Learn More - Carroll County Democratic Central Committee

Our Mission

The Mission of the CCDCC is to promote core Democratic values of economic fairness and equality of opportunity in an inclusive and active Democracy where everyone thrives. We do this by educating and organizing voters to elect leaders who put these values into action.

Strategic Vision:

Understand and embrace core Democratic values
Act together as a vibrant and dynamic community
Inspire the best and brightest Democratic candidates to run and win.

Don West

Chairman

Bio

Don joined the CCDCC in 2010, and he has been its chairperson for the last seven years. He is active locally advocating for environmental and social justice issues. Don lives with his wife Cindy on a small farm outside Westminster and has owned his construction business for over 30 years.

Mitch Edelman

1st Vice Chairman

Bio

A CCDCC member since 2015, Mitch was co-chair of MDP 2020 Platform Committee and a former MDP Rules Committee member. Retired from SSA and UMBC, where he was an adjunct Computer Science instructor, he’s an expert bridge player and enthusiastic photographer. He and his wife, Sue, live in Finksburg.

Corynne Courpas

Treasurer

Bio

Corynne has been active in Democratic politics since her first campaign for Paul Sarbanes in the 1970’s. Her highest honor was to serve as a Biden/Harris Elector in 2020. She has recently retired and dedicates more time to gardening, reading, traveling and community activism..

Raquel Walsh

Secretary

Bio

Raquel has been a member of the Central Committee since 2017. Issues near and dear to her heart include social justice, climate change, and women’s rights. She enjoys spending time with her family, listening to political podcasts, and camping. She resides in Manchester, MD with her family.

What is a “Central Committee Member”?

Central Committee members are the grass roots-level elected volunteers of the State Democratic Party. They must be dedicated to working to ensure the election of Democrats to public office, while encouraging the participation of activists, volunteers and financial contributors. This calls for many hours of participation, and in some cases a financial commitment themselves.

They should bring to the Central Committee a strong commitment to the Party and all the things it stands for. Central Committee members should have experience as a volunteer in various political activities, worked for candidates, or run for office themselves.

In essence, Central Committee members are the people elected to work directly in the trenches on behalf of the Party and to organize an ongoing presence at the local level. They are the people who do the organizing and actual tasks of helping get Democrats elected. They are not managers or members of a board of directors, but worker bees themselves. They help organize and when necessary do the:

Fundraising, staff party booths / events, precinct organizing and canvassing, distribute political literature, perform voter registration, phone banking and all of those tasks needed to be successful in an election.

Central Committee members have an obligation to attend all committee meetings, publicly support party nominees without questions, and to actively participate in all the activities of the Central Committee. Central Committee members at no time can openly support a candidate of another political party in a partisan race.

Central Committee members cannot do all that must be done by themselves, they must reach out and recruit volunteers to assist in many of these activities and tasks. Recruitment of volunteers therefore becomes the difference between success and failure. Central Committee members must have good motivational and organizing skills to make use of these volunteer resources.

As a member of the local Central Committee they are members of the State Central Committee and are expected to attend semi-annual meetings, vote on State Party issues and participate in State Party projects.

Central Committee members have the official responsibility to fill vacancies of certain offices due to death or resignation of elected officials, and fill vacancies when no Democratic candidate has filed for nomination. The Central Committee also recommends to the Governor appointment of the members and substitute members for the local County Board of Elections and at times recommendations to other state and county boards.

Other Members

Greg Hutsell

Charles E. Harrison

Greg Pecoraro

MD Dem. State Party Representative, non-voting member of the CCDCC

Angelina Kihamia

Bio

Angelina is a nurse with 16 years’ experience in health care, a nurse educator, people’s advocate and people oriented. She is a team player who insists on positive outcomes no matter what.

Angelina has been a member of the Carroll County Democratic Central Committee since March 2021. Angelina has lived in Carroll County for nine (9) years. She has been a keen observer of American politics since the election of President Barack Obama in 2008. Angelina is the first Tanzanian American woman to serve in the Carroll County Democratic Central Committee. Some issues dear to her heart are: Justice and equity, voting rights, criminal justice reforms, women’s right to make decisions concerning their health issues, fighting for the less privileged via domestic reforms, lowering healthcare cost and expanding Medicare. Angelina has a Bachelor’s of science degree in nursing (BSN) and Masters of Science in health services, Leadership and Management, all from University of Maryland.

Kathleen Sanner

Bio

Kate has been a member of the Central Committee since 2018. She is a lifelong Democrat and has been an activist since her college days in the late 1960s. Issues important to her include voting rights, social justice, climate change, and women’s rights. Kate is also a living kidney donor. As the lists of those needing transplants are long, she encourages everyone to consider being a living donor, or being an organ donor after their passing.

Henry Reiff

Bio

Henry B. Reiff, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus in special education from McDaniel College. He has published numerous articles on adults and adolescents with learning disabilities, has written or co-written five books, and given presentations and workshops across the country. Henry served as Dean of Student Academic Life and Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies and Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Special Education at McDaniel.

Katherine Shaw

2nd Vice Chairman

Bio

Katherine has lived in this county for more than six decades of her more than seven decades of living. She was elected to the CCDCC in 2018. She greatly hopes that our country and our county will go forward rather than backward with causes such as social justice and women’s rights.

Hirra Arshad

Associate Members

Bethany Perlman
Dorothy Scanlan
Laura M. Thorpe