About Us
Your Partner in Business Growth
Talbot County’s Economic Development team is dedicated to strengthening the local economy by helping businesses start, grow, and succeed. We work alongside businesses, entrepreneurs, and community partners to support growth at every stage.
ABOUT US
How We Support Talbot County Businesses
Our team offers personalized guidance and connections to the resources that support business planning and growth. We collaborate with local companies, industry partners, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to remove barriers and help them achieve their goals.
Staff and leadership
Our Staff
Cassandra Vanhooser
Director
Kristen Goller
Tourism Manager
Candace Harris
Administrative Assistant
TOURISM & HOSPITALITY
Tourism Board
Talbot County’s Tourism Board meets quarterly on the second Wednesday of the month at 8:30 a.m. The remaining 2025 meeting date is as follows: Nov. 12, 2025. The meeting dates for 2026 have not yet been approved. Please call 410-770-8000 for assistance. The Nov. 12th meeting will be held at the Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover St., 3rd Floor, Easton, Maryland 21601 at 8:30 am.
Chairman Judy Bixler, Oxford Bellevue Ferry
Town of Oxford Representative
443-786-0921
judybixler@aol.com
Keasha Haythe
County Council Liaison
410-770-8010
khaythe@talbotcountymd.gov
Chris Agharabi, Owner, Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar
Bay Hundred Representative
301-648-3835
ceabiscuit@gmail.com
Jessica Bellis, Avalon Foundation
Countywide Cultural Attractions Representative
410-822-0345
jessica@avalonfoundation.com
Maureen Curry, Easton Town Council
Town of Easton
410-822-2525
mcurry@EastonMD.gov
Kristen Greenaway, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Countywide Cultural Attractions Representative
410-745-2916
kgreenaway@cbmm.org
Harold Klinger
At-Large Member
410-310-8150
hklinger11@gmail.com
Amy Kreiner, Talbot County Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce Representative
410-822-4653
amy@talbotchamber.org
Patricia McGlannan, Owner, Tilghman Island Country Store
410-253-0657
pmcglannan@hotmail.com
Mark Salter, Salter’s Chesapeake Gourmet
Restaurant Representative
410-226-5111
chefmsalter@gmail.com
Jeff Schneider, Hampton Inn
Hotel/Motel Representative
410-822-2200
jeff.schneider@hilton.com or jeff@atlanticmanagement.biz
Katrina Whittington
Town of St. Michaels Representative
(410) 745-9535
kwhittington@stmichaelsmd.gov
Eric Levinson
B&B Representative
(410) 822-0605
eric@hummingbirdinneaston.com
11.12.25 Tourism Board Meeting Agenda
11.06.25 EDC-Tourism Board Agenda -Strategic Plan Review
9.10.25 Tourism Board Meeting Minutes
9.10.25 Tourism Board Meeting Agenda
5.23.25 Tourism Board Recommendation – Eric Levinson
5.14.25 Tourism Board Meeting Presentation
5.14.25 Tourism Board Meeting Minutes
5.14.25 Tourism Board Meeting Agenda
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
Economic Development Commission
Talbot County’s Economic Development Commission meets quarterly on the first Thursday of the month at 8 a.m. Call 410-770-8000 for assistance.
The remaining 2025 meeting date is as follows: Dec. 4, 2025.
This meeting will be held at The Maple Room at Momma Maria’s Mediterranean Bistro at 4021 Main Street, Trappe, Maryland
Chairman, Deborah Walsworth, CPA, Owner, BSC Group, LLC
P.O. Box 1197
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-822-6950
dwalsworth@bscgroupllc.com
Vice Chairman, Dr. Clifford Coppersmith, Chesapeake College
P.O. Box 8
Wye Mills, Maryland 21679
410-827-5802
ccoppersmith@chesapeake.edu
Immediate Past Chairman, Ken Kozel, President & CEO, University of Maryland Shore Health System
219 S. Washington Street
Easton, MD 21601
410-822-1000
ken.kozel@umm.edu
County Council Liaison, Chuck Callahan, Council President
West & Callahan
8911 Mistletoe Drive
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-770-8080
ccallahan@talbotcountymd.gov
Ted Bautz, Broker, Oxford Commercial Real Estate
12 Talbot Lane
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-707-8241
tbautz@oxfordcommercial.net
John Horner, President & CEO, Easton Utilities
201 N. Washington Street
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-822-6110
jhorner@eucmail.com
Chris Kleppinger, Owner, Kleppinger Electric
8664 Brooks Drive
Easton, MD 21601
410-820-5580
chris@kleppingerelectric.com
Shannon Potter Dill, Principal Agent, Agriculture, University of Maryland Extension in Talbot County
28577 Mary’s Court, Suite 1
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-822-1244
sdill@umd.edu
Reza Jafari, Chairman & CEO, e-Development International
P.O. Box 2500
Easton, Maryland 21601
202-465-0805
arjafari@aol.com
Amy Kreiner, President & CEO, Talbot County Chamber of Commerce
101 Marlboro Avenue, Suite 53
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-822-4653
amy@talbotchamber.org
Micah Risher, Manager, Easton Airport
29051 Corkran Road
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-770-8055
mrisher@talbotcountymd.gov
Clay Stamp, County Manager, Talbot County Government
11 N. Washington Street
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-770-8080
cstamp@talbotcountymd.gov
Terenda Thomas, Labor Exchange Administrator, Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation
301 Bay Street, Suite 301
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-822-3030 ext. 300
tthomas@dllr.state.md.us
Cassandra Vanhooser, Director, Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism
215 Bay Street, Suite 5
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-770-8000
cvanhooser@talbotcountymd.gov
Jackie Wilson, Sr. Vice President, Area Manager, Burke & Herbert Bank
142 N. Harrison Street
Easton, Maryland 21601
443-746-4354 ext. 74354
jdwilson@summitfgi.com
Walter Chase Sr., Commissioner
Town of Trappe
443-786-5497
info@midshore.org
David Montgomery, Councilman
Town of Easton, Ward 3
dmontgomery@eastonmd.gov
443-439-9700
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
The next meeting of the Talbot County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will be held on Tuesday, December 9 at 7:30 a.m. in the Wye Oak Room at the Talbot County Community Center, 10028 Ocean Gateway, Easton, Maryland 21601. If you have any questions, please call Cassandra Vanhooser at 410-770-8000.
Bob Burgner
Oxford Resident
robert.burgner@me.com
Howard T. Callahan Sr.
Talbot County Business Owner
howardtcallahan@gmail.com
Frank Carollo
St. Michaels District Resident
flcarollo@gmail.com
Bob DeGour
Easton Resident
robert.degour@gmail.com
Lt. J.R. Dobson
Talbot County Sheriff’s Office
jdobson@talbotcountymd.gov
Ava Ellett
Trappe Resident
ava.ellett46@gmail.com
Heather Grant
Easton Resident
heather@talbotthrive.org
Ed Heikes Sr.
Maryland Farm Bureau
eheikes@atlanticbb.net
Jessica Lister
Chapel District Resident
jessica.j.lister@gmail.com
Mike Owens
Talbot County Public Schools
carl.owens@talbotschools.org
Phil Starkey
Queen Anne Resident
pdstarkey2@gmail.com
Pete Lesher
Talbot County Council Liaison
plesher@talbotcountymd.gov
Cassandra M. Vanhooser
Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism
cvanhooser@talbotcountymd.gov, 410-770-8000
Emily Gilmer
Talbot County Parks and Recreation
egilmer@talbotcountymd.gov, 410-770-8050
12.9.25 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda
7.22.25 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Minutes
7.22.25 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Agenda
5.27.25 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Minutes
5.27.25 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Agenda
PARKS & HERITAGE
Frederick Douglass Park on the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee
The Frederick Douglass Park on the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee meetings are held online the second Thursday of the month at 4 p.m. No meeting is scheduled in January 2025.
Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89368268439?pwd=5uJquOaaSHa774EfabUyhICAUU365B.1
Meeting ID: 893 6826 8439
Passcode: 936979
Pete Lesher, Ex-Officio
Vice President
Talbot County Council
11 N. Washington St.
Easton, MD 21601
410-443-5440
plesher@talbotcountymd.gov
Kenneth B. Morris, Jr., term ends 11/1/2027
Co-Founder & President
Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives
140 E. Main St., Rochester, NY 14604
866-960-9299
kmorris@fdfi.org
Corey W. Pack, term ends 11/1/2027
Easton, MD 21601
410-829-5561
coreydoright@outlook.com
Marci Ross, term ends 11/1/2026
Assistant Director
Maryland Dept. of Commerce – Tourism Development
401 E. Pratt St.
Baltimore, MD 20202
410-767-6286
Marci.ross@maryland.gov
Richard Marks, term ends 11/1/2025
Easton, MD 21601
410-924-1420
Rgm1@mac.com
Harriette Lowery, term ends 11/1/2029
Easton, MD 21601
410-375-9454
Harriettelowery@gmail.com
Nate Hoxter, term ends 11/1/2028
Commissioner
Town of Queen Anne Maryland
P.O. Box 365
Queen Anne, MD 21657
443-988-2473
natehoxter@gmail.com
Cassandra M. Vanhooser
Director, Economic Development and Tourism
215 Bay Street, Suite 5
Easton, MD 21601
410-770-8000
cvanhooser@talbotcountymd.gov
LaDarian Blake
Assistant Director
Talbot County Parks and Recreation
10028 Ocean Gateway
Easton, MD 21601
410-700-8050
lblake@talbotcountymd.gov
11.13.25 FD Park on the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda
10.09.25 FD Park On The Tuckahoe Advisory Committee Meeting Notes
10.09.25 FD Park on the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda
7.10.25 – FD Park on the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda
6.12.25 Fredrick Douglass Park Update
6.13.25 FD Park On the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee Meeting Notes
5.8.25 – FD Park on the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda
3.13.25 FD Park On the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee Meeting Notes
3.13.25 – FD Park on the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda
2.13.25_Advisory Meeting Notes
2.13.25 – FD Park on the Tuckahoe Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda
Contact Us
Get In Touch
Please contact our Talbot County Tourism and Economic Development team with any questions or if you need additional support. Fill out the Contact Form, send us an email, or call using the number below. about your trip to Talbot County or to request brochures or guides. You can also call us at the number below.