Board of Directors

Virginia M. Thomas

President | Columbia, Maryland

Virginia M Thomas is currently the President of the Corporate Board at the Residences at Vantage Point and serves on the Foundation Board. She has been on the Corporate Board since 1996.

Since 2017, Ms Thomas has been elected to the Columbia Association Board of Directors as the representative from Oakland Mills Village and currently serves as Vice Chair.

She is the CA Board liaison to the Climate Change and Sustainability Advisory Committee and the Board Operations Committee. She served on the CA Audit Committee and liaison to the Aquatics Committee. She was the Honorary Chair of the WinterGrowth’s 40th Anniversary Celebration in 2019. She serves on the Maryland Disabilities Forum and the Local Leadership Team for Oakland Mills Village project of the Howard County Local Children’s Board.

Ms Thomas retired as Director of Community Health for the Center for Health Program Development and Management (Hilltop Institute) University of Maryland Baltimore County. Ms. Thomas served 12 years as a State Legislator in the Maryland General Assembly, and has been recognized as a legislative leader with expertise in healthcare environment, and human services. Prior to that she served for eight years on the Howard County Council and Zoning Board.

Known for her community outreach and volunteer activities, Ms. Thomas currently serves as Past President of the Maryland Gerontological Association where she served as President for 10 years. She is a past board member of the Mental Health Association of Maryland, Humanim, Grassroots, and numerous other Boards and Committees in Howard County and Maryland. She is also one of the Founders of the Rt. 1 Day Center Partners for the homeless, many of whom live in tents along Rt. 1. She also was one of the Founding Members of The Village in Howard and served on the board for two years. Ms Thomas received an M.S.W. in Psychiatric Social Work from Rutgers University, an A.C.S.W. in Administration from Penn State, and a B.S. in Secondary Education/Psychology from Farleigh Dickenson University.

Bruce P. Martin

Vice President | Columbia, Maryland

A lawyer and former Maryland assistant attorney general Bruce Martin currently serves as executive director of the Montgomery County Maryland Merit System Protection Board. Before retiring from state service, Mr. Martin was counsel to the Maryland Department of Budget and Management, where he represented the state with regard to operating and capital budgets, fiscal matters, contracts and procurement, and employee relations. His experience also includes service as an assistant legislative officer to the Governor of Maryland; counsel to the Maryland Departments of Juvenile Services, Disabilities, and Human Resources; the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs; and the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention; and as an attorney in private practice.

Barbara Bednarzik

Treasurer | Columbia, Maryland

Retired director of social services, Winter Growth, Inc.; social worker with a focus on dementia care. Ms. Bednarzik has over 25 years of clinical and management experience in social work, mental health and aging. She was director of and assisting in developing several model assisted living programs, including Ruth Keeton House and Winter Growth. She served on various boards and advisory committees, including the Coalition of Geriatric Services, the Howard County Mental Health Committee, the University of Maryland School of Social Work Advisory Board, the Association of Community Services Board, and the Alzheimer’s Respite Care Advisory Board. She holds an M.S.W. with a concentration in aging administration from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and Community Planning, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Waynesburg College.

Leo Bruette

Columbia, Maryland

Leo Bruette is a retired certified public accountant who worked in public accounting for more than 35 years. He is a retired tax partner of BDO USA, LLP, a CPA firm that operates internationally. Mr. Bruette managed tax engagements for a variety of business enterprises as well as non-profit entities and individuals. He received a B.A. – History from the University of Maryland, College Park; in addition, he holds a Certificate in Accounting and a M.S. – Taxation, both from the University of Baltimore. Mr. Bruette is a member of the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants and is a long serving member of its State Tax Committee.

Susan Castellan

Secretary | Columbia, Maryland

Susan Catellan currently serves as vice president of The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, one of the largest and most successful commercial construction companies in the United States. Over the years she has worked on numerous construction projects – both public and private, and both large and small — including Vantage Point more than 20 years ago. She received her B.S. in civil engineering from Villanova University, an M.S. in engineering technology and management from the University of Maryland, and a certificate in general theology from the Washington Theological Union.

Carol A. Romano

Columbia, Maryland

Dr. Carol A. Romano, Rear Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) (Ret.), is professor and dean of the Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. She received a diploma in nursing (1971) from the Geisinger Medical Center School of Nursing in Pennsylvania and earned her bachelor of science (1977), master of science (1985) and Ph.D. (1993) degrees in nursing from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Dr. Romano is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and the American College of Medical Informatics. She has served in a variety of leadership positions in the USPHS in the Office of the Surgeon General, including chief nurse officer, and has also worked for 34 years at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Clinical Research Center. She is contributor and editorial board member for several professional journals, recipient of multiple NIH, Department of Health and Human Services and university awards, and acknowledged in the World Who’s Who in American Nursing.

Stephen Baron

Columbia, Maryland

Former Director of the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health which became the Department of Behavioral Health (2006 to 2015). During his tenure Steve led the development and management of the public mental and substance use disorder treatment services and supports which included ending the 37-year court oversight of the District’s mental health services as well as the Department of Justice Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) case against Saint Elizabeths Hospital.

Before joining District government, Mr. Baron was president of Baltimore Mental Health Systems, Inc. (BMHS), the mental health authority for Baltimore City for 17 years.

Prior to joining BMHS, Mr. Baron was employed by Sinai Hospital of Baltimore where working with the leadership of the Department of Psychiatry and a group of Baltimore businessman he helped create People Encouraging People, Inc. (PEP), a comprehensive community-based rehabilitation program for individuals with serious mental illness. Mr. Baron served as PEP’s first Executive director.

In 2016, he was selected by the National Association of Social Workers Foundation to receive its 2015 Ruth Knee-Milton Wittman Award for Lifetime Achievement in Health and Mental Health Practice.

A Baltimore native, Mr. Baron has served as an adjunct profession at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. He holds a Master of Social Work from Howard University and a Bachelor of Social Welfare from Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.

Victoria Imre

Ellicott City, Maryland

Victoria Imre is currently the President of Athenix Solutions, a technology company supporting the USG. During her career, Ms. Imre has worked with international and US based companies in the commercial and government sectors where she has served in operational, marketing, and program management leadership roles. She has been a resident of Howard County for over 25 years and has enjoyed volunteer positions in support of community organizations. She earned a B.S. in Communications from Towson University, Masters in International Management from University of Maryland, and is PMP Certified.

George Gallahorn, Ex Officio

Columbia, Maryland

A Vantage Point resident and President of the Vantage Point Residents’ Association. George has been a resident of Columbia since 1972. His professional life as a physician was spent in the private practice of psychiatry and psychoanalysis. In addition, he was Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where he was a faculty member since 1972. Shortly after retiring, he and his wife moved to the Residences at Vantage Point in November 2019.

Andre Lingham

Maryland

Andre Lingham is the Founder and President for the Center of Elder Justice and Education. It was established in 2021 and is a non-profit organization that promotes elder abuse awareness and education. Their mission is done by virtual and in person training to senior citizens, the public, government agencies, police departments and private institutions. Andre previously served over 30 years in law enforcement and retired from the Howard County Police Department in 2019 to focus full time on elder abuse awareness and education. While a member of the Howard County Police Department, he served as the Senior Citizen Liaison for 5 years. In 2014, Andre was named Howard Police Officer of the Year and 2015 American Legion Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for his work educating and protecting seniors.

Frank L. Miles

Columbia, Maryland

Frank Miles is a retired Architect/Project Executive who worked 35 years in the Public Building Service of the General Services Administration (GSA). While at the GSA, he held the positions of Project Architect, Chief of the Architectural/ Structural Section and GSA Architect for the National Capital Region. In this position, Mr. Miles was responsible for the design and oversight of projects ranging from $500, 000 to $5,000,000.

In addition to the above, while at the GSA, Mr. Miles also served as Development Director and Project Executive for major new construction projects with a construction value of over 400 million dollars. Upon his retirement from GSA, Mr. Miles was the principal owner Architect of FLM & Associates, providing design and consulting services for residential projects.

Mr. Miles received his Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Howard University and a EPM Fellowship Graduate Masters Certificate of Public Administration from University of Southern California. Mr. Miles is a member of the American Institute Of Architects.

John Wade

Elliot City,Maryland

John Wade is a retired actuary with 40 years of actuarial experience. He retired as Vice President & Chief Actuary from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, where he was responsible for actuarial services to a multi-billion dollar pension plan. He previously worked for the Employee Benefits Division of IRS and an actuarial consulting firm. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He received a B.S. in mathematics from Louisiana State University and a M.A. in mathematics from Duke University. He served as a member of the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries, including terms as both Chairman and Secretary.

Ruth Bell, Ex Officio

Maryland

Bio coming soon…

Daniel Balkin

Maryland

Bio coming soon…

Irma A. Chapin

Columbia, Maryland

Irma Chapin is a nursing consultant with Prime Health and former owner/operator Millennium Health Services Facilities. Ms. Chapin was owner and operator of six nursing homes and rehabilitation centers in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., area that served 1,500 residents and employed more than 2,000 employees. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Quality Assurance Committee for the Health Facilities Association of Maryland and has received its Directors Award.