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Family Violence Council Membership

The Governor’s Family Violence Council consists of twenty-eight members. Sixteen of the Council seats are designated for representatives from various State agencies. Twelve members with interest and expertise in issues related to domestic violence are appointed by the Governor. These members may include representatives of service providers, the legal, advocacy, and faith communities, and victims and survivors of domestic or family violence. Members appointed by the Governor serve three-year terms. All other members serve as long as they hold the office or designation stipulated.

For more information, please contact Rebecca Allyn.

Council members

Ex officio members

  • Sam Abed
    Secretary, Department of Juvenile Services
  • The Honorable Brian E. Frosh
    Attorney General
  • V. Glenn Fueston, Jr.
    Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention
  • Senator Susan Lee
    Maryland General Assembly, Appointed by the Senate President
  • Robert L. Green
    Secretary, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
  • Lourdes Padilla
    Secretary, Department of Human Services
  • Colonel Woodrow W. Jones, III
    Secretary, Maryland State Police
  • The Honorable Scott G. Patterson
    Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association Representative
  • The Honorable Boyd K. Rutherford
    Lieutenant Governor
  • Dr. Karen Salmon
    Superintendent of Education, Maryland State Department of Education
  • Robert Neall
    Secretary, Maryland Department of Health
  • David Shultie
    Representative of Maryland Judiciary designated by Chief Judge of Court of Appeals
  • Senator Chris West
    Maryland General Assembly, Appointed by the Senate Minority Leader
  • Delegate Kriselda Valderrama
    Maryland General Assembly, Appointed by the Speaker
  • Delegate Haven Shoemaker
    Maryland General Assembly, Appointed by the House Minority Leader

Appointed by the governor

  • Lillian Agbeyegbe
    Survivor Advocate
  • Stacey Burnett Rice, Esq.
    The Law Offices of Stacey B. Rice
  • Deborah Feinstein, Esq.
    Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office
  • Dorothy J. Lennig, Esq., Vice-Chair
    House of Ruth Maryland
  • Lisa Nitsch
    House of Ruth Maryland
  • Jennifer Pollitt-Hill
    Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence
  • Manuel Ruiz
    Synergy Family Services
  • Laure Ruth
    The Women’s Law Center
  • Anne Orwig Weatherholt
    Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church
  • Jeanne Yeager, Chair
    Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence
  • Neshanna Turner
    Survivor