Officers / DNC members

Over the last two decades, Ken Ulman has been a leader in the state of Maryland. From 2002 to 2006, he served on the Howard County Council, and was then elected to Howard County Executive, where he served two terms, from 2006 to 2014. In Howard County, Ken earned a reputation for a leadership style that blends innovation and common sense, with a goal of providing the most efficient and effective government services possible. During his time in public office, Ulman took Maryland’s sixth-largest jurisdiction to new heights in education, healthcare, environmental protection, and economic development. Ken has won numerous awards, and was named a Tech Titan by Washingtonian Magazine, a Top 25 Doer, Dreamer and Driver by Government Technology Magazine and a Regional Visionary by the Greater Baltimore Committee. Ken served as president of the Maryland Association of Counties and as chairman of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, taking leadership roles in transportation, health care, and fiscal affairs throughout Central Maryland.

Ken also served as a DNC Member during his time as President of the National Democratic County Officials. Prior to elected office, Ulman worked for then Governor Parris Glendenning in multiple roles in the administration and on his re-election campaign in 1998; and he worked for the Clinton-Gore re- election campaign in 1996 and the Inaugural Committee following the successful 1996 campaign. Ken has served on many philanthropic boards, including the Ulman Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting young adult cancer survivors and was instrumental in the building of the Ulman House in East Baltimore. Additionally, Ken serves as the Vice Chair of the Merriweather Arts and Cultural Center and has previously served on the boards of The Olney Theater, The Baltimore Museum of Art, The Shock Trauma Board of Visitors and Forever Maryland.

Dr. Charlene M. Dukes served Prince George’s Community College as president from July 1, 2007 to August 10, 2020. Upon retirement, she received the title of “President Emerita” for her thirteen years of service. During her presidency at PGCC, enrollment surged to 44,000 students and 2800 employees, served by six locations. Her career spanned 42 years, beginning as an admission and financial aid officer at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, continuing at the Community College of Allegheny County in a variety of administrative positions, including dean of Students, and concluding at Prince George’s Community College where she held the position of vice president of Student Services immediately prior to accepting the presidency.

Dr. Dukes also served as interim president at Montgomery College, serving 50,000 students and more than 3500 employees, in Rockville, Maryland from August 2021 to February 2022. Her past service includes chair of the Board of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC); member, Executive Committee of AACC and the Association of Community College Trustees(ACCT); founding faculty of the Leadership Institute of the National Council on Student Development; board member of the American Association of Colleges and Universities; committee service for the American Council on Education; convener of the Presidents Round Table for African-American CEOs in Community Colleges; member of the National Council on Black American Affairs, AACC; chair of the Maryland Community College Council of Presidents; board service for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators; Secretary of the Board of the Institute of Higher Education Policy. Additionally, she served on the Prince George’s County Board of Education and the Maryland State Board of Education, where she was president for the last three years of her appointed term.

Judy Wixted, a lifelong political activist and field organizer, has worked with multiple Democratic Campaigns and Committees across the country, starting as a canvasser for then-Senator Joe Biden over forty years ago.

A graduate of Cornell University, she has run her own business, taught public speaking professionally and trained leaders up and down the East Coast of the United States. Judy is a retired corporate trainer and territory manager for Weight Watchers, International.  She has spent her life working to inspire others to better themselves and strengthen our communities. 

Elected in 1992 as Democratic Chair of Naperville Township, in Illinois, she recruited and supported candidates running for local office and found her passion.  Judy has served in Democratic Party leadership in several states since.  She believes that guiding leaders in their aspiration for local office is where Democrats can do their best, most impactful work to improve their communities. 

Judy started working in Maryland Democratic politics as a phone bank captain in President Obama’s campaign and was drafted to organize field for the TCDCC in every subsequent campaign.  Elected to the TCDCC in 2014, she helped build and execute the strategic plan that brought Democratic success starting in 2016, culminating in turning Talbot blue in a Presidential race for the first time since 1964 when Joe Biden won the county in 2020.  

She is certified by the National Democratic Training Committee to conduct political training seminars for candidates, volunteers, organizers, and activists on political strategy.  Judy has run Candidate Training for local Eastern Shore Candidates in Talbot for two cycles.  Candidates walk out of her training with a complete election plan in hand and a deeper understanding of the important responsibility that comes with seeking higher office.  Several of her “graduates” are serving in public office on the Eastern Shore today.

Judy lives in Cordova with her husband George Dappert.  Their children, Michele and James, are proud graduates of the Talbot County Public School system and are successful young professionals in Maryland and New York.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Ruben Amaya is a native of Reisterstown. Amaya has served in various roles devoted to public service including as a Commissioner on the Maryland Commission on The School-to-Prison Pipeline and Restorative Practices, Commissioner on the Baltimore County School Board Nominating Commission, and as an At-Large Member for the Baltimore County Democratic State Central Committee.

Devang Shah is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County, Maryland. Since March 2022, he has served as the Maryland Democratic Party’s Deputy Treasurer. He has been actively involved in the Democratic Party serving the Asian American and Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) and broader communities in a volunteer capacity. Since 2017, Devang has served as Chair of the AAPI Leadership Council where he seeks to have more AAPIs’ engaged in the political process. He has organized many events including several large events including an AAPI Heritage Month event in 2020 with over 450 people. Devang has served on the Finance Council of the Maryland Democratic Party since January 2020 and is a Trustee for the Party since 2017.

Corynne has been active in Democratic politics since her first campaign working for Paul Sarbanes in the 1970’s. Her years of service were rewarded by her selection to the Electoral College in 2020. She has attended seven Democratic National Conventions but is most proud of the work she has done to spread our message closer to home. She served as Treasurer of the Carroll County Central Committee for 12 years and this year was voted Chair.

Diana Mitchell Emerson is a Baltimore Native. She is a Non-Profit executive and community leader with over 20 years of experience building communities, supporting small businesses and grassroot efforts to build a better, greater Baltimore City and State of Maryland. She is a member of the Baltimore City Democratic State Central Committee representative, appointed in October 2021 and elected in 2022 for the 43rd Baltimore City Legislative District.

Gabriel Gough is an elected member of the Calvert County Democratic Central Committee. He is a combat Veteran who was awarded a Bronze Star for Valor in Iraq and has a master’s degree in International Relations from Georgetown University. He has served as an International Relations and Governmental Fellow on President Obama’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, as a Socioeconomic Advisor to the Special Operations Command in Afghanistan, and as a Special Assistant and Advisor to three Secretaries of Veterans Affairs. Gabriel and his wife Heather are raising their two young children, Tristan and Emery, in Huntington, MD.

Greg Pecoraro has served as a DNC member from 1996 to 2020. Prior to that, he was a member and Chair of the Carroll County Democratic Central Committee, and is the Party’s long-time Parliamentarian. In 2000 he served as one of Maryland’s Presidential Electors.

A member of the Westminster City Council for over 15 years, Pecoraro has held senior positions in the Administrations of Governor Parris Glendening and Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith. Earlier, he served as an assistant to U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes and State Treasurer Lucille Maurer. Currently, he is the CEO of a not-for-profit economic and transportation alliance focused on Central Maryland.

Bel Leong-Hong, President and CEO of Knowledge Advantage, Inc., founded in 1999, after a very exciting thirty-year career in public service. She held many “first” senior level positions, including being the first career female AAPI to become a Depputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. An At-Large member of the DNC since 2001. She was elected in 2005 as the Chair of the DNC AAPI Caucus. She is a member of the DNC Executive Committee, the Women’s Caucus, and the Credentials Standing Committee. She is a member of the National Finance Council, a Presidential Partner, and a national Co–Chair of the DNC Asian American Leadership Council. At the Maryland Democratic Party, she is on the Executive Committee, as well as a Party Trustee.

Robbie is an attorney at the Law Offices of Evan K. Thalenberg, P.A. He has spent over a decade fighting for justice in Baltimore City courtrooms. First, as an Assistant Public Defender, where Robbie tried well over one hundred cases. Then, in civil litigation where he has represented children who have been poisoned by lead-based paint.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Robbie graduated from Towson University in 2003 with a degree in Political Science. He attended the University of Baltimore School of Law and received a Juris Doctor degree in 2007. During law school, Robbie got a head start on trial practice as a Rule 16 Student Attorney with the Office of the Public Defender in Baltimore City.

He was promoted to Assistant Public Defender upon graduation from law school. He was known as a fearless trial lawyer who zealously advocated for his clients in district, circuit and juvenile courts. Robbie also worked on the Public Defender’s government relations team to explain to the Maryland Legislature how proposed laws can impact all of us.

Since 2012, Robbie has successfully transitioned to civil litigation where he has won several million-dollar verdicts on behalf of lead-poisoned children in Baltimore. His courtroom success has motivated insurance companies to settle dozens of cases without the need to go to trial. Robbie was selected to the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Maryland Super Lawyers Rising Stars list, an honor bestowed upon only 2.5% of Maryland’s lawyers. He is also a member of the Maryland Association for Justice, American Association for Justice, and the Baltimore County Bar Association. Robbie also serves as Adjunct Faculty in the Legal Studies department at the Community College of Baltimore County.

Robbie is an active member of his community. He recently served on the Baltimore County Board of Parks and Recreation to make sure that our kids enjoy the same opportunities that he had growing up. Robbie has also served as Chair of the Baltimore County Democratic Party, was an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention, was a member of the Electoral College and has been the Democratic nominee for House of Delegates and State Senate in Baltimore County. He has organized and volunteered on numerous campaigns and is a strong believer in grassroots.

Bob is an attorney with the law firm of Offit Kurman, P.A. resident in its Frederick, Maryland office, where he has practiced for over 30 years. He has been a party officer since 2003, serving as Treasurer until 2022.

A graduate of Western Maryland College and University of Baltimore School of Law, Bob has been active in Democratic politics since his days as a College Democrat. He served two terms as President of United Democrats of Frederick County and has been a member of the Frederick County Democratic State Central Committee for 22 years, serving over 5 years as its Chair.

Cheryl Landis is a highly respected member of the Maryland Democratic Party. With 40+ years of professional and volunteer service, she has earned the unwavering support and respect of Democratic Party Leaders throughout Maryland. Her visionary leadership, organizational effectiveness, and strategic planning techniques have added tremendous value and efficacy to her ability to consistently produce exemplary results. She is well known for her political and community activism, as well as her advocacy to help educate Marylanders on the importance of voting and the consequences of not voting.