10-24-2021 Women to Watch - Flipbook - Page 19
KARYN SCHELL
58, president, DP Solutions
Karyn Schell, of Forest Hill, is paving the way for women
in the largely male-dominated field of technology.
Named the first female president of DP Solutions, a
customer-focused information technology solutions company headquartered in Columbia, she is cultivating an environment that values diversity and inclusion by providing
opportunities for people of various backgrounds and skill
sets.
Having served as president for three years, Schell said
she is most proud of the way she has led the company
through the coronavirus pandemic.
Ben Schmerler, director of strategic operations at DP
Solutions, recalled that Schell reassured him during an
uncertain time when he was a new employee coming onboard after the acquisition of his company.
“She came into our office and talked to all of us about
what the acquisition meant and I’ll never forget how she
promised DP Solutions was going to have a place for everyone,” Schmerler said. “Since then, she has been a great
person to work for.”
Schell said it is a privilege to serve as the first female
president in DP Solutions’ 50-year history.
“It’s an extreme honor, but I do feel it’s not about [being] the first female president, it’s about I was the right
person for the job at the time that the transition needed
to occur,” Schell said.
— Allana Haynes
PHOTO BY KENNETH K. LAM
PHOTO BY KENNETH K. LAM
JOANNE ANTOINE
34, executive director, Common Cause Maryland
Last year, Joanne Antoine had big plans to advocate for campaign
finance reform with Common Cause Maryland, the good governance
nonprofit she’s led since 2019.
When the coronavirus pandemic struck, the Silver Spring resident
instead prioritized increasing voter access in Maryland’s elections
while fighting misinformation about voting by mail. She pivoted
again last winter to advocating for transparency and public participation in the Maryland General Assembly session.
Now, she is turning her focus to congressional redistricting later
this year.
“My hope is the level of access ... we can maintain that, once things
are back to whatever normal is,” Antoine said. “There’s no reason for
the General Assembly not to tap into the tools at their disposal.”
— Brooks DuBose
PHOTO BY LLOYD FOX
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