The Talbot County Public Schools Education Foundation hosted the seventh annual “Mission Possible – Celebrating TCPS Alumni and Supporting Teachers” fundraiser on Friday, November 7th, at the Oxford Community Center. The evening included a cocktail reception catered by Garden & Garnish, Inc. and opportunities to support the foundation’s grants program. Mr. James Redman, retired TCPS Educator, and Mrs. Eleanor “Tot” O’Mara, Easton High Class of 1967, served as Master and Mistress of Ceremonies. Guests enjoyed a stellar performance by the Easton High School Theatre Department under the direction of Richard A. Vitanovec, Amber Vitanovec, Julie Hawley, and Erinne Lewis. The purpose of the event was to recognize distinguished alumni, celebrate public education, and raise funds, awareness, and support for the Education Foundation.
Guests of the TCPS Education Foundation Mission Possible enjoyed renditions of songs and dances from “Mamma Mia” performed by the Easton High School Theatre Department.
Dr. Helga Einhorn, Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership and Student Success, gave welcoming remarks, expressing appreciation for the community’s support. “Thank you all for joining us for an evening of connection, partnership, and celebration of all that is possible if we support our public school system,” Dr. Einhorn said. “This event also allows the community to see some of the amazing opportunities the Education Foundation supports for our students and staff.”
“Our Distinguished Alumni are selected based on their outstanding accomplishments, their commitment to giving back to their communities, and their belief in, and support of public education,” Dr. Einhorn explained. “Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Haddaway-Riccio, and Mr. Webb, tonight we honor you!” Following an introduction by Mrs. O’Mara, each honoree shared remarks that included personal testimonials about the many ways their Talbot County Public Schools education impacted their lives.
Linda S. Brown, Easton High Class of 1971
Culinary Arts Instructor & Program Director, Easton High School; Service Learning Coordinator, Talbot County Public Schools
Linda Saathoff Brown has devoted nearly five decades to education, student development, and community engagement for Talbot County. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education and a Master of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Maryland. She began her career in 1975 as a Home Economics teacher at Easton High School, where she advised the Future Homemakers of America and guided state officers. She later taught Family and Consumer Sciences, Business, Technology Education, and Health and Human Development at St. Michaels High School before returning to Easton High School to teach Culinary Arts, Nutrition Science, and Free Enterprise. As a lifelong educator, Linda has combined academic instruction with hands-on, service-oriented learning, inspiring generations of students to develop both skills and civic responsibility.
In addition to her classroom work, Linda has served as Service Learning Coordinator at Easton High School and as the TCPS Service Team Leader, implementing programs that connect students to meaningful community projects. She has led countless workshops and presentations at local, state, and national levels, including service learning conferences, culinary demonstrations, and 4-H educational programs. A dedicated mentor and coach, Linda has guided numerous 4-H teams in public speaking, food and nutrition competitions, clothing construction, horticulture, and other skill-based contests, and has judged county and state fairs for decades.
Linda’s professional accomplishments have been widely recognized. She has been honored as Talbot County Teacher of the Year, Maryland Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher of the Year, and a national finalist for the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher of the Year award. She is also a member of the Maryland Agricultural Fair Board and was inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame. Her commitment to excellence is reflected in her certifications, including ServSafe Manager and Instructor, American Culinary Federation Program Professional, and Service Learning Fellow with the Maryland State Department of Education.
Beyond her professional contributions, Linda is a lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, where she has served as Choir Director, Sunday School teacher, and active participant in worship, music, and fellowship programs for more than 35 years. She and her husband, Wesley, reside on her family’s “century farm” in Easton, which they continue to operate while sharing a love of gardening, cooking, and culinary arts with family, students, and the community. Linda’s dedication to education, service, and her community has left a lasting impact on Talbot County, nurturing generations of learners, leaders, and community-minded citizens.
Three individuals were honored by the TCPS Education Foundation as Distinguished Alumni for 2025. (left to right) Mrs. Linda Brown, Easton High class of 1971; Mrs. Jeanie Haddaway-Riccio, St. Michaels High Class of 1995, Mr. Dale Webb, Sr., Robert Russa Moton High Class of 1965.
Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, St. Michaels High Class of 1995
Vice President of Government Relations, RAUCH, inc.
A proud member of the St. Michaels High School Class of 1995, Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio has more than twenty years of professional experience spanning the private, non-profit, and public sectors, including service in both the legislative and executive branches of Maryland state government. A proven leader in public policy, natural resource management, and community development, she joined the RAUCH, Inc. team in April 2023 as Vice President of Government Relations. In the same year, she formed a lobbying and consulting business, R&R Solutions, with three other principals: Ryan Snow, Jennifer Williams, and Bob Rauch.
Jeannie served for eleven years as an elected member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 37B, which includes Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, and Wicomico counties. She later spent eight years in the Hogan Administration, culminating in her appointment as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDDNR). In that role, she provided executive direction for a staff of 1,800 employees and 250 police officers and managed a $560 million budget, including oversight of Program Open Space and the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund. Her leadership advanced statewide initiatives in natural resources protection, land preservation, fisheries, forestry, and outdoor recreation.
Prior to serving as Secretary of the MDDNR, Jeannie held key positions in the Governor’s Office, including Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, where she advised on policy related to agriculture, energy, environment, transportation, labor, and local government. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Development Associate for the National Audubon Society’s Maryland-DC office, where she gained extensive experience in fundraising, capital campaigns, and grant writing.
Throughout her career, Jeannie has been recognized for her ability to build partnerships among Maryland’s rural and urban communities, uniting diverse stakeholders to address complex environmental and economic issues. Her recent project experience includes securing state and federal grants for community revitalization, infrastructure, and resiliency initiatives across the Mid-Shore region.
A graduate of Salisbury University with a B.A. in Political Science, Jeannie is also a Rawlings Fellow of the University of Maryland James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership and a LEAD Maryland Fellow.
Jeannie’s professional and community involvement includes leadership roles with the Mid-Shore Regional Council, the Talbot Historical Society, and the Greater Salisbury Committee. She is the former Chair of the Governor’s Chesapeake Bay Cabinet and member of the Smart Growth Subcabinet. Her dedication to public service and collaboration continues to shape projects that strengthen Maryland’s environment, economy, natural resources-based industries, and communities.
Three individuals were honored by the TCPS Education Foundation as Distinguished Alumni for 2025. (left to right) Mrs. Linda Brown, Easton High class of 1971; Mrs. Jeanie Haddaway-Riccio, St. Michaels High Class of 1995, Mr. Dale Webb, Sr., Robert Russa Moton High Class of 1965.
Dale J. Webb, Sr., Robert Russa Moton High Class of 1965
Civil Rights Leader • Equal Opportunity Advocate • Public Administrator
Dale J. Webb, Sr. is a noted civil rights and equal opportunity activist. A former state administrator, Webb was born in Easton, Maryland, to Jesse Amos Webb, an entrepreneur, and Gladys Cumber Webb. Educated in the segregated public school system of Talbot County, he graduated from Robert Russa Moton High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Howard University. While at Howard where he ran track and joined the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
After college, Webb married Cynthia A. Gibson, a Morgan State University graduate. They had two children together, D’Mia and the late Dale Jr., and have two grandchildren, Tristin and Armani.
Webb began his career inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of justice and equality. As President of the Talbot County NAACP, he led efforts to confront discrimination and inequities affecting African Americans, and became a respected ally in Maryland’s civil rights movement. His growing impact led him to Baltimore, where he advanced statewide equal opportunity initiatives.
In 1970, Webb joined the State of Maryland government, where he served in several departments, including Economic and Employment Development, Labor, Licensing and Regulation, and Human Resources. Over a 33-year career, he became a leader in equity policy and program design. As Chairman of the National Interstate Conference of Employment Security Agencies Equal Opportunity Committee, he helped create two major federal Department of Labor Equal Opportunity programs, a national Equal Opportunity Awards Program, and video conferencing systems for DOL training.
Webb also served as President of the Maryland Association of Equal Opportunity Personnel, collaborating with the Governor and the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus. He played a pivotal role in shaping the state’s Affirmative Action, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Minority Business Enterprise programs, and was recognized for his leadership in volunteerism and employee engagement. His final post was Chief of Staff for the Department of Human Resources, managing 8,000 employees and a $1.5 billion budget.
Dedicated to community service, Webb has served on numerous boards including the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism, the Wayland Baptist Church Community Development Corporation, the President’s Committee for the Morgan University Choir, and Associated Black Charities. His honors include awards from the NAACP, Urban League, and U.S. Department of Labor.
Now retired, Webb continues his advocacy through consulting in housing, economic development, and labor issues. Guided by his brothers, Gregory and Warren, he remains rooted in his Eastern Shore heritage and devoted to empowering others. Following decades in Baltimore, he now resides in Laurel, Maryland, with his partner, Patricia Schott.
he Educational Systems Federal Credit Union has been a steadfast sponsor of TCPS Education Foundation events. Tony Carroll, Business Development Officer, Jackie Henry, Business Development Manager, and Gerald Robinson, Branch Manager represented ESFCU at the event this year.
Throughout the evening, six teachers presented grant proposals so that guests could learn about their projects and make donations to support them. The grants ranged across multiple grade levels and academic subjects as follows: Permanent Flexible Seating (3rd grade St. Michaels Elementary), ROAR Home Connection Book Bags (2nd grade, Easton Elementary), Digi-Blocks (Easton Elementary special education and math intervention), EHS Theatre Department, “The Wizard of Oz” (Easton High & Easton Middle), I’m Just a Girl (Easton Middle), Culinary Walk (Easton High Culinary Arts). By the end of the evening, two of the grants were fully funded and the remaining four had received significant financial support. The education foundation is still accepting donations designated for any of these projects.
David Short, Education Foundation Board Chair, acknowledged the many volunteers and sponsors who helped make the event a success. “On behalf of the entire Education Foundation Board I would also like to thank Buck Duncan and the Mid-Shore Community Foundation team for their support and guidance, and for the invaluable resources they provide to the entire community. We also thank the Grayce B. Kerr Fund for their donation of consulting and design services,” Short added. “Both of these organizations make it possible to maximize the capacity of the Education Foundation while maintaining minimal overhead expenses.” Short also expressed appreciation for the Mission Possible Committee and the Distinguished Alumnus Nominating Committee.
The list of event sponsors included Out of the Fire, the Educational Systems Federal Credit Union, Easton Utilities, Marathon Health, Mid-Atlantic Truck and Equipment, Rauch, Inc., Shore United Bank, and Whiting-Turner Contracting.
The Talbot County Public Schools Education Foundation was established in 2016 in partnership with the Mid-Shore Community Foundation. Its mission is to support public education in Talbot County by raising and distributing funds to fulfill needs and opportunities inspired by TCPS educators and students. To date, the Foundation has funded more than $500,000 in teacher grants, scholarships, and student and staff needs.
To learn more about supporting the Talbot County Public Schools Education Foundation, visit www.tcpsef.org or contact Debbie Gardner, Director of Communications for TCPS at 410-822-0330 ext. 102 or by email at [email protected].
