EDITOR'S NOTE: DUE TO POWER OUTAGE IN UPPER MARLBORO TODAY, PUBLICATION OF THIS RELEASE WAS DELAYED.
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release:
June 24, 2011
For Information Contact:
Scott L. Peterson
Acting Director of Communications
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EXECUTIVE RUSHERN L. BAKER, III NOMINATES EXPERIENCED TEAM TO THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION
Former Planning Board Chair Elizabeth Hewlett will return, joined by former Council Chair Dorothy Bailey and corporate executive A. Shaunise Washington
UPPER MARLBORO, MD— Today, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III nominated Elizabeth M. “Betty” Hewlett to return to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission for a fourth term as Chair of the Prince George’s County Planning Board. Baker also nominated former Prince George’s County Council Chair Dorothy Bailey and business leader A. Shuanise Washington to join Ms. Hewlett as his first appointees to the Commission.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that manages growth, stewards natural, cultural, and historic resources, and provides leisure and recreational experiences in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. The Prince George’s County Planning Board is a five member body that reviews residential and commercial development plans and manages the Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation Department.
“Job creation, expanding the commercial tax base to provide revenues for education and public safety, and promoting smart, transit-oriented development are essential to make Prince George’s County the most dynamic, diverse, and innovative jurisdiction in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and State of Maryland,” said Baker. “In order to realize that vision, we must have a Planning Board with the capability to make the tough, but necessary, decisions to advance the long-term interests of the County starting on their first day in office. All three nominees are highly esteemed leaders who are committed to my priorities and dedicated to serving the residents of Prince George’s County.”
As Planning Board Chair, Hewlett will provide oversight for the agency’s Planning and Parks and Recreation Departments, which have a combined $278 million budget. Hewlett previously served as Planning Board Chair from 1995-2006. She just recently completed a four-year term as Governor Martin O’Malley’s appointee to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board of Directors.
“I am honored to be nominated for appointment as Planning Board Chair,” said Hewlett. “Having the opportunity to return to the Planning Board and serve the citizens of Prince George’s County again is exciting and both personally and professionally fulfilling. I thank County Executive Baker for his faith in my abilities and look forward to working with the County Council during the appointment process.”
The appointments of Ms. Dorothy Bailey and Ms. A. Shaunise Washington continue the County Executive’s commitment to improving integrity, transparency and clarity in the economic development process. Bailey has served Prince George’s County for nearly 30 years including two-terms as County Council Chair and as a community activist leading several cultural and historic non-profit organizations. Washington, a Republican appointee, is a well regarded business leader with decades of involvement in Prince George’s civic and community life.
Prince George’s County Planning Board members serve overlapping four-year terms. All current board members’ terms have expired. Planning Board members and Chair are appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the Prince George’s County Council.
Elizabeth M. Hewlett
Elizabeth M. Hewlett, a resident of Bowie, is a former principal in the law firm of Shipley, Horne & Hewlett, P.A., in Largo, MD. Her practice primarily consists of representing clients in land use, administrative and business law matters.
Ms. Hewlett formerly served as Chairman of the Prince George’s County Planning Board and Chair of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), the first African-American and first woman to hold these positions. As full-time Chair, Ms. Hewlett presided over weekly public and quasi-judicial hearings on a variety of land use matters, and headed a nationally recognized planning agency, combined with a national award-winning park and recreation department, a unionized police force, 1,200 employees and an operating budget of $180 million. Ms. Hewlett guided the agency in its land-use planning, parks and recreation programs and policies for a County serving more than 862,000 residents. Prior to her appointment as Chair, Ms. Hewlett’s experience included Associate General Counsel to M-NCPPC, Staff Counsel to the Legal Aid Bureau, private practice, the Prince George’s County Attorney’s Office and the Prince George’s County Council legislative staff.
With over 3 decades of combined public and private sector experience, including 2 decades as a veteran public servant and 11 years creating regional policy on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Metropolitan Development Policy Committee, Ms. Hewlett has a keen understanding of State, County, M-NCPPC and other governmental and administrative bodies in the region. In recognition of her vast experience, Ms. Hewlett was appointed by Governor O’Malley to the regional Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors, where she recently completed a four-year tenure, including a term as Chairman. In this capacity, Ms. Hewlett collaboratively established regional transit policy while advocating on behalf of the State of Maryland, Prince George’s County, and the 1,000,000+ customers who use the regional transit system on a daily or occasional basis. She was instrumental in preserving Metrobus service levels in Prince George’s County, adopting Joint Development Guidelines for successful Transit Orientated Development (TOD), particularly in Prince George’s County, and worked aggressively with the WMATA Board and Executive Team to institute scores of safety measures and restore a culture of safety to the financially challenged transit agency.
Ms. Hewlett’s extensive civic service reflects the strength of her leadership and commitment. Actively engaged in her community, she holds membership in several professional, civic, and social organizations, including the National Bar Association (lifetime member), National Forum for Black Public Administrators, The American Planning Association, Maryland State Bar Association, the MSBA Judicial Selection Committee, Women’s Bar Association of Maryland, The Maryland State Board of Law Examiners, Prince George’s County Bar Association, J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association (President, two terms), Lifetime Fellow of the Maryland Bar Foundation, Leadership Greater Washington (Class of 1991), the NAACP (Life Member) and Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. She has also served on many community and regional boards, including Capital Hospice, the Bowie Health Center, Metropolitan Access, Hospice of Prince George’s County, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, Greater D.C. Cares and Dimensions Health System, Inc. She remains active in her community and is often invited to speak on many issues, be it to students or youth or as a speaker or panelist in state and local continuing legal education programs.
Dorothy F. Bailey
Ms. Bailey, a resident of Temple Hills, has an esteemed and unparalleled record of service to the residents of Prince George’s County. From June 1983 to December 1994, Ms. Bailey worked for the Executive Branch of Prince George’s County Government, serving as a senior-level official at many agencies, including tenures as Executive Director of the Consumer Protection Commission, Commission for Families and as Community Partnerships Director at the Department of Family Services.
Then in December 1994, Ms. Bailey transitioned to the Legislative Branch upon her election to serve as Council Member for the Seventh District on the Prince George’s County Council. There, she led the Council for five years, serving as Vice Chair for three terms and Chair for two terms. In her role as Council Chair, she also presided over the District Council in matters related to land use planning and participated in key decisions affecting development policy.
Ms. Bailey’s continued service to the residents of Prince George’s County after leaving elected office is also distinguished – having served as a parent liaison for the Prince George’s County Public Schools; founder of several groups, including the Kiamsha Youth Empowerment Program, Harlem Remembrance Foundation, Prince George’s County Fatherhood Conference, Royal Bafokeng Sister City Friendship Committee, Prince George’s County Executive Youth Advisory Council, and Prince George’s County Truth, a branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). She is a graduate of Leadership of Greater Washington (Class of 1998), an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and previously served as a national board member of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc.
Ms. Bailey earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from North Carolina Central University. She has done further graduate study in both education and gerontology. In 1991, Ms. Bailey received an honorary doctorate from Riverside Baptist College and Seminary.
A. Shuanise Washington
A. Shuanise Washington is the Founder and Principal of Washington Solutions, LLC, Mitchellville, MD which provides management consulting services for small, medium and large businesses, governments and non-profit organizations. Ms. Washington recently retired from Corporate America, after 21 years of service, in March 2008 to pursue her lifelong dream of entrepreneurship focused on business management and development as well as building bridges between the private and public sectors.
Her last corporate position was Vice President, Government Affairs Policy & Outreach for Altria Corporate Services. Ms. Washington maintained offices in Washington, D.C., and New York. The department, which she oversaw, served as the liaison between Altria’s federal and state government affairs groups and constituencies, to include: public policy, legislative and business organizations as well as organizations that provide services and support to diverse U.S. communities. She provided legislative and regulatory support services and resources. Through the company’s Stakeholder Management Systems, Ms. Washington leveraged traditional grassroots principles, Internet and database technologies to gain support from various stakeholder groups in both political and nonpolitical initiatives.
Previously, Ms. Washington served as Vice President, External Affairs, responsible for managing community relations’ programs and activities throughout the United States.
Prior to this appointment, she worked as Director, Washington Relations for Philip Morris Management Corp. In this capacity, Ms. Washington was responsible for outreach to Capitol Hill caucuses concerning food, tobacco and beer issues. Before that, she held the position of District Director, State Government Affairs for Philip Morris Management Corp. In this role, she directed the planning and strategy development of State Government Affairs programs and activities in 21 states.
Prior to joining Philip Morris USA., Ms. Washington worked at the Township Auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina, where she worked as Box Office Manager and Assistant Director. Ms. Washington also worked for the Lieutenant Governor’s office in Columbia as the Assistant Director for the South Carolina Program Assistance Line.
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in humanities and social sciences from the University of South Carolina, and a Cognate in mathematics.
Ms. Washington is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (Immediate Past Chair of the Board); Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (Board Vice-Chair); The Future PAC, Community Foundation Prince George’s County and The Links, Incorporated. She is also a member of the Executive Leadership Council and she has received numerous awards and has been featured in various national and local publications.
Born in Columbia, South Carolina, Ms. Washington and her husband, Donald, currently reside in Mitchellville, Maryland.
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