Montgomery Serves Awards 2022

The Honorable Nancy Kopp

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Nancy Kopp served as Treasurer for the state of Maryland from 2002 until December 2021. She spent nearly five decades in public service and was one of the longest-serving treasurers in state history. Her career in Annapolis began in 1971 when she signed on as a legislative staffer for the Montgomery County delegation. In 1974, she was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, where she represented Bethesda and Chevy Chase for 27 years. Nancy is a resident of Bethesda.

Kenneth Nelson

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Kenneth Nelson, a Silver Spring resident, has contributed to the well-being and improvement of Montgomery County by serving as the pastor of Seneca Community Church in Germantown for over fifteen years, and as director of business and community outreach for over twenty-five years at Montgomery College's Workforce Development and Continuing Education unit.  He is a tireless advocate who actively engages in community outreach to address civic concerns. 

Mona Negm

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Mona Negm of Silver Spring is a champion of isolated, underserved, and marginalized members of our community, advocating on their behalf and forming partnerships to advance their well-being. She is the founder of The American Muslim Senior Society, a nonprofit that empowers the county's diverse seniors and caregivers by giving them access to culturally sensitive tools and resources to improve their quality of life and the opportunity to live with dignity.

The Honorable Chung K. Pak

Chung K. Pak, Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings, has worked tirelessly to provide a strong voice to some of the most needy and powerless in our community and state. Known as a consensus and bridge builder, Judge Pak has worked closely with Latino, African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, women’s, labor, faith, and civil rights groups on social justice issues. He resides in Gaithersburg.

Charlotte Holliday

Germantown music teacher Charlotte Tacy Holliday is the founder of The Tacy Foundation, which empowers children and teens to share hope with hospital patients, military veterans, senior citizens, and disadvantaged youth through performances, music recording projects, and music mentoring programs.

Schai Schairer

Volunteer of the Year

Schai Schairer of Silver Spring volunteers at the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women (MCIW), working with marginalized, vulnerable women who are often overlooked. Her “Prison to Poetry” program offers confidence-building workshops through creative writing lessons. Schai coordinates volunteer services within MCIW, recruiting experts to provide tailored services to meet individualized needs. Schai also offers resume writing, goal-setting sessions, interview preparation, and job search services for previously incarcerated women.

Samantha Jayasundera

Youth Volunteer of the Year

Eighteen-year-old Samantha Jayasundera of Rockville is making an impact in Montgomery County and internationally. She is a co-founder of Sankofa Empowering Women in Ghana (SEWING), a women’s empowerment and human rights program to combat child labor and female exploitation. Committed to her personal focus of “education for all,” she has spoken on the local, national, and international stage, hosted conferences, and led large-scale initiatives for education and equity.

Mercy Health Clinic Volunteer Medical Providers

Volunteer Group of the Year

Mercy Health Clinic in Gaithersburg leverages a small paid medical staff with additional support from approximately 45 volunteer, board certified physicians. This volunteer corps is essential to meeting the comprehensive needs and capacity of Mercy’s low-income and uninsured patient population, who receive services free of charge. These physicians are the core of the clinic’s operations, providing much of their primary care and all of their specialty care.