Congratulations to all UMBC staff celebrating anniversaries this year. You may see the full list and access the program book for 2024 here.
This webpage honors UMBC staff celebrating milestone anniversaries, including 30, 35, or 40 years of service, as well as 2024 retirees, some with bios shared either by the honorees or their offices. Join us in thanking these colleagues for all they do for UMBC!
Jump to Celebrations of: 30 Years of Service I 35 Years of Service I 40 Years of Service I Retirees
Celebrating 30 Years of Service
Cheryl Blackwell Program Management Specialist, Certification Officer, Department of Education
Robert Connelly Structural Maintenance, Facilities Management
Anthony Jackson Multi Trades Supervisor, Facilities Management
Tonya Queen Operations Manager, Rita Rossi Colwell Center
Izya Spekterman Auto Service Technician, Facilities Management
Celebrating 35 Years of Service
Camilla Hyman Business Manager, Office of Earth and Space Research Administration
Sandy Mowbray Director, Mail Services
Yvette Mozie-Ross, Ph. D Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Planning
Dr. Mozie-Ross provides oversight and strategic planning for the areas of undergraduate admissions and orientation, financial aid and scholarships, academic and pre-professional advising, records and registration, and the student administration project. With a higher education career spanning 35 years, she has served in numerous professional capacities including residence community director, coordinator of multicultural recruitment, assistant director for transfer recruitment and admissions, and director of academic services. She has been instrumental in leading her teams in the establishment of several initiatives supporting the institution’s enrollment and student success goals including the Finish Line, FinancialSmarts, Finish15, and the Senior Degree Completion Grant, just to name a few. Dr. Mozie-Ross has served on various national and statewide committees and workgroups including the College Board’s Commission for Transfer Policy and Practice, and the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s State Plan Writing Group on Access, Affordability and Completion. She has served on the university’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee and served as the recent past president of the Baltimore Collegetown Network governing board, a consortium of 13 colleges in Baltimore, Maryland. Additionally, she serves as a governing board member for the Samuel Ready Scholarship which provides academically promising girls with financial need access to Baltimore independent secondary school education. Dr. Mozie-Ross frequently lends her expertise, both nationally and internationally, in the areas of data analytics and leveraging analytics for institutional transformation in the areas of enrollment and student success.
Celebrating 40 Years of Service
Gregory Bagwell Postal Service Supervisor II, Mail Services
Tamara Brown Executive Administrative Assistant II, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences – Dean’s Office
Tamara Brown began state service in 1984 before transferring to UMB. In 1999, she transferred to the UMBC Policy Sciences Program as an Administrative Assistant. During her early years at UMBC, she was recruited by Cheryl Miller, Faculty Senate President, to be the Executive Administrative Assistant for the Undergraduate Council. She held this position from 2002 – 2016. In 2006, she worked as a Program Management Specialist in the Department of Psychology before transferring to the Dean’s Office. She transferred to the Dean’s Office in 2007, as the Faculty Affairs Executive Administrative Assistant. In 2015, Tamara was promoted to Executive Administrative Assistant II. She has had the privilege of being the assistant to two Deans in CAHSS, both of whom have their own style but have imparted excellent knowledge to her. She completed the Building Bridges Across Maryland Program in 2015-2016, which significantly enhanced her skills and knowledge in leadership. She received the Presidential Distinguished Staff Award for Non-exempt Staff in 2018-2019.
Lloyd Joy Groundskeeper Lead, Facilities Management
Jennifer Marrow Office Clerk II, Admissions
Jenny Marrow began her career at UMBC Office of Undergraduate Admissions in March 1984 as an Office Clerk. Jenny was responsible for processing all transcripts and documents sent by students, high schools, and colleges. She also assisted the counseling staff in locating documents and getting student applications ready for an admissions decision. When the university introduced a new computer system, Jenny was trained with other staff members to input student information and post transcripts. UMBC has upgraded to other computer systems which created a more efficient way to enter data from applications and post transcripts and other documents in the computer. She was trained to enter student applications. Jenny worked two programs which were were Just for Juniors and New Students Day. These programs were for prospective student’s in high school and newly admitted students. Jenny is responsible for downloading documents and scanning documents into Image Now. This is one of many tasks that she works on for Undergraduate Admissions. Jenny had previously served for years on the Employee of the Quarter Committee. She enjoyed working on this committee and helping to honor fellow employees hard work. Jenny earned her Associate in Arts degree in General Studies from Howard Community College.
Creighton Smith Manager, Chemical Stores, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Albert Smith Manager, Plant Accounting & Inventory Control, Financial Services
Albert Smith began his career in 1984 as an accounting supervisor in the Retail Sales Tax division of the State Comptroller’s Office. In 1986 he was hired as the Chief of Inventory Management for the State Highway Administration. In October 1988 he joined UMBC as the Manager of Plant Accounting/Inventory Control. Albert and his staff are responsible for the accounting of the all of University’s buildings, land improvements and equipment. Albert and his staff are also responsible for the University’s construction accounting. Albert has enjoyed watching the campus grow over the past 36 years. Albert likes construction accounting because you will see a finished product other than an Income Statement or a Balance Sheet.
Drema Wentz Associate Registrar, Enrollment Services
Retirees
Laura Brown Associate Director, Telecommunications
Keith Conrad University Police Officer, UMBC Police
Damian Doyle Associate Vice President, OIT Infrastructure & Support
Gina Fischer Assistant Director – Sponsored Research Team, College of Engineering and Information Technology Shared Services Center
Gina Fischer has worked with UMBC’s College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) since 2008. Prior to moving to COEIT, Gina has worked at UMBC since 1999 in Financial Services as Plant Fund Accountant and Biological Sciences as Assistant Director. Gina joined COEIT as a Business Manager working on Pre-award Research Administration and moved to the Shared Services Center as Assistant Director for Pre and Post-award sponsored research. Gina’s mastery of the challenging and complex world of research administration has helped faculty continue their important work. Gina has an MBA and Masters degree Management and is also a licensed CPA in Maryland.
Deborah Geare Associate Director, CARAT
James Handy Accountant, Office of the Bursar
Bruce Herman Director of Counseling, Division of Student Affairs
Linda Hodges Director Emerita, Faculty Development Center
Linda C. Hodges served as the Director of the Faculty Development Center from 2010 through 2023. Prior to this role, she was Director of the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University before relocating to Maryland. She holds a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Kentucky. Before transitioning to the field of faculty development, she was a tenured faculty member for over 20 years at two different institutions. She has published widely on her work in faculty development, engaged student learning, and effective teaching practices, including her book, Teaching Undergraduate Science: A Guide to Overcoming Obstacles to Student Learning (Stylus, 2015, new edition from Routledge forthcoming). She remains professionally active in consulting and writing about teaching and learning.
Charles Hogan Manager, Facilities Management Landscape & Grounds
Andrew Kane Assistant Director, Division of Information Technology Communications Services
Andrew Kane started at UMBC years before his employment at UMBC as the project manager for multiple Telecommunication Systems installations. He was instrumental in UMBC’s introductory voicemail and data connectivity campus-wide via the Rolm telephone data networking. After leaving Rolm/Siemens Communications, he came to work at UMBC in 1999 to assist with managing the telephone, voicemail systems, and low-voltage cabling installations. He has configured the switch and telephone services and maintained the Rolm telephone and voicemail communication equipment. His 25 years working at UMBC came with the likes that challenge your development and return its benefits. He has worked in the telephone telephony industry for over 45 years. He was the project manager for the Rolm original installation of the prior telephone system, now replaced by Webex.
Joe Kirby ’85 Assistant Vice President, Business Systems Group of Division of Information Technology
Joe Kirby ’85, Information Systems, has worked with UMBC’s Division of Technology (DoIT) since 1986. He and his team accomplished many goals as it helped UMBC grow over the years. Some of the projects like getting good audits were a major achievement in the early years. Once audits became more routine the team was able to initiate technology solutions like voice registration, web registration, Y2K, new administrative solutions for HR, Finance, and Student Administration, data warehouse reporting, and new expanded workflow opportunities.
Carmel Krause Associate Director, Office of Institutional Advancement
Paula Langley Manager, Albin O. Kuhn Library
Stephen Levy Associate Director, Intercollegiate Sports Administration
Rodney Matthews General Assistant, UMBC Police
Lisa Morgan Assistant Dean, Graduate School
Lisa Morgan joined UMBC in 1998 as the Graduate and Professional Programs Coordinator for the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program, before joining the Graduate School in 2004 as the Events Coordinator for the PROMISE Program. Over her 20 years of service, Lisa was promoted to Director of Progressions and Academic Services and retired as Assistant Dean of Progressions and Academic Services. Lisa’s role was to oversee operations to monitor and facilitate graduate students’ progression through their degree programs. Under her leadership, she and her staff created and maintained a more efficient and productive process for graduation clearance. Lisa was awarded emerita staff status recognizing her 25 years of dedicated service to the students at UMBC.
Laurie Newton Business Services Specialist, Theatre
Dianne O’Grady-Cunniff Program Director, Engineering and Computing Education Program
Charles Philipp Specialist, OIT Infrastructure & Support
Steven Rauser Maintenance Mechanic Lead, Facilities Management Lock Shop
Barry Riley Manager of Support Services, Facilities Management
Barry Riley first came to UMBC in 1980 as an undergraduate student, and began working in October of that year as a student employee in the Athletics department. He began his full-time employment with UMBC as an athletic equipment specialist while continuing his pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. He briefly worked at Howard Community College before returning to the Athletics department at UMBC, subsequently becoming the facilities coordinator in July 1986. He was promoted to the position of assistant athletic director for operations before accepting the position of manager of contracted services in the Facilities Management department in January 1998. For the past 25 years, Barry has been an integral member of Facilities Management, and has had the responsibility for various functions including the automotive, landscape and grounds, and lock shops, along with his current management of facility support/contractual services, work control, central receiving, and the student workforce.
Philip Rous Assistant to the President, Office of the President
Janet Rutledge Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School
Janet Rutledge served as Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School from July 2009 through June 2024. Prior positions in the Graduate School between 2001 and 2009 include Interim Vice Provost, Senior Associate Dean, Acting Dean and Associate Dean. She had an affiliate faculty appointment in the Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department. During her 23 years at UMBC the Graduate School experienced growth in several dimensions, including enrollment, number of programs, reputation, sophistication of administrative processes, and most importantly, support for graduate student success and wellbeing. This growth was accomplished through the shared commitment of the entire graduate community and contributed to achievement of UMBC’s Research 1 Carnegie classification. Janet served as PI or co-PI on over $25 million in grants that provided support for students and programs along with research and evaluation to understand what was effective. She served on several advisory boards and committees such as the Council of Graduate Schools Board of Directors, GRE and TOEFL Boards, the Sloan Foundation Minority PhD Advisory Committee, and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Board of Trustees.
Gregory Simmons Vice President, Institutional Advancement
Julianne Simpson Director of Planning, Facilities Management, Administration & Finance
Julianne Simpson joined UMBC in 1996 after serving in various planning, design and construction roles at the University of Maryland during a period of 16 years. Over her 18 years at UMBC, she was responsible for all facets of facilities planning, including: development, coordination and submission of the capital budget; facilities planning and programming; space planning and management; master planning; physical asset inventory and mapping; and geographic information system development. Julianne is process oriented, strategic and analytical by nature, and is known for building trusted relationships among all levels of the university and with external colleagues. As the founding director of Facilities Management’s Campus Planning Office, Julianne cultivated the growth and development of its professional staff who continue to thoughtfully and creatively advance the physical development of the campus.
Richard Stevens University Police Officer, UMBC Police
Dawn Stoute Executive Administrative Assistant, Erickson School of Aging Studies
Dawn Stoute began working at UMBC in 2008 as an Administrative Assistant for the Department of Social Work. She moved to the Office of the Provost in 2010, and then to the President’s Office in 2012. After having the honor of working for Dr. Hrabowski for 7 years, she moved to CNMS in 2019 and then to the Erickson School of Aging Studies in 2021 where she enjoyed her last years of her career with UMBC. During her time at UMBC, Dawn also enjoyed serving as the Co-Chair for the Presidents’ Commission for Women, Senator for NESS, cabinet member of MCC, representative for CUSS and volunteering for many campus events and graduations. Both her boys are alumni of UMBC – Alexander (’15 Financial Economics) and Anthony (’16 Information Systems). During her retirement years, Dawn and her husband Mark look forward to traveling, enjoying their grandchildren, and serving at their church and in their community.
Kathy Suess Assistant Director, COEIT Shared Services
Phil Tilden Driver, Mail Services
Frank Tyminski Laboratory Supervisor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Cynthia Vogelpohl Nurse, Counseling
Leslie Waters Executive Administrative Assistant, Office of Institutional Advancement
Marsha Willis Policy Analyst, The Hilltop Institute
Gary Wohlstetter Senior Associate Director, Athletics
Gary began his tenure as assistant athletics director for recreation in 1989 and was promoted to associate director for recreation and physical education in 1996. In the fall of 2003, he began an 11-year stint on the athletics’ side of the house, overseeing internal operations, entrepreneurial and facility development efforts, and long-term planning. In 2014, Wohlstetter returned to his roots and took on the role of senior associate athletics director for physical education and recreation.
The 1985 Hunter (N.Y.) College graduate taught in the physical education department for over 30 years and provided oversight for the UMBC Summer Day Camp for over 30 summers. The camp was selected “Best of Baltimore” by Baltimore Magazine in 2018.
He oversaw UMBC facility projects such as the addition to (1999) and renovations of (2004) the Retriever Activities Center, the addition of a Bermuda grass surface to Retriever Soccer Park (2008), the construction of the new varsity locker room complex and synthetic turf replacement (2009) at UMBC Stadium and the transformation of the Retriever Activities Center in 2021, the RAC Renewal project.
Cynthia H. Woodcock, MBA Executive Director, The Hilltop Institute
Hilltop advances the health and wellbeing of people and communities and, under Ms. Woodcock’s leadership, garnered national recognition for its innovative research and analytics. Hilltop also strengthened its longstanding partnership with the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and recruited outstanding researchers to UMBC, contributing to significant growth in Hilltop’s research portfolio and UMBC’s R1 designation. Ms. Woodcock played a pivotal role in development of AcademyHealth’s State-University Partnership Learning Network (SUPLN), advancing partnerships between public universities and state Medicaid agencies; 30 states now have partnerships similar to Hilltop’s with MDH. Previously, Ms. Woodcock held positions with IMPAQ International, International Life Sciences Institute, the Commonwealth Fund; the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the New Jersey Department of Health. She received an MBA from Columbia University and graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina.
Nancy Young Assistant to the President, Office of the President