Meet Our Board of Directors

Tricia Katebini, CPA, MBA
President

​As a Senior Manager at GRF CPAs & Advisors, and a rising star in the firm, Tricia has worked in public accounting for nearly 14 years. As a seasoned professional, she brings her knowledge of technical accounting and tax topics to support LARS with its operations and future endeavors. With her strong background in nonprofit industry, she also breathes the mission and values at the very heart of LARS, bringing her passion into giving back to the community in which she lives.

Akeembra Lawrence
Vice President

Akeembra is a fundraising professional who has spent most of her career in higher education. Her knowledge and skills as seasoned fundraiser help support LARS’ strategic goals. Akeembra became involved with LARS through her work at Business Volunteers Maryland where she helped to strengthen the community by making strategic connections between people, businesses and nonprofits. Akeembra is deeply committed to helping homeless and low-income individuals achieve stability, and she is proud to serve an organization that provides clients with a clear path to self-sufficiency. Akeembra earned her bachelor’s degree from Christopher Newport University and she is pursuing a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management. Akeembra is a proud “Army brat” and the wife of an Army veteran and she has been blessed to travel the world. In her free time Akeembra still enjoys traveling with her husband and two small children, reading, and all things fashion.  

Dot Brownlie, RN
Secretary

As a member of Laurel Presbyterian Church for the last 38 years, Dot has supported LARS from its beginning. She is a retired Critical Care Registered Nurse. Caring for critically ill patients and their families made Dot acutely aware not only of their physical needs but also their economic and social needs after discharge. She is proud to be part of an organization that helps to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in the Laurel community where she lives.

Kerry Pannell, PhD, CFRM
Treasurer

Kerry has worked in higher education for more than 20 years as an economics professor and college administrator. In 2019, she moved to Maryland when she began working for an association of colleges headquartered in Washington, D.C. Kerry has extensive experience with strategic planning, assessment, and evaluation in nonprofit contexts. She has a strong commitment to supporting low-income families and individuals in the community, and is thrilled to be working with talented LARS staff and board members to provide assistance to those in need. Kerry and her husband live in Laurel with their dogs Boomer, Cooper, and Gus.

Kevin Glasper, Ph.D.

Kevin is a Business Manager for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and has over 25 years of public service experience. He is also an Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) teaching business and leadership courses. Kevin has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Prairie View A&M University, a Master of Public Administration from Texas Southern University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science and Public Administration and Policy Studies from Howard University. Kevin is very involved in the Prince George’s County Community as a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Epsilon Lambda Alumni Chapter and the Prince George’s County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).  Kevin is passionate about bridging the gap and coalescing resources to assist those in need and considers it an honor to serve as a member of LARS’ Board of Directors. He is excited to be able to contribute his analytical, interpersonal, leadership, and business skills and experience to the board. 

Deborah Harris, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CCDP/AP

Deborah is a retired government human resources executive with 30 years of HR, Diversity, and Civil Rights experience. She is passionate about community service and social issues and serves as a lay chaplain at a local hospital and a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal denomination. Deborah is a contract mediator, HR/DEI Consultant, and an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. She holds SPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications, is a Cornell University Certified Diversity Advanced Practitioner, CCDP/AP, and a Leadership Coach. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Public Administration. She is currently pursuing her Master of Divinity from Payne Theological Seminary.

James Hill

James Hill has worked for 20 years in the field of communications and digital communications. Currently, he is the Director of Communications at Nonprofit VOTE and has worked previously with TVOne, BET, and the Washington Post. He received his master’s in communications from Georgetown University and his BA in journalism from Hampton University. Originally from Philadelphia, James has lived in Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, D.C. and now resides in Maryland.

Donna Koczaja, ​MS, RH(AHG)

Donna is Principal Professional Staff at the Johns Hopkins University/Applied Physics Laboratory in North Laurel, where she has been employed as a mechanical engineer for the past 24 years.  In 2008 she reawakened her love of plants and the natural world that she held as a child by becoming a Master Gardener. This became a stepping stone to pursuing another outside passion earning a Master of Science in Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2014. In addition to her work at JHU/APL she now practices as a Registered Clinical Herbalist in the Laurel area. A long time resident of Laurel, Donna has been a strong supporter of the local community through her Master Gardener Volunteer work as well as through her clinical work. She has long supported LARS and its mission to help low-income residents achieve stability and self-sufficiency and is excited to take on a larger role in the organization by lending her professional skills and talents as a member of the Board of Directors.

Larry Krieger

Larry has served on the LARS Board for over 20 years representing Resurrection of Our Lord Catholic Church. At his church, he was chairman of the parish council for many years, treasurer of a men’s group, and a writer for a quarterly newsletter. He currently volunteers with the SHARE Food Program. Larry has been a Laurel area resident for 44 years, and strongly believes in LARS' mission. He is retired from the Social Security Administration where he processed claims, answered congressional, public, and White House inquiries for the head of the agency, and managed a team of inquiries specialists. 

Jeannette Robertson

Jeannette is a change agent and inspirational people leader. Her 15+ years of experience range from HR Business Partner to Global Merchandising Executive. Jeannette brings passion, curiosity, and a strong track record of success. She leans into difficult challenges and ventures where others are unwilling to go; as a result, Jeannette has been responsible for generating multi-billion dollars of revenue through the development of product lines for some of the most recognizable brands in the world. Jeannette is also a connector. Her success is tied to her ability to build lasting relationships with vendors, partners, cross-functional colleagues, and her team. This approach has positioned Jeannette as a mentor, coach and strategic partner who collaborates with others to establish trust, solve problems, and impact organizational culture. Currently, Jeanette serves as the Senior Director of Global Merchandising at Under Armour, Inc. She is also the Executive Sponsor for the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion taskforce for her business unit and serves as the Committee Career Co-Lead for Women in Leadership Employee Resource Group at Under Armour. She is extremely excited to bring her experience and passion to serve the mission of LARS. Serving the community is an important aspect of her family’s values and their natural connection to LARS is an amazing match in her appointment to the Board.

Kellian Tonetti

Kellian is a High School Special Education teacher in AACPS with 10 years of experience in the teaching field. She is also a licensed foster parent in Anne Arundel County. She became aware of the mission of LARS through her parish St. Nicholas. She has volunteered at St. Nicholas with outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness and other faith communities. She is excited to be part of the Board and continue finding solutions for her community and utilize her data management and analysis skills along with her abilities to organize.