AEMS STAFF
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Rachel McGrain
Executive Director
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Alissa Gittens
Communications Manager
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
BYRONE BROWN, CO-CHAIR
Term Start: May 2023
Co-Chair: August 2026 - present
Byrone Brown, JD, MS, serves as Board Co-Chair for Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS). He is a Director at LeCor Technology Services, where he leads complex technology portfolios, strategic initiatives, governance, and organizational transformation efforts supporting federal programs. With more than 15 years of experience in program management, compliance, risk management, and operational improvement, Byrone has helped organizations strengthen performance, accountability, and stakeholder engagement. In addition to his professional leadership, Byrone is committed to advancing educational opportunities and community impact through service. He brings expertise in strategic planning, strategic oversight, and organizational governance to the AEMS Board of Directors. Byrone holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore, a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Communications.
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CARY MICHAEL ROBINSON, TREASURER
Term Start: June 2025
Treasurer: August 2026 - present
Cary Michael Robinson is an interdisciplinary artist based in Washington, D.C. with a BS in Fine Arts from Florida A&M University and an MA in Design Management from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He is the founder of Artbae, an award-winning organization that offers arts education, advocacy, and events in the D.C. area. Artbae hosts creative events like sip-and-paint parties, art therapy sessions, and unique art buying opportunities. In 2020, Artbae received the Emerging Creative Award at the Mayor’s Arts Awards, and Cary has since earned numerous grants, including the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities Fellowship and the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council Artist Fellowship. He was honored with the GAIN Power IDEA Award for Transformational Talent and Leaders in 2022 and the Creative Spirit Award in 2023. Cary is also a Teaching Artist with the Maryland State Arts Council and has mentored youth through organizations like Best Kids, Inc., the YMCA, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. His work has been featured at prominent events such as the 2016 BET Awards and the Harlem Fine Arts Show. Cary's mission is to inspire through creativity, promoting equity, sustainable living, and improving the quality of life for all. He is passionate about creating meaningful art experiences that encourage growth and community empowerment. Learn more about Mr. Robinson by visiting https://www.carymichael.com/ In addition to his professional leadership, Byrone is committed to advancing educational opportunities and community impact through service. He brings expertise in strategic planning, strategic oversight, and organizational governance to the AEMS Board of Directors. Byrone holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore, a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Communications.
KATIE WEXLER, CO-CHAIR
Term Start: June 2024
Co-Chair: August 2026 - present
Katie Wexler (she/her) is the Senior Director of People & Culture at Repair the World and brings extensive human resources experience to her new role as board member of AEMS. Katie is a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder and holds certification from SHRM (The Society for Human Resources Management). As the parent of an active and artistic 3rd grader in Montgomery County, Katie is excited to advocate on behalf of arts education for all students in Maryland. Katie lives in Kensington, MD with her family and in her spare time enjoys all things Broadway, baking and books.
SHEILA GIBBS, SECRETARY
Term Start: June 2021
Treasurer: August 2026 - present
Sheila Gibbs practices in the firm's litigation group. She focuses on business litigation and government contracts. Sheila represents individual clients, as well as corporations. She has also represented clients in the defense of medical-malpractice and toxic tort claims and in corporate litigation. In addition, Sheila has experience preparing homeowner association documents for developers of residential housing projects. Before joining with the firm, Sheila practiced law in Chicago in the areas of business litigation and personal injury.
KRISTIN COX
Term Start: December 2020
Treasurer: June 2021 - Dec 2023
Co-chair: Jan 2024 - July 2026
Kristin Cox is a Towson, MD native. She holds a Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a Masters of Business from Loyola University. Kristin has been teaching dance since the age of nine at the Greater Loch Raven Recreation Center serving a diverse group of students in a variety of dance styles. Kristin’s professional career started as an engineering intern for BGE in their Gas Operations before moving into a variety of leadership positions across the company. She now lives in Bel Air, MD with her family.
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CHRISTEN CROMWELL
Term Start: January 2021
Co-chair: Jan 2024 - July 2026
Christen Cromwell is a theatre artist from Baltimore, MD with 20 years of experience. After becoming passionate about equity in education, she earned her MAT in Secondary English and Theatre Education. Her resume includes acting, directing, and writing credits in theatre and film, primarily comedy. She currently teaches English and Theater Arts for Baltimore City Public Schools, a faculty member at her alma mater, Baltimore City College. She is the Director of Play Development for the newly founded Two Strikes Theatre Collective, an organization whose primary goal is to prioritize stories by Black women. She also serves as a board member for The Strand Theater Company.
SARAH EDELSBURG
Term Start: March 2026
Sarah has been working to connect communities in Baltimore to resources that can help them grow and thrive for over a decade. She recently served as the Director of Development Operations at Baltimore Corps for four years, where she led the behind-the-scenes work to galvanize support for programs that connected local talent to career building opportunities. She also served as the Program Manager of the Community Art Collaborative (CAC) AmeriCorps program for six years, where she supervised and mentored 52 AmeriCorps member artists, and coordinated with over 50 community organization partners that hosted members to lead arts programs. She has held additional roles at several local arts nonprofits and foundations, from directly teaching after-school arts programs to managing the Rubys Artist Grant Program for local practicing artists. Sarah holds an MA in Community Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and a BA in Art History from George Washington University.
BARBARA LIEDAHL
Term Start: June 2025
Barbara Liedahl of BJLFELTCLAYMAKER LLC specializes in Educational Consulting, Professional Development, and Makerspace Support. She is a Professional Development Provider for Infosys Foundation USA’s Online Pathfinders Summer Institute, where she facilitates her “Space Suits in Progress: Sewable Electronics” course. Recently retired, she served as a Media Arts Instructional Specialist for Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland, overseeing 105 instructors and producing the Student Digital Film Festival for 13 years. Ms. Liedahl is an experienced conference workshop facilitator focusing on Media Arts, Computational Thinking, and Technology Integration, and advocates for cross-curricular collaboration through technology and the arts. As an artist, she integrates electronics into various media, including wet- and needle-felted wool, paper arts, and polymer clay jewelry, creating interactive and innovative designs.
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HEATHER MOORSHEAD
Term Start: June 2025
Heather earned her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Loyola University Maryland shortly before joining the firm of T. Rowe Price as a Product Analyst in 2016. In October 2024, Heather co-led a breakout session alongside a workplace colleague at the national “Neurodiversity in the Workplace” conference, hosted by Kennedy Krieger. She additionally served as Communications & Marketing lead for one of the firm’s business resource groups across that same year. Heather feels passionately about combating stigma surrounding mental health, as well as enhancing holistic wellness support for children via their educational environment. She enjoys seeing the love of the arts developing in her two young children in the form of drawing, singing and dance, and in her spare time can often be found reading a good fantasy book or snuggling up with her Bernedoodle.
HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE ARTS TASK FORCE
(H.E.A.T. Force)
HEATForce consists of arts education faculty from higher education throughout Maryland. Virtual meetings are held quarterly via Zoom with the mission of identifying gaps in arts education and bridging the divide between primary and tertiary education to promote paths to arts education pursuits in Maryland’s colleges and universities.
Elizabeth Ahearn
Goucher College
Mya Ajanku
Coppin State
Truly Austin
Bowie State University
Steve Barker
Prince George's Community College
Kay Broadwater
Towson Arts Integration Institute (Emeritus)
Katie Coogan
University of Maryland
Tamara DeSilva
Bowie State University
Crystal Davis
University of Maryland
Julia Di Bussolo
Arts Every Day
Jennifer Dorsey
Bowie State University
Lisa Hochtritt
Maryland Institute College of Art
Jaye Knutson
Towson University
Diane Kuthy
Towson University
Julian Lazarus
Maryland Theatre Educators Association
Morna McDermott
Towson University
Dr. Anita Weisburger
Coppin State University
Glendola Mills
Morgan State University
Lizzie Morales
Maryland State Arts Council
Diya Hafiz-Slayton
Baltimore City Schools, Director of Fine Arts
Nan Park
Maryland Institute College of Art
Susan Rotkovitz
Towson University
Margaret Walker
University of Maryland College Park
Anna Winthrop
University of Maryland College Park
Address
1505 Eutaw Pl.
Ste 204
Baltimore, MD
21217
