The Board of Education of Charles County today announces the selection of Bridgette Patterson to fill the District 4 Board Member vacancy. Patterson will officially be sworn in by Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County Lisa E. Yates at the Board’s Oct. 27 work session. Patterson fills a vacant term that runs through December 2026.

Patterson was one of two qualified vacancy candidates that the Board interviewed last week. Board Chairperson Yonelle Moore Lee, Esq., said she and her colleagues look forward to officially welcoming and working with Patterson.

“The Board was fortunate to interview two highly qualified candidates, each bringing unique experiences, perspectives and a shared passion for education. After careful consideration, we selected Ms. Patterson for her extensive experience serving military families, her strong background in budget and finance, and her years of work in family and community engagement. Her passion for advocacy and early childhood education is truly admirable, and we are eager to benefit from her perspective. My colleagues and I look forward to working with Ms. Patterson as we continue to prioritize the needs of Charles County’s children,” Moore Lee said.

Patterson is a business manager for Joint Base Andrews Fisher House. In this role, she oversees daily operations related to community resources that serve military families, including access to equitable housing and other support services. She partners with military leaders, clinicians and other community stakeholders to provide safe and supportive environments for families in crisis. Patterson also manages fiscal responsibility, vendor partnerships and oversees multi-million dollar budgets and facilities supporting military families and is currently engaged in the fiscal year 2026 budget approval cycle.

Patterson, a military spouse, is also an accredited financial counselor with the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education. Prior to her role with Fisher House, Patterson worked with Magellan Federal in Washington, D.C., as a financial counselor. Her professional career spans more than 20 years of experience related to business development, fiscal management, program operations and community advocacy.

Patterson said she looks forward to serving on the Board and working to support Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students, staff, parents and families.

“I am honored to serve the families of District 4 and contribute to the ongoing success of the school system. I look forward to collaborating with the Board, Superintendent of Schools Maria Navarro and community stakeholders. I am committed to helping advance policies and practices that empower students, support staff and engage families across Charles County,” Patterson said.

Patterson also led community programs through Blue Star Families in which she recruited volunteers, expanded literacy initiatives for children and built partnerships with schools and local organizations to strengthen educational opportunities for children. She also served as a member of the CCPS School Naming Committee for the newly opened Margaret J. Thornton Elementary School. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Women’s Entrepreneurship Certificate from Cornell University.

She also has certifications in Youth Mental Health First Aid USA, which she completed through CCPS, as well as Foundational Skills and Relational Skills of Emotional Intelligence through Dr. Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence program. Patterson lives in District 4 and has three children currently enrolled in CCPS with a fourth child on the waitlist for the prekindergarten program. 

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 28,162 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 39 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

 
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).