EASTPORT GIRLS CLUB PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Jennifer Card, Wednesday Leader, Individual Mentor
As a police officer for the City of Annapolis Police Department (APD), Officer Card is an excellent role model for our girls. Officer Card is helping form new relationships between the public housing communities and the police, and she has helped establish greater partnership between EGC and the APD. Officer Card will also be presenting programs to our girls covering important prevention topics like safe driving and dangers associated with underage drinking.
Karen Feldman, Volunteer Coordinator, Wednesday Leader
Karen originated the idea of EGC. She recruits volunteers and directs them to areas of need. Karen also serves as a leader at EGC meetings and maintains our list of donors. Karen is a former teacher and taught at Key School for many years.
Helena Hunter, Planning Committee Chair, Wednesday Leader
Helena is one of the founding members of EGC and functions as the group’s administrative lead. She serves as a communication link between the Planning Committee, other volunteers, paid staff, the Eastport Civic Association, and the Housing Authority for the City of Annapolis. Helena is a former legislative aide and teacher.
Suzie Galler, Wednesday Leader, Individual Mentor
Suzie handles publicity for EGC. Her passion is encouraging girls to explore and develop a healthy sense of self-worth and leadership skills. Suzie is a well known filmmaker and founder of the Esteemed Woman Foundation. She has produced two documentary films on the subject of women and self-esteem: I Am Beautiful and I Am My Mother’s Daughter. She works full-time as a producer and communications consultant.
Karen Jennings, Tutor Liaison
Karen is an environmental consultant and has an avid interest in helping incorporate science and natural history programs into EGC. Karen helps identify materials (from songs to science) that can be threaded into programming. Karen also collaborates with the Smart Start Tutoring Coordinator by helping ensure tutors' ideas and perspectives are heard by the Planning Committee and incorporated, when appropriate, into program planning.
Jenelle Murph, Wednesday Leader, Individual Mentor
Jenelle is the Development and Special Projects Coordinator for the Office of the Mayor of Annapolis. She keeps EGC connected to City matters. Jenelle also shares her graphic talents, assisting with the development of EGC flyers.
Anne Thomas, RN, CPNP, MSN
Anne assists with program development issues, advising us on issues pertaining to health promotion and prevention. Anne is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner. She currently works as a clinical nursing instructor in pediatrics, School of Nursing, The Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C.
PAID CONSULTANTS
* Please note that paid consultants also volunteer their time and serve as members of the EGC Planning Committee.
Christy D’Camera, Counselor and Mentor Coordinator
Christy serves as the on-site counselor and helps guide and finalize weekly programs. She links girls and their families to community resources. Christy also serves as the EGC Mentor Coordinator, providing ongoing support and training to individual mentors and ensuring that mentoring activities are integrated with other EGC programming. Christy worked for several years at Eastport Elementary School and in this role, worked with many families living in public housing. Christy has a Masters Degree in Education and is certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Valerie Drozd, Smart Start Tutoring Coordinator
Valerie runs our Smart Start Tutoring program. She assesses the girls’ reading abilities and learning styles and creates an individualized tutoring/reading intervention plan for each participant. Valerie also trains and recruits volunteer tutors. Valerie has Masters Degrees in Special Education and Reading.
Jessica Snell-Johns, PhD, Project Director
Jessica helps guide program development, manages EGC’s paid staff, and oversees the implementation of our grants. Jessica is a Clinical-Community Psychologist who shares her wealth of experience designing and evaluating programs. Jessica also works locally as a family, couples, and individual therapist. Through her company, Promoting Positive Change, LLC, Jessica provides technical assistance and evaluation services to a variety of programs interested in enhancing their capacity to evaluate their program and implement with quality
OTHER VOLUNTEERS
Julie Mussog, Finance
As one of the founding members of EGC, Julie serves as a finance advisor. She has a CPA with an MBA in Finance and Corporate Strategy. Julie helps identify funding sources, tracks our spending, monitors our funds, and guides us through the financial information requested by granting organizations.
Cindy Cole Semans, Artist
As one of the founding members of EGC, Cindy is our creative guru. She develops art projects for EGC and adds Zing! to our informational flyers, stationery, and business cards.