News

On Wednesday, our Maryland Certified Public Manager® Program Class of 2025, Cohorts 17-19, graduated from the program!

The ceremony included a welcome from University of Baltimore President Kurt Schmoke, remarks from the University of Baltimore Provost Ralph Mueller, a presentation of certificates to graduates, and capstone presentations from three representatives of each cohort. Jennifer Eastman, Director of Community Living Policy and Programs, Maryland Department of Disabilities; Alisa Bralove-Scherr, Attorney-Mediator, Office of the Maryland Public Access Ombudsman; and W. Zak Shirley, Director, Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit, Maryland Office of the Attorney General. The three presenters received the Outstanding Capstone Award in recognition of their exemplary capstone projects. Closing remarks were presented by Roger Hartley, Dean of the University of Baltimore College of Public Affairs

Congratulations to all of the graduates!

Baltimore, MD- Applications are now being accepted for the Class of 2026 Maryland Certified Public Manager® Program offered by the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore. Applications are due by June 16, 2025.

The Maryland Certified Public Manager® Program (CPM) is a leadership development program accredited by the National Certified Public Manager® Consortium. The 300-hour academically grounded, job-relevant program requires participants to complete a Capstone Project for their agency to improve a service, reduce costs, or increase revenue.

The 2026 program is fully funded and will be offered entirely online combining live online instruction, and discussion with self-paced learning, built upon a set of core competencies. Training will include interactive classes, projects, and readings. The overall goal of the program is to develop world-class leaders for Maryland public service.

The Maryland Certified Public Manager® Program has a limited number of funded spaces available for managers and executives from state, local, municipal government, and nonprofit organizations in Maryland for 2026. Eligible applicants can attend the program at no charge to them or their agency. The program is open to supervisors and managers living or working in Maryland who work for a government (local, state, or federal), quasi-governmental, or nonprofit organization.

Apply online at the Maryland Certified Public Manager® Program website.

CONTACT: Diane Geiman, Training Manager, dgeiman@ubalt.edu, or Dr. Ann Cotten, Executive Director of the Schaefer Center for Public Policy and Director of the Maryland Certified Public Manager® Program at marylandcpm@ubalt.edu.

CPM Flyer 2026.Final.pdf

We are proud to announce that former U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski is the 2025 recipient of the William Donald Schaefer Award for excellence and commitment to public service. She was awarded yesterday at our 2025 William Donald Schaefer Conference and Awards Ceremony.

From her trailblazing work on the Baltimore City Council to becoming the longest-serving woman in U.S. congressional history, Senator Mikulski embodies the spirit of service, leadership, and advocacy that this award honors. Her legacy of making government work for the people is a true reflection of the values championed by William Donald Schaefer.

Senator Mikulski, thank you for your decades of dedication to Maryland and the nation. We’re honored to celebrate your remarkable impact. 

See the coverage from WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore of the award ceremony.

The Baltimore Banner selected 15 community leaders as its 2025 Emerging Leaders honorees, who will be recognized at an event in May. Amongst those selected is Randolph Wells, CPM Candidate.

This is the third year for the event, which launched in 2023 to shine a light on the next generation of leaders under the age of 40 who are making an impact in their community. The honorees are described as rising leaders driving change throughout Maryland and have shown a personal commitment to serving the community.

All honorees were nominated by colleagues, leaders or peers. A selection committee made up of members from The Baltimore Banner along with a group of leaders in the community vetted the nominations and selected the final list of honorees.

See the full list of honorees here.

The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) has selected Catherine Znamirowski, University of Baltimore as a 2025 Founders’ Fellow, recognizing her exceptional achievements and commitment to public service. This prestigious program identifies emerging leaders in public administration, providing them with professional development opportunities to enhance their impact in the field.

As part of the 2025 Founders’ Fellows cohort, Catherine will participate in a year-long series of mentorship and learning experiences, beginning with ASPA’s Annual Conference in Washington, DC. Throughout the year, she will engage in research presentations, tailored programming, and one-on-one mentorship with an experienced public service professional.

This honor underscores Catherine’s dedication to advancing effective, equitable, and innovative solutions in public administration. Please join us in congratulating her on this outstanding achievement.

Read more about ASPA's Founders' Fellows Program. 

After six months without a town manager, Oxford has named Holly Kamm Wahl, MBA, as its new leader. Currently serving as Chesapeake Beach’s Town Administrator, Wahl will officially step into the role on January 6, 2025. Her appointment marks the culmination of a challenging search process and brings a new chapter of experienced leadership to the town.  

Read more about Holly Wahl's appointment.

The Schaefer Center for Public Policy at The University of Baltimore will graduate the members of its Maryland Certified Public Manager Program 16th cohort on Friday, Nov. 15. The graduation ceremony's guests will include county and city government officials, including remarks from UBalt President Kurt L. Schmoke, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, and Patrick Johnson, chief of Employee Training and Development in the Computer Training Center for Baltimore County. The ceremony will feature capstone project presentations from five of the Cohort 16 candidates. These presentations will address a significant issue in their organization and solutions to the issue. One presenter will be receiving the Askew Award in recognition of their exemplary capstone project.

The program's director, Dr. Ann Cotten, reflected on today’s ceremony: "The CPM candidates came into this program as successful public sector leaders. The skills, knowledge, and connections they gained during the program enhanced their effectiveness while preparing them to address the complex public management challenges of tomorrow."

View the list of graduates.

The Schaefer Center for Public Policy at The University of Baltimore College of Public Affairs is proud to announce the Maryland Certified Public Manager Program Class of 2025. Over the next 10 months, participants will complete a rigorous course of study on all aspects of public sector management. Upon graduation, they will earn the highly coveted and nationally recognized Certified Public Manager credential.

The 2025 class, the largest in the program's history, includes 77 state, county, municipal, and nonprofit managers and supervisors from across Maryland.

Dr. Ann Cotten, executive director of the Schaefer Center and director of the Maryland Certified Public Manager Program, said, "The Maryland Certified Public Manger Program provides training that is critical for developing the leadership pipeline for government agencies in Maryland. Live, virtual instruction makes the program accessible for managers from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore and everywhere in between while maintaining important personal interactions among instructors and class members."

View the list of new CPM candidates.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) formally welcomed Orlando D. Lilly, CPM as the 11th Superintendent of the Maryland Natural Resources Police on Wednesday. The former Baltimore County Police Major and Navy veteran was sworn in at DNR headquarters in Annapolis. Lilly assumes the rank of Colonel.

Read more on Colonel Lilly's swearing in ceremony.

The Schaefer Center for Public Policy at The University of Baltimore is excited congratulate Jennifer Aubert-Utz, Maryland Certified Public Manager® Program graduate, on her appointment as the Director of Emergency Services for St. Mary’s County.

Aubert-Utz is a 24-year veteran of the Baltimore County Fire Department, serving recently as an Assistant Fire Chief where she provided executive leadership and professional oversight to over 1,000 career and 2,000 volunteer members.

Aubert-Utz currently serves as the Chairperson at the Maryland Center for the Study of Health Effects of Fire and serves as a Commissioner on the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s Fire Rescue Training & Education Commission. Her expertise extends to serving as a technical expert with the International Fire Service Training Association, contributing to the revision of their publications and training manuals. Additionally, she has served as a professional advisor for the National Fire Protection Association Responder Forum.

Aubert-Utz holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Management from Johns Hopkins University with an emphasis in Public Safety Leadership. She has also earned the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer designation, as well as the Certified Public Manager® certification through the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at The University of Baltimore.

Recognized for her outstanding contributions, Aubert-Utz was honored among the 2017 Baltimore Sun’s "50 Women to Watch" and received the 2018 Baltimore County LaFrance Muldrow "Woman Making a Difference" award. Additionally, she is a member of the Leadership Baltimore County Class of 2018 and holds several professional fire service affiliations.

Read more about Jennifer Aubert-Utz new position.