The Executive Board

We are comprised of four executive board member positions. These are volunteer based positions and are voted on each year. These four members have been elected to lead us through the 2022 - 2023 season! Take a look below and get to know them a little!

President

  • I am currently a fifth grade teacher in Prince George’s County, having taught for more than 30 years. I attended Bowie State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Education degree in elementary education.

    I have been a member of U.S.T.A. since 1975 when I started twirling with the Belle-Aires Twirling Corps in Bowie, Maryland.  Our teams twirled in some parades but mostly in U.S.T.A. competitions.  My first National competition was in Norfolk, Virginia in 1979.   I continued to twirl through high school on the Belle-Aires teams and floor corps under the instruction of Ann Bittenbender.

    I am a certified Level II U.S.T.A coach. I began coaching with the Belle-Aires during college and served as director for the organization from 2009 until 2020.

    I am currently a Level III U.S.T.A. judge and have been judging for more than 35 years. I have served as president of the Maryland Baton Council for more than 20 years and I enjoy working with coaches, corps directors, parents, and athletes in supporting the sport of baton twirling.

Vice President

  • I started twirling as a young child under the direction of my mother, Linda Hopkins, who started the Calverton Baton & Poms Corps in 1969. I then went on to twirl for 20 years and started coaching when I was 26 years old. I took over for my mother and ran the corps alongside Susan Yoffe for 20 years. I went on to have two wonderful children who began twirling as soon as they could walk and whom I coached into their teen years. They went on to twirl under the direction of Vivian Mutchler and Janet Weaver to name a few. I have been a part of the Maryland Baton Council for 23 years and have now served on the board for 15+ years.

Secretary

  • My time in the twirling world began with my daughter, who started twirling when she was 6 years old. I will never forget the look on her face when she brought home the flyer from school. I had no idea where this little girl would take me and now I cannot imagine my life without baton. I became a part of the Calverton Baton & Poms Corps as the Assistant Director alongside Vickie Simmers where I stayed for 15+ years. I have been involved in one way or another for over 26 years and have made the best friends and have had so much fun!

Treasurer

  • For more than 20 years, I was the Director of The Blazers Marching Group of Cecil County, who won many state, regional, and national awards for twirling, percussion, and color guard. I have been a part of the Maryland Baton Council for about 30 years. I am currently a judge for USTA, NBTA, TU, and AAU and have been judging for more than 25 years. I have been serving as the MBC Treasurer for many of those years. I am currently the Assistant Band Director for Rising Sun High School Marching Band, where my entire family is involved! I have been married to my wife, Dawn, for 31 years now and we have two grown children, Austin and Ashlee.

The Board Members

These positions are also filled each year during elections and are appointed before the start of each season. These four members have been elected to help the Executive Board throughout the coming season. Take a moment and meet your 2022 - 2023 board members below!

Board Member

  • My journey with USTA began in 1997 when my daughter, Jasmine, began her twirling career. I joined the Maryland Baton Council about two years later when I became the Director of Shelly's Sparklers. After joining the MBC I served the council by volunteering at competitions at the tabulation table and the parent liaison table before becoming both a certified coach and a level 2 judge. At this time, I am currently serving on the board of the Maryland Baton Council and I am the Commissioner of the BBGC Blazers Baton and Poms Corps.

Board Member

  • I was born into the Belle-Aires Twirling Corps because my sisters were already twirlers! I started twirling when I was 4, and over the years I was on 17 national title teams and I represented the USA at the world championships in 1996 with my team. I loved my years as a competitive twirler! I started coaching at age 16. For about 8 years I helped my sister run a twirling corps. now I am a member of the Maryland Baton Council board and I have 4 daughters who were and still are baton twirlers! It’s in our blood!

Board Member

Board Member