Our Team

Executive Director — Wendy Stringfellow

Wendy Stringfellow, MSW, brings extensive nonprofit leadership and advocacy experience to the Network. For the past 12 years she worked with nonprofit and government leaders to advance land conservation in Maryland, most recently as the President of Forever Maryland. Wendy holds a Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her extensive background includes therapist to children, adolescents and adults. She has also taught English to Japanese professionals and volunteered in leadership positions in Dumbarton Middle School’s PTA and athletics programs.  Wendy is a 30-year Baltimore County resident and has two adult children who both value the education and academic experiences they received from BCPS. In her free time, Wendy enjoys traveling, playing tennis, hiking and reading.

Program Manager — Kelly Sage

Kelly Sage, M.S., worked for many years as a public health professional and has extensive experience in grants management and public health policy. Kelly holds a Masters of Science degree in Community Health Education from Towson University. Recently, she assisted with the Network Essentials Delivery program delivering food and essential items to families as part of the Network’s food distribution program during the pandemic. Kelly lives in Baltimore County with her husband and daughter.

Program Coordinator — Helen Dyer

Helen has been with the Student Support Network since 2020. She currently serves as the Network’s Program Coordinator and works closely with the schools to ensure they have the resources needed to serve their students. Prior to this role, Helen was the Network’s Administrative Coordinator. Previously, Helen worked as a preschool teacher and has always volunteered her time and energy, with children and their well-being as a primary focus of her efforts. Helen holds a bachelor’s degree in Fitness Management from the University of Delaware and lives in Baltimore County with her husband and their two college aged children.

Community Coordinator — Sara Buth Waire

Sara Buth Waire resides in Baltimore County with her husband and 3 children. She has been an active member on the Dumbarton Middle School PTSA Board since 2018. Sara’s work experience includes nearly 10 years working in corporate and global immigration matters. She currently focuses her work and volunteers efforts with non-profits. In addition to working with Student Support Network, she also teaches yoga and mindfulness to students in underserved school systems throughout Maryland.

Administrative Coordinator — Misty Kercz

Misty Kercz has a professional background primarily in the nonprofit sector in marketing and graphic design and served as Secretary for her son’s elementary school’s PTO board for two years. In addition to working with Student Support Network, she also runs her own stained-glass business using all of the skills she developed throughout the years while learning new skills along the way, such as bookkeeping. Misty lives in Baltimore with her husband, son, and two cats. 

Board President — Ron McDade

Ron McDade brings the Network leadership and strategic and operational development skills from a career of leading and improving not-for-profit organizations in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, focusing primarily in the health care industry. He has also led an organization that serves people with disabilities using therapy and assistance dogs, and has volunteered his leadership in other capacities for education and religious organizations. His role on the Board is to assist with Board development and strategic planning. Ron is a 25-year resident of Baltimore County whose sons benefitted greatly from their BCPS education.

Vice President — Open

Secretary — Tam Lynne Kelley

Tam Lynne Kelley is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who is passionate about advancing social justice and public health. Her experience advocating for policy changes includes successful campaigns to remove the reduced-price school meal co-pays for Maryland families (The Maryland Cares for Kids Act); Summer SNAP for Children, that provides $30 a month in food support for children during the summer months; and expanding access to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a universal school meal program that creates Hunger-Free Schools. As Chair of the Advocacy Committee, sustaining  funding for these programs is a top priority. 

Treasurer – Marianna Starostin

Board Member – Gwen Betts

Gwen Betts has taught in Baltimore City and Baltimore County Schools and received the Specialist of the Year award for her work on Visual Arts curriculum from Baltimore City Public Schools. She was the coordinator of the AVID program at Randallstown High School and was also a mentor for the Fine Arts Department there. Gwen is a Founding member of The Baltimore County Highlanders: Professional Black Women in Baltimore County who are committed to work on education issues and other advocacy.

Board Member – Ana Maria Cardenas

A member of the BD Integrated Diagnostic Solutions (IDS) Leadership Team, Ana Maria Cardenas, senior director, global medical affairs, is responsible for engaging Medical Affairs teams in Latin America and Mexico. She represents Medical Affairs on leadership teams for product development, lifecycle management and strategic innovation across a broad range of diagnostic products. Ana Maria serves on various steering teams and mentoring committees, is active in BD associate resource groups, co-leads Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Engagement initiatives for Medical Affairs IDS and was recently appointed Inclusive culture coach for IDS. Ana has been a resident of Baltimore county since 2019.

Board Member – Matt Copeland

Matt Copeland joined KLNB in 2016. Mr. Copeland specializes in retail services in the Baltimore Metropolitan area with a focus on landlord services. Matt’s professional experience includes commercial real estate transaction management, asset management and strategic planning. Currently, Matt is responsible for leasing of over 3,500,000 square feet in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. Before joining KLNB, Mr. Copeland worked for CBRE for 11 years leading the retail landlord service practice. He was responsible for all leasing functions on a retail portfolio of 3,500,000 square feet. Prior to CBRE, Mr. Copeland was Director of Leasing with Emmes & Company.

Board Member — Michelle Corbett

Michelle Corbett is a HealthCare Business Transformation Advisor & Program Integration Consultant at CareFirst Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Baltimore and resides in Baltimore County. She has had a strong career as an analytical and transformative healthcare consultant with proven abilities to strategize and execute programs and projects to effectuate change and drive business transformation. Her planning and analytical skills in process/policy development, including strategic planning and contract analysis, are essential skills for planning the future growth of the Network.

Board Member — Robert Glaze

Robert Glaze is an Employment and Benefits Senior Assistant General Counsel at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (“CareFirst”) in Baltimore. He has worked at CareFirst since 2006 and has supported the General Counsel and Boards of Directors advising on corporate governance for CareFirst’s holding company system as well as the Healthworx team, CareFirst’s team that is responsible for innovation and investments in startups. He currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Health Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association and resides in Baltimore County with his wife and three young children, two of whom attend a Baltimore County public elementary school.  

Board Member – Shalini Morgan

Shalini Morgan has served the BCPS community for the past 30 years as a Science teacher. She has served her school in various roles including Professional Development School Coordinator, Department Chair, Team Leader, Equity Liaison and Magnet School Coordinator. She has experience in organizing multiple events with the community at the school level. As a mother, she has also spent countless hours planning and organizing events with the local PTSA. Shalini is excited about giving back to the community that she graduated from!

Founder and Board Member — Laurie Taylor-Mitchell

Laurie Taylor-Mitchell founded the Loch Raven Network in December of 2015 with the help of over 100 volunteers; the Network became a registered non-profit in 2016 and grew to become the Student Support Network in April of 2018. Her local model for assisting students in poverty is being replicated in schools across Baltimore County.  She taught Art History at Hood College for ten years, and was active in the PTAs at Hampton Elementary and Ridgely Middle schools, and the PTSA at Loch Raven High School.