Member Profiles
The Board of Education of Charles County |
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Yonelle Moore Lee, Esq., Chairperson, District 4 Member Yonelle Moore Lee is an attorney, mediator and small business owner. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of D.C., and a Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law. Mrs. Moore Lee is the Chairperson of the National Black Council of School Board Members and serves as an ex officio member of the National School Boards Association Board of Directors. Mrs. Moore Lee is a member of the Leadership Maryland Class of 2024 and serves on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, Leadership Southern Maryland (Class of 2022), the United Way of Southern Maryland, and the Charles County Scholarship Fund, Inc. Mrs. Moore Lee is the Region IV Treasurer and ADR Section Secretary of the National Bar Association. She is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (1% of licensed attorneys by invitation only). Mrs. Moore Lee was named one of Maryland’s “Top 100 Women” by The Daily Record in 2023 and 2025, and a 2024 and 2025 Southern Maryland “Woman to Watch." She is a Diamond Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Vice President of the Southern Maryland Chain (MD) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. Mrs. Moore Lee was born in Guyana, South America, and is the first generation in her family raised in the United States. She is happily married with three children. Mrs. Moore Lee is serving her first term as a Board Member. |
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Nicole M. Kreamer, Vice Chairperson, District 3 Member Nicole M. Kreamer is a senior-level healthcare professional and has worked part-time as a substitute teacher for CCPS. A graduate of the University of Maryland, University College with a dual master’s in healthcare administration and an MBA, she is active in several community organizations including the Charles County Branch of the NAACP, and is a mentor with Stella’s Girls Inc., an alumni mentor for UMGC, certified facilitator for the Gals Lead Mentorship Program and a certified Blueprint Advocate with Strong Schools Maryland. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for the American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM) since 2020 and currently serves as the Chair of the Charitable & Community Contributions Committee. Kreamer has three children, including two CCPS graduates and a current student. |
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Dottery Butler-Washington, District 3 Member Dottery Butler-Washington serves as the Supervisor of Information Technology at the U.S. Department of State. A proud United States Navy veteran, Mrs. Butler-Washington brings a wealth of leadership, discipline, and technical expertise to her role in federal service. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Saint Leo University and holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Technology Management. Her academic background reflects a strong foundation in both technical and managerial disciplines. Mrs. Butler-Washington is deeply committed to public service and civic engagement. She is a Diamond Life Member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, a member of The Links, Incorporated, the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), and the Charles County Branch of the NAACP. Through these organizations, she actively supports initiatives focused on education, equity, health, and community empowerment. Originally from Greensboro, Georgia, she now resides in Waldorf, Maryland, with her husband, Maurice Washington, a retired Navy veteran with 23 years of honorable service. Together, they have two sons and are proud grandparents to five grandchildren. Mrs. Butler-Washington is currently serving her first term as a Board Member, where she is focused on advancing educational opportunities, ensuring transparency in governance, and advocating for underserved communities. |
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David Hancock, District 1 Member David Hancock is a small business owner and manages Hancock Family Farms in La Plata. He is a past president and current board member of the Charles County Farm Bureau, 2016 Young Farmer of the Year, board member of the Eastern Virginia Feeder Calf Association and a board member of the University of Maryland Extension Advisory Board. Mr. Hancock is a 2008 graduate of the UA Mechanical Trade School through Montgomery College and a 2002 graduate of La Plata High School. He lives in Charles County with his wife, Kim, and their three children. Mr. Hancock is serving his second term as a Board of Education Member. |
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Bridgette Patterson, District 4 Member Bridgette Patterson was appointed to the Board of Education of Charles County in 2025 to represent District 4. A resident of Charles County since 2019, she is a military spouse of more than 20 years and the mother of four children, three of whom attend Charles County Public Schools. Patterson serves as the Business Manager for the Joint Base Andrews Fisher House, where she oversees operations that support military and veteran families navigating medical crises. She is a certified Resilience Training Assistant with the U.S. Air Force and teaches first-term Airmen emotional wellness and leadership development. As a speaker and developer of the 3R Framework “Reduce Resentment, Reuse Rejection, and Recycle Regret". Patterson promotes resilience, adaptability, and community connection. She is an Accredited Financial Counselor through FINRA, holds Emotional Intelligence credentials through Keystep Media and Dr. Daniel Goleman, and is certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid USA through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Patterson is serving her first term as a Board Member. |
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Letonya Smalls, Ed.D., At-Large Member Letonya Smalls, Ed.D., is the founder and CEO of Little Dreamers Early Learning Program/Family Childcare in Waldorf. She also trains and coaches adult learners for Focus on Child, Inc., located in Chapel Oaks. Additionally, she is the CEO and leader of Transforming Minds Book Club, which focuses on leadership empowerment. She has more than 30 years of experience working in education. Smalls completed her Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Northcentral University in Ariz. She has an advanced certificate in curriculum and instruction, a master’s degree in elementary education, a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and an associate degree in early childhood education. She was elected to the Board in the at-large member role in November 2024. |
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Jamila Smith, District 2 Member Jamila Smith has over 15 years of education policy experience as a civil servant, and throughout her career she has held several leadership positions. Mrs. Smith is a dedicated and active community leader who has served on the PTO, as a school volunteer supporting college and career preparation from elementary through high school, as a Board member on the Charles County Early Childhood Advisory Council, and is an active member of the Tri-county Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Southern Maryland Chapter of Jack and Jill, Inc. Mrs. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, a master’s degree from The Catholic University of America, and is a doctoral candidate at the American University School of Education’s education policy and leadership program. She resides in Waldorf with her husband and is the proud mom of three children, who attend Charles County Public Schools. Mrs. Smith is serving her first term as a Board Member. |
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Brenda Thomas, District 2 Member Mrs. Brenda Thomas is a lifelong resident of Charles County and a retired Federal Government employee having served for over 25 years in the Department of Treasury’s Bureau of Printing and Engraving. She is currently the President of the Western Charles County Community Association (WCCCA). She is also an active Community Advocate in the county, especially in the Nanjemoy area, where she often organizes children’s programs focusing on underserved communities and aiding those with substance abuse. She is deeply respected for her efforts in assisting families during emergencies in disaster situations. She has also provided essential projects and recruitment assistance for an important cancer research initiative in collaboration with Morgan State University. She is an entrepreneur, owning Keystone Enterprise Solutions Inc. and operating other successful businesses. Mrs. Thomas is a proud member of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, still residing on this ancestral land in Indian Head, MD with her husband Danny. |
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Samichie K. Thomas, District 1 Member Samichie K. Thomas was selected by the Board of Education in October 2023 to fill the District 1 vacancy on the Board. Thomas holds a master’s degree in Human Resources Management and Development from Bowie State University, and a bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in education, also from Bowie State University. She has an extensive background in human resources management within the public sector for federal agencies. She currently serves as the public sector HR Information systems consulting director overseeing business development for a private sector Software Development corporation. She has been a parent of students in Charles County Public School since 2006 and a resident of Charles County for over 20 years. |
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Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., Superintendent of Charles County Public Schools Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., is a veteran educator who has served in various teaching and leadership roles in Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C. Prior to working for CCPS, Navarro was an education consultant working to support school systems and government agencies to improve learning opportunities for young people. Dr. Navarro was the chief academic officer for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland for six years and was the acting Chief Academic Officer in Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) for five years. Prior to joining Baltimore City schools, Navarro worked as a senior-level administrator for the Christina School District in Delaware and as a teacher and administrator for the Cesar Chavez Public Charter High School in Washington, D.C. Navarro holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware, a master’s degree in science education from Temple University and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from The George Washington University. Navarro is bilingual and speaks Spanish and English, and has intermediate proficiency in French and Portuguese. |
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Munachi Obinali, Student Member Munachi Obinali is a junior at La Plata High School and the Student Member of the Board of Education for the 2025–2026 school year. She currently serves as president of her school’s Minority Student Union, organizing events that promote diversity, inclusion and advocacy. Munachi is passionate about law and the student voice. She is a member of Maryland Youth and Government, where she writes and debates legislation, and an All-Star Witness on her school’s Mock Trial team. She is also developing the Spark Initiative, a free extracurricular program aimed at expanding access to enrichment activities for underserved youth. Outside of leadership and advocacy, Munachi plays viola in her school’s orchestra and enjoys reading, writing, drawing and music. |