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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/15/2025
The chapter held its annual Awards Night in May with 300 people attending. Jessica Morgenstern, chapter vice president of scholarships, served as master of ceremonies, and chapter leaders helped to present the scholarships. Twenty-three students were recognized and received scholarships totaling $267,000. Each student recipient responded to a thought-provoking question giving the audience insight into their personalities and abilities. This was another impressive group! The chapter also contributed $25,000 to AFCEA International Education Foundation and Emily Lund accepted the contribution and recognized and gave certificates to 35 schools that received Kickstarter grants to bring STEM into K-12 classrooms.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 03/13/2025
In March, the chapter participated in Old Mill Middle School South's eighth annual Cyber Defender Day. Students in grades 5-8 visited a variety of stations where they learned about cybersecurity, including cyber defense and ethical hacking and raised awareness for future careers in the cyber defense industry from industry and government leader volunteers through hands-on learning. This learning included:• 3D-printing displays (see printers in action) • Capture the Flag (use logic and strategies to beat your opponent in an electronic game) • Computer Graveyard (take apart and reassemble old computers and electronics) • CrowPi devices (learn about Raspberry Pi) • Cyphering Wheel (decode and build simple messages using a variety of cyphers) • Electronic breadboard build for a small electronic badge (learn circuitry of a breadboard by building an electronic badge) • Electronics: snap circuits and "Little Bitz" (explore circuits and build electronic ga ... READ MORE |
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 03/13/2025
The chapter's Small Business Committee and Strategic Partnerships Committee hosted a joint panel: HIRING ACROSS THE BOARD: Recruiting Multi-Generational Candidates. The panel was composed of members of several different generations. They discussed what was most important to them about a company they worked for, highlighting successful approaches to members of their respective generations. The panel expressed different expectations of the hiring process, workplace culture and preferences for health benefits, 401K matching, paid time off and other corporate perks. By exposing these perspectives, companies, both large and small, may better understand how to recruit, hire and retain these candidates more effectively, efficiently and profitably.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 11/12/2024
In November, the chapter's Small Business Committee put on an "After Hours With AFCEA Small Business: Forming a JV [Joint Venture]." It was an insightful and engaging discussion on forming a JV and diving into actionable guidance for what's needed to form, bid and operate as part of a JV, with special emphasis on considerations for small business. A big thank you to panel members: Heather Hogan from Red Arch Solutions, Matthew Ford from RealmOne and Wayne Johnson from Ashton-Group Services. A special thank you to the moderator, Andrew Price from Ractsol Corp. Thank you to RealmOne for hosting the attendees, and lastly, thank you to Kirsten Miller-Jones, the chapter's vice president of small business, who did an amazing job pulling it all together.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 09/23/2024
In September, the chapter joined forces with the AFCEA Aberdeen Chapter and the AFCEA Northern Virginia Chapter to present a joint Small Business event, "After Hours With AFCEA Small Business: Diversifying Your Portfolio." It was an insightful and engaging discussion on strategies, as well as the complexities of diversifying your company's portfolio. A big thank you to panel members Christopher Carr, Devin Edwards, Jeff Bullock and moderator Jason Barbour. Kirsten Miller-Jones, the chapter vice president of small business, did an amazing job pulling it all together and coordinating with the Aberdeen and Northern Virginia Chapters. Thank you, CACI International Inc., for hosting the attendees.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 08/13/2024.png)
One of the chapter's goals is to educate and inspire the next generation of technical professionals. The chapter started the Student Intern Presentation Showcase (SIPS) several years ago to do just that. SIPS is an opportunity offered by sponsors in the chapter in which summer interns can practice their presentation skills and demonstrate their technical prowess. The August showcase allowed interns to present their summer projects in front of a diverse audience. Five companies (Belay Technologies, Clarity Business Solutions, Leidos, Praxis Engineering and Visionist Inc.) sponsored 16 students to make seven presentations. Students received professional presentation coaching from David Taylor, Lohfeld Consulting, in three separate sessions before the final presentation. More than 50 people witnessed the presentations, including three judges from sponsor organizations: Joseph Karolchik, Nteligen; Maria Jones, Calibyr; and Ryan Hendrickson, Pointer Technologies, and the chapter' ... READ MORE |
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/09/2024
The chapter held its annual Awards Night in May with 300 people attending. Jessica Morgenstern, chapter vice president of scholarships, served as master of ceremony, and Scholarship Committee members helped to make the presentations. Twenty-four students were recognized and 22 received scholarships totaling $264,000. Each student recipient responded to a thought-provoking question giving the audience some insight into their personalities and abilities. This was another impressive group! The chapter also contributed $25,000 to AFCEA International Education Foundation and Nancy Temple, international secretary; vice president, Human Resources; and vice president, AFCEA Educational Foundation, attended the event and accepted the contribution.Students receiving scholarships this year are: George R. Cotter Scholarship-Joycelyn Chow; Women in Technology Scholarship-Nicole Luo; Kathleen Berganski Women in Cyber Scholarship-Margaret Fatula; Bruce & Jessica Morgenstern STEM Scholarshi ... READ MORE |
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In April, the chapter hosted an exciting new event. Companies brought out six of their best competitors to race in a thrilling go-karting event at United Karting. With 15 teams revving up to compete, the track was filled with excitement as participants competed for victory in a high-speed showdown. Pit stops were a flurry of activity as teams executed lightning-fast driver changes. The evening ended with trophies, laughs and of course-food! Everyone had a blast raising money for STEM education.
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This March, the chapter introduced a NEW Sporting Clays event at PinTail Point. This sold-out clay shooting event was a resounding success! The event promised a day filled with camaraderie, competition and, of course, the exhilarating challenge of clay shooting. Against the backdrop of the Chesapeake Bay's shimmering waters, over 20 teams competed to get the best shot.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 02/22/2024
The chapter held its 17th annual Valentine Gala in February at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Maryland. With more than 400 industry, government and military attendees, this event is always a huge hit. Guests received individual portraits and delicious food, followed by live music, dancing and fun. This was a can't-miss event and the chapter is already looking forward to next year.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 02/13/2024.JPG)
The chapter awarded Rachael Lynch the "Save the Day" award at this month's luncheon for her support leading the chapter's annual Valentine Gala. Lynch has run the chapter's Valentine Gala for several years with great success. The gala takes place at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Maryland. With more than 400 industry, government and military attendees, this event is a huge hit! Lynch worked tirelessly to ensure everything came together seamlessly for this event, never missing any details. From fun individual portraits at guests' arrival, delicious food, great music and dancing, this was a can't-miss event. Lynch led the gala committee through an outstanding event. The chapter couldn't have done it without her and is already counting down until next year's gala!
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 02/13/2024.JPG)
The chapter awarded Bethany Jedlicka the "Unsung Hero" award at this month's luncheon. Bethany has been a key member of the Women in AFCEA (WIA) committee since 2022, supporting the event planning and behind the scenes execution of multiple WIA events throughout each chapter year. This chapter year, Jedlicka has provided outstanding planning coordination for several existing and new WIA events including the Women's Speaker Series (Technology focus: AI/ML) last October, the Women's Podcast Spotlight Roundtable last November, and the WIA Game Night Social on February 22. Last year, Jedlicka supported planning and execution of the following events: the Women's Speaker Series Cyber Panel and the WIA-WIIG Women's Leadership Roundtable. In addition to volunteering for WIA, Jedlicka works full time at NiSUS Technologies Corporation, providing business development support and is finishing her bachelor's in software development at the end of this year. Even with her incredibly ... READ MORE |
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 01/30/2024
The chapter's Women in AFCEA (WIA) and Small Business Committees joined forces to hold a Woman-Owned Small Business Panel. The panel featured Stacy Trammell, president and CEO at Zavda Technologies LLC; Alison Flanigan, CEO at Omega Minds; and Jacqui Magnes, CEO at COMSO, with moderation by Tiffany Tong, chapter vice president of WIA and business development/capture manager at Leidos.Discussions included the importance of networking and building connections, making investments in growth, finding work/life balance and guiding principles for each panelist in their businesses. |
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 01/04/2024
In November 2023, four chapter volunteers gave of their time and talent to attend the Sixth Annual Old Mill Middle School South Cyber Defender Expo held at the school in Millersville, Maryland. This was a unique opportunity to showcase the importance of cyber defense and ethical hacking and raise awareness of future careers in the cyber defense industry. Talented professionals, with the help of community volunteers and faculty members, provided a day of learning and fun for more than 300 fifth to eighth graders. Jessica Morgenstern, Applied Insight; Jacob Witlin, chapter scholarship recipient and recent graduate now employed with Jensen and Hughes; Nicholas Jackson, Parsons; and Sean Smith, Parsons, were active participants in the event. Thank you to all who volunteered!
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 12/01/2023
The chapter released its application for Kickstarter grants in August. The chapter received 52 applications from schools in Anne Arundel, Howard, Baltimore, Baltimore City and Prince George's County. The Kickstarter Committee, consisting of industry professionals, met for deliberation and was able to grant $97,656.99 to 26 schools, ranging from elementary to high school.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 12/14/2023
The chapter's Women in AFCEA (WIA) hosted its annual Holiday Social this December. WIA socials focus on providing networking opportunities and organic discussion for women of all career levels and disciplines from government, military, academia and industry.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 08/02/2023
One of the chapter's goals is to educate and inspire the next generation of technical professionals. The chapter started the Student Intern Presentation Showcase (SIPS) several years ago to do just that. SIPS is an opportunity for summer interns from sponsors in the chapter to practice their presentation skills and demonstrate their technical prowess. This showcase allowed interns to present their summer projects in front of a diverse audience.The chapter held this year's event in July and had three companies sponsor 11 students to make four presentations. Students received professional presentation coaching from David Taylor, Lohfeld Consulting, in the weeks before the final presentation. Forty people were in the audience witnessing the presentations, including three judges from sponsor organizations: Joseph Karolchik, Nteligen; Maria Marinelli, Calibyr; and Ryan Hendrickson, Clarity Business Solutions. All presentations were excellent. The judges had their work cut ... READ MORE |
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/04/2023
The chapter held its annual Awards Night in May with over 325 people attending.Jessica Morgenstern, chapter vice president of scholarships, served as master of ceremony, and Excom members helped to make the presentations. Twenty students were recognized and 17 received scholarships totaling $170,000. Each student recipient responded to a thought-provoking question, giving the audience some insight into their personalities and abilities. This was an impressive group. The chapter also contributed $25,000 to AFCEA International Education Foundation. Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, USA, CEO and president, AFCEA International, attended the event and accepted the contribution. |
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/06/2021 The chapter held its annual Awards Night virtually in May with over 200 people attending. Jessica Morgenstern, chapter vice president of scholarships, served as master of ceremony, and sponsors helped make the presentations to the 21 students who received scholarships totaling $195,000. At one point in the meeting, the chapter boasted 52 people on the screen in total. This was an impressive group. Each student responded to a thought-provoking question giving the audience some insight into their personalities and abilities. |
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 06/25/2020 The chapter held its annual Awards Night virtually in June with 107 people attending. Jessica Morgenstern, chapter vice president of scholarships, served as master of ceremony, and sponsors helped make the presentations. Nineteen students received scholarships totaling $185,000. At one point in the meeting, the chapter boasted 44 people on the screen in total. This was an impressive group! Each student responded to a thought-provoking question. One student sent an email, which included the following statement of gratitude: "... a huge thanks to all board members and sponsors that have provided me with such an amazing opportunity to advance my education. I am truly grateful to have received this Merit Scholarship, and I am confident that I have what it takes to be an exceptional computer scientist. I am happy to be a part of the AFCEA community and look forward to keeping you updated while in college. Thank you, and I am honored to be a part of this wonderful community." |
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 11/02/2019
The chapter's Bull and Oyster Roast in November far exceeded expectations of many attendees. From the engaging retro gaming theme, phenomenal decorations and friendly volunteer staff, the annual event came together with seamless integration. Attendees enjoyed mingling with fellow colleagues, while trying their luck at the new arcades station and legacy game wheels, all in the spirit of raising funds for STEM. At the end of the evening, the top scorers of the arcade station games were awarded the arcades as prizes, which confirmed this new gaming area will be a popular addition and solidifies a new fundraiser revenue stream. The carefully curated silent auction items, donated by local industry companies and commercial entities alike, were integral to raising funds for yearly STEM scholarships. This event was acknowledged as a success, and the overwhelming support of our event station sponsors, general event sponsors, and event/silent auction donors, resulted in the chapter exceeding ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 10/23/2019
The chapter's Small Business Committee led by VP of Small Business, Angie Lienert, vice president of small business and president and CEO of Intelligenesis, arranged an event hosted at the DreamPort in Columbia, Maryland, where members of the Maryland Department of Commerce and Military spoke about various benefits and programs available to Small Businesses working with U.S. Department of Defense installations and agencies. With over 40 people in attendance, Lisa Swoboda from the Office of Military and Federal Affairs (OMFA), noted that the total military impact to the state is valued at $57.5 billion and that Maryland ranks in the top five states for defense spending. More importantly for this audience, Swoboda highlighted that Maryland is ranked second for Army small business spending. Further, she discussed several financial tools available to many small businesses working with Defense Department installations and agencies. These tools include loans, tax credits, as well as other ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 04/27/2019
The 12th Annual AFCEA Central Maryland Race for Excellence 5K & Family Fun Run/Walk was held in April. This is one of the chapter's largest fundraisers designed to be an uplifting, family-oriented, community event benefiting the chapter's STEM Scholarship Fund. More than 1,000 participants gathered at the Leidos building in Columbia, Maryland, to embark on the 3.1-mile certified course and 1-mile family-friendly course. Led by Bob Mullen, the race committee organized an outstanding event and raised $100,000 for STEM Scholarships. A check was presented to Martin Barrett, immediate past chapter president. Despite a little wind, it was a great day for the event. Over 80 volunteers supported the run to provide an outstanding venue and safe course. More than 50 teams gathered on the grounds, with Leidos having the largest team and Omnyon winning the fastest team category-a repeat from 2018. The 1st place overall male winner of the 5K was Adam Lazrus, who finished with a time of 18:16. Th ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/10/2019
In May, members of the chapter community joined together with industry partners, community volunteers and the staff of Montgomery Country Club to participate in the 2019 AFCEA Central Maryland Spring Golf Outing, benefiting STEM Scholarships. The event raised over $35,000 and the participants enjoyed a beautiful round of golf. The chapter received a great response from the community and hosted both morning and afternoon sessions. Participants enjoyed contests, including "Closest to the Pin" and "Longest Drive," raffle prizes and a 50/50 money contest. By coming together, swinging a few golf clubs, and losing more golf balls than most would admit, the chapter was able to give back to the community and provide opportunities for future leaders in STEM. The chapter was very thankful to have the support and volunteer work of so many members of the community and is especially thankful for the support and generosity of Montgomery Country Club, various local businesses and the golfers thems ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/02/2019
In May, the chapter held their annual Awards Night to recognize their scholarship and grant recipients. Jessica Morgenstern, vice president, Scientific Education, presided over the presentation of 17 $10,000 scholarships to high school seniors pursuing STEM education at the college level starting this fall; three college-level scholarships at local Maryland colleges and universities to which the chapter endowed funds for STEM scholarships; and two military scholarships to an enlisted service member pursuing a cybersecurity degree. In addition, Joe Karolchik, chair, Kickstarter Grant Committee, presented 17 grants, each worth up to $5,000, to K-12 schools in the Central Maryland area, totaling $73,000. During the network reception before dinner, attendees participated in five demonstrations of how the K-12 schools are using STEM in the classroom. In addition, the chapter presented Sean McGowan, director of member and chapter services, AFCEA International, with a check for $25,000 for ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 04/04/2019
"A remarkable and inspiring experience" were the words used by one attendee at the WIIG In A Minute conference, which took place in April. WIIG In A Minute is one of the signature events held by the Women In Intelligence Group, and its purpose is to foster information sharing via conversational mentorship circles. Each circle is hosted by a subject-matter mentor, who imparts expert insight quickly and candidly while attendees freely engage via Q&A and networking. The event at BrainTrust Holdings was well attended, and Denise Desien, WIIG president, BDTI, along with Shana Cosgrove, event chair, Nyla Technology Solutions, facilitated activities with the help of several other outstanding volunteers: Margot Blackard, SRC Technologies; Maria Booker, Booker DiMaio LLC; and Ceil Paul, BrainTrust Holdings. This year's mentors brought esteemed insight from a variety of different perspectives and continued the evolution of the event with the addition of the category, Business Strategy - Ask ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 09/27/2018
The Charlie Brown Mentorship Award was established in 2017 to recognize chapter members that exhibit exemplary mentorship and bridge the gap between government, military and industry. The chapter is honored to recognize a leader in the community that goes above and beyond to mentor individuals within AFCEA as well as individuals seeking career advice. Mr. Brian Cooper has been one of the most influential, innovative and dedicated members of AFCEA. His support began almost two decades ago when he pioneered the Young AFCEAN program (YAC) for the chapter in 2000. He served as chapter YAC president for five years, while serving as president of the YAC International Advisory Council and helping create the YAC bylaws and handbook. By 2007, Brian became the president of the chapter. From there he served in an influential role as the president of the board of directors for the chapter and also on the International Intelligence Committee where he organized the Intelligence Symposium events f ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 12/13/2018
In December, the chapter participated in science fairs for Meade High School and Chesapeake High School. The chapter has supported Meade High School, Fort Meade, Maryland, science fairs for over a decade by providing volunteer judges and contributions toward student awards. This year, the chapter judges helped assess 140 projects. This was the chapter's first time supporting the science fair for Chesapeake High School, Pasadena, Maryland. It was a tremendous success and hopefully the start of a long-term partnership. The chapter would like to thank volunteers Jennifer Kielman, Nicholas Jackson, Mack McKinney, Ed Cummins, Tim Chafos, Marc Luces, John Garcia, Nigel Ploof, Mark Shadle, Jennifer Havermann and Jeremy Martin, who gave their precious time to motivate students to continue exploring STEM disciplines.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 07/31/2018
There was no sophomore slump during the second annual Summer Intern Presentation Showcase (SIPS) in July at the CACI auditorium in Annapolis Junction, Maryland. This year's showcase included nine companies and 23 interns, all vying for a spot on the Sippy Cup trophy as well as prizes. The SIPS program provides a way for local interns to get excited about and share the technology they are working on through a friendly speaking competition. Each of the interns received coaching from David Greenberg of Simply Speaking, an international training company. Greenberg is an expert in the field, and his skills as a teacher were clearly demonstrated by the outstanding presentations from all the teams. The judges had their work cut out for them in picking winners in the categories of Best Technical Project and Best Presentation. Judges were Chapter President Martin Barrett, Lockheed Martin; Kathleen Berganski, Lockheed Martin; Dave Gore, CACI; and Anna Blendermann, Nteligen, and last year's SI ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 04/28/2018
The 11th Annual AFCEA Central Maryland Race for Excellence - 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run was held in April. This is one of the chapter's largest fundraisers designed to be an uplifting, family-oriented, community event benefiting AFCEA's Central Maryland STEM Scholarship Fund. More than 1,000 participants gathered at the Leidos building in Columbia, MD to embark on the 3.1 mile certified course and 1 mile family friendly course. Led by Bob Mullen, the race committee raised a record $100,000 and presented a check to Brian Cooper and Martin Barrett, outgoing and incoming chapter presidents respectively. The morning began with a slight chill in the air that made it a perfect day for running. Excited volunteers made their way to their stations as final setup was underway, all while the DJ played Prince, Justin Timberlake and Zedd. More than 50 teams gathered on the grounds, with some decked-out in extremely creative gear that could not be missed. Following the race, participants headed the afte ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/03/2018
The chapter held its annual awards night in May to recognize its scholarship and grant recipients. More than 350 people attended the event. Jessica Morgenstern, chapter vice president, scientific education, presented 17 $10,000 scholarships to high school seniors pursuing STEM education at the college level starting this fall; three scholarships to local Maryland colleges and universities to which the chapter endowed funds for STEM scholarships; and one military scholarship to an enlisted service member pursuing a cybersecurity degree. The chapter's Joe Karolchik also issued 17 grants, worth $65,000, to K-12 schools in central Maryland. Each school received a grant of up to $5,000. During the networking reception before dinner, attendees participated in five demonstrations of how the K-12 schools are using STEM in the classroom. In addition, the chapter presented Sean McGowan, AFCEA International's director of member and chapter services, with a check for $25,000 for the AFCEA Educa ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 03/06/2018
The chapter's Women in Intelligence Group (WIIG) held its annual WIIG in a Minute (WIAM) in March at OPS Consulting in Hanover, Maryland. WIAM provides the opportunity for candid professional discussions in a small group setting. A diverse group of women in the intelligence community from industry and government attended the event. Nearly 50 women came together for a mentoring session with a seasoned group that included Angie Lienert, president and CEO of IntelliGenesis LLC, mentoring on business development, leadership and operations; Alison Eyre, vice president, executive and technical recruiter for Strategic Resource Group (SRG), mentoring on recruiting; Debbie Mobley, human resources manager for Praxis Engineering, mentoring on human resources; Doreen Harwood, senior vice president at Leidos, mentoring on leadership, acquisition and program management; and Rachel Schei, chief engineer at Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, mentoring on engineering. Jami Kirkwood, WIAM co-lead, com ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 03/03/2018
Chapter volunteers braved bad weather to serve as volunteer judges at the Anne Arundel County Regional Science and Engineering Expo in March. The expo is dedicated to promoting science education and recognizing and rewarding student achievement in science. Chapter volunteers interviewed 19 students with projects covering various STEM domains, such as mathematics, systems software, engineering and intelligent machines. First place middle school awards were given in the mathematics and intelligent machines categories. First, second and third place awards were given to high school students. Arundel High School junior Andrew Karam received the chapter's first place award. This is the second consecutive year he has won the award. Andrew's project, "Concealed Weapon Detection Using Infrared/Thermal Image Processing and Machine Learning," created a neural network to detect a concealed weapon. Andrew and South River High School senior Helen Dover, the chapter's third place winner, shared th ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 02/10/2018
The chapter held its signature event, the Valentine Gala, in February at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Maryland. The black-tie fundraiser brought together 500 members of government, military and industry-including corporate sponsors-and their guests for a night of networking, dining and dancing to the sounds of the Black Tie Band. Net proceeds from go toward scholarships and grants for local students, teachers and service members. Brian Cooper, chapter president, and Kathleen Berganski, gala chair, hosted the 12th annual event, and Michael Hantke, a member of the chapter's board of directors and CEO of Tensley Consulting, served as master of ceremonies. Hantke tantalized guests with his top 10 predictions for the intelligence community RUMINT mill. The night kicked off with the parade of colors by a Joint Service Color Guard, followed by a performance of the national anthem by Sgt. 1st Class Randy Wight, USA, of the U.S. Army Field Band. With help from many outstanding vo ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 01/25/2018
The chapter presented its Unsung Hero award, honoring someone who works hard behind the scenes and rarely gets a share of the limelight, to Joe Karolchik in January. Karolchik has worked faithfully with the Education Committee for five years, leading the Adopt-a-School program and the STEM Kickstarter program. The former provides adopted schools with resources and personnel to improve hands-on scientific education, and the latter awards competitive grants of up to $5,000 to area schools for STEM-related initiatives. As STEM Kickstarter chair, Karolchik prepares all initial materials, selects annual committees, distributes information to schools and teachers, collects all grants, and collates all data for grant review. He leads the evaluation committee and presents the results to the Executive Committee. Karolchik also communicates with the chapter's school liaisons, who are the primary contacts for the schools submitting grant applications. Jessica Morgenstern, the chapter's vice pr ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 12/14/2017
The chapter provided 20 volunteer judges for science fairs in December at Meade High School, MacArthur Middle School and, for the first time, Arundel Middle School. The students and staff members at each school put in a considerable amount of time and hard work preparing for these fairs. All three science fairs had significant student participation. Meade High School had more than 350 projects, MacArthur Middle had 1,000, and Arundel Middle had more than 200. Chapter volunteers scored selected projects, talked to the students, provided feedback and motivated them to continue their STEM activities. The chapter provided gift card awards to students selected by the judges for their outstanding projects and gift card donations to the schools to help defray the cost of the fair. Many thanks go to these individuals for their work in challenging students to grow and improve in STEM: Adam Eng, Alisha Adams, Ceil Paul, Damandeep Singh, Erica Richardson, Geoff Martino, Jason Freedman, Jean Pa ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 12/01/2017.JPG)
Each year the chapter sponsors its STEM Kickstarter program, which provides grants of up to $5,000 to area schools. This year's program was extremely competitive with 28 proposals being submitted by schools in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Howard and northern Prince George's counties. Teachers and students submitted applications that covered a wide range of K-12 curriculum needs, robotics and science clubs, and even pre-K education. The chapter granted 17 awards this year, totaling more than $64,000. Items to be purchased by the schools based on this year's grants include drones; MakerBot 3-D printers; laptops with CAD software; LEGO Mindstorm robots; wind turbine kits; programmable rovers; Snap Circuits; BeeBots; and Osmo gaming kits. In addition, as part of the STEM Kickstarter program, schools are connected to the chapter through a liaison member, who answers questions and helps to make connections to other chapter resources such as science fair judges, career day speakers and th ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 08/08/2017
One of the chapter's goals is to educate and inspire the next generation of technical professionals. This summer the chapter started the Summer Intern Presentation Showcase (SIPS) to do just that. SIPS is an opportunity for summer interns from sponsors in the chapter to practice their presentation skills and demonstrate their technical prowess. The showcase gave interns the opportunity to present their summer projects in front of a diverse audience. Ten companies from the Central Maryland area sponsored 25 students to make technical presentations on the results of their summer projects at SIPS. In August the students received professional presentation coaching and made presentations to a panel of judges from the community in a competitive setting. More than 60 people were in the audience. The chapter distributed scholarship money as awards to the Best Presentation and the Best Technical Project. All of the presentations were excellent and the judges had their work cut out for them. ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/25/2017
In May, the chapter's Women In Intelligence Group (WIIG) book club met to discuss Dr. Lois Frankel's "Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office." The discussion centered on specific steps to achieving further success at work through astute networking, communication and mentorship. The WIIG book club has met since 2007 to address the challenges and issues women leaders face in the government, military and industry communities. The group is inspired through sharing career experiences and meets regularly to discuss books on business, career development and technology.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/05/2017
The chapter held its annual Spring AM/PM Golf Tournament in May. Rain and wind caused the morning tournament to be cancelled. Luckily, the skies cleared in time for the afternoon tournament. Thanks to sponsorships and generous donations from golfers, the afternoon tournament raised $13,400 for the chapter's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) scholarship fund. In a chapter first, three teams finished in a three-way tie for first place. Congratulations to the finishers from Lockheed Martin, SAIC and Leidos for braving the uncertain weather and helping the chapter have a successful outing.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 05/04/2017
The chapter held its annual awards night in May at Martin's Crosswinds in Greenbelt, Maryland. Rachael Lynch, event chair, and Jessica Morgenstern, vice president, scientific education, served as masters of ceremonies, presenting checks and plaques for 17 high school scholarships, 16 Kickstarter grants and nine college scholarships for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) studies. Rob Joyce, White House cybersecurity coordinator, was the event's keynote speaker, and he gave everyone something to think about with his presentation on the five revolutions of technology. In addition, Bill Dunahoo, AFCEA regional vice president for Maryland, installed the chapter's incoming officers. Through volunteer and chapter fundraising efforts and the generous support of sponsor companies, nearly $270,000 in scholarships, grants, science fair prizes and training was awarded this year.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 04/22/2017
Chapter members Michael and Kathleen Berganski represented the AFCEA International Education Foundation at the Air Force ROTC Detachment 330 Awards Banquet in April at the University of Maryland. Col. David Morrissey, USAF, commander, Air Force ROTC Detachment 330, hosted the event. The keynote speaker himself, Maj. Gen. James Vechery, USAF, was an ROTC Detachment 330 graduate, class of 1988. Michael Berganski presented the AFCEA Honor Award to Cadet Ebone Baker. This award recognizes an individual for achievement in leadership and academics. Cadet Baker was selected by her professor of leadership and military studies at the University of Maryland, where she is a rising senior majoring in aerospace engineering.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 03/09/2017
The chapter’s Women In Intelligence Group (WIIG) held their annual program, WIIG In A Minute, in March. The event offered women in the intelligence community nearly 40 opportunities for roundtable mentoring discussions in business development and operations; engineering development and growth; executive leadership and strategy; program management; and recruiting. The event was sponsored and hosted by OPS Consulting in Hanover, Maryland. Distinguished women leaders included Margot Blackard, director of program development and strategy, Tensley Consulting; Katie Selbe, director of national cyber and intelligence solutions, Northrop Grumman; Tina Kuhn, president and CEO, CyberCore Technologies; Vicki Imre, program manager, Freedom Consulting; and Jennifer Drury, recruiting director cyber & SIGINT, ASRC Federal. The event focuses on career mentoring and fostering positive relationships in the community. One attendee shared, "This was the first WIIG event I've gone to and to say the leas ... READ MORE
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 02/04/2017
More than 550 government, military and industry leaders attended the Central Maryland Valentine's Gala in February at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Maryland. In addition to all the fun, the night included a special tribute to our POW/MIA, active-duty and veteran members. A special thank you goes to gala chair Jenny Smith of Raytheon and gala emcee Jerry Schepers of Praxis Engineering for their years of service to the chapter.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 11/17/2016 Mentorship Night is one of the most insightful and enjoyable events for the chapter's Young AFCEANs (YACs). Its value, interest and energizing nature are often praised by both mentors and participants. The 2016 Fall Mentorship Night in November included a discussion of customer- and industry-projected challenges, which was considered both sobering and hopeful. Mentors also shared their personal and professional journeys, challenges and rewards along the way, and stories of who and how they met their own mentors. |
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 12/12/2016
The chapter served as volunteer judges at two science fairs in December. Nine volunteers judged the MacArthur Middle School air on the grounds of Fort Meade, and fourteen volunteers braved the frigid temperatures to judge the Meade Senior High School fair. Judges were given 5-10 projects to assess. The goal was to determine if the students understand the scientific experimentation methods. Chapter Science Fair Chair Kathleen Berganski said, "Many of the students are really nervous during the interview process so we try to ease their nerves while we discuss the projects with them. We want to motivate them to continue on with STEM work. It is typically a very rewarding activity for students and judges alike."
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 11/25/2016
In October, the chapter's Women In Intelligence Group Book Club convened for a lively book discussion of The Confidence Effect: Every Woman's Guide to the Attitude that Attracts Success by Grace Killeleat at CollabraSpace in Annapolis Junction, Maryland. The book is designed to help women develop the skills and mindset to become more confident in the workplace. The group discussed the importance of mentoring as a way of giving back, methods of introducing themselves to mentors and enjoyed discovering and sharing several book club attendees' experiences with meeting Colin Powell. The group also discussed the importance of ceasing the practice of apologizing and tips for empowering oneself with music, posture and preparation. The group meets quarterly to discuss works that contribute to professional development for women in the intelligence community.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 09/22/2016
The chapter's membership luncheon in September was filled with activity including presentations from Peter Dinsmore of the Defense Information Systems Agency and small business speaker Nischit Vaidya, founder and CEO of Argotis. Members who serve AFCEA at the local and international level were also recognize during the event.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 06/30/2016
In June, the chapter’s Women in Intelligence Group (WIIG) held a lively summer book club to discuss their Myers-Briggs personality types and “Type Talk at Work (Revised): How the 16 Personality Types Determine Your Success on the Job” by Otto Kroeger, Janet Thuesen and Hile Rutledge. Zavda Technologies in Ellicott City hosted the event at the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship. The group discussed the themes of understanding and applying personality types. The WIIG book club meets quarterly at rotating businesses to discuss books on business, career development and technology issues. These opportunities to delve into areas of particular concern and interest to women in business provide a forum for women in AFCEA to discuss their professional challenges and successes.
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CENTRAL MARYLAND CHAPTER - 07/13/2016
The chapter's Young AFCEANs held an "Embrace Your Geek Day" social in July, sponsored by NiSUS Technologies. The event attracted more than 60 attendees, including members of the chapter's Executive Committee. Attendees wore the provided "geek gear" while networking with other young professionals in the central Maryland community. Chapter Executive Vice President Brian Cooper recognized the group for the event. "Thanks for having me last night at your event. It was awesome! I loved the theme and meeting all of the people. What a great mix of new folks, industry, government and AFCEA members," he said.
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