Cohort 11 Doctoral Bios

Ms. Renetta Boyd is an accomplished grants management professional with more than 30 years of experience overseeing the full lifecycle of grant programs, from pre-award, implementation through grant award closeout. As Director of Grants Management in the Frederick County Finance Division, she provides leadership and oversight for complex grant portfolios, ensuring compliance with federal regulations and agency-specific requirements. 

Throughout her career, Ms. Boyd has developed standard operating procedures, technical assistance resources, and grant management toolkits that have strengthened organizational capacity and improved compliance practices.  

Her experience spans federal, state, local, and international grant administration. Ms. Boyd served as a youth development volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps (EC72) in the Eastern Caribbean, St. Kitts and has held grant-making and program administration roles in the Mayor’s Offices of Cleveland, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., as well as the Governor’s Office in North Carolina. These experiences have provided her with a comprehensive understanding of public-sector funding, program oversight, and strategic resource management. 

Education 
B.A., Political Science, Cleveland State University 
M.P.A., minor Public Policy, North Carolina Central University 

With more than 25 years of professional experience in strategic Human Resource Management, Lisa is a passionate people leader who believes an organization’s greatest asset is its people. For nearly 20 years, she has served the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), working in close partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to advance the public health laboratory workforce through strategic talent management, organizational development, and people-centered leadership. 

Her expertise includes talent acquisition, organizational development, performance management, executive coaching, compensation strategy, and HR leadership. Lisa has successfully led transformational initiatives, including Diversity, Values & Belonging programs and pay-for-performance compensation strategies that attract, develop, and retain top talent. Additionally, she implemented a year-long leadership academy that is currently in its 7th year at APHL and has 70+ graduates. Known for her collaborative leadership style, she builds trusted partnerships across organizations and is passionate about mentoring HR professionals while helping organizations navigate growth and change.  

She holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science from Boston University, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Duquesne University. She also holds the distinguished Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) certification, reflecting her expertise in global HR strategy and leadership. 

Outside of work, she has been happily married for 25 years and cherishes time with family, friends, and their two beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. She enjoys spending time at Bethany Beach, Delaware, and is a dedicated runner and avid tennis player who embraces the balance, resilience, and energy that an active lifestyle brings to both life and leadership.
 

Education 
B.S., Boston University 
M.S., Boston University 
M.B.A., Duquesne University 
Global Professional in Human Resources Certification 

Beth enjoys working at the intersection of commercial contracting, business operations and legal risk management, and institutional and regulatory compliance, particularly in the healthcare space. For the past ten years she has worked for Maryland hospital systems as a contracts professional in both the legal and supply chain departments. Prior to her transition into healthcare, Beth worked in a variety of corporate business and legal support roles in multiple industries such as hospitality, telecommunications, financial services, and chemical manufacturing. Beth is a lifelong learner and recently completed a second master’s degree in healthcare administration at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmittsburg, Maryland, as well as an advanced graduate certificate in healthcare compliance from University of Pittsburgh’s School of Law. She has a strong interest in helping healthcare organizations to properly identify and mitigate business, legal, and technology risks and ensure continued oversight and compliance of corporate policies and state and federal regulations, particularly with third-party business partner relationships.  

Originally from eastern Pennsylvania, Beth has lived in the Frederick area for nearly 25 years and enjoys living in the Frederick community and witnessing its growth. Outside of work and school, she spends quality time with her husband Eric and their three Cardigan Welsh Corgis – Ruben, Brynn, and Bertie, and travelling to various exciting cities in Europe for pleasure.
 

Education 
M.S., Healthcare Administration, Mount St. Mary’s University, 2026 
Advanced Graduate Certificate, Healthcare Compliance, University of Pittsburgh Law School, 2025 
M.B.A., Marketing concentration, Mount St. Mary’s University, 2008 
B.A., Business, Human Resource Management concentration, Notre Dame of Maryland University, 1998 

Vania Everett is a Director of Business Development with more than 15 years of experience in workforce management, strategic partnerships, and organizational growth. Throughout her career, she has focused on developing solutions that strengthen workforce operations, cultivate meaningful partnerships, and connect organizations with the talent and resources needed to achieve sustainable results. 

Vania works closely with healthcare organizations to address complex workforce and operational needs. Her professional interests include business strategy, team development, succession planning, organizational leadership, and developing innovative approaches to improving organizational performance. Her passion for people, combined with her interest in analyzing business challenges and identifying opportunities for growth, ultimately inspired her to pursue both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management. 

Outside of her professional career, Vania values spending time with what she considers her greatest gift, her five-year-old son and her amazing husband of 11 years. As a family, they enjoy traveling, experiencing new places, and creating lasting memories together. Vania is also an avid crafter who enjoys using her creativity to bring others’ visions to life. Her commitment to people extends into her community, where she is actively involved in initiatives that support families, youth development, and meaningful community programming.
 

Education 
M.B.A., American Intercontinental University, 2019 
B.A., American Intercontinental University, 2010 

Kia Fortson is the Director of High School Success at Sisters Academy of Baltimore. An educational administrator of humble beginnings, her passion for service and leadership began 15 years ago during her pursuit of her undergraduate degree, in which she held various retail, tutoring, and mentorship positions. She ultimately began her career as a School Assistant, which transformed into Substitute and Assistant Teaching roles in English and Art for general and special education students. Her groundbreaking work at Sisters Academy has been truly transformational and one that has changed her from simply an observant staff member to a dynamic, versatile, and engaged leader. 

One of her greatest joys has been to serve as a consultant and guide to middle and high school women. She prides herself on being the person for them that she did not have and sees the same young woman in them that she was at their age. Kia’s educational background and life experiences growing up in West Baltimore have contributed not only to her success in modernizing her department with a relatable and aligned approach that strongly suits her students and families, building engagement and trust, but also has fueled her quest to take the next steps in her educational journey. She balances this with being a mother to a young son, writing poetry, service projects, occasional trips, and time well spent with family and friends.

Michael Hansen is a transformative leader who is dedicated to helping inspire the passion of learning into college students. As a leader in collegiate Esports, Michael has made it his goal to help individuals take their skills in gaming to be able to apply them to the workforce and help students find that connection. 

Michael focuses on emphasizing “healthy body, healthy mind, healthy spirit” where he has his players engage with multiple forms of yoga, meditation, workouts, and work with counselors to make sure each player can truly be at their best. Being within a budding field of collegiate Esports, Michael believes that he can help shape what programs really provide to each student, as they are in a much more unique position compared to traditional sports.
 
 

Education 
M.B.A., Organizational Leadership, Nichols College, 2022 
B.S.A., Economics, Nichols College, 2020 

Candace N. Johnson is an executive operations, special projects management, and strategic planning professional. She serves as Manager in the Office of the Senior Pastor at Zion Church, where she cultivates strategic partnerships, leads hospitality management, and provides administrative and protocol support to the Senior Pastor/CEO and First Lady. 

As a Senior Protocol Officer in the Office of the Chief of Protocol at the U.S. Department of State, Candace directed high-value, diplomatic gifting operations on behalf of President Biden, Dr. Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary of State Blinken, traveling internationally and supporting their engagements with global leaders. Candace also managed VIP tours and executed large-scale events as Deputy Director of the White House Visitors Office. 

As a Training Consultant for Tero International, Candace facilitated business and dining etiquette workshops for corporate clients. As a Leadership Coach for Braven, she co-facilitated leadership and professional development learning labs for college students, guiding them in strategically developing and navigating their career roadmap. Candace also facilitates résumé writing, interviewing, and leadership workshops for women living in transitional housing. 

A leader in her community, Candace is a former Girl Scouts co-leader and was crowned Miss Black D.C. US Ambassador in 2018. She is a past member of the board of directors for PBY, Inc., a former mentoring organization. Candace joined the DOL program to develop into a scholar-practitioner and to learn leadership frameworks that will bolster the relaunch of her training and coaching practice for professionals at all career stages.
 

Education 
Intercultural Etiquette and Protocol Trainer Certificate, The Protocol School of Washington, 2019 
M.S., Public Relations, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, 2017 
M.A., International Relations, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, 2017 
Certificate of Advanced Studies in Civil Society Organizations, Transnational NGO Initiative, Syracuse University, 2017 
Protocol Officer Training Course Certificate, The Protocol School of Washington, 2015 
B.A., Journalism/Public Relations, Howard University, 2012 

Gary brings over 28 years of educational experience with a strong commitment to helping his students succeed on all levels; not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well. Gary was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he developed a true passion for baseball at age 5. He moved to Maryland when he was 7 and continued his passion in baseball and school where he loved to learn. He was able to continue his love for the game and play at The Catholic University of America while earning his degree in education. 

Upon graduating, Gary began his teaching career in the Catholic School setting. His journey as an educator has given him the opportunity to work in private, public, and non-public school settings. He has held positions as a teacher, dean of students, assistant principal, principal, and school director. He has held leadership positions in the Archdiocese of Washington, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Montgomery County, Washington County, Prince George’s County, and Howard County. He has been an educator on all levels from pre-k through 12th grade. 

During his educational journey, Gary also completed his master’s degree at Hood College in Educational Leadership. His focus as an educator is to give every student the very best opportunity to succeed. His motivation for success in his role as leader comes from his wife Elsa, his daughter Arabella, and his son Gary. He is a lifelong learner and is looking forward to this next chapter in his life.
 

Education 
M.S., Educational Leadership, Hood College
B.A., Educational Studies, The Catholic University of America  

Mizetta Wilson currently serves as the Chief of Programs at the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth and Families. In this role, Mizetta performs complex, executive-level management duties planning, organizing, and administering Partnership human services programs, including Systems of Care, Youth Services, Family Stability, and all areas of basic needs, including early childhood programming. 

Mizetta is Passionate. Strategic. Impact-driven. Her career spans grassroots organizing, nonprofit leadership, and strategic partnerships—all rooted in the belief that communities thrive when local voices lead the way.

Education 
Master’s, Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy
Bachelor’s, Liberal Arts, Marymount Manhattan College 

Letitia D. Winston’s career and life experiences have shaped her belief that strong organizations do not happen by accident—they are built through intentional leadership, effective systems, accountability, and committed people. A natural behind-the-scenes leader and problem-solver, Letitia is energized by bringing order to complexity, turning ideas into action, and helping people and teams move from simply functioning to thriving. 

Her professional experience spans public health, federal service, program management, regulatory compliance, operations, and strategic planning. She has also served in leadership roles within faith-based and community organizations, contributing to governance, organizational development, change initiatives, and efforts to strengthen how teams communicate and operate. With academic backgrounds in psychology and counseling, Letitia brings a people-centered perspective to understanding workplace culture, leadership, and organizational effectiveness. 

Her entrepreneurial journey began with a hobby and a love for creating memorable experiences. That passion eventually grew into an event planning business that she has owned and operated for more than 15 years, strengthening her skills in creativity, project management, relationship-building, and transforming vision into execution. 

Outside of work and school, Letitia enjoys spending time with her husband, family, and friends, traveling, creating memorable experiences, and finding quiet moments to recharge. Grounded in faith and service, she strives to leave people, teams, and communities better than she found them.
 

Education 
M.Ed., Counseling and Guidance, Howard University, 2006
B.S., Psychology, Morgan State University, 2002 

Hiyam Wakeem is a senior product and business executive with more than 20 years of experience driving growth, innovation, and portfolio transformation across global manufacturing and technology organizations serving regulated and mission-critical industries. Combining an MBA in Marketing with a Master of Engineering Science and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Technology, she has built a career at the intersection of technology, strategy, and business leadership. 

Throughout her career, Hiyam has held leadership roles with organizations including CTS Corporation, TE Connectivity, Amphenol, Belden, and Yazaki, where she led global product management, engineering, supply chain, and commercial teams. She is recognized for transforming complex and underperforming portfolios into profitable growth platforms through customer-centric strategy, pricing excellence, portfolio optimization, and disciplined cross-functional execution. Her work has resulted in significant profit improvement, sustained revenue growth, successful acquisition integration, and strengthened strategic customer partnerships. 

In addition to her corporate leadership experience, Hiyam has served as an adjunct lecturer in engineering, executive coach, and strategic business consultant, helping organizations align innovation, operational excellence, and business performance. She is passionate about developing high-performing teams and leveraging data-driven decision-making to create sustainable competitive advantages. 

Joining the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program at Hood, Hiyam’s academic interests focus on the application of artificial intelligence, strategic leadership, and digital transformation to improve business performance, product portfolio management, and organizational effectiveness in complex industrial environments.
 

Education 
M.B.A., Marketing concentration, York College of PA
M.Eng., Mechanical Eng Focus, Penn State University
B.S., Mechanical Engineering Technology, Penn State University
Graduate Course work in Computational Science, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology