Volunteer Spotlight: Welcome New 2024-2025 Board Members & Officers
The Literacy Council of Frederick County’s Board of Directors at its June Board Meeting approved its slate of new officers for the coming year fiscal year which begins this month. We are also excited to welcome and introduce our four new members! 
New officers (from left to right) include President Catherine Mock; Vice-President Ginger Trautman; Secretary Sakina Husain; and Treasurer Carole Southam. All four of these leadership volunteers have served multiple years guiding the Literacy Council, and our community.
Elaine Luttrell as been a Literacy Council volunteer since 2015, first as a tutor, and more recently as a Community Class instructor teaching online classes for beginning level English language learners. In addition, for the past year, Elaine has also served on the Board of Director’s Governance Committee, contributing her many years of professional and volunteer experience as a public school teacher, an art teacher, and as a ministry leader. Her personal experience learning Spanish has taught her much about how others learn English. Elaine shared “I believe the Literacy Council “Lifts Lives” by providing tutors, classes and other activities to promote reading and English skills to adults. These skills can help others reach their goals, which in turn can strengthen families and our community.”
Patty McDonald has been volunteering this past year on the Board’s Development Committee, but her connection to the Literacy Council goes much further back in her professional capacity at Frederick County Workforce Services as Program Manager for Business and Career Services. Among many areas of responsibility, Patty helps to develop and implement programming to assist individuals in accessing career pathways that offer self-sufficient wages. In addition, she evaluates trends and needs that drive innovative business and industry focused workforce development initiatives, as well as grants management for programs and services that provide maximum impact to target populations. Her professional experience has helped provide guidance for employers participating in the Literacy Council’s Workplace Literacy Programs.
Dr. Gregory Rausch has very recently joined the Literacy Council as a volunteer through his membership on the Board, and Development Committee. He is a retired hematology and medical oncology physician, with an extensive experience in the Frederick community for his professional contributions as well as his role as Chairman of the Development Council for Frederick Memorial Hospital and as Honorary Medical Staff. He will be helping the Literacy Council’s Development Committee and Board of Directors in fund development to support the growth of the organization’s programs.
Dana Adams Tate first joined the Literacy Council in 2022 as a volunteer tutor with the Basic Literacy Program, tutoring a native English speaker who is working towards his GED. For the past year, she has also been volunteering on the Development Committee. Dana is an accomplished business developer, writer, and educator offering experience in customizing pedagogic programs. She develops comprehensive and strategic communications, marketing, public information, and social media content for area nonprofits. She is the founder of Write in the Moment, where she provides older adults residing in independent and assisted living communities the opportunity to hear, recite, and produce all forms of creative writing.
The Board gratefully acknowledges the service provided to the Literacy Council over multiple years by Sharon Jacko who will continue as immediate past president, and board members Darrell Batson, Carmen Hernandez and Richard Holley.
We recognize the leadership and dedication of Sharon Jacko, LtCol/USMC (Ret), our outgoing Board President for her guidance, level-headedness and pragmatic thinking! Sharon helped to lead the Literacy Council successfully through the most recent strategic planning process. Sharon shared her reflection from the past year: “As educators, government officials, business leaders, and nonprofit organizations, we are all stakeholders in this issue and we must be a part of the solution in helping remove barriers to literacy. It’s exciting for me to see growth in the Literacy Council of Frederick County and to know we value opportunity because it opens doors beyond the pages of a book and forms the foundation for self-empowerment.”
We extend heartfelt gratitude to Darrell Batson, for his multiple years on the board, and recognize his guidance, support and commitment to literacy and lifelong learning, coming next door to the Literacy Council following his retirement as Director, Frederick County Public Libraries. Darrell is always a pleasure to work with and helped to lead the Literacy Council successfully through a challenging post-pandemic year. 
After two terms as Board Member and Governance Committee Chairperson, Carmen Hernandez, MD, is stepping off the Board. She will be greatly missed, but she will continue as a volunteer Community Class instructor and tutor! Thank you, Carmen, for your dedication and love for this community, and for helping the Literacy Council to grow to meet the changing needs of this community.
Richard Holley, LTC/USAR (Ret), has actively supported the Board and Literacy Council team on the Events Committee contributing to multiple community events, cheerfully lending a hand wherever needed. Juggling his demanding career as a Lead Occupational Therapist at Holy Cross Hospital, while also completing certification in adult basic education at Penn State, he still found time to help at multiple 60th anniversary events this past year.
Geordie Wilson just completed his second term on the board, contributing in multiple substantive ways, including as Board President, and member of the Executive and Finance Committees. He will continue providing his guidance on the Finance Committee.
Continuing members of the board include, besides the officers and new members, Michael Cohen, PhD, Caroline Gaver (Board Member Emeritus), Erik Jones, Cyndi McNamara, Silvia Muñoz, and Peter Shuck.
President Catherine Mock offers her perspective on the importance of the Literacy Council’s work:
“When someone learns to speak and read English, it creates a positive ripple effect throughout their lives and our community. For the students, it opens up opportunities for education, employment, and personal growth. Their families benefit through better communication and the ability to access resources and support. The community as a whole becomes stronger, more inclusive, and more vibrant. Literacy truly does lift lives.”
The new members and officers join our robust team of community leaders who oversee and guide the Literacy Council’s programs and services and strategic plan implementation. This includes supporting literacy classes in the workplace for workers in the hospitality industry, and helping families with young children through its collaboration with the Judy Center and six Frederick County Public elementary schools.
The Literacy Council of Frederick County teaches adults the reading and other English language skills they need to provide for their families and to contribute to the well-being and prosperity of the whole community. You can learn more about ways to volunteer on our website. Listen to what our tutors have to say about their work on this short YouTube video!