Who Are Maryland's Power Couples?
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Today we celebrate love, romance, chocolates, champagne, flowers, Hallmark, etc. etc.
And here at Maryland Matters we are celebrating Maryland power couples – couples where both mates are politically prominent or making a difference in the state and beyond.
When we solicited opinions about who we should include on this list, more than a few wags suggested Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan (R) and state Comptroller Peter Franchot (D).
So without further ado, here is our list. If we missed anybody, let us know. It’s never too early to start preparing for 2019!
Erin Appel and Travis Martz
She: Senior government relations associate at Capitol Strategies, an Annapolis lobbying firm
He: Attorney and lobbyist for the Maryland Automobile Dealers Association
Bethamy Beam and David Brinkley
She: Attorney and chairwoman of the Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals
He: Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management
Brenda Beitzell and Leonard Lucchi
She: Principal, Bowie Montessori Children’s House
He: Attorney and lobbyist with O’Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore
Andrew Cawley and Chris Uhl
Andrew: Graphic artist whose services are increasingly being used by political campaigns
Chris: Senior associate at Martin-Lauer Associates, the Democratic fundraising powerhouse in Baltimore
Shareese Churchill and Ellington Churchill
She: Press secretary to Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan (R)
He: Secretary at the Department of General Services
Diana Conway and Bill Conway
She: Powerhouse Montgomery County political activist
He: Attorney and candidate for Montgomery County Council
Maya Rockeymoore Cummings and Elijah Cummings
She: Policy consultant and erstwhile candidate for governor
He: Congressman and ranking Democrat, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Monique Davis and Dereck Davis
She: Deputy superintendent, Prince George’s County Public Schools
He: Chairman, House Economic Matters Committee in Annapolis
Candace Donaho and Patrick Donaho
She: Director of governmental relations, Maryland Municipal League
He: Former president, Maryland Retailers Association
Karen Polet Doory and Brian Doory
She: Development director, Maryland League of Conservation Voters
He: Campaign manager, Jim Shea for governor
Erin Favazza and John Favazza
She: Lobbyist for University of Maryland University College
He: Lobbyist in Annapolis with Manis & Canning
Camille Fesche and Will Smith
She: Lobbyist in Annapolis with Rifkin Weiner Livingston
He: State senator
Julianne Fiastro and John Fiastro
She: Director of analysis and reporting, Maryland Lottery Agency
He: Government affairs director, Maryland Energy Administration and Republican candidate for the House of Delegates in Baltimore County’s District 42B
Pete Fosselman and Duane Rollins
Pete: Former mayor of Kensington, former deputy secretary of state, now running for Montgomery County Council
Duane: Kensington town councilman
Hannah Garagiola and Rob Garagiola
Both: Annapolis lobbyists for Alexander & Cleaver
Emily Gontrum and John Gontrum
She: Director of intergovernmental relations, Maryland comptroller’s office
He: Assistant state comptroller
Victoria Gruber and Tom Lewis
She: Executive director, Department of Legislative Services
He: Vice president of government and community affairs, Johns Hopkins University
Jessica Haire and Dirk Haire
She: Attorney and candidate for Anne Arundel County Council
He: Attorney and chairman of the Maryland Republican Party
Fun fact: They work at the same Washington, D.C., law firm
Marta Harting and Bobby Neall
She: Attorney and Annapolis lobbyist with Venable
He: Veteran government Mr. Fix-It, currently nominated to serve as state secretary of health
Wendy Hershey and Steven Hershey
She: Land conservation liaison, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
He: State Senate minority leader
Mark Hodge and Rich Madaleno
Mark: Deputy health officer, Montgomery County Department of Health & Human Services
Rich: State senator and candidate for governor
Jolene Ivey and Glenn Ivey
She: Candidate for Prince George’s County Council, former state lawmaker, former candidate for lieutenant governor
He: Attorney, former Prince George’s state’s attorney, former chairman of the Maryland Public Service Commission
The next generation: Their son Julian Ivey is now a councilman in Cheverly
Michelle Jawando and Will Jawando
She: Vice president, Center for American Progress
He: Candidate for Montgomery County Council
Talking politics: He’s making his third run for political office since 2014. She hasn’t ruled out running for office some day – when their three daughters are older.
Kristin Jones and Joe Bryce
She: Vice president of external affairs, University of Maryland Medical System
He: Lobbyist in Annapolis with Manis & Canning
Lisa Harris Jones and Sean Malone
Both: Partners in the eponymous lobbying firm Harris Jones Malone
Anne Kaiser and Nancy Lineman
Anne: Chairwoman, House Ways and Means Committee in Annapolis
Nancy: General counsel and adjunct professor, Montgomery College
Pamela Kasemeyer and Ed Kasemeyer
She: Partner, Schwartz, Metz & Wise lobbying firm in Annapolis
He: Chairman, state Senate Budget & Taxation Committee
Sheilah Kast and James C. Rosapepe
She: Host, “On the Record,” WYPR Radio
He: State senator
Fun fact: They co-wrote a book on Eastern Europe, “Dracula Is Dead,” based on his time as U.S. ambassador to Romania
Elizabeth Edsall Kromm and Jonathan Kromm
She: Vice president of population health and advancement, Howard County General Hospital
He: Vice president, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
Dramatic story: Elizabeth Kromm, a cancer survivor, became a biological mother of two girls in the same month – who were not twins
Susan Lawrence and Guy Guzzone
She: Chief of staff to state Senate Finance Chairman Thomas "Mac" Middleton (D)
He: State senator
Beth Levine and Brian Levine
She: Vice president, KOFA Public Affairs in Baltimore
He: Vice president, Greater Baltimore Committee
Fun fact: They work in the same office building
Amanda Brown Lierman and Kyle Lierman
She: Political director, Democratic National Committee
He: CEO of Civic Advisors
Talking politics: Which of these two political animals is more likely to run for office some day? He ran for House of Delegates in District 16 eight years ago; now they live in District 20.
Julie Madden and Marty Madden
She: Board member, Maryland Humanities Council
He: Former state senator, former senior adviser to Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan
Kathleen Matthews and Chris Matthews
She: Chairwoman, Maryland Democratic Party
He: You know
Allison Mayer and Doug Mayer
She: Managing director, marketing and communications, Maryland Department of Commerce
He: Communications director, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan
Fun fact: They met in her native South Carolina when he was communications director for then-Gov. Nikki Haley (R) and she was the public relations manager for the South Carolina Ports Authority in Charleston.
Caitlin McDonough and Ben Barnes
She: Lobbyist with Harris Jones Malone
He: State delegate
Maggie McIntosh and Diane Stollenwerk
Maggie: Chairwoman, state House Appropriations Committee
Diane: Health policy consultant
Cheryl Miller and Mike Miller
She: Former candidate for House of Delegates
He: Offshore wind executive. Not the state Senate president.
Fun facts: Former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke was her campaign treasurer, and the Millers host numerous political fundraisers in their Annapolis home – usually for winners
Molly Mitchell and Vinny DeMarco
She: Senior alcohol program policy manager, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
He: The master of statewide progressive policy initiatives
Sonia Mora and Gustavo Torres
She: Director, Montgomery County Latino Health Services Initiative
He: Executive director, CASA de Maryland
Marilyn Mosby and Nick Mosby
She: Baltimore City state’s attorney
He: State delegate, former Baltimore city councilman and erstwhile mayoral candidate
Katie Nash and Corey Stottlemyer
She: Lobbyist with Greenwill Consulting Group in Annapolis and Frederick civic activist extraordinaire
He: Senior policy analyst, Maryland Department of Transportation
Maureen Quinn and Kumar Barve
She: Commissioner, Maryland Workers Compensation Commission
He: Chairman, House Committee on Environment and Transportation in Annapolis
Laurie-Anne Sayles and Julian Haffner
She: Gaithersburg city councilwoman
He: Attorney and candidate for House of Delegates
Krishanti Vignarajah and Colin O’Mara
She: Candidate for governor
He: President and CEO, National Wildlife Federation
Annie Wells and Rush Baker
She: Communications strategist, National Education Association
He: Artist and key strategist for his dad, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker (D)
Karen White and Rob Johnson
She: Political director, National Education Association
He: Principal, Capitol Strategies in Annapolis
Julia Pitcher Worcester and Key Worcester She: Lobbyist, president of the Maryland Government Relations Association
He: Key Worcester, deputy director of the Division of Finance & Administration, Maryland Department of Budget & Management
Fun fact: Their fathers were also players on the Maryland political scene: Bill Pitcher is still lobbying; Rocky Worcester was the founding president of Maryland Business for Responsive
