We hosted an open house at our new Linthicum headquarters to celebrate The Arc’s growth and to show off the new space. The event kicked off with a brief program that began at 5:15 pm, followed by tours of the new space.

Over the last five years, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region has taken significant steps to deepen our services and commitment to the regions and communities we serve. Enterprise-wide, The Arc and its subsidiaries have each experienced significant growth and continue to expand services.

As we continue to meet the community’s needs, we realized that our headquarters in Severn, Maryland, had reached capacity. To better support our growing operations, we opened The Arc’s new corporate headquarters at 999 Corporate Boulevard in Linthicum, Maryland, in April 2023.

Linthicum will house many of our executive and corporate support areas, including the Office of the CEO, Finance, External Relations, People & Culture, Self-Directed Services Administration, and Stakeholder Relations. The headquarters will also operate as a shared space for programs and include an additional Community Hub and Behavioral Health Suite.

The Arc’s Severn location will continue to be integral to our operations. With a focus on Program Operations, the site will continue to host our Talent Acquisition team, Living Options & Services, Day Services, a Behavioral Health Suite, Information Technology, and Chesapeake Neighbors.

We would like to thank Senator Pamela Beidle, Delegate Heather Bagnall, Delegate Mark Chang, County Executive Steuart Pittman, and everyone else that attended.

Every year at Celebration Impact, The Arc recognizes people in the community who have made a significant difference on behalf of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This year, Celebration Impact will take place on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at The Arc’s Program & Operations Headquarters in Severn, Md.

The Arc is pleased to announce this year’s award winners:

Leadership in Direct Service Award

Javonna Thomas

Leadership in Administration & Management Award

Jessica Sauers

Karen Cratty

Outstanding Personal Achievement Award

Kojo Yirenkyi

Terry Cramer

Lorraine Sheehan Advocacy Award

Delegate Mark Chang

Delegate Ben Barnes

Leadership in Social Responsibility Award

Easton Rotary Club

Impact through Leadership Award

Carol Beatty

Each of the awardees will be honored at Celebration Impact on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, from 5:00pm – 7:00pm with a reception at the Hake Pavilion on The Arc Severn Office campus. Tickets to attend are free, but you must register in advance.

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) congratulates Gregory Snyder II, Chief of Staff, on his acceptance to the Shore Leadership Class of 2023. This year-long professional development program creates opportunities for collaboration among top community leaders from organizations around Maryland’s Eastern Shore, all of whom play critical roles in shaping the culture of the region.

The Arc’s services extend to nine counties on the Eastern Shore, and Greg is eager to have face-to-face discussions with other executives and senior leaders to increase awareness of how issues impact people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the region.

“There are so many ways community organizations and businesses can come together to increase access for people with disabilities on the Eastern Shore,” said Greg. “I am excited to work with my classmates to bring a disability rights and advocacy lens to the forefront while having these important conversations.”

Under Greg’s leadership, The Arc has made significant progress in meeting strategic goals. Greg has developed The Arc’s inaugural Living Boldly self-advocacy group for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities supported by The Arc and has made impactful connections with local leaders in government, business, and other non-profit organizations on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Building strong connections with like-minded change-makers is essential as The Arc continues to expand and support more people on the Eastern Shore. “So much more is accomplished when leaders come together to see how their priorities interrelate,” says Greg. “I am proud to be representing The Arc and our vision and mission at Shore Leadership.”

The Arc congratulates Greg on this recognition of his leadership and success in his career, along with all other members of the Shore Leadership Class of 2023.

About Shore Leadership

Shore Leadership is a professional development program dedicated to enhancing the quality of life on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Shore Leadership participants interface with community leaders and experts from organizations and institutions that shape the region’s structure and culture. Participants meet once monthly to focus on key topics of regional interest. Shore Leadership has been facilitating positive change in the region since 1997. To learn more, please visit shoreleadership.org.

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc), a nonprofit committed to transforming lives for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), is pleased to welcome Megan Lyle and James Phillips to The Arc’s Executive Leadership Team. Both are joining at a critical time in the life of the organization as The Arc surpasses 500 employees, embarks on a new strategic plan, and opens a new headquarters in Linthicum.

Megan Lyle will be joining The Arc as the Vice President of Corporate Compliance & Legal Counsel. She is an accomplished Attorney Advisory who possesses a wide range of experiences in managing, negotiating, and preparing contracts as well as leases, deeds, claims, and disputes.

“We are excited to welcome Megan to our Executive Leadership Team,” says Jonathon Rondeau, President & CEO of The Arc. “It is essential to have a leader like Megan whose attention-to-detail and thoughtful guidance will allow us to continue expanding services to more people throughout the region.”

Megan comes to The Arc from Black Oak Title, where she served as the legal advisor for the CEO, providing legal counsel and representing the company in all legal actions. Previously, she worked as an Associate Attorney at Davidson Fink and a Law Clerk at Russo & Toner. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations, a Juris Doctor from the University of Buffalo School of Law, and a Master of Laws in Dispute Resolution from the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in Los Angeles, California.

At the same time, The Arc is also welcoming James Phillips as the Vice President of People & Culture. In this role, James will lead The Arc’s innovative People & Culture team as they continue hiring, onboarding, and growing the best talent in the area and fostering leadership at every level through.

“James is a leader who makes himself available, communicates his vision clearly, and brings compassion and understanding to every situation,” said Jonathon. “His strategic thinking and open mind will make him an essential member of our team. I look forward to working with James to continue building upon the strengths of our organization.”

Prior to joining The Arc, James worked at Business Health Services as their Director of Human Resources & Administration, as well as at The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region for over six years as their Senior Director of Human Resources. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and human resources from Old Dominion University.

“Megan and James are both action-oriented leaders who will support The Arc’s continued transformation and growth,” said Jonathon. “I look forward to the knowledge, expertise, and insight they will bring to our Executive Leadership Team.”

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) congratulates Scott Reifsnyder, Chief Finance Officer, on being recognized as a 2023 New Leaders Honoree by Leadership Anne Arundel (LAA). The award recognizes newly accepted, appointed, or elected leaders who started their positions within the last year and have already made an impact in the Anne Arundel County community.

Under Scott’s forward-thinking leadership, The Arc has enjoyed steady financial growth and explored opportunities for more collaboration with financial organizations and institutions in the area. Scott has further strengthened The Arc’s financial position to support growth by ensuring a strong cash position as well as growing our fundraising initiatives, all of which is aligned with The Arc’s current strategic plan, Leading Boldly.

“Scott is a strategic thinker who brings excellence and insight to every aspect of his work,” said Jonathon Rondeau, President & CEO of The Arc. “He has worked diligently to increase revenue, streamline processing procedures, and solidify our financial standing as an organization.”

Scott began his career at The Arc in August 2022 and has already made an incredible impact on both the day-to-day operations of the organization and The Arc’s progress toward its strategic planning goals.

“It’s an honor to be recognized for the contributions I’ve already made at The Arc,” said Scott. “This organization is growing, and I’m excited to be a part of the team. As we continue expanding services, I love knowing the work and connections I’m building behind the scenes have real, felt impacts in my community.”

LAA’s New Leaders Honorees were nominated by LAA Alumni and the community at large. This year, Leadership Anne Arundel (LAA) will be recognizing the New Leaders Honorees with a breakfast celebration on Wednesday, April 26, at Carrol’s Creek Café. The Arc congratulates Scott on this recognition of his leadership and success in his time so far with The Arc, as well as all other New Leaders Honorees.

On Friday, March 17, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region hosted US Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen at their Easton Regional Office for a press conference and roundtable.

At the press conference, Jonathon Rondeau, President & CEO, announced $1 million, secured by the senators, to support transformational change for The Arc and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) throughout the region.

The federal funds include $250,000 to scale The Arc’s Behavioral Health program and $750,000 to support the construction of Port Street Commons.

Scaling Behavioral Health

In 2020, The Arc received a small grant to start ‘Coping with COVID.’ These group therapy sessions were intended to help people process the emotions they were experiencing because of the pandemic. What The Arc found was a deeper need for connection and understanding. Instead of focusing on isolation because of the lockdown, people talked about the isolation of having a disability and not being fully engaged with their community. People came out to their friends and families. People expressed their desire to make friends or find a romantic partner.

Immediately, The Arc knew there was more here. Behavioral Health transformed to focus on a more holistic, trauma-informed approach. Meeting people where they were in small groups or individual counseling sessions. In just over two years, The Arc has added two clinicians to our team and is serving nearly 130 people monthly.

People with IDD often have co-occurring mental health diagnoses. There are not enough resources for people with disabilities to access the essential mental health support they need. The Arc receives calls all the time from other providers who don’t feel they can adequately support people with disabilities through their current services.

People need access to mental health support. The Arc is proud to share that $250,000 of the federal funding secured by Senators Cardin and Van Hollen will support hiring eight additional clinicians by the Fall of 2024.

Bringing Port Street Commons to Easton

In addition to creating opportunities for people to access mental health care – The Arc is leading the way in bringing choice to people throughout the region.

Across the shore, there are as few as a single service provider per county. By contrast, Anne Arundel County (where The Arc also operates) offers people a choice of over 30 providers. The lack of options profoundly affects people’s ability to live the life they choose for themselves. What if the services you desire aren’t offered by the provider in your county? What if there isn’t a provider that operates in your region?

‘What do I do’ and ‘I want to be a part of the community’ is the feedback The Arc hears the most. In 2007 The Arc answered pleas from the community asking for more choices in services. Today, The Arc is creating greater access and connection to the community through innovative programs and services.

To do this, The Arc is investing in more resources to provide the best services possible. That includes more physical space to grow our operations and better support our programs and people.

The federal funds secured by Senators Cardin and Van Hollen include $750,000 to support Port Street Commons – a truly unique community resource.

Port Street Commons will host The Arc at Port Street – The Arc’s permanent Eastern Shore headquarters. The Arc needs additional space to support, innovate, and grow. Port Street will have room to expand programs and services, a professional development center large enough to host The Arc’s growing team, a Community Hub located centrally in the community, and a behavioral health suite to accommodate our growing program.

Port Street Commons is much more than just a new office. It is an innovative resource and is being developed in partnership with key stakeholders throughout the community, like Chesapeake Neighbors.

In 2007, The Arc created Chesapeake Neighbors – recognizing that stable housing is a cornerstone of people’s lives and true independence cannot be achieved without it. Chesapeake Neighbors’ mission has broadened over time, supporting affordable housing initiatives not just for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities but for all people.

Port Street Commons will include The Residences at Port Street – nine two and three-bedroom apartment units targeted to community members of modest means. These apartments will mix market-rate, affordable, and permanent supportive housing. The Arc is proud to work with organizations like Chesapeake Neighbors and the Talbot Interfaith Shelter to develop a creative approach to one of Maryland’s most pressing issues.

Port Street Commons will break ground in June, and The Arc anticipates moving in 2024. Port Street will ultimately connect the thriving, historic downtown with Easton’s waterfront.

Immediately following the press conference, Senators Cardin and Van Hollen presented a check for $1,000,000 to Jonathon Rondeau. The senators and Rondeau then joined local community leaders inside The Arc’s office for a brief roundtable on mental health throughout the region. Panelists included Cathy Cassel, Channel Marker; Judi Olinger, Chesapeake Neighbors; Beth Ann Langrell, For All Seasons; Julie Lowe, Talbot Interfaith Shelter, and Cindy Lindgren, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region.

See below for additional media coverage from the event:

Federal funding to help The Arc Central Chesapeake Region expand space, services

Cardin, Van Hollen present $1M Checks to Easton nonprofits

 

 

 

 

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc), a nonprofit committed to transforming lives for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and Michele Tharp, Board Chair, are pleased to welcome Ananta Hejeebu to The Arc’s Board of Directors.

Currently the Managing Partner of Corporate Development and Integration for Thrive, a global IT services firm, Ananta is a US Army veteran with a thirty-year career as a strategic business leader supporting start-ups, small businesses, and large corporate enterprises.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ananta to our Board,” said Jonathon Rondeau, President & CEO of The Arc. “As a leader and entrepreneur with years of experience managing organizations experiencing rapid growth and change, he will be an asset to our leadership. His forward-thinking outlook is exactly what our board needs as our organization continues to grow.”

Ananta is also a civic leader. He is heavily involved in his community and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Lutheran Social Services of Maryland. Previously, he was a member of the Howard County Board of Education and the Leadership Howard County Board and is always looking for new ways to give back.

“I look forward to serving on The Arc’s Board of Directors and contributing to the important work this organization is doing every day,” said Ananta. “The Arc’s approach and commitment to innovation is absolutely vital for making sure people with IDD have access to high-quality services and the opportunity to live the life they choose.”

Ananta earned an M.B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from West Virginia University. He is also the parent of an adult child who self-directs his life with The Arc as his Fiscal Management & Counseling Services (FMCS) provider.

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) is pleased to announce that the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) has awarded The Arc a $25,000 grant to develop a robust Behavioral Health professional development curriculum for clinicians and associates. With this training, The Arc’s Behavioral Health team will be able to better support the unique needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through individual and group therapies.

The funding for the grant comes from federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars provided to Home- and Community-Based Service Providers like The Arc, whose operations were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Despite the many challenges of the pandemic, The Arc has continued to grow and innovate in the holistic, person-centered services we provide,” said Jonathon Rondeau, President & CEO of The Arc. “Our Behavioral Health program was born out of the unique challenges COVID-19 created. We are excited to continue to grow this critical service and to invest in and develop resources that will aid our team in providing better services.”

There is a critical shortage of clinicians throughout the state of Maryland with experience in providing mental health counseling and therapies tailored to people with IDD. In addition to growing the number of clinicians and people served through Behavioral Health, The Arc is investing in professional development – ensuring that each clinician and associate has the resources they need to be successful.

“We are so excited to receive this funding and are grateful to CFAAC for recognizing this need,” said Catie Comer, Vice President of Advancement at The Arc. “This grant will support the mental health community – an area of significant need in our county and addressed in the most recent Poverty Amidst Plenty report. We are honored to be a partner in this work.”

March 1 marks the first day of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Started 29 years ago, this month is to create conversations about inclusion, equity, and access for people with developmental disabilities. It’s also about celebrating achievements. We’ve made much progress as a society, but there is more work to do.

All month long, check out our social media for stories of how The Arc supports people to live, work, connect, and thrive in the community. That includes people like Kojo.

You might have previously seen Kojo on our Facebook page – he has been on a fitness and wellness journey over the last few months. Last summer, Kojo discovered his love of exercise. His Direct Support Professional (DSP) supported him in finding a local gym and learning new ways of moving his body. They started going to the gym together every morning.

Nine months later, Kojo still hits the gym daily and has lost over 50 pounds. Kojo can’t help but smile as he feels fitter and healthier than ever. Reaching every new wellness goal he sets gives him a deep sense of accomplishment.

Kojo’s is just one of the stories of the thousands of people who are thriving because they have the right support from their team and feel empowered to connect with the community where and how they choose.

Follow us this month to see more stories like Kojo’s.

As an organization that focuses on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at every level of leadership, The Arc knows that gender diversity in the boardroom and among executive leaders is as important as ever.

The Arc proudly announces its recent nomination to the Executive Alliance‘s Honor Roll. This designation recognizes organizations that employ women in at least 30% of their executive leadership roles and have women in at least 30% of their board of director seats.

“It is so meaningful to work at an organization that values my leadership and trusts me to get the job done. ” I am always encouraged to keep growing and expanding my skills,” said Vice President of Quality & Impact Christine Larsen. Over the last four years, Chris has supported transformational change at The Arc and led strategic planning efforts.

The Arc is no stranger to promoting internal talent and grooming young leaders for the next step in their careers. Catherine Comer, Vice President of Advancement, started with The Arc in 2014 in an entry-level position. She now leads the advancement team and was recognized by The Daily Record in 2021 as a Leading Women Under 40.

“I am grateful to work at an organization that has seen me as a leader from the beginning,” she said.

The Arc is experiencing significant growth enterprise-wide. Retaining top talent as we grow is a testament to the value our employees bring to the team and the culture we have developed. Employees consistently share that The Arc is a great workplace, with competitive pay, flexible work hours, affordable, wide-ranging benefits, and opportunities for growth within our organization.

Since 2007, Executive Alliance has analyzed the representation of women at the highest levels of leadership through its annual Census Report: Women Board Directors in Maryland.

The Honor Roll is part of this report highlighting organizations changing the conversation about professional women in leadership positions. We are proud that The Arc is recognized for this critical work.