Executive Committee

Executive Committee Responsibilities 

Staff Senate officers are elected by the Senate membership for a term of one (1) year by written or voice nomination during the last regular monthly meeting of each year.

The executive committee meets a minimum of five times during each term year to:

  • Set the agenda for Senate meetings.
  • Report on the work of the Senate to the UMB President, the Council of University System Staff (CUSS) and the UMB campus community.
  • Act as liaison or point of contact with the UMB President and Chief Human Resources Officer.
  • Recommend to the Senate the establishment, composition, and responsibilities of standing and/or special committees; fill irregular vacancies on committees; and recommend participation in campus committees.
  • Manage the Senate’s annual operating budget.
  • Perform additional duties as assigned by the Senate or UMB senior leadership.

President of the Staff Senate

Aaron Graham, JD

Associate Director, Career Development

Francis King Carey School of Law

A.graham@law.umaryland.edu

Overview: As President, Aaron presides at all meetings of the senate, finalizes the agenda of each senate meeting, and serves as chief liaison to UMB President Dr. Bruce Jarrell, and other senior leadership. Additionally, Aaron provides the Staff Senate with vision, strategy, and direction by leading the Executive Committee and Senate in areas of strategic planning, accountability, and decision-making.

 

Learn more about Aaron 

Aaron Graham joined UMB in 2019 as an Associate Director of Career Development for the School of Law. He loves advising students, organizing recruiting events, and helping future lawyers launch their careers.

Outside of work, Aaron is passionate about getting involved on campus and giving back. He represents staff interests as an elected Senator, and now leads the Senate as President. Aaron works closely with UMB leadership on initiatives that support staff and the local community. His favorite part of the job is spearheading service projects, like distributing winter weather kits to people in need.

Aaron also serves on UMB's Future of Work Taskforce and Employee Well-Being Committee. He is constantly thinking about how to enhance staff experiences. When he's not at Senate meetings or community events, you can find Aaron at home with his wife, toddler, and twin babies, or tinkering away on projects in his workshop. Aaron greatly enjoys serving as an advocate for UMB staff and bringing people together to enrich the campus community.

headshot of Taylor DeBoer

Vice President of the Staff Senate

Taylor DeBoer, MA

Acting Director

Graduate Research Innovation District

taylor.deboer@umaryland.edu 

Overview: As Vice President, Taylor assists the Staff Senate President and performs the duties of the president in his absence. He also facilitates presentations to inform the senate body on upcoming, present, or past events that affect the University and staff, and serves as senate parliamentarian. He advises the Staff Senate President and other officers, committees, and senators on matters of parliamentary procedure to ensure that meetings are conducted according to the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Learn more about Taylor 

With a decade of experience in marketing, programming, and design, Taylor DeBoer, MA, is the Assistant Director of the Grid, UMB's Student Innovation Hub. Taylor's role involves planning a robust student programming calendar that includes more than 50 events per year as well as mentoring students and leading large-scale Grid initiatives. He also serves as a creative resource for the Graduate School. Additionally, Taylor co-chairs the Staff Senate Community Outreach Committee, contributing to community engagement efforts. Taylor holds a master's degree in Integrated Design and is dedicated to fostering innovation and empowering students.

headshot of Tom Hockensmith

Secretary of the Staff Senate

Tom Hockensmith, MA

Executive Director of Central Administration IT Services

Center for Information Technology Services

thockensmith@umaryland.edu

Overview: As Secretary, Tom is responsible for maintaining and distributing accurate records regarding all official business conducted by the Staff Senate, including meeting agendas, minutes, and attendance records.

Learn more about Tom 

Tom Hockensmith, MA (he, him, his), works for Center for Information Technology Services (CITS) as the Executive Director overseeing support across Central Administration units. Tom has 18 years of experience working here at UMB and holds a BA in Computer Science as well as an MA in Information Technology. He is comfortable engaging at all levels of the organization and in bridging the gap between end user needs and technical capabilities. In his spare time, Tom enjoys working outdoors and spending time with his family.

headshot of Nia Speaks

Equity and Action Officer

Nia Speaks

Senior Business Manager

University of Maryland School of Social Work

nia.speaks@ssw.umaryland.edu

Overview: As Equity and Action Officer, Nia is responsible for leading the Staff Senate’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.  She ensures that the Staff Senate’s equity and inclusion goals align with the UMB's core values of equity and justice.  

Learn more about Nia 

Nia Speaks is the Senior Business Manager at the The Center for Restorative Change at the School of Social Work. She manages and supports the department’s operations including specialized trainings and workshops, grant-funded projects focused on community engagement, hiring and onboarding new staff as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Speaks enjoys building relationships with University staff and external partners. She is also a member of the Mid-Atlantic Anti-Oppression Social Work Coalition, a collaboration of social work professionals from several regional universities and social work practitioners who are committed to disrupting oppression in all forms. Speaks is also involved in other DEI initiatives within the School of Social Work and in Howard County, Md.

photo of Fiama Romero

Communications Officer

Fiama Romero, MS

Program Manager, Office of Student Research

School of Medicine

FRomero@som.umaryland.edu 

Overview: As Communications Officer, Fiama chairs the senate’s Communications Committee, contributes to The Elm, and serves on the UMB Communications Council. She is responsible for the development, management, and execution of all Staff Senate communications, and oversees Staff Senate social media accounts.

Learn more about Fiama 

Fiama oversees the day-to-day operations of the Office of Student Research (OSR), with a focus on improving operational efficiency and enhancing the research support students receive. Fiama manages the FRCT course, dual degree programs, student awards and events, and a growing list of summer research and training programs, including PRISM, UM Scholars at SOM, MPower/MDH, and M4I. She’s also the project manager for R-HEALE and assists with operations management for the broader Undergraduate Medical Education. 

Fiama is passionate about advocating for employee needs and improving access to healthcare and education, particularly among underserved communities.

headshot of Taylor DeBoer

Member-at-Large

Taylor DeBoer, MA

Assistant Director

Graduate Research Innovation District

taylor.deboer@umaryland.edu

Overview: As Member-at-Large, Taylor serves as a representative of all senators to the Executive Committee to ensure that all opinions within the University receive full consideration by the senate. Additionally, Taylor oversees the ongoing implementation and execution of the Staff Senate's various liaison roles and committees.

Learn more about Allison 

Allison joined UMB in January 2019 as the Social Worker for a five-year grant under the Division of Psychiatric Services Research, for which she was placed at the University of Maryland Treatment Center. In that role, Allison served as the therapist and case manager for the patients of the outpatient behavioral health center. In January 2023, Allison began a new role as the Senior Health Program Specialist for the Women’s Health Clinical Training Program, a grant-funded project under the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences. Allison supports project management efforts alongside continuing to work with therapy clients.

While working on her Master of Social Work (MSW) from UMB, Allison served as the case manager and research and evaluation specialist for a residential restorative home serving survivors of domestic sex trafficking. Prior to moving to Maryland, Allison earned her MS from the University of Oxford in Evidence-Based Social Intervention, and BA in Psychology from Winthrop University.

Operations Officer

Anthony Weldon, Jr.

IDEA Program Manager

School of Medicine

aweldon@som.umaryland.edu

Overview: As Operations Officer, Anthony helps facilitate the year-to-year transition between Executive Boards by communicating with past board members and documenting and sharing relevant information to ensure continuity and consistency. He helps promote knowledge transfer between outgoing and incoming board members. He also manages the Election Committee and oversees election operations and logistics. 

Learn more about Anthony 

Anthony Weldon, Jr. is the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Office Program Manager at University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC). Mr. Weldon is a rising business, legal and community affairs executive with over 10+ years of successful program management, research administration and operations within biomedical and higher education industries, and a leader that excels at partnership building, and problem solving. He was a member of the 2023-2024 cohort of the UMB Emerging Leaders program and recently elected as a UMB Staff Senator. Prior to joining the UMGCCC, Mr. Weldon served as a T32 Administrator at UMSOM Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health where he helped increase underrepresented groups in science trainee appointments. He also was instrumental in implementing national, regional, local partnerships for the University of Maryland Brain and Tissue Bank. He started his career as a research interviewer at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine recruiting physicians and their patients for a randomized controlled trial before serving as a coordinator at Cancer Institute at St Joseph Medical Center. He was recruited to be a lead instructor at Fortis Institute - Towson where he improved qualifying exam pass rates for the women-majority student population. Mr. Weldon is originally from Baltimore, Maryland, is married, and active in his community.

headshot of Greg Brightbill

Past President

Greg Brightbill, EdD, MBA, MEd

Associate Director, Student Leadership & Involvement

Intercultural Leadership & Engagement, Division of Student Affairs

Gbrightbill@umaryland.edu

Overview: As past president, Greg serves as an advisor to the Executive Committee to provide continuity and perform other duties as assigned by the Senate. This position is typically filled by the immediate past Senate President but can be appointed by the sitting President.

Learn more about Greg 

Dr. Gregory A. Brightbill (pronouns: he/they) has been an integral part of the Staff Senate since 2019, serving on the Executive Committee throughout all five years. Dr. Brightbill joined the University of Maryland, Baltimore, in the Spring of 2016, and currently serves as the Associate Director of Student Leadership and Involvement within the Division of Student Affairs. In this capacity, Dr. Brightbill dedicates himself to meeting health and human services students' educational, professional, and identity-related needs. With a diverse academic background and over a decade of experience working in higher education, Dr. Brightbill is deeply committed to higher education advocacy, employee relations, and student affairs. Outside of UMB, Dr. Brightbill has authored op-eds published in the Baltimore Sun, covering significant subjects like LGBTQ+ rights and higher education, serves as a private consultant on issues related to LGBTQ+ advocacy, and appeared in local news on matters impacting LGBTQ+ individuals and higher education policy.