The Community Foundation of Howard County has named Barbara Rishel chair of the board of trustees. The board comprises volunteer leaders from across Howard County. Rishel is a vice president and senior portfolio manager at Tufton Capital Management. Rishel joined the foundation’s board of trustees in 2020. With decades of experience as a professional financial advisor, she has also served as vice chair of the foundation’s investment committee. Rishel holds an MBA from the University of Baltimore and a Bachelor degree from Towson University.
“We’re so pleased to have Barb’s experienced leadership at the helm of our board of trustees,” stated Beverly White-Seals, president and CEO of the community foundation. “Her dedication to our mission and her vision for the future of our organization make her the perfect choice to lead our board. Barb’s passion for philanthropy and her strong leadership skills will guide the organization into its next chapter of growth and impact.”
Rishel replaces outgoing chair, Steven Sass, who completed his two-year tenure as board chair in June. Sass works as a bankruptcy attorney and trustee in commercial bankruptcy cases.
“We can’t thank Steve enough for his service to the community foundation,” said White-Seals. “Steve has been very dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the quality of life our community is known for, and he has been a constant booster of the Howard County nonprofit community.”
Also, Christopher Walter has been elected to serve as vice chair of the board of trustees. Walter heads the estate planning and administration practice at the Columbia law firm of Davis, Agnor, Rapaport & Skalny. Walter chairs the marketing & communications committee at the foundation, and he has served on the board since 2023. Walter earned both his undergraduate and law degree from the University of Maryland.
In addition to the leadership transition, the foundation is pleased to welcome four new members to the board of trustees.
- Russell Berger serves as general counsel and principal at Offit Kurman law firm. A labor and employment attorney with 20 years of law experience, Berger provides business counsel to employers on employee matters. He earned a law degree from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Johns Hopkins University.
- Lance Johnson is a vice president for commercial banking at PNC, where he delivers banking products and services to companies ranging from $5 million to $50 million in revenue. He began his career in banking over 25 years ago and has worked at several banks in the market through acquisition. Johnson earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Towson University.
- Mark Stinson is a wealth advisor and managing director for Carson Wealth, where he works with professionals in transition. In addition to his financial planning background, he has 20 years of experience in corporate accounting and management. Stinson is a certified financial planner and certified public accountant. He holds an MBA from Loyola University Maryland and a Bachelor of Business Administration from James Madison University.
- Sabina Taj is an advisor for the Reis Foundation, where she oversees grant management. Previously, she led a family foundation in Massachusetts, served on Howard County’s board of education and taught as an adjunct professor at Howard Community College. She holds a Master of Arts from Georgetown University and Bachelor of Arts from California Lutheran University.
These four new trustees replace four outgoing members who completed their terms on the Board. “The foundation is forever grateful to Khalid Abedin, Steven Porter, Jim Sanders and Jason Weszka for their dedicated service,” said White-Seals. “Our organization has grown so much over the past several years under their leadership.”