair of the Lighthouse Christian Academy Board. Jodie is a member of the Chesapeake Women’s Network and the Queen Anne’s Chamber of Commerce.
Diana Waterman, of Queen Anne’s County, Board Treasurer, is Chief Financial Officer and IT Specialist for her family-owned and run real estate business, Coldwell Banker Waterman Realty. Diana is currently serving as president of the Maryland Federation of Republican Women. Service to others has always been important to Diana throughout her life. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Diana earned a B.S. from Sweet Briar College in Virginia. She and husband Barry have two grown children and two adorable grandchildren, Liam and Eva.
Patrick Bilbrough
Patrick Bilbrough (Pat) is a lifelong resident of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, growing up in Caroline County. He is a graduate of Salisbury University with a BS degree in accounting and is a CPA. His diverse background includes working as a commercial waterman prior to entering the banking industry. A successful career in banking culminated in leading the Eastern Shore region of PNC, before accepting a turnaround opportunity to ultimately lead the largest independent bank on the Delmarva Peninsula. Pat is now working as a financing consultant and starting a new business venture related to transportation services.
Pat’s community involvements include the following:
- Benedictine School: Board Member for 20 years, Chairman of Finance Committee and Executive Committee member
- Choptank Community Health: Past Chairman
- Caroline Center, Inc.: Former Board member and Finance Committee Chair
- Habitat for Humanity: Former Board member
- Denton Rotary Club: Former President
- Chesapeake Maritime Museum: Former Board member and Finance Committee Chair
Ozer Culhagil is CEO of Retirement Planning Services, Inc., a Maryland-based financial planning firm. Ozer began his career in London and has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He holds a Ph.D. in Finance and is also a Special Needs Planner. Baltimore Magazine selected Ozer as a Five Star Wealth Manager for the past three years. Ozer leads a team of professionals who provide a broad array of services to help ensure clients are prepared for retirement and are able to transfer their wealth to future generations via sound, conservative and ever-evolving tools and techniques. Ozer is a member of The Cattail Creek Country Club and enjoys biking as well as cycling. One of his favorite pass times is boating in the Chesapeake with his wife, son, daughter and dog.
Kendel Ehrlich
Ellen Flowers-Fields serves as the Associate Vice-President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at the College of Southern Maryland and has over 25 years of professional experience in workforce development and human capital management. Ellen has a Certification from the International Business Innovation Association in Business Incubation Management; and is credentialed as a Global Career Development Facilitator from the Center for Credentialing and Education. She is a 2009 graduate of the inaugural Class of Leadership Southern Maryland, an entrepreneur, and a self-published author. Ellen is very involved in the community as the Executive Board member of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland; member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals and the Maryland Economic Development Association; past Board Member of the Maryland Broadband Coordination Board; past Board Chair, Bethel House Inc.; and past Board Chair, Community Foundation of Southern Maryland.
Suzanne Friday joined the Council on Foundations in 2013 as counsel. Previously, Suzanne was a partner at Nauman Smith Shissler & Hall, LLP, in Harrisburg PA, where she was responsible for the firm’s Tax, Trust and Estates practice group. Suzanne has extensive experience representing nonprofit organizations including community foundations, charitable trusts, private and corporate foundations. She also served as in-house counsel for The Nature Conservancy from 2000-2005. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Suzanne earned her bachelor’s degree from University of Texas at Austin, a J.D. from Widener University School of Law, and an L.L.M. in taxation from Georgetown Law Center. Suzanne lives with her husband, Jerry and two rescue dogs and is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
Jacqueline Henson
Denise Lovelady
Randy Minteer served over 21 years in the Air Force, retiring at the rank of Captain. After the Air Force, he went back to school and earned his Master’s in Social Work. Since 2014, Randy has provided mental health counseling through his business River Bay Behavioral Health, LLC, located in Stevensville. His experience includes working with individuals, couples and families to meet the specific needs of each client.
Randy is a proud father of two sons, a stepdaughter, a daughter in-law, and grandfather of three young boys. He lives in Grasonville with his wife, Karen.
Vernon Spriggs has served as President and Vice President of the Maryland Association of Prevention Professionals and Advocates (the Maryland Prevention Credentialing Board – MAPPA) since 2007. He is a Certified Prevention Professional, with over 20 years of Prevention service with the State of Maryland, serving Dorchester, Caroline, Kent and Montgomery counties, and collaborating on projects in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard, Wicomico Talbot and Queen Anne’s counties.
Vernon serves as the minister of music and Communications and Technology Chairman at Hurlock United Methodist Church. He is the owner of V Harvey Music, LLC and has four adult children plus twelve grandchildren. Vernon is a music-lover and a smooth jazz DJ.
Audrey Scott, Emeritus, has been a Maryland resident for the past forty years, during which time she has worked tirelessly on the local, state and federal level to improve her community and the state of Maryland. She is also a past Executive Director of the National Capital Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a General Manager of Chaney Enterprises. Audrey’s commitment to improving the State of Maryland earned her an induction into the highly prestigious Maryland Women Hall of Fame as well as a Maryland Woman of Achievement award.