GRC Planning Committee

From scheduling speakers to tracking legislation with potential business impact, the GRC Planning Committee makes it all happen. Let's get to know these incredibly committed individuals:

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Carl Roberts, Ed.D.

Carl D. Roberts, Ed.D. is a longtime civic leader and one of Cecil County's most distinguished public servants. He served as Superintendent of Schools for Cecil County Public Schools, a position he held for multiple terms beginning in the late 1990s and extending well into the 2000s, during which he was also a member of the Cecil County Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Action Plan Committee's Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee and served on the Cecil County Economic Development Commission.

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Dr. Roberts currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bainbridge Development Corporation (BDC), a state public instrumentality working to redevelop the former Bainbridge Naval Training Center in Port Deposit into a commercial and light industrial hub. He has held the chairman's role for multiple consecutive terms. In September 2025, Dr. Roberts was honored by the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce as the inaugural recipient of its Legacy of Leadership Award, recognizing his outstanding leadership, service, and impact on the community.

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Don Harmer

Don Harmer is a Cecil County businessman and longtime civic leader with deep roots in the community. He is a managing partner of Weaver's Discount Liquors, a retail business with locations in the Elkton area, and holds a degree in finance from the University of Maryland.

Harmer has dedicated nearly two decades to public service in Cecil County, with a particular focus on parks, recreation, and quality of life. He served on the Cecil County Board of Parks and Recreation for more than nine years, including multiple terms as Chair, and was reappointed to the board as recently as 2021. He also served on the Cecil County Planning Commission. In addition, Harmer chaired the Maryland Strategic Prevention Framework for Cecil County — part of the county's Drug-Free Cecil initiative addressing substance use and prevention — for four years, and was appointed to the Cecil County Local Development Council.

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A resident of Elkton, Harmer has been an active youth sports coach and community advocate, including championing the development of Calvert Regional Park and the installation of artificial turf athletic fields at county high schools. In 2020, he ran as a Republican candidate for Cecil County Council in District 5.

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Janice Palmer

Janice Palmer has been the Executive Assistant for the Upper Shore Regional Council since June 2018. In that role, she supports coordination with elected officials, offices of Economic Development, and partner organizations for Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s Counties. Prior to USRC, Janice was an assistant in the Cecil County Executive’s office, a program assistant for Cecil Community Services and the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce. Her volunteer activities included the development of the Chesland Soccer Complex as a member of the Cecil Soccer Board of Directors. Janice’s family also supported the establishment of the Dexter House, a sober living home in North East.

Joseph A. DiNunzio, CPA, CGMA

Retired President of Artesian Water Maryland, Inc. and Executive Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Artesian Resources Corporation and Subsidiaries. Prior to joining Artesian in 1989, employed by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP. Past Chairman of the Board of the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce. Member of the Cecil County Economic Development Commission. Past Chairman of the Delaware Chapter of the National Association of Water Companies. Member of the Delaware Source Water Assessment and Protection Program’s Citizens and Technical Advisory Committee.

Mike Ratchford

Michael Ratchford currently is the Government Relations Associate with W.L. Gore & Associates responsible for developing and executing government relations strategies in support of Gore’s diverse businesses.   In this capacity, Mr. Ratchford is Gore’s principal contact with federal, state, and local government officials as well as national trade organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AdvaMed, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Outdoor Industry Association. 

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Prior to joining W.L. Gore Mr. Ratchford spent eight years in the electric utility industry, first as Vice President of Corporate Communications and Government Relations at Conectiv, headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and then as the Vice President of Federal Relations for Pepco Holdings Inc in Washington, DC. 

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Rotchford’s experience in government includes serving as Delaware’s Secretary of State and Chief of Staff to Delaware Governor Michal N. Castle.   Mike also served as Congressman Castle’s Chief of Staff. Mike currently serves as the Chair of Cecil County’s Economic Development Commission and is an active member of the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland State Chamber of Commerce  

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Joyce Bowlsbey

Joyce Bowlsbey is a longtime Cecil County resident, civic leader, and former elected official with an extensive record of community service spanning more than three decades. A graduate of Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, she built her professional career at W. L. Gore & Associates, the global materials science company headquartered in Cecil County, where she served as a customer service executive for more than 20 years. During her tenure at Gore, she served as the lead internal sales associate for the company's fabric division and represented the company in public and community-facing roles, including international assignments in Hong Kong, Portugal, and Australia.

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Bowlsbey has been deeply engaged with the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce, serving on its Board of Directors for five years, chairing its Government Relations Committee, and receiving the Chamber's President's Award in 2004 and the Donald Thomey Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. She also served as president of the local Chamber and as chair of the Cecil County Economic Development Commission, including a governor's appointment to the state Economic Development Commission.

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A driving force behind Cecil County's transition to charter government, Bowlsbey chaired the Citizens' Charter Board that drafted the Cecil County Charter, which was approved by voters in 2010. She served as District 2 representative on the Cecil County Council from 2013 to 2018, including two years as Council President. Throughout her career in public service, she also served on the Cecil County Planning Commission, Commission on Aging, Board of Health, Social Services Board, and Early Childhood Advisory Council, among others. She was recognized as Trailblazer of the Year by the Cecil Whig in 2006.

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Jenni Hammer, Ed.D.

Dr. Jenni Hammer serves as the Associate Superintendent for Education Services for Cecil County Public Schools. Born and raised in Cecil County, she has dedicated over 32 years to the district, serving as an Elementary School Teacher, Instructional Coach, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Executive Director for Elementary Schools. In her current role, Dr. Hammer oversees vital educational programs and processes, including curriculum development, student support services, special education, and technology integration, while providing consulting services for administrators.

A proponent of shared and collaborative decision-making, Dr. Hammer ensures that all stakeholders support the vision and mission of Cecil County Public Schools. Beyond her district work, she serves on the Executive Board for the West Cecil Health Center.

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Dr. Hammer holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from West Chester University, an M.S. in Educational Leadership from Loyola College of Maryland, and an Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation from the University of Delaware.

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Amy DiPietro

Amy is a Principal at Morris & Ritchie Associates, Inc.’s (MRA’s) Abingdon, Maryland office responsible for civil/site engineering, water resources, land planning, and landscape architecture services for projects executed by the office including commercial, office, industrial/distribution, residential (single and multi-family), infrastructure improvement projects, and feasibility/due diligence studies. Amy adds tremendous value to her clients through her diverse professional experience. From identifying development hurdles early in the process to ensuring strict adherence to schedules, managing budgets, and coordinating site design approvals with the appropriate government agencies, Amy’s success is measured by the number of built projects she has led in all real estate asset classes.

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Amy has worked in the land development industry for 23 years and has been with MRA for 20 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She is a Maryland registered Professional Engineer, a LEED accredited professional and is active in local professional and community organizations. In 2023, Amy received the Maryland Building Industry Association’s “Upper Chesapeake Chapter Member of the Year” award. Amy is actively involved in many Community and Professional Organizations including Comprehensive Plan Review Committee - Cecil County; Advisory Board - Harford County Public Works; Treasurer - Cecil County Building Industry, PAC; Tier Map Advisory Committee - Cecil County; Cecil County Economic Development Commission; National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP); Maryland Building Industry Association (MBIA); Urban Land Institute (ULI-Baltimore); U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Amy resides in Perryville, Maryland with her husband, Rick and two daughters. In her time away from work, Amy enjoys sports, photography, CrossFit and weightlifting.