BOARD MEMBER Bios
FIND A BOARD MEMBER:
Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe •
Kevin Beverly •
Kevin Anderson •
Robert Brewer •
Anthony Featherstone •
Elana Fine •
Jennifer Hsin •
Dr. Anne Khademian •
Dr. Mukesh Kumar •
Matthew Lee •
Alberto Lacaze •
Richard Madaleno •
Gracelyn McDermott •
Ken Mills •
Silvana Nani •
Devang Shah •
Jim Soltesz •
Cherlyn Freeman-Watkins
KEVIN BEVERLY, Board Chair
Kevin Beverly is the former President and CEO of Social & Scientific Systems. His strength and experience in leadership, operations, project management, and sales and marketing has helped the company’s recent growth. Before joining Social & Scientific Systems, he worked in various technical and policy organizations, including Abt Associates, BAE Systems, Tracor Corporation, Computer Sciences Corporation, PSI International, the World Health Organization, and the National Library of Medicine. In addition to founding the Mildred Beverly Memorial Family Fund, which provides college scholarships for underprivileged youth in Dorchester County, Maryland, Mr. Beverly serves on the boards of the Professional Services Council (PSC), the Montgomery County Community Foundation, Passion for Learning, Corporate Volunteer Council of Montgomery County, Boys and Girls Club of Montgomery County, the Career Transition Center, Maryland Classical Youth Orchestra, and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA. Mr. Beverly holds an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in library science and information services, both from the University of Maryland.
KEVIN ANDERSON
Cardinal Atlantic Holdings
Kevin Anderson is Founder & CEO of Cardinal Atlantic Holdings, an economic and community development firm targeting scaled social impact and investment in urban centers. With specializations in real estate and education technology, CAH advises funds, corporations and governments on economic and community development strategy and projects.
Anderson previously served as Senior Vice President for Global Partnerships at EVERFI, Inc., an educational software company for financial literacy and life skills education where he led government relations and conducted business development. Anderson helped create and launch the company’s diversity content while securing public and corporate partnerships to support digital innovation in school districts across America. A SaaS company, Anderson helped lead EVERFI’s growth from 32 employees to over 600, and from $6mm in revenue to over $120mm during his tenure.
Before joining EVERFI, Anderson was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of City First Homes, Inc. - a $6 million community land trust created to support workforce housing and ensure ongoing affordability for working families in the District of Columbia. Launched in 2008 as the District’s most aggressive affordable housing initiative, City First Homes navigated the financial crisis stabilizing mixed income development and created over 100 units of affordable housing.
Prior to his appointment at City First Homes, Anderson was Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Equity Capital at the Jair Lynch Companies, Inc., a for-profit real estate and community development firm in Washington, D.C. He was responsible for the financial management of JLC’s public, corporate and real estate ventures. Anderson helped establish JLC’s initial investment fund, a $120 million facility for commercial and housing development in the DMV region.
In 2000, Anderson served in Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams’ administration as Special Assistant to the City Administrator and Chief of Staff at the D.C. Department of Transportation. He helped usher an era of accountability and transparency in city operations and managed the restructuring of DDOT to a cabinet-level agency. Anderson led the hiring of over 100 new employees, the establishment of a local trust fund for street and infrastructure maintenance and implementation of performance metrics to meet citizen needs. Mayor Anthony A. Williams proclaimed March 31, 2004 “Kevin Anderson Day” in the District of Columbia.
Anderson began his professional career at the investment banking firm of Pryor, McClendon, Counts & Co., Inc. in Philadelphia, PA as an Institutional Bond Salesman. He served pension funds, insurance companies, investment advisers, and money center banks. Anderson provided coverage for PMC’s landmark financings as lead manager for the $320 million Atlanta Hartsfield Airport financing and the $390 million Denver Airport financing.
Anderson is the former Chairperson of the NEA Foundation’s Board of Directors (National Education Association), and recently completed 19 years of service on the Board of Trustees of Lawrence Academy. He is a member of Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2006 and Leadership Prince George’s Class of 2008. Anderson has held and holds professional licenses and designations in securities trading, commodity futures trading, and economic development finance. He has also prepared financial reports for expert testimony in D.C. Superior Court and local jurisdictions.
A native of Washington, D.C., Anderson graduated from Lawrence Academy in Groton, MA. He holds a BA in Economics from Stanford University, and has completed finance, leadership, and executive education at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University, and the National Development Council. Anderson lives in Upper Marlboro, MD with his wife, The Honorable Tiffany H. Anderson, daughter, Kendall, and twin sons, Kennedy and Kolby.
ROBERT BREWER, ex officio
Lerch Early Brewer
Robert Brewer helps clients succeed through listening, awareness, persuasion, and foresight. An inductee into the Montgomery County Business Hall of Fame, he orchestrates the critical components of major development projects, including development applications, special exceptions, site plans, and subdivisions. He also is heavily involved in the development of Montgomery County’s area master plans and the ensuing redevelopment planning.
He has been an active leader in many of the area’s most prominent civic, community and cultural organizations, including Strathmore Hall Foundation, the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce, Imagination Stage, the BCC High School Educational Foundation, and the Bethesda Urban Partnership. Since 1988, he has served frequently as Lerch Early’s Board Chair and Managing Partner.
ANTHONY FEATHERSTONE, ex officio
WorkSource Montgomery
Anthony Featherstone joined WSM in early 2021 with over fifteen years of workforce development experience. Most recently he served as the Director of Workforce Operations at KRA Corporation in Columbia, MD—a national provider of employment and training for workforce development boards and human service agencies. In addition to his nine years with KRA, Featherstone held leadership roles with the South Carolina Department of Employment & Workforce and a DC-based nonprofit specializing in community-based services. Anthony also served at the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services. Throughout his career, Anthony has successfully delivered high-quality programs for WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker, In-School & Out-of-School Youth, TANF, SNAP, and NPEP populations. He has also developed expertise in fiscal management, program operations, strategic planning, stakeholder relations, and human resource development.
Anthony earned his MBA with a concentration in Human Resource Development from Webster University in St. Louis, MO, and a BA in Sociology from Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC. He is also a Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP) and Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF). Anthony is an active member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), Southeastern Employment & Training Association (SETA), and National Career Development Association (NCDA).
ELANA FINE, Vice Chair
VWG Wealth Management
Elana Fine is the Chief Executive Officer of VWG Wealth Management. As a member of VWG’s executive team, Elana oversees VWG’s financial management, client services operations, human resources, professional development, compliance and marketing. She also works closely with our partners to guide the future growth and development of the organization. Before joining VWG, Elana served as the Executive Director of University of Maryland’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, where she provided strategic vision and leadership for one of the nation’s preeminent university entrepreneurship centers. Elana began her career as a technology consultant with Accenture and subsequently worked in investment banking at Bear Stearns and Revolution Partners. She earned a BS in Finance, magna cum laude, from the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland in 1997 and an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business in 2002.
COUNCILMEMBER MARILYN BALCOMBE
Montgomery County Council
Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe is a strong advocate for her community. Having lived in the Upcounty for nearly 30 years, Marilyn is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and do the hard work of community building.
Prior to joining the County Council, Marilyn was the President/CEO of the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce. As the CEO of the Chamber, Marilyn was actively involved in land use planning, transportation and economic development. She has worked with thousands of businesses, large and small to help create a vibrant local economy. On the Council, her focus will remain to strengthen the County’s business climate and bring jobs to the Upcounty. Marilyn has been a strong voice for transportation and was a major advocate for building the Watkins Mill Interchange and remains committed to increasing capacity on the MARC rail system.
JENNIFER HSIN, Treasurer
Clark Enterprises & CNF Investments LLC
Jennifer Hsin is a Vice President at Bethesda-based Clark Enterprises, Inc. and a Partner at CNF Investments, LLC, the private equity arm of Clark Enterprises. In her role at CNF, she is responsible for sourcing and managing portfolio companies with a focus on SaaS and tech-enabled businesses. Prior to CNF, Ms. Hsin worked at BenefitNation, Inc., an early internet publishing solution company, and at Arthur Andersen, LLP in the audit division with a focus on real estate and banking. Ms. Hsin currently serves as a board observer for Ingo Money and Print Syndicate, and works closely with a number of portfolio companies. Ms. Hsin also works as an adjunct faculty member of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland where she teaches growth strategies for early stage companies. She also serves on the Board of Advisors for the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland and on the Board of Directors for D.C. Scores.
Ms. Hsin is a CPA with a BS in both Accounting and Finance from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.
ANNE KHADEMIAN
University System of Maryland—Universities at Shady Grove
Dr. Anne Khademian is the Executive Director and Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the Shady Grove campus (USG). She is responsible for developing and implementing a shared strategic vision for USG aligned with workforce and educational needs of Montgomery County and the region; responsible for leading the effective, equitable and inclusive operation of USG and working to ensure students enrolled in the programs succeed and are career ready. With over 25 years of experience in the higher education space, she serves as the Chief Academic Program Officer at USG and works collaboratively with all academic partners to deliver programs and pathways to academic and career success.
MUKESH KUMAR, PhD RAC, DABRM, Secretary
Akan Biosciences
Dr. Mukesh Kumar is an accomplished serial entrepreneur, senior executive, author, thought leader, public speaker, and advisor to management teams and BODs with more than 18 years of across healthcare industry success. He is the founder of Akan Biosciences and FDAMap, two Maryland-origin companies.
His latest company, Akan Biosciences, is developing state-of-the-art regenerative and reparative cell therapies, where he serves as the Chairman of the Board. Akan Biosciences is one of the only companies in the world to get FDA approval for INDs for use of non-expanded native SVF for osteoarthritis. Akan Bio also launched allograft HCT/P products in 2021 at more than 200 clinics nationwide with contracts to be the preferred allograft product for more than 5000 clinics in the US alone by 2022. In addition, Akan Bio is developing products for the treatment of autism and Crohn’s disease.
Another of his companies, FDAMap, has worked with more than 1100 companies or all sizes over the last 6 years including several Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 pharmaceutical, biotech, medical devices and digital health, and healthcare companies. He is one of world’s top experts in US regulatory affairs, compliance, clinical trials, and smart product development strategies. His clients are in more than 50 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. He has been pivotal in the development of more than 100 medicinal and diagnostic products with more than 200 clinical trials, thousands of submissions to the US FDA, European Medicines Agency, and regulators in about 34 countries. His approach of disruptive product development is based on using novel, smart, out-of-the-box regulatory approaches that expedite patient access while reducing development cost.
Mukesh sits on the Board of several small and medium size companies developing innovative products prominent among which are Vivacelle Bio, Inc. of Kansas, ResQ Pharma, Inc, of Illinois, Kibow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Pennsylvania, Amarex Biosciences, Pvt Ltd of New Delhi, India, and Pepfactor, Inc. of Sydney, Australia.
In addition to running companies, Mukesh is an accomplished author and thought leader in healthcare related topics having written numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and other professional publications. His weekly blog, FDA Puran, is subscribed by over 100,000 readers globally, and he has authored more than 800 blogs on US and worldwide healthcare regulations. Mukesh loves to teach and mentor upcoming talent. He created a Certificate in Clinical Project Management at the Montgomery College, Maryland, where he trained 100s of budding clinical research professionals over 8 years. He is currently a Professor (Adjunct), Regulatory Sciences, at the School of Medicine, George Washington University, Washington DC, and the lead trainer for FDAMap where he delivers about 50 lectures every year on various topics related to product development and entrepreneurship to students at all levels. He has trained more than 10,000 students over the last 20 years and personally mentored more than 100 budding scientists, developers, regulators, entrepreneurs, and policy wonks most of who have developed into successful professionals and his life-long network of experts.
Dr. Kumar is a PhD in Biochemistry, a certified regulatory professional by the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society, USA, a certified clinical trialist by The Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, a Diplomate of the American Board of Regenerative Medicine, a compliance inspector, and a certifier.
MATTHEW LEE
FASTech, Inc. & A-Tech Systems, Inc
After graduating from Virginia Tech, Matthew Lee began his career designing optical data links for ground-based radar and circuits that serviced training devices at the Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, MD. As an Electronics Engineer, Matthew managed custom hybrid products in the Patriot Missile System used during Operation Desert Storm. Intent on utilizing his federal experience, Matthew founded FASTech Inc. in 1990 and is acting President and Chief Executive Officer. FASTech, based in Rockville, MD, offers a wide range of services including: custom application and database design, network engineering and desktop support, web technologies, digital audiovisual technologies, project management, facilities management, and cyber security. He also received his Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University.
Matthew, when not running FASTech, devotes his time to two sectors: business development and cybersecurity. For the past four years, Matthew has served as President of KoBE Government Contracting Alliance a non-profit organization that supports more than two hundred minority owned and operated businesses. Matthew was recently appointed to the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, he was also re- appointed to the TEDCO Board of Directors, an independent organization that offers business assistance and seed funding. Currently, Matthew is President of the U.S. International Development Center (USIDC) for global bilateral trade and investment, which enables local involvement in bilateral-trade. Matthew is an acting board member and commissioner of the Baltimore Changwon (South Korea) Sister City Committee (BCSCC). As a County-wide Recreation and Parks Advisory Board member, Matthew supports community development and infrastructure through responsible use of government funds. Matthew continues to advance local cybersecurity infrastructure and community ties to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) by serving on the Maryland Cybersecurity Council.
Matthew’s vision and collaborative business style has enabled him to stand out among his peers and business associates. In 2015, Matthew was selected for the Small Business Administration - Emerging Leaders Program. Matthew was also awarded with the Korean Prime Minister’s citation at the annual Commerce and Industry Day in the same year.
ALBERTO LACAZE
Robotic Research
Alberto Lacaze is the co-founder and CEO of Robotic Research. As CEO, he drives innovation in the company, overseeing technological development in both the commercial and Department of Defense (DoD) sides of the business. Under his stewardship, Robotic Research has grown into one the largest companies in ground robotics for the DoD and into a world leader in commercial autonomous vehicles. Some company advances include the development of the first fully autonomous convoy trucks for logistical applications, the deployment of commercial autonomous shuttles and buses around the world, and the creation of a new family of transformable robotic systems that both fly and drive.
Mr. Lacaze holds over 100 patents in robotics and has authored hundreds of articles in the field, making him an internationally sought-after speaker for technology and industry forums. His areas of expertise include AI, graph theory, controls, and optimization.
He earned his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University and his B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology.
RICHARD MADALENO
Montgomery County Government (ex officio)
Mr. Madaleno was appointed as Montgomery County’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in 2020. The Montgomery County CAO is the second highest ranking executive branch position after the County Executive. Mr. Madaleno is responsible for overseeing operations and services of over 30 executive branch departments with a $5.5 billion operating budget, $5.1 billion six-year Capital Improvement Program, and 10,000-person workforce supporting a jurisdiction that is over 500 square miles with 1.06 million residents. As CAO, Mr. Madaleno also serves as advisor to the County Executive on all administrative, legislative, financial, and operational matters; a lead liaison between the County Executive and County Council; a liaison to organized labor representatives of the County government workforce; and the head of the County’s $6 billion employee investment board and retirement system.
Since taking over as Chief Administrative Officer in August of 2020, Mr. Madaleno has led the County government’s response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as recovery efforts from its impacts. Montgomery County has been recognized nationally and internationally for its success in mitigating case rates and surges, achieving among the highest vaccination rates throughout the nation, and providing quick and equitable economic relief and resources to its residents and businesses.
Concurrent to managing the impacts of the pandemic, Mr. Madaleno is also in charge of implementing County Executive Elrich’s efforts combatting climate change, expanding affordable housing opportunities, implementing all budget and policy decisions through an equity lens, reimagining public safety, and creating economic opportunity and jobs. Under his leadership, Montgomery County has passed one of the most aggressive climate action plans in the country, established the first Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, recorded levels of private investment in the County’s economy, and made historic investments in education and housing. Furthermore, under Mr. Madaleno, Montgomery County has maintained a AAA bond rating from all three rating agencies - out of the approximately 3,000 counties in the United States, only 50 have accomplished this rare achievement. Working with County Executive Elrich, Madaleno helped lead the effort to repeal the County’s outdated Charter revenue cap. This measure was adopted by the voters in 2020 by a margin of nearly 2 to 1.
Prior to serving as CAO, Mr. Madaleno was the Director of the County’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), carrying out the department’s mission of providing budget information that is transparent, comprehensible, and easily accessible for all. As the Director of OMB, Madaleno had to guide County Executive to overcome an inherited $90 million deficit in his first budget cycle and the onset of the pandemic the following year.
A lifelong Montgomery County resident, Mr. Madaleno spent 16 years serving constituents as an elected representative for the County in the Maryland General Assembly. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2003 to 2007 and in the State Senate representing District 18 from 2007 to 2019. While in the Senate, Mr. Madaleno was the Vice-Chair of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, where he was known for his ability to find solutions to some of the most challenging budget problems facing the State. He was a leader in education reform serving on the Kirwan Commission and led Maryland’s effort to enact marriage equality for same-gender couples, including the first-in-the-nation passage of a public referendum on the issue in 2012. Prior to his time as an elected official, Mr. Madaleno served for 11 years as a legislative aide and lobbyist for Montgomery County’s Office of Intergovernmental Relations and as a budget analyst for the State of Maryland.
Mr. Madaleno holds a Master of Public Administration degree and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Russian Studies degree from Syracuse University. He has volunteered his services for Free State Justice, Leadership Montgomery, and is on the Board of the Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church. He lives in Kensington with his husband Mark Hodge, is the father of two, and takes pride in being a dedicated fan of the Washington Capitals hockey franchise.
JIM SOLTESZ, PE
Soltesz
Jim Soltesz is President and CEO of Soltesz. Jim joined the company in 1990, who eventually becomes the company namesake, and since that time has been responsible for all operations including day-to-day management decisions and implementing long and short-term plans. His role involves leading the development and execution of the company’s long-term strategy with a focus on creating lasting value for clients and staff. Jim has a very thorough understanding local, County, and State of Maryland regulatory processes and is often called upon by clients and colleagues for assistance with their development projects, being recognized as a leading expert in the local land use and entitlements market. Jim has served on numerous local committees on development issues including transportation, adequate public facilities, infrastructure financing, school construction, and permit processing. Jim is an MBIA Life Director and an active member of the association. He frequently speaks at various industry associations and coalitions, and at community and educational events for students demonstrating his keen insight into the maximization of cultural, natural and physical features of existing sites and into the importance of environmental stewardship.
GRACELYN MCDERMOTT
Kaiser Permanente
Gracelyn A. McDermott is the Vice President of Marketing Sales and Business Development at the Rockville-based Kaiser Permanente of the Mid- Atlantic States region. She is an innovative and diverse executive with over 20 years of experience in Project, Program and Sales & Account Management. Kaiser Permanente is recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. In her role at Kaiser Permanente, Ms. McDermott is responsible for marketing, sales & business development, providing leadership in the development and execution of market and business strategies that deliver predictable and sustainable growth in membership, revenue, and margin. Ms. McDermott holds a MBA from Johns Hopkins University with an undergraduate degree from Mount St. Mary’s University, where she currently serves as the first African American female chair of the Board of Trustees. She is serving her second year as the Chair of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.
KEN MILLS
RREGENXBIO
Ken Mills is the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of REGENXBIO. Prior to REGENXBIO, Mr. Mills was the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Business Development at Meso Scale Diagnostics, a privately held life sciences company. There, he served as a member of the founding management team, and worked to establish the company’s operations and ongoing business strategy. In this position, Mr. Mills supervised all company activities, including direct management of corporate and business development, strategic planning, finance and accounting activities.
Prior to Meso Scale Diagnostics, he was Director of Business Development for IGEN International, a medical diagnostics company. Mr. Mills received an S.B. in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
SILVANA NANI
Korabi Consulting
Silvana Nani is the Principal & Chief Innovation Officer at the Bethesda firm. With over 20 years of experience as an accomplished senior business strategist, IT executive, and entrepreneur in the private industry and public sector, she has led through enterprise transformation, revenue growth, creation of new income streams, and optimizing operational decisions and team performance. She has coached global teams to achieve business objectives by promoting sustainability, gender equality, women’s empowerment, and veterans’ recruitment. She is always abreast of the cutting-edge IT trends while working with a portfolio of expansion-stage technology companies in the US and abroad that focus in developing the most advanced products and services in Fintech, AI, Cyber and Blockchain.
DEVANG SHAH
Law Office of Shah and Kishore
Devang Shah is a partner in the Rockville based law office where he practices immigration law representing and counseling technology companies based locally, nationally, and internationally. He is also and investor and entrepreneur managing a diverse set of businesses in hospitality, real estate, information technology, bio-tech, and food & beverage. Mr. Shah is active with a a number of political and cultural groups and sits on the boards of numerous organizations.
CHERLYN FREEMAN-WATKINS
Results One, LLC
Cherlyn “Cheri” Freeman-Watkins, Esq., is a co-founder and President of Results One, LLC and an attorney. She works with corporations, non-profit organizations, and state and local governments providing interactive, client-focused training to employees and management. Cherlyn provides training in several areas including matters concerning Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act which includes Prevention of Sexual Harassment, Prevention of Hostile Work Environments, and The Role of the Bystander. Additionally, she provides training in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Understanding Your Unconscious Biases, Disability Sensitivity, and Leadership. Cherlyn’s trainings are designed to enable employees to embrace diversity in the workplace through understanding and respecting others’ differences and increasing awareness of tolerance and sensitivity.
As an attorney, Cherlyn’s areas of concentration are criminal defense and civil litigation. Cherlyn is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the State of Maryland Bar. She is a mediator and a certified counselor in Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act. Cherlyn received Diversity and Inclusion for Human Resources Professionals Certificate from Cornell University. She is a Veritus Culture Certified Facilitator, able to facilitate discussions focused on exploring, understanding, and resolving workplace culture challenges. Cherlyn is also a certified ADA trainer. Cherlyn is a graduate of The Ascend Cohort sponsored by Wacif, the Washington Area Community Fund, Inc. Currently, Cherlyn is receiving additional training in Mediation and Conflict Management from the Program on Negotiation, at Harvard Law School.
Cherlyn is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and Howard University School of Law. While practicing Criminal Law she was a member of the Criminal Justice Act, U.S. Panel of the D.C. Superior Court. She is a member of Leadership Montgomery and a former Board member of Dress for Success D.C. She was awarded a post-doctorate fellowship with the Walter Kaitz Foundation.
Cherlyn is a long-time resident of Silver Spring, Maryland where she lives with her husband and puppy named Coal.