Our Board of Directors

Meet Your BWN Board of Directors

BWN functions on volunteer effort. Over one-third of the membership volunteers in some capacity. Participants find that committee involvement enhances their membership investment, enabling them to form closer relationships and achieve greater recognition within the group. BWN committees include: Hospitality, Marketing, Membership, Programs, Scholarship, and Special Events. A board director oversees each committee.

Karen Pitsley, AIA, CAPS, President
Karen Pitsley is the president and owner of Transforming Architecture LLC, the first and only franchise opportunity for registered architects. Karen started Transforming Architecture in 2009, which is based on her successful Architectural firm, Residential Reflections ARCHITECTS. Karen believes everyone deserves access to good design. She plans to transform the public perception that hiring an architect is too expensive, and to make architects more accessible. She has over ten years experience helping clients design their dream homes, whether it be a new custom home or a renovation and addition to their existing house. Karen is very good at listening to her client's desires as well as assessing their needs.

Karen graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelors of Science in Architecture. She earned her architectural registration in 2001. Karen earned her CAPS (Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist) designation in 2005. This specialty enhances her ability to incorporate design elements that allow people stay in their current home safely, independently, and comfortably or design new homes in which people are able to spend the rest of their years.

She has been nominated for The Daily Record's "2009 Innovator of the Year". Ms. Pitsley lives in Highland, Maryland with her husband and two boys.

Allison Moran, President-Elect
Allison is the President and Owner of The Growth Coach serving Howard, Anne Arundel, Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties. The Growth Coach is a franchise that helps busy business owners and entrepreneurs improve their businesses and their lives through a year-round coaching and accountability process. She helps business owners face the challenges that all business owners find dealing with employee management, cash flow and growing their business. The Growth Coach can help business owners in a variety of ways including: the Quarterly Strategic Mindset Retreats, The Coaching Club, One-On-One Coaching and Special Projects.

Karen Gouker, Secretary
Karen Gouker has been in banking for over 24 years. She has been with Sandy Spring Bank since 1993 and moved to the mortgage department in 1997 where she is currently a Mortgage Banker. Karen enjoys helping clients meet their home financing needs through purchase transactions, refinances or construction loans.

Sabrina Wilder, Treasurer
Sabrina Wilder is a Small Business Relationship Manager for M&T Bank in Columbia, Maryland working with start-up businesses and companies with revenues up to $10 million. Sabrina has been with M&T for 12 years and loves working with Small Businesses and small business owners.

In April 2008, Sabrina successfully completed an elite nine (9) month Relationship Management Credit Training program with M&T Bank. In 2009, Sabrina graduated from Leadership Essentials Howard County, a program for young emerging leaders and professionals. Sabrina is engaged in the Leadership Essentials Alumni Committee, actively promoting Leadership Essentials and being involved with the community and supporting local organizations. Sabrina is proud to add that she was most recently promoted to Assistant Vice President with M&T Bank.

Trish Almasy, Past President
Trish Almasy has been President and CEO of Gifts to Treasure, Inc. since 1996. She has been honored with numerous design awards throughout the years, including being selected to compete for the gift basket industry's most coveted award "Gift Basket Designer of the Year." Trish is committed to helping others in their business and is a passionate advocate for small business owners. Her gift basket designs and business and marketing advice have been published in various trade magazines. From elaborate gift baskets to small gift items, she helps clients find a "tasteful" way to accentuate their corporate identity or highlight any special occasion.

Although a South Carolina native, Trish has a long history in Howard County. She has been a resident since 1989, and prior to founding Gifts to Treasure, Inc., she worked with several area banks. This banking background helped to train Trish in the world of business finance and banking and to establish a solid network throughout the county. She is a 2007 graduate of Leadership Howard County, a 2005 CBED Individual Achievement award winner and owns a "Top 100" Gift Basket Company. She is known for her philanthropy and for aiding local nonprofit organizations through her time, effort and fundraising gift basket programs. Trish is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing and management.

Member retention and recruitment along with enhanced member benefits and keeping BWN a financially sound organization will be her goals for the 2009/2010 year. Trish looks forward to the opportunity to apply her combined knowledge of business, people, and Howard County as president of this vital, women-focused networking community.

Linda Ostovitz, Director of New Membership
Linda Ostovitz is a partner in the law firm Silverstein & Ostovitz, LLC, which exclusively handles family law matters including divorce, custody, access, alimony, child support, business, property, and all other issues that a family deals with. She has a strong litigation background including her experiences as a former Senior Assistant State's Attorney for Howard County. She holds certifications for Mediation in civil mediation, property and financial issues, and parenting and child access issues, and has expanded her practice to include mediation. She has been practicing for 30 years in Howard, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Carroll counties. She has also served on the Court of Appeals' Professionalism Commission for 4 1/2 years, served as a judge in the Maryland State Bar Association mock trial competitions, and has held all offices in the Howard County Bar Association.

Meta Lankford, Director of Membership Retention
Meta is the Owner of CertaPro Painters of Columbia, a painting franchise in Columbia, Maryland. CertaPro offers interior, exterior, residential, and commercial painting. At CertaPro Painters, reputation is based on Certainty- the Certainty of a job well done. CertaPro focuses on the details of every project- interior and exterior- and their clients. Meta comes out to complete a free estimate and will oversee the project from start to finish. In her free time, Meta enjoys keeping in touch with friends and traveling.

Allison Moran, Director of Communications
Allison is the President and Owner of The Growth Coach serving Howard, Anne Arundel, Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties. The Growth Coach is a franchise that helps busy business owners and entrepreneurs improve their businesses and their lives through a year-round coaching and accountability process. She helps business owners face the challenges that all business owners find dealing with employee management, cash flow and growing their business. The Growth Coach can help business owners in a variety of ways including: the Quarterly Strategic Mindset Retreats, The Coaching Club, One-On-One Coaching and Special Projects.

Angie Goodwin Johnson, Director of Marketing
Angie Goodwin Johnson has more than 10 years of experience in marketing and communications. Most recently she served as Director of Communications and Marketing for the International Society for Performance Improvement, a professional association dedicated to improving workplace performance and productivity. She has developed strategic communications and marketing programs for various public and private sector organizations including Booz Allen Hamilton, Freddie Mac, Sprint, and the U.S. Postal Service.

Angie was president and CEO of Innovative Marketing Solutions, an integrated marketing firm, for eight years. Currently she is an Independent Sales Consultant and Team Leader with Mary Kay. She is committed to offering personalized customer service in her business along with superior, high-quality products for women. Angie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and concentration in marketing from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She holds an associate’s degree in fashion merchandising. She successfully completed the Minority Business Executive Program (MBEP) at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. She is very active in the community and enjoys serving as a volunteer for non-profit organizations. Angie is a volunteer for the Taproot Foundation, an organization that provides pro-bono professional service grants to eligible non-profits. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Scott Lee Foundation and the Wellington Home Owners’ Association. She is also a member of the Laurel Civic Improvement Committee. Angie lives in Laurel, Maryland with her husband Aubrey and their son Jayden.

Kim Musser, Director of Programs
Kim Musser started her career with State Farm Insurance in 1990 in Frederick, Maryland as a Personal Lines underwriter. In 1996, she opened her first successful State Farm Agency in Towson, Maryland. After 3 years, she was promoted to the Agency Field Consultant position for Frederick, Carroll and Howard Counties. She worked with 43 State Farm agents and on a variety of corporate projects. In 2005, Kim returned to a career in agency in Columbia, MD. Her agency offers a full range of insurance and financial products. She has a team of four fully licensed agents, including a Spanish-speaking team member. Kim is a certified Long Term Care Professional and has qualified for the State Farm Life Ambassador trip, National Health Sales award and National Multi-line award. Kim Musser supports local school and community events. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children.

Shara Darden, Director of Hospitality
Shara Darden is principal and chief illuminating strategist of Firefly Marketing & PR (www.soarwithfirefly.com). Shara enjoys working with business leaders to help refine strategic plans and budgets toward results-driven sales and marketing activities. Firefly Marketing & PR is a culmination of Shara's 15 plus years in sales, marketing and event planning for various industries, including her own small business venture, Studio Inspire: Dance & Fitness for Adults.

Prior to Firefly, Shara held the position of Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Development for an international non-profit cultural exchange organization where she led the development and implementation of annual marketing plans both organization-wide and for specific business units (programs). While there, Shara developed a new pricing process, including an annual assessment of costs and a competitive market analysis; led a brand redevelopment initiative; and created a sales process providing consistency and measurable action plans across the sales team. Attaining knowledge about your ideal client is central to business growth and success. So, having a plan to systematically capture and track leads, prospects, and customer data is at the center of every Firefly marketing plan. Shara has worked with numerous iterations of contact management; from membership and association management software to sales force automation and customer relationship management systems. She provides seminars on optimizing your business contact management software and a gap analysis may be provided as a part of your marketing assessment.

Shara holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and has completed post-graduate courses in International Management and Marketing.

Marilyn Johnson, Director of Scholarships
Marilyn Johnson began the Marilyn Johnson Sewing & Design Studio in 1998. It has grown into a vibrant full service sewing and design Studio located in Laurel offering everything from custom designed clothing to alterations and garment renovation. The Studio specializes in costumes and works with many local theaters and re-enactors, either renting or creating custom costumes for them. After moving into the current Studio space, Marilyn was able to add a sewing school to the list of services offered. As Chair of the Scholarship Committee for BWN, Marilyn's goals are to set good guidelines for the application and award processes as well as establishing a "must go" annual fundraiser for the Scholarships.