Barbara Rishel was voted in as chair of the CFHoCo Board of Trustees in June of 2024. She is beginning a two-year term as board chair.
Where did you grow up? Go to school?
I grew up in Baltimore County and moved to Howard County in 1990. I have lived in either Baltimore County or Howard county all of my “young” life. I attended public school in high school and public Universities Towson and University of Baltimore, the latter for my undergraduate and graduate degrees. My husband Jim and I raised our two (now adult children) in Western Howard County, and we currently reside in Marriottsville with our English Cocker spaniel, Winston.
What do you do in your “day job?”
I was always interested in finance. I began my working life in the banking and insurance industries in Baltimore, analyzing Investments for corporations. Today, I help clients manage their retirement assets as a Senior Portfolio manager for Tufton Capital Management in Hunt Valley. In addition to my position as vice chair of the CFHoCo investment committee, I am also a member of the investment committee of Maryland for History and Culture (formerly the Maryland Historical Society).
Why did you want to be on the CFHoCo Board of Trustees?
Howard County is such a special place, and my family has benefited from the great schools, world class health care, sports and recreation opportunities, all in a clean, safe environment. I wanted to be able to give something back to the County and hopefully be able to help other children and families enjoy the myriad of benefits available.
When did you start giving to issues that are important to you?
My family always preached that “charity begins at home.” As the eldest child of a working, widowed mother, I saw firsthand that sometimes people need a little help to get back on their feet when life throws them a curve ball. When my daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was in middle school, our family and friends rallied around us as we began fundraising for a cure. Other friends and loved ones developed other medical issues, and we would participate in fundraisers for them as well, such as the Parkinson Foundation.
What advice do you have for those interested in giving back?
I think all of us have been helped at some point in our lives by people in the community all working together to make the world a better place. Volunteering is a great way to start giving back to the community that gave us all so much. There are also many different ways to give back financially, whether with donations to individual nonprofits, or establishing your own donor-advised fund to manage your charitable giving.