Olszewski Makes Key Personnel Announcements

Filled Positions That Will Play Important Roles in County Government

County Executive Johnny Olszewski today made several important personnel announcements, filling key positions that will help carry out his vision for a more livable, thriving Baltimore County. Delegate Steve Lafferty will serve as Chief Sustainability Officer, Delegate Eric Bromwell will serve as Opioid Strategy Coordinator, and Troy Williams will serve as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. All three positions were recommended by Olszewski’s transition team. Romaine Williams, who previously served as an Assistant County Attorney, has taken on a new role as Chief of Employee and Labor Relations, a newly created position that will serve as the primary liaison to county employee unions.

“The key to building a government that effectively serves all residents is building a great team, and I’m thrilled that these talented individuals will bring their experience and expertise to work on behalf of our constituents,” Olszewski said. “Baltimore County is moving forward in big ways, and these individuals will play key roles in helping to carry out our vision.”

In addition, Olszewski announced several additions to his Office of Community Engagement, which works closely with communities and constituents to directly address concerns residents have and help them access county services. The new community engagement representatives are Sonia Almonte for Council District 1, Kristin King for Council District 5, and Gabrielle Slocum for Council District 6. Mary Clay, who previously served as the engagement representative for District 1, will now be the representative for Council District 4, and Carmen Christiana will be the representative for District 3. Michelle Bernstein will continue as the representative for District 2, and Pete Kriscumas will continue as the representative for District 7.

“Our new model of community engagement ensures that constituents have direct access to the executive office, and these new additions to the team will help us ensure every constituent has a voice in the county seat,” Olszewski said.

Meet the Team Members

Steve Lafferty has served in the House of Delegates since 2007, where he has been a leader on issues related to the environment and land use. He has served as Chair of the Baltimore County House Delegation, and Chair of the Subcommittee on Land Use and Ethics and the Subcommittee on the Environment. During his years in the General Assembly, he has been recognized for his commitment to environmental sustainability by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the League of Conservation Voters and Preservation Maryland. A longtime resident of the Towson area, he has previously served as the Howard County Deputy Director of Planning and Zoning and as Director of Special Projects for the Howard County Executive. Lafferty earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland, a Master of Arts from Bowling Green State University, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Eric Bromwell has served in the House of Delegates since 2003, when he was one of the youngest delegates ever elected to the General Assembly. He has served as Vice Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee, Chair of the Health Facilities and Occupations Subcommittee, and Chair of the Baltimore County House Delegation. He was chairman of the bipartisan House of Delegates Opioid Policy Committee in 2017 and 2018 and he was appointed as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Behavioral Health and Opioid Use Disorders in 2018. He has championed legislation to address the opioid crisis and worked to increase funding for treatment, and in 2018 he represented Maryland among 22 states chosen to participate in the inaugural National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Opioid Policy Fellowship. Bromwell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Salisbury University.

Bromwell and Lafferty will vacate their seats in the House of Delegates as they take on these new assignments.

“Eric and Steve have been valuable members of the House of Delegates,” said Speaker Adrienne A. Jones. “While I’m sad to lose them in the House, as a Baltimore County resident and 38 year retiree of County government, I know that they both bring an expertise that will be important additions to County Executive Olszewski’s team.”

Troy Williams has served since 2017 as a consultant on diversity and inclusion to American University’s executive leadership programs, and since 2018 as a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. He has held roles with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing and the DOJ Community Relations Service, as well as with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University, a Master of Adult Education from Coppin State University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law, and a Master of Public Administration from American University.

Romaine Williams has served in the Baltimore County Office of Law since 2018, and previously served as an Assistant Attorney General and Counsel to various state agencies through the Office of the Maryland Attorney General. She has also served as an Assistant Public Defender in the Office of the Maryland Public Defender, and Executive Director of the Baltimore City Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Goucher College, a Master of Theology from the Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary’s Seminary and University, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Sonia Almonte has worked with Johns Hopkins Healthcare since 2013, first as a Community Health Worker and more recently as a Supervisor of Community Outreach. She also works with the BSO Orchkids program, where she works to engage minority youth in music and the arts. She earned a Bachelor of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore.

Kristin King worked in various roles for Baltimore Gas and Electric from 2011 to 2018, most recently as a Senior Business Analyst in Corporate Relations where she directed company-wide volunteer programs. She is completing a Bachelor of Arts to Master of Arts program at Stevenson University.

From 2016 to 2019, Gabrielle Slocum served in the Peace Corps in Panama, first as a Leadership Trainer and English Specialist and more recently as a National Teaching English Coordinator. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Towson University.