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Department of Aging

Maryland Commission on Aging Members

Jean C. Accius

One of the nation's leading voices on aging, longevity, and health, Dr. Accius is President and CEO of Creating Healthier Communities (CHC). For more than 25 years, he has driven systemic change across business, government, and the nonprofit sectors, working to ensure every person can live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. As President and CEO of CHC, Dr. Accius leads a national network of 650+ businesses and 5,000 nonprofits that reach 17 million employees and families. Under his leadership, CHC was named a 2026 Real Leaders Top Impact Company. At AARP, as Senior Vice President of International Affairs and Global Thought Leadership, he led the Longevity Economy research that reframed older adults as a powerful economic force. He championed Growing with Age, recognized among Fast Company's World Changing Ideas, and served on AARP's $4.7 billion Investment Committee. Earlier, he was a senior policy leader at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He has convened global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos and the United Nations, and his insights appear in The New York Times, TIME, and Forbes.

Dr. Accius is a 2026 graduate of the bipartisan Presidential Leadership Scholars program, a 2025 Baldrige Executive Fellow, a Next Avenue Influencer in Aging, a two-time Influential Marylander, and a recipient of the 2024 President's Lifetime Achievement Award. He serves as Vice Chair of Strathmore, as a Trustee of the Archstone Foundation, and on the boards of Justice in Aging and Jack's Caregiver Coalition. He holds a Ph.D. from American University.

Mae Beale

A well-known community advocate, Mae Beale, stays busy. She regularly serves on state and local boards, including the Restaurant Association of Maryland, the Howard County Tourism Council, the Columbia Festival of the Arts, and the Columbia Bright Minds Association. Beale is also a tireless volunteer and an avid supporter of countless community organizations and causes. She believes that if you take care of the community, it will take care of the people within it. Beale's contributions have not gone unnoticed, in 2016, she was inducted into the Howard County Women's Hall of Fame. Beale has also owned and operated an event planning and catering business. During that time, she decided to return to college and earned her bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She credits her husband and son for supporting her throughout the years. While her husband passed away several years ago, her son remains one of her biggest supporters. 

Paula Blackwell

Paula Blackwell, MBA, MHA has more than 20 years of experience developing and leading health and human service programs throughout the region. She is the Executive Director of the Central Maryland Health Education Center. She is also a principal consultant at Elevated Channels providing project management oversight and program development for nonprofits throughout the mid-Atlantic. Prior to her position at Central Maryland AHEC, Blackwell held several positions with the Foreign-Born Information and Referral Network (FIRN) including Program Director for Health Education and Promotion. She has held positions at Bon Secours Health System and the African American Health Alert, and is the founder and president-emeritus of her family’s foundation, Another Opportunity, Inc., which mentors young African American men and helps with tuition for those who are unable to secure financial aid. She serves as vice president of the Just Living Advocacy board and is a member of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Master of Public Health Advisory Committee and the Johns Hopkins University Center to Reduce Cancer Disparities Advisory Committee. Blackwell is also the proud mother of three children and spends time away from professional commitments enjoying activities with her children and grandchildren. ​

Allison Roenigk Ciborowski

Allison Roenigk Ciborowski has more than 15 years of experience in health care and aging services, and has served as President & CEO of LeadingAge Maryland since April 2020. LeadingAge Maryland represents more than 160 mission-driven, not-for-profit aging services organizations across the state, collectively working to ensure older adults have access to the services they need, when they need them, in the place they call home. Allison was named by the Baltimore Business Journal as one of Baltimore’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2022 and is a frequent contributor to media stories in both regional and national outlets. She serves on the boards of LeadingAge national, the CARE Healing Center (formerly Rape Crisis Intervention Services of Carroll County), and the Maryland Healthcare Education Institute.

Kim M. DeFiori 

Dr. Kim M. DeFiori is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Violence Prevention Center and a retired U.S. Army Captain. She holds a PhD in Health Policy and Management from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, dual MBAs from Cornell University and Queen’s University, and a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Her research focuses on suicide prevention, health care access, health policy, and improving systems of care for veterans and underserved populations. Drawing on her military service, public health expertise, and experience evaluating health care programs, Dr. DeFiori is committed to advancing policies that promote health, independence, dignity, and quality of life across the lifespan. As a member of the Maryland Commission on Aging, she is particularly interested in supporting older veterans, strengthening access to health care and community resources, and promoting healthy aging for all Marylanders.

Rosanne B. Hanratty

A native of New York City, Hanratty lived in several states before making Maryland home. She earned a Master’s of Science in Public Health and a Master's of Arts in Religious Studies. After being awarded a Presidential Management Internship, she enjoyed a 23-year career with CMS and the Social Security Administration, followed by two years as a pastoral care coordinator for a nursing home, and extensive ministerial experience in other nursing homes and parishes in Baltimore. After that, Hanratty spent about ten years with the Maryland Department of Aging. Throughout her time in Maryland, Hanratty has volunteered extensively, with extensive experience in social justice ministry and leadership. She has served as president of the school board for her parish’s school, held several leadership positions in Catholic parishes, and served on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. In retirement, Hanratty ministered with and advocated for older adults at St. Ignatius Catholic Community in Baltimore, and serves as the Chair of its Immigration Mobilization Committee. She is also active in civic and advocacy organizations, especially those focusing on immigrant rights.

Michael C. Herndon

Michael C. Herndon brings extensive leadership experience at the intersection of aging, financial security, and consumer behavior. His career spans senior roles with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, AARP, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In those roles, he has advanced initiatives supporting older adults, strengthening financial capability, and improving consumer outcomes. In addition to his professional work, Michael has been deeply engaged in volunteer efforts focused on aging policy, fraud prevention, and community-based engagement. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University, where he was a Dan Sweat Academic Scholarship recipient. 

Terri L. Hill 

Delegate Terri L. Hill is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, entrepreneur, elected official, and public health advocate with over three decades of service. A Harvard graduate in Bioelectric Engineering, she earned her M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, completed her plastic surgery residency at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, and trained in craniofacial surgery at the University of Miami. Since 1991, she has led her own medical practice, and in 2006 she founded Visage Rejuvenation Spa, where she remains Medical Director. Elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2014, she serves on the Health Committee, chairs the Subcommittee on Public Health and Minority Health Disparities, and is House Chair of the Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Biotechnology.

Priscilla Ko 

Priscilla Ko manages The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation’s work supporting older adults to age independently and safely within their homes, and promoting well-being and belonging in their community. Through partnership development and collaborations between diverse sectors, the Foundation has supported the national scaling of evidence-based programs that improve older adults’ functional mobility, health outcomes, and social inclusivity. Priscilla currently co-leads Maryland Philanthropy Network’s Aging Innovations cohort and Grantmakers in Aging’s Housing Stability Steering Committee. Her special interests support the holistic well-being of older adults working across the intersections of aging, housing, and health. Ko received her PharmD from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She completed her Pharmacy Practice Residency at UPMC St. Margaret and her PharmD/Public Health Residency at Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. 

Benjamin F. Kramer

Senator Benjamin F. Kramer has dedicated nearly two decades to serving Montgomery County in the Maryland General Assembly. After 12 years in the House of Delegates focusing on economic matters and consumer protection, he was elected to the Maryland Senate in 2018. A Wheaton native and University of Maryland alumnus, Senator Kramer brings his experience as a small business owner to his current roles as Deputy Majority Whip and a key member of the Senate Finance Committee, where he also chairs the Joint Committee on Unemployment Insurance Oversight. Throughout his career, Senator Kramer has been a steadfast advocate for public safety and vulnerable populations, earning "Legislator of the Year" honors from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. His commitment to community welfare is further reflected in his service on the Maryland Commission on Aging since 2019, and his active involvement in the Maryland Veterans, Latino, and Jewish Caucuses. Whether addressing energy transition or cannabis public health, Senator Kramer remains a prominent voice for fiscal responsibility and social advocacy in Maryland.

Jim Kucher

Dr. J. Howard "Jim" Kucher is an Associate Professor of Social Innovation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. An award-winning teacher and internationally recognized thought leader, he is the author of several books on Social Entrepreneurship and has assisted over 100 area nonprofits and social enterprises in developing new models for meeting the needs of their constituents while increasing the sustainability of their organizations.

Elizabeth Good Mazhari

Elizabeth Good Mazhari brings more than 30 years of academic, government, and private sector experience in product development, technology commercialization and venture management to the Commission. Currently, she serves as the Investment and Ecosystem Officer of Maryland TEDCO, and as President of Transition Health Ventures, a consulting firm specializing in serving the needs of the innovation community and the health care and life science startup companies within it. Previously, Elizabeth held academic venturing roles at Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland, Baltimore, and as Managing Director of the Maryland Venture Fund. She started her career in San Diego in venture-backed product development medtech startups after completing her Master's in Bioengineering from UC San Diego, and BSE from Duke University in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering. 

Darlene Palmer

Darlene Palmer brings a lifelong commitment to public service to the Commission on Aging. Shortly after earning her B.A. and M.S. in Communication from SUNY Albany, she launched her career as a Television Producer and Host at WTEN-TV, the CBS-affiliate station in Albany, New York. She was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve at the White House, where she helped shape national telecommunications policy. She later led a joint White House and U.S. Department of Commerce initiative focused on expanding and modernizing access to telecommunications services across the country. Palmer also served as Assistant Director of Broadcast Management for the National Association of Broadcasters, advocating for responsible media practices. In addition to her federal service, Palmer has held leadership and consulting roles in public policy and communications, and has long supported nonprofit and faith-based organizations through volunteer work and civic engagement. She earned her Master of Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where she was also a Fellow at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Darlene is a devoted mother to four adult children, four grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. Darlene lives in Baltimore, MD with her husband of 60 years.

Carralee Silka

Carralee Silka has been the Director of the Allegany County Area Agency on Aging since September 2023, after serving as the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for Allegany County. She brings extensive experience in human services, having worked with children and families, people with disabilities, uninsured hospital patients, and older adults. Mrs. Silka holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, with minors in Sociology and Writing, from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She lives in Cumberland, Maryland, with her husband and has one son.

Ed Sullivan

Ed Sullivan has served in various roles in the aging field for over 15 years. Prior to his current role as Director of the Calvert County Area Agency on Aging, he served as Executive Director of a nonprofit providing services to older adults and respite care for caregivers. He serves on the Calvert County Local Behavioral Health Authority, Adult Guardianship Review Board, CalvertHealth Community Health Improvement Roundtable and Health Ministry team. He previously served on the Commission for Veterans and Military Families in Calvert County. Sullivan is licensed through his local church to provide spiritual care and has received ecclesiastical endorsement for military chaplaincy. He is in the Chaplain Corps as a Character Development Instructor for the Maryland Wing, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, and chaplain for first responders. Ed earned his Bachelor of Science, Social Science, from Towson University and his Master of Divinity, Chaplaincy, from Liberty University.

Heang K. Tan 

Heang K. Tan is the Director of the Baltimore County Department of Aging, appointed by County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr., as the first Asian American woman to lead a department in Baltimore County. She brings nearly 25 years of experience in public health and aging services. Tan is President of the Maryland Association of Area Agencies on Aging and serves on the Oversight Committee on Quality of Care in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities. She previously served six years on the National Board for Area Agencies on Aging, USAging Board of Directors, including four as Vice President. Before joining Baltimore County, she spent nearly nine years as Baltimore City’s Area Agency on Aging Director and Deputy Health Commissioner. Still a community health worker at heart, Heang leads with equity and innovation, making sure every older adult is seen, heard, and supported where they live.

Diane Ty

Diane Ty is the Managing Director of the Milken Institute Future of Aging and Longevity, where she leads the strategic direction and operations of the portfolio’s life-course focus on healthy longevity and financial wellbeing for all. The portfolio advances its mission through research, convenings, multisector partnerships, and the elevation of high-impact policies and practices across its practice areas: Brain Health and its multisector Alliance to Improve Dementia Care, Healthspan, Home & Community, Caregiving, and Financial Longevity. Previously, she was a senior director at Georgetown University’s Business for Impact at the McDonough School of Business, where she led multiple health- and financial-services engagements, including the founding of the Portion Balance Coalition, a multisector collaborative addressing the obesity crisis by focusing on the quality, quantity, and variety of food and beverage portions. Ty has held executive-level positions at AARP, AARP Services, Inc., Save the Children, and American Express Company. She earned her undergraduate degree from Duke University and a joint MBA-Wharton School / MA from the University of Pennsylvania as a fellow of The Lauder Institute. She serves on the board of Capital Caring Health and is a gubernatorial appointee to the Maryland State Commission on Aging.