Hearts & Homes for Youth owes its rich history to the vision of just a few people. Yet, there would be no history at all, no saving of the lives of thousands of troubled children, without a host of community leaders from all walks of life signing on to share that vision.

It was the willingness of those first community leaders who shared their unique experiences, their well known and respected personal and professional capacities and moreover, their public persona and reputation, that brought a vision into a reality.  Truly, a few became many.  This host of individuals and groups, chronicled in the widely read success story “The House That People Built” published in 1969 laid the groundwork for the establishment of like programs in Maryland and across the nation.

The future of Hearts & Homes for Youth, even now, depends upon more than just a few. The vision lives. It is alive and growing with the sight of so many children, now four decades later, whose lives may depend upon the realization, the success of our mission. Perhaps at no other time in 44 years has the challenge been more daunting.

The Leadership Council of Hearts & Homes for Youth is that host of Community Leaders who share our vision and mission. Each individual, through their own achievement, has contributed in large measure to the welfare of the community whether through the corporate business world, as a professional or skilled person, an elected or appointed official or volunteer. Many have devoted a good part of their lives contributing to others in either a personal or professional capacity; always “leading” by example, and not always publicly recognized.

The members of the Leadership Council are Advocates. They are willing to share an identity with and for Hearts & Homes for Youth, lending their reputation and the respect they receive from others in the community. They lend credibility to the Mission and contribute to the integrity of the agency values. Each brings a unique perspective; personal and public leadership experiences and the capacity to reach out to a multitude of others as advocates, increasing the visibility of our agency and the crucial needs of the children we serve.

The Leadership Council is a loose-knit ‘organization’ of like minded community leaders woven into the fabric of Hearts & Homes for Youth.  They need not come together in committee to be a force for the future. They are nonetheless together as an integral part of and key to our success; bound by the cohesiveness of sharing advice and counsel, planning for the future, or for special events or activities which contribute to, perhaps ensure, the life of a child.

Leadership Council Members

• Hon. Constance (Connie) Morella; U.S. Ambassador, former U.S. Congressperson, Maryland
• Hon. Nancy Kopp; Maryland State Treasurer former State Delegate to General Assembly
• Hon. Peter Franchot; Maryland State Comptroller former State Delegate to General Assembly
• Hon. Thomas V. “Mike” Miller; President Maryland Senate
• Hon. Michael Busch; Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
• Hon. Douglas M. Duncan; VP of Administration Affairs University of Maryland, College Park, former County Executive for Montgomery County and Mayor, City of Rockville
• Hon. Thomas E. Dernoga; Chair Prince George’s County Council
• Jack Fitzgerald; Owner Fitzgerald Auto Malls
• Hon. Wayne Curry former County Executive, Prince George’s County
• Hon. Douglas F. Gansler; Attorney General State of Maryland, former State’s Attorney for Montgomery County
• Hon. Cas Taylor, former Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
• Hon. Glenn Ivey; States Attorney Prince George’s County, Maryland
• John Taylor; former Board Chair, Hearts & Homes for Youth
• Wayne Shelton; former Board Chair, Hearts & Homes for Youth
• John J. Delaney; Esq. Linowes and Blocher LLP
• Hon. John J. McCarthy; State’s Attorney Montgomery County
• Hon. Robert H. Mason; Judge Circuit Court, Prince George’s County, Maryland
• Hon. Edgar Silver Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan & Silver, LLC; former Delegate, Maryland General Assembly; former Judge, Supreme Bench, Baltimore City
• Hon. Talamadge Branch; Majority Whip Maryland Delegate-Baltimore City
• Hon. Marilyn R. Goldwater; RN Maryland House of Delegates
• Milton (Sonny) F. Clogg former Board Member, Hearts & Homes for Youth
• John Welch; President/CEO, USEC Inc.
• Thelma Stevens Mrazek former Board Chair, Hearts & Homes for Youth
• Hon. Esther P. Gelman, GELCO Consultants; former Montgomery County Council
• Stewart (Stu) Bainum; Chairman Choice Hotels International; former Maryland State Senator
• Frank Sciacca; retired, Multiple Business Owner
• Major General John R. Hawkins; Deputy Assistant to Secretary of Army
• John C. Allen; BB&T Capital Markets/Windsor Group
• Hon. Leonard S. Blondes; Esq.; former Delegate of Maryland General Assembly
• Hon. Mary Boergers; former Maryland State Senator
• William C. Birely; former Montgomery County Council member
• Jerry Pritchett; former Board Chair, Hearts and Homes for Youth
• Rose Marie Bogley
• Hon. Sid Kramer; President Kramer Enterprises
• Blair Lee III; Lee Development Group
• Marion Mattingly; Washington Editor of the Juvenile Justice Update
• Peter Carnathan; Senior Vice President Fiduciary Investment Management International, VP/NY for Fiduciary Trust Company International
• Fred Gober; Principal Bernstein Global Wealth Management
• Hon. Patrick Hogan; Director of Government Relations UD Maryland System, former State Senator
• Hon. George Rasin; former Judge, State Delegate, and Senator
• Hon. Michael Steele; Executive Director GOPAC, former Lt. Governor
• Russ Starkey; USEC, former Board Member
• Hon. Robert M. Bell; Chief Judge Court of Appeals of Maryland
• Wes Foster; Chairman/CEO The Long & Foster® Companies
• Hon. Phil Jimeno; former State Senator
• Hon. Tom Hucker; Delegate Maryland General Assembly
• Hon. Marvin Mandel; former Maryland Governor
• Hon. Melvin “Mickey” Steinberg; President, Maryland State Senate, former Lt. Governor
• Hon. Victor Ramirez; Maryland House of Delegates
• Hon. Chris Van Hollen; U.S. Congressman
• Larry Brown; Vice President Michael, former Redskin
• Raymond Kight; Sheriff Montgomery County
• Steve Salem; Executive Director The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation
• Hon. Kathleen Vitale; President Anne Arundel County Council
• John Walsh; Founder National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, former host of America’s Most Wanted
• Lea Thompson; News Anchor NBC Dateline
• Leon Harris; News Anchor ABC, Channel 7