Staff

	Theresa Kuhns Chief Executive Officer Theresa Kuhns serves as Chief Executive Officer of The Maryland Municipal League (MML), a 501c4 professional association serving Maryland’s cities, towns and special taxing districts. The League represents 161 local governments and serves as the voice for the 2 million Marylanders who call a municipality home. As CEO, Kuhns is responsible for leading the executive operations and day-to-day management of the association, the 501c3 companion arm, the Maryland Local Government Impact Hub, all affiliate and constituency groups. She has the honor to manage the League’s staff team who represent more than 200 cumulative years of municipal and association experience. In addition to her executive role, Kuhns also serves as President of the Maryland Municipal Insurance Agency; Board of Trustee for the Local Government Insurance Trust and Board of Trustee for the NLC Mutual Insurance Company. Kuhns serves on the Executive Committee for both the NLC Mutual Insurance Company and the Local Government Insurance Trust. She serves on the boards of Sustainable Maryland; The University of Maryland Academy for Local Excellence in Government and the University of Baltimore Schaefer Center for Public Policy Advisory Board. Kuhns was also appointed to the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council by Governor Wes Moore in 2024. Her 25+ years public affairs background includes her tenure with the United States Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Realtors, Greater Washington Board of Trade and Aristotle International. Prior to her current role, Kuhns volunteered her time and served on the Calvert County Economic Development Authority; United Way of Southern Maryland Board of Directors and the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce Business Advisory Group. Additionally, Kuhns also served on the National Association of Realtors Government Affairs Advisory Committee. She is a proud graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland Class of 2019, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business Executive Leadership Program 2005 and Kutztown University of Pennsylvania 2001. Kuhns and her family reside in Southern Maryland.
	Angelica Bailey Thupari, ESQ. Director Advocacy and Public Affairs Angelica leads the Advocacy and Public Affairs team in analyzing state legislation, representing MML before the legislature and implementing strategies to further the League’s policy. She is a skillful public interest attorney with more than seven years of experience in the Maryland legislature.
	Felicia Banuelos Deputy Director Community Engagement and Board Governance Felicia manages the day-to-day executive operations of MML and the MML Board of Directors as well as staff liaison to the Maryland Mayors Association. Felicia guides the efforts for the strategic partnership program. Her personal experience includes almost a decade of service in a member municipality.
	Tyler Brice Manager Advocacy and Public Affairs Tyler will manage the climate, energy and environment portfolio. With a breadth of expertise including previous service as a Chief Joints of Staff, Tyler will be a vital resource for Maryland’s 161 local governments as we look ahead to climate goals, energy availability and protecting our cities.
	Paula Chase Hyman Managing Director Leadership Development & Member Experience Paula provides management oversight for MML professional development events; and programs that help cities and towns serve as ambassadors for municipal government and increase the public’s knowledge about what municipalities bring to their community. Her experience includes eight years in a member municipality and over twenty years in non-profit management.
	Sharon Easton Manager Member Experience Sharon helps further the goals of MML's member programs primarily focused on onboarding newly elected officials, managing the member database and serving as one of the primary point of contacts to help members navigate their League benefits. Sharon has been a familiar face to Maryland's municipal officials for over 30 years.
	Justin Fiore Deputy Director Advocacy and Public Affairs Justin Fiore is deputy director of the Advocacy and Public Affairs team, representing our members before the state legislature. Justin also serves as MML press officer, helping to share the municipal story. He graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with dual degrees in political science and public policy before earning his master's in government at Johns Hopkins. Prior to joining MML, Justin served as a committee analyst to late Senate President Mike Miller and as Chief of Staff to Senator Cheryl C. Kagan.
	Iris Ibegbulem Senior Associate Advocacy and Public Affairs Iris plays a vital role in assisting in advocacy outreach and operations. A recent graduate of Morgan State University, she will use her past experience as a legislative intern with the Baltimore City Mayor's Office to support the Advocacy team in their endeavors both within and beyond the Maryland General Assembly session.
	Bill JOrch Managing Director Advocacy & Public Policy Bill serves as the nexus of policymaking and thought leadership for municipal government in the State of Maryland. His effective advocacy and analysis of legislation and regulations delivers critical guidance on policies impacting our members. Bill joined MML in 2016 after years working at various levels of government and in the private sector.
	Steven Lopes Deputy Director Publications and Events Steve leads the efforts of the award-winning conference expositions, directly designing and managing the many partners for Maryland’s exclusive events, where municipal leaders and top-level industry experts connect to continually improve services and opportunities for our communities. Other responsibilities include managing the biweekly publications with a 3,000+ subscriber list.
	Tom Reynolds Senior Director Leadership Development Tom curates member education and develops curriculum through various learning methods.  Tom serves as liaison to the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance, a certificate program offered through the University of Maryland as well as with Sustainable Maryland. He has a background in mediation and conflict resolution and previously worked with the University of Maryland’s Institute for Governmental Service.
	Dionna Richardson Senior Associate Leadership Development Dionna serves as the first touch point to the League and its members. Using her tech-savvy and multi-tasking talents, she plays a pivotal role in the Leadership Development teams ability to serve as the collaboration point to ensure all League services are designed to bring local governments together for an exchange of information, insight and resources.
	Stacie Spragins Deputy Director Leadership Development and Strategic Initiatives Stacie advances member and leadership development initiatives by integrating technology as a tool to develop and deliver education programming and public and member communications. Additionally, she leads the strategic direction on the League’s DEIA framework providing guidance to foster an inclusive culture that increases member engagement. Stacie brings 16 years of experience working for nonprofits, government consulting, and public education.
	Karen Wilbert Controller