St. Mary's County Commission for Women

05/27/2026

For anyone who “lives, works, or plays” in St. Mary’s County- there is a little over one month left to make your voice heard! Please help the Healthy St. Mary's Partnership to better address specific needs here in St. Mary’s County. The survey only takes around 5 minutes to complete. Feel free to share. Thank you!

What is a Community Health Assessment? A Community Health Assessment (CHA), also known as a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), refers to a local health assessment process that uses quantitative and qualitative methods to systematically collect and analyze data to understand health within a sp...

04/16/2026

We are only one week out from SMCFA’s two Sexual Assault Awareness Month events! Come out on both April 21st and April 23rd to support survivors and to find out more about what we can do to prevent sexual assault right here in St. Mary’s County. Please pre-register to help us know how many refreshments we will need. Everything is free of charge! We hope to see you there!

04/13/2026

Happy Monday, St. Mary's County! Today, the St. Mary's County Commission for Women would like to recognize phenomenal woman Beth Allen.

Beth Allen created the Caritas Resource Center at St. Mary's Ryken High School, and she still is the adult leader of Caritas today. Caritas is a student-led organization with the mission to serve, help, and love everyone, especially people in our community in need. What started as an old weight room has been transformed by Beth into a "one stop shop" with toiletries, linens, and furniture. She has helped unhoused community members to find and furnish housing and to seek employment. She helps with every step of the process, including assisting with obtaining mailing addresses and licenses. Over the past few years, Beth has helped to clothe and house hundreds of people right here in St. Mary's County.

Under Beth's leadership, Caritas has also grown to include programs such as Building Bridges and Monday Meals. In Building Bridges, Beth and student mentors meet with underprivileged children to not only provide them with extra one-on-one educational time but with a safe space where they feel loved and supported. For Monday Meals, Beth goes to the Lexington Park Library every Monday to distribute hot meals to anyone in need. She provides hungry people with home-cooked meals and creates a feeling of love and a sense of community amongst participants.

Many young people have flourished and found their passion for volunteerism under Beth's guidance. Student Joshua Hedderich writes, "My personal experience with Mrs. Allen has been life-changing. When I first walked into Caritas Resource Center, she had no idea who I was, but that didn't matter to her; She took me in like one of her own. She embraced me, took the time to talk to me, and made me feel comfortable and loved."

Beth Allen was nominated by Sheriff Steve Hall. The love and care she has poured into our local community has made an immeasurable difference here in St. Mary's County. Thank you, Beth, for all of the amazing work you do!

04/07/2026

We hope everyone enjoyed their Spring Break! Please join us in celebrating the awesome accomplishments of Christina DeNeale-Wood!

Christina is one of the owners of the new smash room SMASHRx, and on top of managing a local business, she dedicates her time to multiple volunteer efforts that help people in St. Mary’s County of all ages. Christina is passionate about making sure that all children get the moments of joy and recognition they deserve. She supported local efforts to organize a Toys for Tots drive drop-off to help ensure that Southern Maryland families had gifts to give each other for the holidays. She also volunteers with Cake4Kids, which is an organization dedicated to ensuring every child has a birthday cake to celebrate their special day. Christina supported the Arc of Southern Maryland by baking cupcakes for their Derby event, and this event raised money to help local individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

In addition to all the assistance Christina has provided to various community organizations, she is also in the process of launching her own nonprofit called Healing Through Chaos. Healing Through Chaos will be focused on making mental health services and fun, meaningful experiences more accessible to all here in Southern Maryland. The mission of the organization will be to help individuals and families afford counseling services, particularly those facing out-of-pocket costs. They are also working toward having licensed therapists onsite several days a week to provide accessible care in a welcoming environment. Beyond mental health services, Healing Through Chaos will also support community connection by offsetting the cost of family-friendly experiences, including sponsoring SMASHRx rage and paint sessions as a form of stress relief, emotional release, and healing. Christina’s goal is to create opportunities for people to feel supported, celebrated, and cared for.

Christina’s nominee Amanda Tallis writes “[Christina] does not wait for someone else to start something; she steps forward, creates opportunities for others to participate, and works tirelessly to bring people together for a common purpose. Her leadership has already begun inspiring others to contribute their time and energy to strengthening the St. Mary’s County community.”

Thank you, Christina, for all of the wonderful ways you give back to our community! You are so appreciated!

04/07/2026

The SMCFA is still looking for donations of refreshments. Please share! Hope to see you there!

04/01/2026

At the St. Mary’s County Commission for Women, we’re celebrating Women’s History Month in April, too!

Please join us in congratulating Mary Slade. Mary Slade has become a trusted pillar of the St. Mary’s County business community by freely sharing her expertise on a volunteer basis and stepping forward to serve in civic leadership. As the owner of a well-established and well-respected bookkeeping business, Mary regularly shares her professional bookkeeping expertise with fellow entrepreneurs through local networking groups, offering guidance that helps small business owners better understand and manage their finances. Through her volunteer mentorship, she openly shares her bookkeeping expertise with fellow business owners, encouraging collaboration and helping others feel confident contributing their own knowledge and time. By providing this knowledge in a volunteer capacity, she strengthens the local business community while encouraging collaboration and learning among her peers. Through both mentorship and civic service, Mary Slade not only contributes her time and expertise but also fosters a culture of involvement that inspires others to give back to St. Mary’s County.

Nominator Janelle Gardiner writes, “Mary leads by example, consistently demonstrating how individual commitment can strengthen an entire community…Through both mentorship and public service, Mary motivates others not simply through words, but through consistent action, demonstrating the positive impact that committed leadership can have throughout St. Mary’s County.”

Thank you, Mary, for everything you do for St. Mary’s County!

03/29/2026

Please join the St. Mary's County Commission for Women in celebrating the amazing Tammy Gladstone!

Not only is Tammy a small business owner here in the County, but she makes time to contribute to numerous volunteer efforts that make St. Mary's County a better place. Tammy has served as a volunteer with PFLAG Southern Maryland and Chair of Pride Southern Maryland since 2019. In both of these roles, she has brought much-needed joy, acceptance, and support to members of the LGBTQIA+ community here in St. Mary's County. She continues to plan and facilitate events that strengthen our community by promoting togetherness and celebrating diversity, and she has been fundamental in hosting the SOMD Pride Festival ever since the first event nine years ago.

Tammy also gives back to those struggling with income instability through multiple different organizations. She volunteers for Habitat for Humanity and for the United Way. She also helps to rebuild houses for those in need with Christmas in April, and she makes sure all local children have a warm, comfortable bed to sleep in through Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Tammy has volunteered with the Southern Maryland Food Bank for six years, and she also donates her time to My Sister's Closet, a nonprofit that is new to St. Mary's County. Tammy and the rest of the team at My Sister's Closet collected hundreds of donations of women's professional clothing and organized and distributed them to women for free right here in St. Mary's County. Where there is a need unmet in our community, you can always find Tammy ready and willing to serve.

Nominator Taylor Spencer Davis writes, "What stands out most about Tammy is her kindness, and that kindness shines through in every interaction she has with others. She makes people feel loved and accepted for who they are no matter where they are in their journey. She is a warm light to everyone around her."

Thank you, Tammy, for all of the wonderful ways in which you brighten our community. We are so lucky to have you!

March is coming to an end, but the amazing women of St. Mary's County don't stop! We will be continuing to recognize phenomenal women in April. Please keep your eyes on the CFW page for more awesome women to come!

03/29/2026

Please mark your calendars and share!

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month! Please join us at the Lexington Park Library at 5:00 PM on Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 for an open conversation about sexual assault prevention in St. Mary's County. Learn from SMCFA and our awesome community partners who are helping to advocate for survivors every day. Attendance is free, and light refreshments will be provided. We hope to see you there! Please share!

03/25/2026

Another day, another amazing woman in St. Mary's County! Today we recognize Julia Nichols as one of our 2026 Women of the Year.

Julia Nichols is known as a "professional volunteer." She currently serves as the President of the Board for the St. Mary's County Arts Council (SMCAC), the Vice President of Cosmic Symphony, an Associate for the Democratic Central Committee of St. Mary's, the President of the St. Mary's County Democrats Club, and Treasurer of the Southern MD Chapter of the Sierra Club. She also started the Southern Maryland Youth Orchestra and Choir in 2010, because she saw a need for musical opportunities for local youth and created an organization to fill it. When she saw a gap in educational opportunities in St. Mary's County, she helped to found the Chesapeake Charter School.

Julia is a lifelong artist and musician, both participating in the art forms as well as serving on arts organizations' leadership in order to promote and protect the livelihoods of those groups. She plays violin for Cosmic Symphony and actively pursues other art practices like painting and ceramics. She cares deeply for the health of our environment and therefore serves as a champion for the Sierra Club as well as participating in their activities including trash cleanups, tree plantings, and advocacy work. In her roles with the both the Sierra Club and the SMCAC, Julia has facilitated scholarship awards for local high school students. She is also vehemently dedicated to social justice, and she actively advocates for the rights of those who are underserved and underrepresented. Her work with Together We Will Southern Maryland is testament to that.

Nominator Susie Glauner writes "Julia doesn't do anything unless her whole heart and mind are in it, and her dedication to persevere through uncertain political and economic times is formidable. When Julia puts her mind to something, she easily earns others' buy in and makes it happen...For years, Julia has inspired many others to participate in organizations and civic activities. She is a thoughtful advocate leader, and she encourages friends and acquaintances to become active in organizations and activities that interest them."

Well done, Julia! Thank you for everything you do for our community!