Leadership

Ms. Amanda Freeman, Chair

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

“Working with Cornerstone Montgomery is important to me as a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church that was part of Cornerstone Montgomery’s founding. I want to support the needs for behavioral health in Montgomery County and help St. Luke’s be a good neighbor for the Southport Hub.”

Ms. Freeman is a D.C. native and a retired high school history teacher. She is an active member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, one of the founding members of Cornerstone Montgomery. Coming from a family that has struggled with mental health challenges and substance use disorders, Amanda is excited to support Cornerstone Montgomery’s mission. Amanda is actively engaged in anti-racism work. Her other interests include spending time with family and friends, reading and being active outdoors.

Ms. Sarah Sowden

Accenture

Ms. Alice Santoro

Montgomery College

“I believe all community members should feel valued, supported and prepared to succeed. The team at Cornerstone Montgomery has shown through a commitment to providing comprehensive behavioral health services that they too believe this and are working to make this a reality. I am extremely honored to be able to support this work.”

Ms. Santoro is an associate dean of student affairs at Montgomery College where she chairs the campus behavioral intervention team and assists students in crisis. She has 24 years of experience in higher education, affording her a diverse professional background in the areas of public safety, emergency preparedness, academic advising, counseling and teaching. Ms. Santoro is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and works part-time as a mobile crisis clinician in Anne Arundel County. She has also supported community members by serving as a psychiatric rehabilitation aide in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County.

Mr. Joey Chambers

Capital Bank

Joey Chambers is Vice President of Business Development, Non-Profit Banking at Capital Bank. He has work in the financial services for over 30 years. Mr. Chambers started his career with Equitable/Maryland National bank and retired with successor Merrill Lynch. He has work in Consumer Bank, Human Resources Business Banking and Global Wealth Banking during his career. Mr. Chambers has hosted series of Lunch & Learn Seminars for the Non-Profit Community. In his free time Mr. Chambers serve as a Football Official for youth football in the Washington area.

Ms. Jennifer Jette

Friedlander Misler, PLLC

Ms. Jette is a Montgomery County native and a partner at Friedlander Misler, PLLC where she concentrates her practice in commercial real estate law, working with developers and investors in all aspects of the acquisition, development, sale, financing, and leasing of industrial and mixed-use property, multi-family housing, affordable housing projects, and office buildings. Ms. Jette also advises on various corporate matters and assists buyers and sellers of multifamily properties in the District of Columbia on compliance with the District of Columbia Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act.

Ms. Cindy Rauner

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative​

Ms. Rauner is Senior Vice President of Human Resources and CHRO at Southern Maryland Electrical Cooperative.  Cindy possesses over 20 years of human resources and organizational development experience.   Her expertise includes labor relations, performance management, recruitment, training and development, diversity, benefits and wellness administration.  She holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Economics and a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management.

Mr. John Wille

” Cornerstone Montgomery and Cornerstone Southern Maryland are a critical source of support to disadvantaged individuals with mental health issues.  Since 2018 I have seen both organizations successfully address the many challenges posed by the Covid pandemic and shortcomings in the state’s Medicaid programs, and have been proud to support management through these trying times. I look forward to continuing to provide inputs and advice to the organization as it navigates this continuously evolving healthcare environment.”

John Wille recently joined the Board as a result of the merger with Southern Maryland Community Network, where he was most recently Board President.  He is a presently a consultant specializing in technology solutions for international development. Previously, John spent 20 years with the World Bank, advising governments throughout the developing world on technology applications to improve public service delivery and attract foreign direct investment.  He also worked in Price Waterhouse’s consulting arm as well as in industry and banking. He has a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.  He is married with three children including an autistic adult son.

Dr. Orlando Wright

“The mission of Cornerstone Montgomery aligns well with my personal and professional mission to impact individuals, our community, and ensure quality care reaches those who need it the most.”

Dr. Orlando Wright is a behavioral scientist who holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D. in Behavioral Science from Capella University. Dr. Wright is a seasoned public speaker, practitioner, and professor.

Previously, he facilitated inter-agency collaboration across 6 partner hospitals, community-based organizations, and the Local Behavioral Health Authorities to optimize and develop behavioral health resources within Montgomery and Prince George County, Maryland.

He is a board-licensed clinical social worker and supervisor in Maryland, USA.  Dr. Wright has 20 + years of experience in management, clinical service delivery, complex behavioral health systems, & dynamic partnership development. He was appointed by Howard County’s executive Calvin Ball to the Howard County Local Behavioral Health Authority where he is the chair of the critical indicators committee. He enjoys innovation within the behavioral health space and continues to optimize, drive, and facilitate groundbreaking ideas in the field of behavioral health.

He authored, “Parenting Status Offending Youth: Parent’s Perceptions of Diversionary Services in the Juvenile Justice System,” and co-authored, “Soaring into Greatness.”

Kamelia Bayat

Kamelia Bayat currently serves as Administrative Director for Behavioral Health as well as women’s and infants’ services and GYN surgeries at Johns Hopkins National Capital Region (NCR), where she oversees inpatient and ambulatory operations for a number of specialties including psychiatry, gynecologic oncology, gynecologic surgery and maternal-fetal medicine.

Kamelia is providing direct operational oversight of the outpatient addiction treatment center and day treatment program in Bethesda, and the ECT and TMS programs at Sibley Hospital as well as Crisis and Partial Hospitalization programs at Suburban Hospital. Kamelia works closely with clinical and nursing leadership at both hospitals to provide operational expertise and support for behavioral health services across the region.

Kamelia has more than 10 years of experience in the health care industry across a variety of areas, including health care marketing, practice management, community health outreach, operations management, financial analysis and business planning. In various roles at Sibley, she has provided leadership for medical oncology, thoracic surgery and interventional pulmonology.

Dan Helhowski

Dan Helhowski is a partner at Beltway Merchant Services, a local leader in credit card payment processing, website design and business services. He has been working in financial services since 2008, previously serving as a Branch Manager and Regional Account Manager in large national banks, as well as a Commercial Banker in a regional bank.

With a wealth of experience, he has become a driving force in the industry, leveraging his expertise to provide innovative and tailored solutions for businesses as a high level local vendor. Dan is known for his strategic approach, helping clients navigate the complex landscape of business payment processing and website payment integration.  He helps his retail and restaurant clients to operate with the newest point of sale technology as well as his specialty, ecommerce, software, and invoicing platforms. His commitment to customer satisfaction and transparent business practices has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor in the financial services sector. Beyond his professional pursuits, he actively shapes the future of the local business community, contributing as a Board Member of the Greater Rockville Chamber and participating in numerous chambers of commerce and nonprofits.