The Board of Directors along with the Governance Committee of the Collaboration Council is pleased to announce our new officers for the term 2014 to 2016:

 

Gabriel Albornoz, Chair

Mr. Albornoz was elected for his first-term as Board Chair this past November.  He has been an active member of our Board of Directors since 2008 and successfully served his first-term as Vice-chair from 2012 to 2014.  His board experience along with his role as Director of the Montgomery County Recreation Department and his commitment to positive youth development make him an ideal candidate to serve as our next Board Chair.

 

Mr. Albornoz was appointed as the Director of the  Montgomery County Recreation Department by County Executive Ike Leggett on January 18, 2007. He oversees the 36 recreation facilities across the County and over 6,000 programs and services, which serve over 500,000 County residents each year.  

 

He has received numerous community awards for his work with children, youth and families including most recently the 2013 National Football League "Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award." He lives in Kensington with his wife, daughter, and two sons.   

 

Roland Ikheloa, Vice Chair

Mr. Ikheloa was elected to serve his first-term as Vice-Chair, and has been an active member of our Board of Directors since 2007.  He has served on several board committees including the Fiscal Committee, the Executive Director Search Committee, and the Marketing Ad Hoc Committee.   

 

Mr. Ikheloa serves as Chief of Staff-Ombudsman to the Montgomery County Board of Education, where he supports their oversight function of MCPS including managing appeals and complaints to the Board, lobbying for appropriate laws and resources at the local, state and federal levels, and performing the Ombudsman function that seeks to resolve issues and concerns informally.  

 

He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Mississippi (OLEMISS) and a Bachelor of Science (Honors) degree from the University of Benin, Nigeria. A graduate of Leadership Montgomery (2003) and also a member of the Board of Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC).     

 

Kimberley Alfonso, Treasurer

Ms. Alfonso was elected to serve a second term as Treasurer.  She is the Chief Operating Officer at the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, a nonprofit dedicated to helping the blind or visually impaired population of the greater Washington region overcome the challenges of vision loss. 

She holds a Master's of Business Administration from Northwestern University's J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Kim is a Native Washingtonian residing in Montgomery County.

 

Carolyn Tamarkin, Secretary

Ms. Tamarkin was elected to serve a second-term as Secretary. Her professional experience began teaching autistic children in New York City. After moving to Maryland, she participated in the initial programming for the Gifted/Learning Disabled students in MCPS, and worked as a Resource Teacher in Special Education.

Currently, she is a Wish Grantor for the Make a Wish Foundation, and gives respite care for children in Montgomery Hospice. She received a Masters Degree in Special Education from Columbia University Teachers College and a Masters Degree in School Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.

We are happy to welcome Andrew Friedson to our Board of Directors!   

As a lifelong Montgomery County resident, he has been involved in political campaigns at the local, state and federal level. In 2014, the political blog, Seventh State, named him one of Maryland's "Top Young Guns." He currently is the Director of the Office of Communications for the Comptroller of Maryland.

 

In addition to serving on the Collaboration Council Board, he currently serves on the College Savings Plans of Maryland and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs Boards and as an editorial advisor to the national civic engagement and economic empowerment organization, OurTime.org.  

   

He is also active in local philanthropy, including at his Alma mater, the University of Maryland, where he was elected student body president and received the prestigious Byrd Citizenship Award as the most outstanding male graduate. Along with his family, Andrew established and continues to coordinate the Edward and Janet Friedson Memorial Veterans Scholarship.

Saying thank you just isn't enough.  Your service and commitment to our children and families here in Montgomery County is commendable.   

 

You will always be remembered for your clarity of task while balancing the work in tight economic times, and always making sure we were looking to the future.  Being able to play multiple roles, whether being Board Chair, Committee Chair or Emcee, was also appreciated.   

 

It is nice to know that you will still be involved in our work through your role as Chair of the Disproportionate Minority Contact Committee.  'Till we meet again at the next meeting convened by your Collaboration Council.