2020 Thomas V. “Mike” Miller Award Winner

Congressman Steny Hoyer is a proven legislator and leader. First elected to the Maryland Senate in 1966, he quickly became the youngest Senate President in Maryland history. Currently, He represents Maryland's 5th Congressional District. There, he serves his constituents, helping them cut through red tape and solve problems related to a myriad of issues. He has helped author and pass landmark legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Help America Vote Act, and the Federal Employee Pay Comparability Act.

Congressman Hoyer is also deeply proud of his family - three daughters: Susan, Stefany, and Anne; son-in-law Loren Taylor; grandchildren Judy, James Cleveland, and Alexa; and great-grandchildren Ava, Braedon and Brooklyn.

2020 Louis L. Goldstein Award Winner

David Salazar was born and raised in Calvert County, David is the Director of Support Services for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He has spent over 20 years working for a labor union and supporting working-class families. A life-long Democrat, David is a former chair of our central committee and continues to be a pivotal member of the Party. Most importantly, David is proudest of his family - his wife Dawn and two daughters, Mikayla and Maysen.

2022 Thomas V. “Mike” Miller Award Winner

Chris Van Hollen is running for re-election to the U.S. Senate to continue working for the people of Maryland and address the critical issues facing our country today.

Since his first election Senator Van Hollen has been a tireless advocate for working families and everyday people. Throughout the pandemic, he helped provide emergency relief for families, workers and small businesses. He has been at the forefront of efforts to lower health care and prescription drug costs, increase access to affordable childcare, and boost the federal minimum wage. He also worked successfully to pass the infrastructure modernization bill and bring more than $7 billion in federal funding to Maryland over 5 years to improve our transit systems, railways, drinking water, roads, bridges, tunnels, broadband, and other investments that will put more Marylanders to work in good-paying jobs.

Senator Van Hollen has never been afraid to stand up to powerful special interests to protect the public good. He has been a guardian of Medicare and Social Security, a leader for common sense gun safety measures, a champion for women's health and reproductive rights, a protector of the Chesapeake Bay and trailblazer in the vital work to address climate change and accelerate our transition to clean energy.

He believes one of our greatest threats is our large and growing inequality in income and wealth and has put forward a comprehensive plan to build a more inclusive economy that works for all Americans, not just the mega-wealthy. He is also the original author of the DISCLOSE Act to end secret, dark money flowing into our elections.

Throughout his public service Chris Van Hollen has earned a reputation as a leader able to work across party lines to pass critical legislation that makes a difference in people's lives and advances solutions to address our biggest challenges.

2022 Louis L. Goldstein Award Winner

Pamela has spent her life in service of others. She currently serves on the Calvert County Board of Education as President. Elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018, Pamela endeavors to provide all learners with access to challenging learning opportunities. She met the needs and desires of the students, staff, and public by establishing Calvert's first Educational Equity and Anti-Racism policies.

Pamela has been involved with multiple boards and organizations here at home and across the state. She is now a member of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MBAE), where she served as Secretary and then Treasurer of the Board of Directors and currently Co-Chairs the MABE Educational Equity Committee. Additionally, she is the immediate Past President of the Concerned Black Women of Calvert County (CBW) and served as Co-Leader for the Calvert County 2012 Obama For America Neighborhood Team re-election campaign. She is also a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a member of the Southern Maryland Chain (MD) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated.

Pamela has earned the 2021 Maryland State Education Association Minority Recognition Award for Community. CBW's 2017 Outstanding Member Award at the 15th Annual Women of the World (WOW) Awards. She received the 2016 Outstanding Achievement Award for Advocacy by the Calvert County Commission for Women at the 14th Annual WOW Awards. She was named the 2015 Citizen of the Year for Calvert County from the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. – Tau Lambda Lambda Chapter.

Ms. Cousins has lived in Calvert County for the last 15 years. Her daughter is a 2022 Hampton University Graduate.

2022 Chair’s Award Winner

Cassandra Okwumabua is passionate about giving back to others in the community in which she lives, as a full-time volunteer. She retired after 30+ years as a civil servant with the Department of Treasury as a Management Official. Cassandra was responsible for the policies and procedures implemented nationwide for the Internal Revenue Service Walk-in Offices. In addition, she served on numerous task forces and projects to accomplish the goals and mission of the agency. A few of the milestone projects included the roll-out of the Electronic Filing Program and the Modernization to Phase III of the implementation Team.

Upon her retirement, Cassandra began volunteering for numerous non-profits within Calvert County. As a Board Member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maryland, she collaborated with Farming 4 Hunger to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to the children and their families, STEM programs that were provided by LEAP Forward, as well as toys from the Concerned Black Women of Calvert County first Toy Drive. Cassandra is a Charter member of the Omega Pi Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. As a member of the League of Women Voters of Calvert County for 10+ years, she has served on its Board as Membership Chair, Legislative Evening Chair, and on the Observer Team for the BOE. She currently serves on the Board of the Calvert Nature Society, where she has chaired Heritage Day at Biscoe Gray Farm and is Secretary.

Cassandra has served as a part of the Mentoring Program at Huntingtown High School. She was appointed by the Calvert Board of County Commissioners to serve two three-year terms on the Adult Guardianship Review Board. In addition, she has volunteered with the BREM Foundation as a hostess at its Annual BREM event in Calvert to educate residents on breast cancer prevention. Cassandra is a member of the Concerned Black Women of Calvert County, where she has served on its Executive Board as Membership Chair. She has Co-Chaired the organization’s 2017 and 2019 Annual Salute to Excellence Awards and Scholarship Fundraiser Gala, to which the organization has given in excess of over $90,000 in Scholarships to graduating Seniors. She also has volunteered over the years in the administration of the Calvert Local Scholarship Application (CLSA) program and served on numerous committees as a member.

Cassandra also continues to serve as an Election Judged for the county. She is an active member of the Calvert Branch of the NAACP and serves on its Nomination Committee, Finance Committee, and Chair of the Sunshine Committee. In addition, Cassandra Co-Chaired the NAACP’s first virtual fundraiser for the Freedom Fund Program. Cassandra also volunteers weekly at the Project Echo Thrift Store in Prince Frederick MD.

Cassandra inspires others to get involved in the community by example and rolls up her sleeve to get the job done. She is a member of the Patuxent UMC and resides in Huntingtown, MD. She received a Bachelor of Science in Education, as well as numerous certifications from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Graduate School in Washington, D.C. She is the mother of two daughters and Nanna to three beautiful grandchildren (1 boy- 2yrs old and two girls – 3 & 5).

Cassandra’s motto is “Teamwork makes the Dream work”.

2022 Chair’s Award Winner

Kara Dudley, a life-long Democrat, grew up in Maryland before spending almost a decade moving around the country with her Active Duty spouse. Since 2016, she’s been back in Maryland and living with her family in Calvert County. Volunteerism and contributing to her community has always been central to her life, regardless of where she was living. Some of the work she has done has focused on supporting military families and new parents.

For the last 4 years, she has taken an active role in a gun violence prevention organization and helped to pass several pieces of lifesaving legislation. Reproductive and LGBTQIA+ rights are issues near and dear to her heart. As a member of the Central Committee, she hopes to make sure the voices (and the votes!) of Calvert County Democrats are heard.

2022 Chair’s Award Winner

Sandy has been a Calvert County resident, part time since 1985 and full time since 1993. Spurred on by her progressive Democratic late husband Tony Radspieler, she has been involved in this County’s Democratic Party ever since. She has given her time through the last four Central Committee terms as receptionist, assistant office manager, and for the past three years she has served as Office Manager for the Calvert County Democratic Party Office. She has worked recently along with other volunteers in phone banking and had the highest call numbers in the last round of call sessions. It’s a job she enjoys.

She worked for a year on Sue Kullen’s State Delegate campaign and learned a lot about canvassing. The most inspiring time for her while working at the office was during the run-up to the 2020 Election. People were pouring in for hundreds of yard signs (which had to be re-ordered again and again), bumper stickers and other candidate literature, and was instrumental in organizing placement for our large signs placed throughout the county. The office was open four days a week including many weeknights and Saturdays in the leadup to the election. The phone was ringing, the energy was electric, office staff helped supply and work at the Democratic tent during Early Voting and the November Election Day.

All of that voter engagement, outreach, and enthusiasm was only possible through Sandy’s tireless work. She is the face that many people associate with the Calvert County Democratic Party because her’s is who greets them at the door.

2022 Democratic Leadership Award Winner

After a thirty-year career as a mental health professional, Barbara Ferrenz signed on with the Calvert County Democrats as a precinct captain. For the last two years, she worked as a volunteer coordinator, recruiting, training, and organizing Democrats who want to participate with the Party. She lives with her husband Brian, who is also a precinct captain. Her family includes her son, Brian and his wife, Andi, and their three children, Joe, Charlie, and Ben, as well as her daughter, Rebecca, and Pat.

2020 Youth Activism Award Winner

Mikayla was born and raised in Calvert County and graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She served as President of the Calvert County Young Democrats from 2020 to early 2022, before moving to St. Mary's County. She currently serves as Secretary-Treasurer for the Young Democrats of Maryland. Mikayla is now working as Southern Maryland's Regional Organizer for the Maryland Democratic Party. In her spare time, Mikayla enjoys reading, plant shopping, and volunteering at animal shelters.

2022 Youth Activism Award Winner

Destiny Lewis is a passionate leader that is continuously engaged in youth activism and spreading the awareness of many challenges of our society. Destiny represented her community by attending several Red Sand Project information nights; where she communicated with resource officers, county officials, and community members about Calvert County’s human trafficking statistics and prevention methods. Furthermore, Ms. Lewis arranged for speaker, Mrs. Jennifer Foxworthy, to speak about Teen Dating and Domestic Abuse for students of the Calvert Association of Student Councils (CASC).

Ms. Lewis used her social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram to spread awareness to her community about Suicide Awareness and Prevention by hosting a month-long Push-Up Challenge. Presenting workshops on the anti-racism policy in Calvert County and working to establish an Eracism Day for CASC, Destiny works to amplify the voices of those less heard and represented. Participating with the Concerned Black Women of Calvert County and the League of Women Voters, Ms. Lewis worked to increase voter registration. Her passion for advocating for the right to vote among other issues speaks to who she is: not just someone with an opinion, but someone who is willing to fight for what is right, not for what is comfortable.

Destiny Lewis is a 2022 graduate of Northern High School and will be attending Bowie State University where she will major in Chemistry Pre-Med and continue to serve her community.

2022 Dan Pike Volunteer of the Year Award Winner

Bio To Come