 Season 2, Episode 7: A Leader’s Toolbox: Striking Balance, Making Connections, and Establishing Trust
“[Good leaders] have an openness to things we may not know, or even be interested in at the onset. Oftentimes, leaders have grown to a point where they’re experts in their field, but we always have the opportunity to learn more and grow more.” – Eli Modlin ‘19 (LM) In this episode, Eric Brotman ’09 (LM), and guest host Eliot Pfanstiehl (LM) are joined by Eli Modlin ’19 (LM), Chief of Staff and Director of Government and Community Relations at Salisbury University. Eli and the hosts discuss how Salisbury University has navigated political, social, and COVID-19 issues, while faculty and staff have worked together to assist students and families during this unprecedented time. Eli shares insight on leadership roles within the University, and how the institution goes above and beyond to engage with and support the greater Salisbury community. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN In this episode, we discuss:
About our guest: Eli Modlin has served as Chief of Staff at Salisbury University since July 31, 2019. Prior to this position, Modlin held roles as Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Government and Community Relations. Eli graduated from Salisbury University with a degree in communication arts and a minor in political science, spending his summers in Washington, D.C. as a U.S. Capitol intern. At Salisbury University, he served as president and general manager of the campus TV station, SUTV, where he conducted interviews with dozens of state and local leaders including Governor Larry Hogan, Senator Chris Van-Hollen and other members of Congress, the Maryland General Assembly, and local elected officials. In addition to the President’s Executive Staff, he chairs the Town-Gown Council and serves on the PACE Steering Committee, Safety Task Force, Neighborhood Relations Committee, and Strategic Planning and Budgeting Committee. Prior to joining SU, Eli served as the Public Affairs Officer for the Comptroller of Maryland where, as a member of the Communications Team, he was responsible for writing speeches, talking points, and briefing memorandums for the agency. Before joining the Communications team, he served as the special liaison officer and handled constituent matters and staffed the Comptroller in Baltimore City, Baltimore, Howard, and Wicomico Counties. Eli is a member of the Salisbury University Chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa and an active alumnus of Mount Saint Joseph High School. He is also a member of the inaugural class of the Transformational Leadership Program, a collaboration between Salisbury University and the Greater Salisbury Committee to engage the next generation of leaders. Beyond the University, Modlin serves on the board of directors of My Brother’s Keeper, a Baltimore organization that provides workforce development and meals for those in need, and the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce. He also is a member of the National Folk Festival Executive Committee and the Leadership Maryland Class of 2019.
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 Jody Sprinkle '17 By: Jody Sprinkle '17, Chief Government Relations & Policy Officer, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) At TEDCO, we embrace the core value of stewardship every day in each of our programs. It is our responsibility and privilege to manage the scarce resources entrusted to us by our public and private partners. As a quasi-public instrumentality of the State of Maryland, TEDCO incorporates stewardship into our mission to serve the State’s entrepreneurs in an efficient, effective, and fiscally responsible manner. TEDCO provides a public service to the State’s entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem by providing grants, investments, and wraparound services. Nothing is more fundamental to public service than the trust instilled by the citizens it serves. That trust is earned by the continuous and repeated demonstration of responsible stewardship of the public’s investment. More broadly, for TEDCO, stewardship means that we understand the impact of our resources and how we choose to deploy them. Our resources are deployed to maximize the benefit to Maryland entrepreneurs and to position Maryland for growth. Since its inception, TEDCO investments have led to the creation of over 7,800 direct jobs in Maryland. Under the Maryland Innovation Initiative alone, our portfolio companies have generated over $200 million in follow-on funding. TEDCO has made over 400 investments from our Seed Fund in Maryland start-ups. In total, TEDCO has generated over $1.6 billion in economic impact for the State. However, having core values means that we cannot let successes lead to complacency. Good stewardship also means openness to stakeholder input. It means that we are caretakers of the relationships with our collaborators in the ecosystem. We use that stewardship to strengthen the dialogue with our partners to evolve our programs to be more responsive to the challenges in a modern economy. We build on that stewardship to cultivate a reputation for an unfailing dedication to our mission. When we demonstrate trustworthy, ethical, consistent, and responsive stewardship, we are afforded the confidence and the space to lead in new and pioneering ways. TEDCO is developing innovative approaches to entrepreneur development because of its proven track record of responsible and productive investment. This is increasingly vital as Maryland continues to address a new generation of rapidly changing technologies, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, biotechnology, clean energy, and blue technology, etc. This challenge is compounded by new realities of changing workplace dynamics and a long overdue reckoning with income and wealth disparities. TEDCO is embracing its leadership role by facing these challenges with new programming and re-energized partnerships. With the Department of Commerce and the University System of Maryland, TEDCO has launched the Maryland Entrepreneur Hub, an AI assisted portal that matches Maryland entrepreneurs with the best and most appropriate resources in the State. Under the Builder Fund, TEDCO has introduced its first Entrepreneur-in-Residence to guide early-stage companies that are owned by socially and economically disadvantaged founders to meet critical milestones toward growth. To address the economic impact of the pandemic, and with the partnership of the Governor and the Maryland General Assembly, TEDCO launched the Rural and Underserved Business Recovery from Impact of COVID-19 (RUBRIC) Grant Program and the Agriculture and Rural Rebuild (ARR) Challenge. The benefits of stewardship do not only lie in the accumulation of trust, but in the flexibility to find new methods to address modern challenges. TEDCO earns its freedom to innovate by embracing its role as a steward of a public mission. TEDCO will continue to use its stewardship to lead innovation to market. This is a contributed post from our silver sponsor, TEDCO.   Tiffany Wang, MLW Content Director Maryland Leadership Workshops Content Director Tiffany Wang tells us what delegates can expect from MLW On Tour
Due to the pandemic, Maryland Leadership Workshops truly reinvented itself in 2020, offering MLW @Home – a virtual program that gave delegates across the state the opportunity to experience MLW at no cost for the first time. This year, with concerns about COVID lingering, the MLW team is innovating again to create another first-time experience – MLW On Tour! Consisting of four three-day workshops in different regions of the state between July 7 and July 28, MLW On Tour will give delegates the opportunity to gather safely in-person close to home. And for those who can’t attend in person, MLW will again offer free content online to give every Maryland middle- and high-school student the opportunity to immerse themselves in all aspects of leadership. We recently spoke with Tiffany Wang, MLW Content Director, to learn more about the MLW On Tour experience and what delegates can expect this summer. Q: This year will look different than MLW’s traditional residential summer programs. Can you tell us how each MLW On Tour stop will be structured? A: Even though MLW On Tour is not our traditional summer program, we still aim to provide the same “MLW magic” – a transformative experience in leadership anchored in social justice – just as we do every year. This summer we are focused on helping delegates develop the tools they need to be able to advocate for the issues they're passionate about in their own communities. Each tour stop will include three workshops, community-building discussions, guest speakers, and a community project where delegates can put the skills they've learned into action. The workshops will build on each other so that by the end of the tour, delegates will have a better understanding of the roles they can play in creating change in their communities, as well as their relationships with others in those communities. Q: Since not all delegates will be able to attend in person, what content will be available to access from home? A: We will have four free mini-workshops that will be accessible through our website. We are also planning two community calls for the month of July, where delegates can call in from anywhere to discuss issues that matter to them and learn about what's going on in other areas. In August, all MLW On Tour delegates will have the opportunity to share their community projects on one last community call that will be open to everyone. Q: What has the process of building this curriculum been like? What goes into shaping the content for each workshop? A: I am so grateful for the other three members of the content team. This curriculum was truly a collaborative effort between the four of us, other members of MLW who assisted with the brainstorming process, and the two amazing high school students who came in to give us feedback. We started with the big picture, with questions such as: "What are the main takeaways we want for the delegates?" and "If we could offer literally any workshops in the world, what would they be?" From there, we grouped together similar themes and discussed what needed to be included so we could meet the main goals of the program as a whole. Q: What can you tell us about the workshops you’re creating? A: Our first workshop centers on understanding identity expression and how to effectively communicate one's passions with others. The next zooms out to focus on how delegates interact with the rest of their communities, the roles they play when advocating for change, and navigating the other resources available to them. The last workshop seeks to look at the larger systems affecting delegates' lives and tapping into the power they already have to achieve their goals. We hope these workshops, along with our free virtual workshops, can supplement the skills delegates have already developed as leaders in their communities. Q: With just a small group of delegates participating in person in each region, will there still be opportunities for delegates from different regions to interact with each other? A: While the structure of MLW On Tour does limit the opportunities for delegates from other parts of the state to get to know each other, I'm really excited about the opportunities presented by the regionally-based programs. Since each tour stop will bring delegates from more homogenous areas, it gives us the chance to make the community project truly based on their community and lets delegates share region-specific resources with each other. That being said, we hope delegates from all across the state can attend our virtual community calls, where that cross-community discussion and resource-sharing can still take place. We also encourage everyone to attend our end-of-tour community project presentations that will take place virtually at the beginning of August. Q: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about MLW On Tour and the curriculum you are building? A: I think this summer has really given us the opportunity to think outside the box and push the curriculum further with both the workshops and other programming. Young people today are often already doing work in their communities, so our goal is really just to assist them by introducing them to more concepts and tools that they can adapt for themselves. Registration for MLW On Tour is open now. To register, visit: http://mlw.org/apply-2/.  Season 2, Episode 6: Spotting the Difference: Are You an Average or Outstanding Leader?
“Average leaders tell people what they want to hear, while outstanding leaders tell people what they need to hear.” – Sean Looney ‘96 This month on Engaging Leaders, we welcome Sean Looney ‘96, vice president of state government affairs for Comcast NBCUniversal. Listen as Sean discusses which qualities separate average leaders from outstanding ones, and why true leaders are defined by their ability to adapt to circumstances, ask questions, and engage in uncomfortable conversations. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN In this episode, we discuss:
About Our Guest: Sean Looney is vice president of state government affairs for Comcast NBCUniversal. He represents the company before state-elected and appointed officials in Maryland and Delaware. Sean has worked in state and federal government affairs for more than 30 years for NJ Bell, Bell Atlantic, Verizon, and Comcast. He is a 1996 graduate of Leadership Maryland and received the Leadership Maryland Leader of the Year Award in 2003. Sean has served in leadership positions for numerous business and community organizations. He lives in Annapolis, MD and Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ with his wife and two children.  Season 2, Episode 5: Crisis 101: Over-Communicating, the Alignment of Control, and Finding Balance In-Between
“Seek examples of effective leadership in unusual places—go out of your way to thank people and listen to what they share with you.” – Joseph DeMattos ‘08 In this episode, Eric Brotman ‘09, and guest host Eliot Pfanstiehl (LM) are joined by Joseph DeMattos ‘08, president of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland (HFAM). During the conversation, Eric, Eliot, and Joseph discuss leadership lessons from COVID-19—particularly in the healthcare industry—and how to lead from where you are, while understanding the importance of over-communication and the mirage of control during crisis. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN In this episode, we discuss:
About our guest: In April 2009, Joseph DeMattos, Jr., MA became president of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland (HFAM) – the oldest and largest long-term care association in the state representing skilled nursing, sub-acute facilities, assisted living programs, and continuing care retirement communities. As president, DeMattos is responsible for managing and leading HFAM, a voluntary provider community association chartered in 1948 as the Maryland Nursing Home Association. Prior to joining HFAM, DeMattos was AARP’s senior state director of Maryland—which has more than 875,000 members. He was responsible for the management of the AARP Maryland State Office in Baltimore, and charged with directing the organization’s advocacy, community service, and educational activities statewide. DeMattos served in leadership roles for AARP’s Medicare Prescription Drug and Social Security campaigns. Prior to becoming state director, DeMattos was AARP’s interim Director of Advocacy where he directed government relations and advocacy nationwide. DeMattos has more than 28 years of professional and community service experience in the fields of communications, community outreach, public relations, and government relations. Before joining AARP, DeMattos was a government relations and crisis communications practitioner at a prominent Hawaii public relations firm. DeMattos served on Hawaii Governor John Waihee’s Executive Chamber staff and on the Office of Information staff. In Hawaii, DeMattos also served on the staff of the Attorney General and as a legislative aide in the State House. DeMattos is a graduate of the University of Hawaii and is also a past president of the University of Hawaii Alumni Association. DeMattos holds a Master of Arts in Government from Johns Hopkins University. He has completed executive education studies in Management at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. He is also an alumnus of the Pacific Century Fellows Program, a Hawaii-Pacific program modeled after the White House Fellows. He is an alumnus of the Leadership Maryland Class of 2008.  Season 2, Episode 4: Past, Present, Future: Analyzing Multigenerational Leadership
“Being a strong leader is about being yourself and developing your own footsteps. If you want people to follow you, you need to take on a cause.” – Jim Perdue '00 This month, Eric Brotman ‘09 and guest host Memo Diriker ‘12 are joined by Jim Perdue ‘00, chairman of Perdue Farms, for a conversation about how Perdue Farms has navigated the pandemic, the different dynamics of family leadership, and the importance of diversity in decision-making. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN In this episode, we discuss:
About our guest: Jim Perdue has been the chairman and advertising spokesman of Perdue Farms since 1991. He is a third-generation leader of the company founded by his grandfather in 1920. In 1983, Jim Perdue accepted the invitation from his father, Frank Perdue, to return to the family business. Over the next eight years, he worked various plant management jobs and was then named vice president of quality improvement. Under Jim’s leadership, Perdue has grown from an East-coast centered label of premium fresh chicken to a national roster of premium protein brands which includes chicken, turkey, pork, beef and lamb; in addition, Perdue Agribusiness went from a regional grain and oilseed business to a multi-faceted international player. His leadership guided Perdue to become a leader in workplace safety and associate health, including innovative wellness programs. Jim’s commitment to earning consumer trust guided Perdue to becoming the first major poultry company to move all of its chicken to no-antibiotics-ever protocols. In 2016, Jim announced the company’s Commitments to Animal Care, a groundbreaking initiative that is transforming Perdue’s approach to raising chickens. As Chairman, Jim is responsible for ensuring the company stays true to its vision and values and ensuring that the company continues to build on its strong corporate responsibility programs, especially continued leadership in elevating animal care and in strengthening relationships with farmers. Jim received his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, a master’s degree in marine biology from the University of Massachusetts at North Dartmouth, a doctorate in fisheries from the University of Washington Seattle, and his MBA from Salisbury University in Maryland. Jim is a member of Leadership Maryland’s class of 2000, he serves on the board of the National Chicken Council and the board of the Oyster Recovery Project, and he is extremely active in the local community.  Arti Santhanam '21, PhD By: Arti Santhanam '21, PhD, Executive Director of the Maryland Innovation Initiative at the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) When I was asked to write about TEDCO’s core value of collaboration, the word that immediately came to mind was “ubuntu.” Ubuntu is a Zulu word that Archbishop Desmond Tutu defined as “My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in what is yours.” In the simplest terms, ubuntu means, “I am because we are.” Scholars of African studies and philosophy state that ubuntu is actually an intentionally vague term, similar to the Sanskrit word “namaste” (which loosely translates to “the divine light within me bows to the divine light within you”). Like namaste, ubuntu is much more than just a word—it’s a philosophy, a world view, and a framework for how we relate to and work with others. While the concept of ubuntu has spiritual connotations, it has practical applications as well. As a socio-economic ideology, ubuntu encourages equity and equality as a means of generating shared wealth, promotes collective responsibility for the greater good, and fosters appreciation for each individual’s unique talents. At TEDCO, ubuntu manifests itself primarily in our core value of collaboration: “We focus on building trust and credibility across the organization and with our customers. We are transparent in the exchange of ideas and our encouragement of one another. We value teamwork in our pursuit of supporting innovation and entrepreneurial excellence.” Driven by this value, we embody ubuntu both internally and in our service to Maryland’s diverse entrepreneurial community. Collaboration serves as the foundation upon which TEDCO has helped build the state’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem since our founding in 1998. Over the last 22 years, our team has tapped into the power of partnership to identify opportunities to strengthen the state’s economy, provide valuable resources to entrepreneurs, and cultivate an environment that is open to innovation, creativity, and diversity. Without this group of like-minded, passionate people working together toward shared goals, TEDCO simply wouldn’t exist—and the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem would be nothing more than a great idea. TEDCO has worked hard to knit together an entrepreneurial ecosystem that connects like-minded entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, academics, legislators, and business leaders from all corners of the state. Together, we have woven in diversity of thought, variety of skills, and myriad needs of our citizens to build a vibrant tech-based entrepreneurial community that’s consistently ranked in the top five in the United States. A tangible example of successful collaboration in the spirit of ubuntu is the Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII), which brings together universities—public and private, large and small—with the goal of leveling the playing field for technology commercialization. While equality doesn’t always lead to equity (we certainly have more work to be done in this area), we have embraced the ubuntu principles of community and collaboration to significantly impact the entrepreneurial cultures at Maryland’s universities. Collectively through this program, we have de-risked over 250 technologies, created 100 startups and attracted over $530 billion in investments. During challenging times such as the ones we are living in now, it’s more important than ever to embrace ubuntu in spirit and in practice. Through collaboration, we can overcome challenges, find solutions, and empower Maryland’s entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into vital businesses that will expand wealth and improve quality of life for our state’s residents and beyond. This is a contributed post from our silver sponsor, TEDCO.  Each March, we celebrate the beginning of another Leadership Maryland class year with our New Class Reception. This event gives our newest members a chance to gather for the first time, meet our board members and other past participants, and share their joy and enthusiasm for the coming year. After having to postpone our 2020 program, it felt great to renew this annual tradition this year, even if we did have to forgo our typical setting of the Governor’s Reception Room in the Maryland State House for a virtual celebration. On Monday, March 15, we hosted more than 80 guests on Zoom, including the 50 members of the Class of 2021, the individuals who nominated them, our lifetime members, and our board. We also welcomed Maryland Lieutenant Governor Boyd K. Rutherford as our special guest speaker. In his remarks, the Lt. Governor reminded us that leadership comes in many forms, and the opportunity to lead can come at any time, regardless of your position. He also updated us on the State’s response to COVID-19 and thanked us as local business and community leaders for doing our part to help the state persevere and recover. We then separated our guests into break-out rooms, divided into our five key geographic regions – Central, Western, Capital, Southern, and Eastern Shore. This gave our new class the opportunity to meet and chat with our alumni in a smaller and more personal format and hear what advice they had to offer for the class year. Our past graduates commended the new class on their resiliency and resolve and advised them to be prepared to be present in each session by taking care of things at the office and at home in advance, and that what they each get out of the program will depend on what they each put into the program. The Class of 2021 also shared what they were most looking forward to this year. They expressed their intent to apply the perspective gained during the pandemic, and that they were looking forward to focusing on the Leadership Maryland program with a mindset no other class has experienced. This class is excited to renew, restore, and network to support our local and regional communities, as well as our state and nation, in a very different world than existed just a year ago. It felt wonderful to finally bring the Class of 2021 together in an official capacity, and it was also a bit therapeutic for us on the staff to do something that feels normal again – welcoming a new class and building excitement for the year ahead!  Season 2, Episode 3: Understanding the Value of the Human Experience
“Leading is not about having the answers—it’s about marshalling the resources, supporting others, and helping to get to the solution.” – Phoebe Stein ‘10 In this episode, Eric Brotman '09 is joined by the President of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, Phoebe Stein ’10, to discuss the overall mission and values of the councils, why it’s critical to invest in the humanities—art, philosophy, literature, ethics, history, and more—the pandemic’s impact on new leadership roles, and the importance of relationship building. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN In this episode, we discuss:
About our guest: Phoebe Stein is president of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, the membership association of state and jurisdictional humanities councils founded in 1977. The Federation provides leadership, advocacy, and information to help member humanities councils advance public programs that engage millions of citizens across diverse populations in community and civic life. The Federation also strives to create greater awareness of the value of the humanities— history, literature, philosophy, ethics, the law—in public and private life. Stein serves on the board of the National Humanities Alliance and on the advisory councils of BFG Financial Advisors and Humanities Indicators, a project of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Stein was the executive director for Maryland Humanities from 2008 to 2020 and has been an advocate for the humanities at local, state, and federal levels for more than 20 years. During her tenure at Maryland Humanities, Stein expanded the council’s partnerships and resources and hosted a radio spot, “Humanities Connection,” while advancing several of the council’s flagship programs, including Maryland History Day, Museum on Main Street, and One Maryland One Book. She served on the Federation’s Board of Directors from 2013 to 2017 as both vice chair and as a member of the Legislative Committee. In 2016, she was recognized as one of “Maryland’s Top 100 Women” by The Daily Record. She is also a member of the 2010 class of Leadership Maryland. Before joining the Maryland council, Stein was the director of public affairs at Illinois Humanities. She received her Ph.D. and M.A. in English from Loyola University of Chicago and her B.A. in English from the University of Michigan.  Season 2, Episode 2: Optimism, Inspiration, Innovation: The Keys to Moving Forward
“Always be prepared to expect the unexpected. The world will constantly be pushing in on you, but your inner confidence will provide your inner stability—watch your inner thoughts and talk because they often determine your outward actions.” – Dr. Jim Fielder, ‘98 In this episode, Eric Brotman '09 is joined by Maryland Higher Education Secretary Dr. James Fielder ’98 to discuss the status of higher education in Maryland—including how to move forward as a state during unprecedented times. Throughout the episode, Fielder hones in on the importance of lifelong learning, educated workforces, and how to stay relevant and ahead of the curve in the workplace and within educational institutions. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN In this episode, we discuss:
About our guest: Maryland Higher Education Secretary Dr. James D. Fielder is an effective and highly regarded executive and public servant with a passion for leading change. Fielder is focused on improving the economic well-being of Marylanders through educational and business opportunities. He has been appointed by four Maryland governors, providing his talents and expertise in numerous leadership capacities. These include:
He also served as Towson University’s Vice President of Finance & Administration, as well as the Director of Budget, Personnel & Institutional Research at the University of Michigan – Flint. Secretary Fielder obtained his Ph.D. at Michigan State University in higher education, his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park, and he is a Leadership Maryland Class of ’98 graduate and a past board member. |
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