Meet the MAEOE Staff
Laura Johnson Collard
Executive Director
director@maeoe.org
410-777-9530 x 162
Laura has more than 15 years experience in non-profit and for-profit management in the UK and USA. She has worked with non-profit leaders to develop successful strategies for strengthening and diversifying funding bases.
Her skills include change management, strategic planning and start-up planning and implementation. She has positioned organizations for growth, new initiatives and sustainability. Areas of expertise include increasing capacity of non-profit organizations, strategic planning, financial management and team building. Additionally, she specializes in connecting public and private sector leaders while enabling them to work in partnership and build better communities.
Laura holds an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management. She speaks Spanish as a second language and enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.
Mary Westlund
Program Director
greenschools@maeoe.org
(Office Phone) 410-777-9530 ext.164
(Office Cell Phone) 443-699-6791
Mary joined MAEOE in November 2019 as the Program Coordinator and supports the Green Schools program.
Much of Mary's background is in program development and coordination and event planning. As a former elementary teacher, she also has extensive experience in classroom and outdoor teaching, facilitation and curriculum writing.
She's recently relocated from Pennsylvania and is thrilled to bring her passion for environmental and outdoor education to Maryland and MAEOE.
Camille Jefferson
Special Assistant to the Director
communications@maeoe.org
office: 410-777-9530
Camille Jefferson joins MAEOE as Special Assistant to the Director. Camille is a Communications Professional with combination of 20+ years of experience in operations management, project management and marketing in profit and non-profit organizations. During her career as a media professional she’s worked for numerous broadcast and cable companies throughout the country.
Having spent many years in studios and control rooms, Camille is extremely excited about being involved with outdoors and education. As a Project Manager and Educator, her passion is now her second career. From early in life, Camille encouraged literacy, diversity and community involvement with the environment. The depth of her commitment with the environmental community was deeply enriched when Dr. Mamie Parker became her Advisor. She has partnered with Dr. Parker to work on several environmental projects.
Camille has a BA in Communications from the University of Maryland, College Park and a MBA from Saint Edwards University, Austin. She is an active member of Project Management Institute D.C. Chapter and a member of the Dunn-Loring Merrifield Rotary. She enjoys authentic hands-on experiences, spending time on farms, at beaches, and in parks.
Alisa Fried
Education Coordinator
engagement@maeoe.org
Alisa joined MAEOE in March 2022 as Education Assistant. She has several years of experience in environmental education and classroom teaching. Alisa graduated from Towson University with a Masters of Arts in Teaching, and graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a double major in Environmental Studies and International Languages and Culture: Spanish.
Alisa’s passion for environmental education has allowed to her to work with people of various backgrounds throughout the Baltimore area to encourage and support environmental and sustainability initiatives. Her passion even took her to San José, Costa Rica where she completed a two-month internship at a community center with a focus on social, economic, and environmental support and growth.
She enjoys cooking, reading and spending time outdoors.
April Amacker
Youth Leadership Coordinator
community@maeoe.org
April Amacker is currently a graduate student at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland where she is studying Cultural Sustainability. She has worked with youth in various communities for over 15 years teaching self-empowerment, enrichment and implementing visual arts as therapy for inner-city youth. April has always been resourceful and innovative which has led to the success of several social entrepreneurship projects in which she managed to help new businesses and entrepreneurs develop products and models to address social and economical issues.
She is ecstatic to work with the Youth Advisory Council as she and the students both share a love for ensuring our earth is treated with care.
Vanessa Young
Little Black Book, Ltd, Contractor
conference@maeoe.org
CREATING UNFORGETTABLE EVENTS
There are no do-overs in this business. We take what we do very seriously because we want our clients to have the best memories. You invest time and money into your day to make it perfect and we are your insurance plan to protect your investment and execute your plan. Planning events is our passion. The details matter and we love bringing clients’ visions to life, allowing them to create the best-shared experiences.
Chief Planner, Vanessa Young founded Little Black Book in Washington, D.C. to provide clients with exclusive access to vendors and services starting with event planning that exceeds expectations. With an Event Management Certification from George Washington University and over 7 years of industry experience, she is a seasoned event professional.
We take time to understand each of our clients’ communication styles, visions, and needs. We then build a plan based on that foundation, leveraging our years of experience and vast network of vendors. We manage all aspects of the day, behind the scenes, ensuring that our clients are able to be present and enjoy every emotion of their day. Let us be your connection to just the right people, places, and services. Let us make your event unforgettable.
