They will replace retiring directors Catherine Matthews (UpCounty), Luisa Montero (Mid-County) and Reemberto Rodriguez (Silver Spring) and Ken Hartman (Bethesda-Chevy Chase), who was promoted to a new position in the Montgomery County Government.
The new regional directors were confirmed by the County Council on July 27. Overall, there are five regional service areas in the County, including the East County.
"Our Regional Service Centers are critical outreach and operational hubs for a County as large and diverse as Montgomery County,” said County Executive Elrich. “The engagement and assistances these offices provide our residents are invaluable assets to our government operations. I want to thank our four departing directors; as everyone who has worked with them knows, they have been dedicated to the community and tireless in their efforts. Their many successes will remain even as they leave their positions. Between the four of them, they have over 65 years of service to Montgomery County, including an extraordinary 45 plus years from Catherine Matthews. Each of these individuals embodied our County's values of good governance, equity and inclusion."
County Executive Elrich said the new directors would continue the outstanding work performed by their predecessors.
“I am confident that our new directors will pick up where their respective predecessors left off,” he said. “They bring a variety of different backgrounds, experiences and insight to Montgomery County, and I am looking forward to working closely with them. I also want to acknowledge the ongoing dedication and hard work of Jewru Bandeh, who continues to serve as the RSC director for East County."
Background on the new directors:
Luisa F. Cardona de Vence brings more than 10 years of experience engaging diverse communities in local, State and Federal government. She is a justice-driven attorney who advocates to eliminated unfair laws and bring about systematic change. For the past six years, she served as the deputy director for the City of Atlanta's Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs—Welcoming Atlanta. During her tenure she helped the city end an immigrant detention contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, implemented a city-wide Language Access Plan to 8,000 employees and led diverse community outreach campaigns for the 2020 Census and City of Atlanta COVID-19 vaccination efforts. She previously served the immigrant community as an attorney in Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Maryland.
Peter Fosselman brings more than 30 years of experience in the business, private, and public sectors. He most recently served as the master plan ombudsman for Montgomery County, overseeing the implementation of the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan and the White Flint Sector Plan. From 2006-16, he was the mayor of Kensington. He oversaw changes in Kensington to include a new sector plan, rejuvenated streetscapes, professional marketing, community events and the County’s first bio-retention storm drain parking facility. Mr. Fosselman was elected president of the Maryland Mayors’ Association composed of 152 Maryland mayors. Prior to joining the County administration, he was appointed Deputy Secretary of State by Governor Martin O’Malley and continued under Governor Larry Hogan. In his post, he was responsible for the Charity and Legal divisions.
Jacob Newman has more than 15 years of experience in program development, project and grant management, fiscal oversight and business and community engagement. He previously served as the Montgomery County managing director for the Latin American Youth Center/Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers (LAYC/MMYC). Over the past 13 years at LAYC/MMYC, he has managed a broad portfolio of programs focused on education, workforce development and wrap around supports for more than 500 youth annually. In 2013, he led the restructuring of the Montgomery County Conservation Corps and subsequently implemented River Corps, the locally and nationally recognized innovative green infrastructure job training programs. Mr. Newman serves on the board of directors for Nonprofit Montgomery and Safe Silver Spring.
Gregory Wims is a sixth-generation Montgomery County native who has dedicated his life to serving others. He has more than 45,000 community volunteer service hours and has served on more than 30 nonprofit boards and commissions. He is the founder of the Victims’ Rights Foundation (VRF), which works closely with law enforcement, local governments and the business community to help victims of violent crimes. He has raised more than one million dollars for the VRF in the last 25 years. Mr. Wims started a small business in the 1980s after leaving the United States Small Business Administration, where he worked in the Minority Small Business Office. He most recently was the vice president of Government Affairs for Bold Concepts, Inc. in Gaithersburg.
