Leadership
Executive Leadership
Hakim Dyer
Interim Executive Director
Hakim Dyer is an experienced executive strategist, corporate financier, and ecosystem advocate who focuses on the tipping point where innovation, inclusion, and investment converge. With more than three decades of work spanning community development venture capital and loan funds, financial services, and entrepreneurial advising, he has helped align mission-driven founders with the capital and strategy needed to scale transformative businesses.
He has supported entrepreneurs, economic development initiatives, and growth-stage companies across sectors — from early broadband infrastructure and sustainable construction to innovative financial structuring and banking products. He has also led and advised organizations at the intersection of finance and social impact, with a consistent focus on resilience, accountability, and ecosystem-wide value creation.
Hakim earned his BA from Dartmouth College and MA from Middlebury College, and completed corporate finance and credit training at the First National Bank of Boston. He went on to work at several other banks and has served as a CFO and strategist to a number of high-growth companies in technology, government contracting, media, and real estate development. He also holds an Advanced Diploma in Business French from the Paris Chamber of Commerce. Hakim is a Certified Profit Coach and currently serves as Board Secretary for the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.
email: hakim@mdinnovate.org
Board Leadership
Patty Simonton
Board President
Patty is an IEDC certified Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP) who considers herself to be a conscious capitalist and ecosystem builder. She has spent much of her career working to facilitate entrepreneurship to help build and strengthen resilient communities, fight climate change, and open up opportunities for individuals to change the world.
Patty brings extensive experience working with startups, social entrepreneurs and impact investors. She served as a strategic initiatives manager for the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, where she worked to streamline the entrepreneurial journey. She was previously the director of the Be Green Business program at Bethesda Green, where she guided the Innovation Lab to become a federally recognized entrepreneurship support program, and the director of changemaker support for StartSomeGood, a global crowdfunding platform designed by and for social entrepreneurs.
Patty is proud to support Maryland’s innovation ecosystem by serving as the current president of the Maryland Business Innovation Association. She is a long-time mentor and former community manager for the Mentor Capital Network, and an Activator for the Coralus community, where she invests in women and non-binary entrepreneurs working on the world’s to-do list.
Patty earned her degree in International Business from Georgetown University and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University. She has also earned certificates in Entrepreneurship Center Management from the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) and Impact Measurement and Management for Sustainable Development Goals from Duke University.
Email: patty@mdinnovate.org
LinkedIn Profile
Shervonne Cherry
Board Vice President
Shervonne Cherry is the Director of Spark Coworking and an entrepreneurial ecosystem builder. She heads operations, community development and ecosystem growth for Spark, collaborative workspaces in Baltimore, Kansas City and St. Louis.
Mike Thielke
Treasurer
Mike is the executive director for Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC), a private-sector, non-profit organization having a mission to advance and develop the startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout the eight counties of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. In this position, Mike plays a leadership role in ensuring that the Eastern Shore is connected to the rest of the Maryland statewide ecosystem of entrepreneurs, mentors, coaches, and investors. Mike has been instrumental in starting a network of coworking spaces, called hotDesks, which now has four locations throughout the region. These spaces serve as the backbone for the delivery of accelerator programs, business competitions, and numerous programs and events targeted to creating a stronger and better connected ecosystem. Mike is also part of a group kicking off the PinOak Capital investor group which is a result of the increased deal flow opportunities developing on the Eastern Shore.
Email: mike@esec.md
LinkedIn Profile
Brett Schreiber
Secretary
Bret Schreiber has worked for 20 years in the field of government and community relations, driving policy and economic development initiatives and developing strong ties to local, state and national legislators and policy leaders. Currently, Mr. Schreiber is Vice President for Life Sciences and Technology for Fulton Bank. Fulton Bank is a $22 billion financial institution based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Bret oversees the development of a new division for Fulton Bank, creating disruptive, innovative initiatives to support and grow the life science and technology industries in Fulton’s five state footprint.
Email: bschreiber@fultonbank.com
LinkedIn Profile
Board Of Directors
Stephanie Chin
Hutch Program Manager
Fearless Technology
Tim Jones
Founder and Managing Principal
TBJ Investments LLC
George Nemphos
Co-Founder Managing Member
Nemphos Braue LLC
Marianna Pappas
Program Director
Novella Center for Entrepreneuership
Stacy Wassell
Director, Remote Work Center
Frostburg State University
