New Officers and Board of Directors from 11 Maryland Counties and Baltimore City Named to Active Statewide Education Association

Joseph (Joe) Goetz, a longtime resident of Kent County, Maryland and President of the Kent County Board of Education, was sworn in October 7th as President of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), a leading advocate for public education in Maryland since 1957. MABE, whose ongoing vision is to champion excellence in public education, is comprised of all 24 Maryland boards of education.

Goetz was sworn in during MABE’s Annual Conference 2022, held this past week in Annapolis. Active in MABE since 2018, he chairs MABE’s Blueprint [for Maryland’s Future] Implementation Ad Hoc Committee, is a member of MABE’s Budget Committee, and also has served in several leadership roles on MABE’s Board of Directors. In his new role as President, Goetz takes the reins from outgoing MABE President Virginia (Ginny) McGraw of Charles County.

“Joe’s leadership talents and passionate commitment to Maryland public education really set him apart when it comes to the ideal fit for actively leading MABE efforts, especially at this moment in time,” McGraw noted. “Challenges to school boards are daunting at any point, but given sizable competing factors including school funding, the ongoing pandemic, and implementation of The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, his ability to confidently guide and help steer our efforts will be invaluable. As a longtime school board member and leader himself, Joe’s firsthand awareness of the most pressing issues and hurdles Maryland school systems face will be relied upon by MABE member boards throughout this coming year and beyond.”

An award-winning food industry executive who received his Bachelor’s of Science degree from Delaware Valley University, Goetz and his wife, son and daughter live in Kent County, where both children attended public schools. In addition to leading the Kent County Board of Education, Goetz actively serves on the board of the Kent County Chamber of Commerce. His extensive professional work through the years has taken place in numerous states – ranging from Maryland and Pennsylvania to New Jersey, Texas and Ohio. Yet Goetz is proud to call Maryland home and is active in community circles, including having served as League President of Kent County Youth Softball, and playing an active role in Chestertown, Maryland’s Emmanuel Church and St. Paul’s Kent Episcopal Church.

“I first entered school board service motivated by a desire to give back to the community and public schools that have given so much to me and my family,” Goetz noted. “Back when my two children were still in elementary school, I saw firsthand the valuable role school board members play, and the tremendous difference their efforts make for public students’ education in Maryland. If I can contribute even modestly to school board members’ continuing work during my time as president of MABE this coming year, I will consider that a privilege and time well spent.”

Also sworn in during MABE’s Annual Conference 2022 were MABE’s newly elected officers and board of directors. MABE incoming President-Elect is Michelle Corkadell (Anne Arundel County); Treasurer is Karin Bailey (St. Mary’s County); and Secretary is Shebra Evans (Montgomery County). In addition to MABE’s officers, the organization’s incoming Board of Directors is comprised of 12 board members from 11 Maryland counties and Baltimore City.

This year’s Annual Conference drew nearly 180 attendees, focused on school board members and leaders, superintendents, agency officials and other key education stakeholders from across the state. Conference speakers included Dr. Daniel E. Walker, education and community empowerment public voice, filmmaker, and social entrepreneur; Bill de la Cruz, mediator and expert in sustainable personal growth and creating positive, lasting change; and Mohammed Choudhury, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools.

A highlight of the Annual Conference, MABE also presented its biennial “Excellence in Education Award” to Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, in recognition of his exemplary leadership and service to excellence in public education in Maryland. Widely regarded as an education leader who has positively impacted countless lives and minds, Dr. Hrabowski is a highly regarded advocate, mathematician, and author. He has earned accolades from numerous prominent organizations and universities for his work, ranging from the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, to the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership and the University of California, Berkeley.

A longtime leader of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Dr. Hrabowski’s dedicated efforts at UMBC transformed the institution info one of the most innovative research universities in the United States. Dr. Hrabowski was applauded by MABE membership for his “model of collaborative leadership and continuous organizational improvement, as well as establishing an institutional culture of high expectations, strong support programs, and innovative instruction.”

About MABE:

Founded in 1957, The Maryland Association of Boards of Education is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to serving and supporting boards of education in Maryland. MABE is a leading advocate for public education in the state. All 24 Maryland boards of education are members of MABE.