The Faces of Our Organization
OUR BOARD
Patricia S. Kotzen
Board President
Patricia (Trish) worked for the Department of the Navy for over 30 years, the last 13 as a member of the Senior Executive Service. Trish was the first civilian Deputy Inspector General of the Navy, a position she held for six years. She was also the Deputy Assistant Director for the Pacific Fleet Shore Installations in Hawaii for over four years and the Deputy Assistant Director for Naval Aviation Maintenance for two years before taking early retirement. Since her retirement, Trish has devoted much of her time and energy to giving back to the community. She founded the first CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Program for abused and neglected children in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. She also became a Community Mediator and helped to resolve many court cases before trial and many other issues before they reached legal status. Trish was a member of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and led four very successful fundraising events for the chapter. Trish is one of the founders of the Crisfield Arts Syndicate.
Curtis W. Lafey
Treasurer
Curtis W. Lafey brings a vast experience of business knowledge to our organization from the commercial industry, as well as, numerous state and federal government sectors. He currently owns and operates a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned firm, headquartered in Crisfield MD, conducting construction and facility services operations throughout the Eastern Seaboard and the Caribbean. His clients include the US Navy, The Department of Homeland Security, The US Army, and other Federal Government Agencies.
Following his military service as a U.S. Army Officer, His stellar career includes upper-level management assignments in the retail, manufacturing, construction, home building, and international business arenas. Curt is one of the founders of the Crisfield Arts Syndicate.
Bio to be provided
Eric Banks
Board Member
Terri Baker
Acting Secretary
Before moving to Smith Island in 2004, Terri served 25 years with the Department of State Foreign Service, both in Washington DC and in U.S. embassies abroad. Upon retirement, she moved with her family to Smith Island, Maryland.
On Smith Island, while serving as president for Ewell School PTA, Terri led the effort to fund raise and sought grants which more than doubled the funds provided by Somerset County Schools for playground replacement. She also obtained a state grant to fund an engineering study of the six water wells in Rhodes Point and Ewell, subsequently utilized in a new water system in Rhodes Point.
For eight years, Terri was a sales agent with Wilson Realty in Crisfield, serving Smith Island and the Crisfield area. She retired as an agent during the pandemic but remains actively engaged in understanding the real estate market in the area. In addition to her work on the Crisfield Arts Syndicate Board, her current project is the restoration/rehabilitation of a High Victorian Gothic architectural-style church built in 1892 on Main Street in Crisfield with the hope to bring new economic activity to the area.
Linda brings more than twenty years marketing experience and deep knowledge of the consumer packaged goods in the beauty space. She has worked with multi-nationals as well as with start up organizations and espouses an entrepreneurial but easygoing working style. She is the founder of Marketing Launch Partners, a consulting firm specializing in helping innovative startups scale their business to take advantage of tech accelerators and investment opportunities and the owner of The Bay Gift Vault, a specialty boutique serving local residents and tourists located in Crisfield, MD. Linda is also the Founder of Sitara Collections, an online jewelry store launched in 2007 and based in Crisfield, MD. Sitara Collections is dedicated to creating handmade gemstone jewelry for women while keeping traditional craftsmanship alive. Linda is a partner at Ascent Beauty Brands, a Marketing Consultancy specializing in marketing strategy, business development and global product development. She served as a Senior Marketing Director at Coty, Inc., overseeing all marketing activities of a $250 million portfolio across fragrances and personal care brands. Linda has an MBA, Eastern University, Delta Mu Delta.
Linda Singh
Board Member
Bill Meyer
Board Member
Bill started his television career in 1978, working in the corporate world producing programming for 17 years, including hundreds of TV shows and commercials. Following that, he went to work for the Marketing and Affairs Department for the City of Glendale, Arizona. During his 23 years there, he produced digital content and television shows, both internally and externally for the City’s television station (Glendale 11), Facebook, and YouTube channels. Bill produced/directed digital content for all major annual events that Glendale created, Glendale Glitters, Glendale Glitter and Glow.
Bill also created programming for other major events like the 2008 and 2015 Super Bowls and annual Arizona Fiesta Bowl held in the University of Phoenix Stadium. Other programming he produced was to promote the Gila River Arena and Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale. After being in television for over 40 years, Bill still loves it and will continue to produce programming that promotes Crisfield and Somerset County. He says it’s great to live in Crisfield!
Robin Rayford
Board Member
Robin Handy Rayford is a native of Crisfield and is thrilled that she and her husband, Stan, recently relocated to Crisfield May, 2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). Stan and Robin have one married daughter, Heather Benson. She and her husband, Eric, have one daughter, 6y/o Emily. They all love Crisfield so much that it’s their number one vacation spot.
Robin is an Adult and Child/Adolescent Psychoanalyst and continues her practice along with Stan in Troy, MI. Robin is an instructor and supervisor of psychoanalysis at Institutes and Universities in Michigan, New York and China. She also works with Stan as he continues as founding and Sr. Pastor of Restoration Fellowship Tabernacle (RFT), an interdenominational church in Detroit, MI. Robin has also served as a docent at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Now that Robin is back home, she’s finding her place in town as an adult. She’s loving it as a recent board member of the Somerset County’s Art Council and looks forward to working with the Crisfield Arts Syndicate. Robin’s heart’s desire very much aligns with the goals of community revitalization and economic development in Crisfield, her “home sweet home.”
Bio to be provided
Linda Riggin
Board Member
OUR STAFF
Paula Bisset