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Advisory Board
Alex Smith
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
Meet Alex Smith, the visionary behind Division Street Outdoor Contracting, empowering formerly incarcerated individuals and communities through innovative landscaping. Alex's journey began during his incarceration, where he championed a horticulture program. Emerging with a mission, he founded the Urban Roots Apprenticeship, planting over 9,000 trees in Baltimore.
His Division Street Academy trains returning citizens and community members in landscaping and entrepreneurship. Alex advises national workforce programs and facilitates for the Living Classrooms Organization. With affiliations like the Black Landscapers Alliance and The Baltimore Tree Trust, Alex is committed to community transformation and sustainability. 🌳🤝
Ben Taylor
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
Ben Taylor embarked on his journey by earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 1962, followed by an MBA in 1977. His career took a distinguished turn when he served as a U.S. Air Force Colonel, with his final seven years stationed at the Pentagon, culminating in retirement as a member of the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1983.
Transitioning to civilian life, Ben became the Manager of Disaster Recovery Planning at Texas Instruments from 1983 to 1990 and co-founded the Disaster Recovery Institute International in 1988. He then served as a Professional Consultant for IBM Global Services from 1990 to 2000, followed by a tenure as the Director of Disaster Recovery Services for Perot Systems from 2000 to 2008. Throughout his career, Taylor navigated challenges and celebrated triumphs, leaving an indelible mark on the field of disaster management.
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Brian Rodgers
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
Brian Rodgers, a Certified Landscape Professional and native Washingtonian, brings over 9 years of experience to Constituent Services Worldwide (CSW) and the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program. He led the ARRA-funded DC Green Corps and NGICP training programs, focusing on workforce development and watershed stewardship.
Brian managed the award-winning Hickey Run Heroes program, installing 100 rain barrels with youth from DYRS. He supervises CSW's landscape maintenance contract and leads the Green Infrastructure Internship program. Brian also serves as Manager for Sustainability and Conservation at CSW and sits on multiple conservation-focused boards and workgroups in the DC area. He is a National Green Infrastructure Certified Professional Instructor, Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional, and Master Gardener with a BA in Political Science from Denison University.
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Charlene Haykel
ADVISORY BOARD MEMEBER
Charlene Haykel had a 55-year career in Washington, DC, Albany, NY and New York City as a writer, communications consultant and business owner. She ran her most recent business, a marketing communications agency in NYC, for 11 years before selling it to LanguageLine Solutions, a language services company.
Throughout her career, Charlene focused on helping companies communicate more simply and clearly to all their audiences, especially customers. She developed and trademarked a process, called Macrosimplification® that helped large corporations reduce and simplify entire enterprise-wide communications systems and save millions of dollars in the process.
Charlene is the co-author of Simply College: A Family Guide to Planning and Funding College. She has spoken on plain English at numerous professional meetings and been interviewed at CNBC, CNNfn and WABC-TV in New York City. Charlene holds a BA in English from Daemen University in Buffalo, NY and an MA in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Diane Butler
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
Ms. Butler spent her professional career as an attorney engaged in the full-time management of environmental and toxic tort insurance claim settlements for thirty-six years after attaining a B. A. in Political Science from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
She Is a member of the Annapolis Planning Commission, former chairwoman of the Annapolis Environmental Commission, and Annapolis Pickleball Club, and an active member of the Eastport Civic Association, Eastport Eco-Action Committee, the Chesapeake Bay Corinthian Sailing Association, and Seeds for Success. When Diane is not volunteering, she enjoys sailing, pickleball, tennis, and traveling with her husband, John.
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