Ed Hatcher, Chair of our Maryland LCV Board, founded The Hatcher Group in fall 2000 after more than 15 years working in the media and legislative arenas. Based in the Washington DC area, The Hatcher Group is a national communications firm that works with foundations and nonprofits to advance social change. Prior to forming The Hatcher Group, Ed worked at Burness Communications, where he helped manage national policy and outreach campaigns for several foundations. He served as chief of staff to U.S. Representatives Jane Harman (D-CA) and Robert T. Matsui (D-CA) and press secretary to U.S. Senator George Mitchell (D-ME) and U.S. Rep. Robin Britt (D-NC). He spent five years as director of congressional affairs for the American Electronics Association and three years as director of public affairs for the American Sociological Association. Early in his career, he worked as a reporter at United Press International and several North Carolina newspapers. He is a former president of the Association of House Democratic Press Secretaries and fellow at the Capitol Hill Historical Society. He is a member of the Maryland Clean Energy Center Advisory Council and holds a BA in English and history from Duke University, a MS from the Columbia University School of Journalism, and an MA in American history from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Maris St. Cyr is Vice Chair. Maris is retired following a 30-year professional career in marketing and communications. She held senior marketing positions at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Maryland Science Center, Planned Parenthood of Maryland, and the Johns Hopkins University School of Continuing Studies during which time she served on national, regional, and local boards and advisory committees. In retirement, she has continued to participate in the non-profit arena, producing fundraising events for Baltimore area non-profit organizations.
Mike Davis is our Treasurer and joined our board in 2017. A native Marylander, Mike's childhood included enjoying the Chesapeake Bay and Appalachian mountains on a regular basis. After earning a degree in biology and chemistry, he joined a startup computer software firm here in Maryland and started a family in Severna Park where he still lives today. Volunteering on behalf of Maryland’s environment for the past 20 years has allowed him to reconnect with his love of science while working to protect our precious natural resources.
The Hon. Virginia Clagett served in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Maryland's District 30 in Anne Arundel County, from 1995 until her 4th term ended in December 2010.
Prior to her election to the House, Virginia served on the Anne Arundel County Council from 1974-1994. She is a past treasurer of Women Legislators of Maryland, and was fomerly a member of the Chesapeake Bay Trust board of trustees, Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Caucus, and the Maryland Green Caucus.
Candace Dodson Reed joined our board in 2018. She serves as the chief of staff at University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), and was formerly the deputy chief of staff for Howard County government. In 2012, Candace founded African American Community Roundtable of Howard County, an umbrella for Howard County's African American churches, fraternal organzations, the NAACP, and other advocacy groups, to connect the local black community. An experienced executive, Candace is skilled in media relations, grassroots organizing, government relations, crisis communications, public policy, and community/public affairs. She holds an executive masters degree focused in leadership from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. Candace co-hosts a podcast called Elevate Maryland and is the proud mother of a college student. 
Verna Harrison Pelrine joined our board in 2016, and is principal of Verna Harrison Associates, LLC, a consulting and philanthropic advising firm, which focuses on providing guidance on collaboration and water strategy at the national level and in Chesapeake Bay, Delaware River and the Great Lakes. www.vernaharrisonassociates.com. Between 2003-2014, as the first Executive Director of The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, she guided the establishment of the Foundation, managing the development and execution of its $65 million grantmaking in the Chesapeake region. She was co-founder and co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network. For the previous 20 years she served as Assistant Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, with responsibility for Maryland’s Forest, Park and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Police, Maryland Environmental Trust, and Tidewater Administration. During that period, she had lead responsibility for state-wide coordination/implementation of the Chesapeake Bay Program for three Maryland Governors and managed the multi-state process at the Cabinet level for many years. Earlier in her career she was Assistant Legislative Officer for the Governor of Maryland, Legislative Officer of the Maryland Department of Transportation, and staff of the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.
Melanie Hartwig-Davis, joined our board in 2014 and is owner and principal of HD Squared Architects, LLC, which has offices in Edgewater and Cheverly, MD. The firm’s primary focus is sustainable design and interiors. Melanie served on the Maryland LCV Ed Fund Board prior to joining this board. Ms. Hartwig-Davis is currently also on the Steering Committee for the Neighbors of Mayo Peninsula (NOTMP), as well as on the Advisory Board for the Mississippi State College of Architecture, Art and Design. Before moving to Anne Arundel County, she was appointed by County Executive Rushern Baker to serve as a Commissioner of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC). Other board participation includes an appointment by Gov. O’Malley as the Architect Member of the MD Board of Certified Interior Designers, the Environmental Action Commission (EAC) of the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment, and advisor to the Process Transformation Team (PT2) during the formation of the Department of Permits, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE). Ms. Hartwig-Davis is a graduate of Leadership Prince Georges and has been a LEED Accredited Professional since 2008. She was the Architect and founding Member of the Cheverly Green Infrastructure Committee. To these roles she has brought a level of professionalism and valuable perspective that has earned her recognition such as the Alpha Rho Chi Metal for Leadership, Service and Merit from Mississippi State University. Melanie, her husband Lance Davis, and their three sons are members of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Annapolis, MD and reside in Edgewater, MD.
Kitty Thomas is the vice president of external affairs at The Wilderness Society, leading the organization’s communications, marketing and membership teams, as well as the People Outdoors program. In 2019 Kitty also became the executive director of The Wilderness Society Action Fund, the 501c4 affiliate to The Wilderness Society, which shares the mission to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. Previously, Kitty worked for former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin for 14 years. She joined his staff to work on campaign finance issues, later became the senator’s speechwriter, and then served as his communications director from 2002 to 2010. Her first jo after graduating from college was as a researcher at Common Cause. Kitty holds a BA from Middlebury College and a master’s in public communication from American University. She resides in Silver Spring with her family.