Gov. Larry Hogan Appoints St. Mary’s County Resident Cathy Allen to CSM Board of Trustees

Board Issues Proclamations Honoring Former Board of Trustees Samuel Jones and Dr. John Roache

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan appointed Cathy Allen, of St. Mary’s County, to serve the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) as trustee, effective July 1, 2018 through 2023. Allen replaces Trustee Dr. John W. Roache, who retired from the board in April 2022.

Allen joins the CSM Board of Trustees with 21 years of education policy experience. The Hollywood, Maryland resident is currently a member of the St. Mary’s County Public School Board of Education where, among her many achievements, she has successfully advocated for implementation and funding for a comprehensive STEM program in the county’s school system and served on several state-wide committees tasked with review of issues related to student and teacher education and welfare.

“I am honored to have been appointed as the newest member of the Board of Trustees,” said Allen. “I look forward to utilizing my education policy experience in the work of the trustees. Joining the board at such a defining moment in which a new president is selected for the college is exciting. I look forward to being part of the effort to meet the needs of the Southern Maryland community through the College of Southern Maryland.”

Before beginning her career in education, Allen was a head nurse at the University of Virginia Surgical Intensive Care Unit. She also served as a staff nurse for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and a transport nurse for the Pediatric-Neonatal Mobile Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia. Allen then went on to become an Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor and administered and evaluated National Registry exams for EMT-paramedics.

Allen currently serves as a member of Rotary International – Leonardtown Club, having served as the board’s present from 2009-2010; and on the Council for the Advancement of School-Based Health Centers. Her prior activities and appointments include being a member of the Maryland Association of Board of Education Board of Directors; serving on the ‘Race to the Top Advisory and Steering Committees’ and serving on the Governor’s P-20 Council. She holds a bachelor of science in nursing, graduating with distinction from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. 

Proclamations Honor Former Board of Trustees Samuel Jones, Dr. John Roache

Along with welcoming Allen to the CSM leadership team, the board of trustees unanimously approved and issued two proclamations to honor two former CSM Board of Trustee members Samuel L. Jones, of Calvert County and Dr. John W. Roache, of St. Mary’s County. Both men were lauded in the board proclamations for serving and leading CSM with distinction.

Jones, who passed away April 12, had served and led the college and its students since 2013 when he was appointed by then Governor Martin O’Malley.

Jones, pictured right, had committed to serving as CSM trustee until 2025. Through his nine years as a trustee, he served on the Audit Committee for four years as both a member and committee chair. He also served on the Academic Affairs Committee in 2020, Human Resource and Benefits Committee, and the Commencement Speaker Nominating Committee in 2017 and ’18. (Please read, “CSM Mourns Death of Board of Trustee Samuel L. Jones.”)

“He prepared deeply for every topic that we tackled at every meeting,” said CSM President Dr. Maureen Murphy. “He was extraordinarily intelligent and wicked funny. We miss him greatly."

Roache retired from the CSM Board of Trustees in April, 21, 2022 after serving and guiding CSM for nearly 10 years.

A Navy veteran, Roache has led a distinguished 50-year career in the medical field and has served on the Emeritus Medical State of MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital since 2003. Roache, pictured right, is also well-respected within the local volunteer fire and rescue community, having been inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Southern Maryland Volunteer Firemen’s Association in 2003 and becoming a life member of the Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad – a squad company he helped to organize in 1959. He served that organization as its president for 34 years.

“There are no words to describe the impact that Dr. Roache has had on this board, and on so many students’ lives,” said Murphy upon recommending the proclamation. “He has tremendous tenacity and influence.” 

“I am aware that I have big shoes to fill,” said Allen.

CSM’s trustees also include, Jay Webster and Christy Lombardi of Calvert County; Chair Shawn Coates, Cordelia Postell and Jose Gonzalez of Charles County; and Ken Abell and Vice Chair Sonja Cox of St. Mary’s County. Serving as secretary/treasurer to the board is CSM President Dr. Maureen Murphy. For information about the college’s leadership, visit https://www.csmd.edu/about/leadership/.

CSM’s Board of Trustees is the governing body providing leadership and oversight of the college’s mission and policies. Members are appointed by the governor for five-year terms. The board consists of nine members with Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties equally represented. The chair and vice chair are selected by the trustees among themselves annually.