Meet the Candidates

2026 MSBA Board Of Directors Election: Meet the Candidates

President

David Schultz (Candidate for President)

David Schultz portrait
About the candidate
I have been keeping bees in MD since 2014 and am a member of multiple county Beekeeping clubs as well as MSBA. I have been mentoring many beekeepers over the years through programs such as HCBA Continuing Education Class (we meet every week of the year to discuss and learn about beekeeping and perform hive inspections), Journeyman Beekeeper Course (we are on our 5th year of candidates, we meet monthly for the year), and the Master Beekeeper Study Group (we have over 30 candidates at various stages of study and exam taking, we have 13 new master beekeepers in the past 5 years from our group). In 2022 I became a Maryland State Apiary Inspector and have learned so much from Cybil and Storm.
Why this position
I have enjoyed my years of being the V. President and President of the Howard County Beekeepers Association (HCBA), and being the V. President and President this year for the MSBA. I enjoy expanding the scope and reach of the clubs that I have been involved with and have seen membership participation improve during my tenure. I enjoy meeting and learning from our Maryland beekeepers. Traveling across the state to meet with beekeepers and beekeeper associations has been the highlight of my experiences to date.
Experience, skills, or perspective
I have past experience in executive positions with beekeeping clubs and in my other work life. I have always had a natural leadership style where I lead by example and garner followers, using honey to attract beekeepers instead of a stick.
Hoped-for accomplishments
This year we have made some headway in increasing our educational offerings at MSBA. I would like to continue that pursuit. We are also providing a more structured opportunity for MSBA donations to groups that directly impact our ability to better keep our bees and I would like to continue to add to that structure as well.

First Vice-President

Valerie Wampler (Candidate for First Vice-President)

Valerie Wampler portrait
About the candidate
.I am currently MSBA Secretary. Previous positions held were 2nd VP representing Howard County and MSBA Director. I believe in advocacy for honey bees and native bees. I love mentoring but especially education. Sharing information on beekeeping helps in advocacy about bees but also providing those just starting this journey with helpful information towards their success. I have several early mentors who willingly and openly shared their knowledge early in my beekeeping and has set that goal for me to continue.
Why this position
.I would like to be 1st VP to develop MSBA programs that touches all aspects and challenges old and new beekeepers. Beekeeping excites me because of its eclectic nature, always learning and something new, ever boring. The potential of the 1st VP to bring in speakers, arrange exciting programs and advocate for agriculture among MD drives me to run for 1st VP.
Experience, skills, or perspective
I've been a successful beekeeper for 12 years with a high rate of overwintering. I present at multiple Maryland Beekeeping groups. I am always looking for ways to volunteer and give back. I have stretched myself in the past couple of years to improve advocacy of beekeeping by working with others in a beekeeping program for inmates, starting a 4H/FFA multi-county Teaching Apiary and initiating a beekeeping program at a local community college. This helps improve my skills of people networking and working with others towards developing and presenting programs.
Hoped-for accomplishments
.I hope to develop programs for the entire year by reaching out and getting contracts with multiple speakers lined up. I hope to advertise these programs throughout MD and increase in-person attendance and increase MSBA membership and participation. I'd like to listen to counties and 2nd VP representatives in developing programs that appeal to their members. I'd like to see us move meetings throughout the state or more centrally to increase in-person attendance.

Treasurer

Lisa Marie Ghezzi (Candidate for Treasurer)

Lisa Marie Ghezzi portrait
About the candidate
Lisa Marie has been working bees for more than 17 years and currently runs 40 colonies at Maxmore Creek Farm, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Her small-scale/sideliner operation produces and sells honey, queens and NUCs. Lisa Marie is President of her local bee club, the Wye River Beekeepers. As an EAS Certified Master Beekeeper and Master Gardener Emeritus, she presents topics on nectar and pollen sources, bee biology and life cycles and beekeeping best practices for EAS, MAEOE Maryland teachers, state and local bee clubs, community groups, Master Gardeners and local company field workforces. Lisa’s primary interest is to communicate the importance of planting native plants in quantity and across all seasons to improve bee forage.
Why this position
Good day! As your current Treasurer I would be pleased to continue in the role and manage MSBA’s finances. Since becoming Treasurer in October 2024, I worked with other MSBA officers to regain the transparency of our financials and set our books up in QuickBooks. Next, I worked with Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration to reinstate our license plate program; it was up and running again in January 2025. Over the past nearly two years I have been managing the books, presenting MSBA’s financials at our annual meeting, managing the license plate program and completing various other duties. It has been my pleasure to work with the MSBA Officers and members to support MSBA’s educational benefits, income producing activities and networking of our members.
Experience, skills, or perspective
As a graduate of the Georgetown School of Business, I have a Masters in Business with an emphasis on finance. I have a keen interest in supporting our members with multiple educational and networking opportunities, as well as growing our membership. I believe that a well-run, and transparent organization is most effective at achieving these ends.
Hoped-for accomplishments
I plan to have financial information available and provide that information to MSBA’s Officers on a timely basis and as requested to allow them to improve upon decision making for the organization.

Directors

Anna Wysocki (Candidate for Directors)

Anna Wysocki portrait
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Diane Wellons (Candidate for Directors)

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Monica Schmitt (Candidate for Directors)

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Second VP of Anne Arundel County

Ryan Smith (Candidate for Second VP of Anne Arundel County)

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Second VP of Baltimore County

Regina Andrew (Candidate for Second VP of Baltimore County)

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Second VP of Baltimore City

Rob Yochem (Candidate for Second VP of Baltimore City)

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Second VP of Calvert County

Brett Caloia (Candidate for Second VP of Calvert County)

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Second VP of Carroll County

Jenny Bumgardner (Candidate for Second VP of Carroll County)

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Second VP of Cecil County

Brad Luff (Candidate for Second VP of Cecil County)

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Second VP of Frederick County

Mike Raide (Candidate for Second VP of Frederick County)

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Second VP of Harford County

Harry Dutcher (Candidate for Second VP of Harford County)

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Second VP of Kent County

Max de Arriz (Candidate for Second VP of Kent County)

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Second VP of Montgomery County

Len Greig (Candidate for Second VP of Montgomery County)

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Second VP of Prince George's County

Michael Mehalick (Candidate for Second VP of Prince George's County)

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Second VP of Queen Anne's County

Terri Sprouse (Candidate for Second VP of Queen Anne's County)

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Second VP of Somerset County

Jim Leether (Candidate for Second VP of Somerset County)

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Second VP of St. Mary's County

Allen Craft (Candidate for Second VP of St. Mary's County)

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Second VP of Talbot County

Andrea Nashold (Candidate for Second VP of Talbot County)

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Second VP of Wicomico County

Lauren Pascarella (Candidate for Second VP of Wicomico County)

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Second VP of Worcester County

Thomas Babcock (Candidate for Second VP of Worcester County)

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Second VP of Washington, DC

Jan Poston Day (Candidate for Second VP of Washington, DC)

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