Southwest Visions Foundation

Paula Wolf, a 60+ year resident of Arbutus, is a driven community advocate and impassioned leader. Previous officer positions include president of the former Greater Arbutus Community Alliance, vice president of the Arbutus Business & Professional Association (now known as the Greater Arbutus Business Association), and secretary of the Halethorpe Improvement Association. She currently holds membership in various southwestern Baltimore County community and civic organizations including UMBC’s Neighbor Relations Committee. Upon recommendation of the state Secretary of Health, Paula received a gubernatorial appointment to the Spring Grove Hospital Center Citizens Advisory Board. Prior to retirement, Paula spent a decade assisting constituents across Baltimore and Howard Counties as administrative aide to then District 12 state Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer.

Marilyn Maitland, an educator and business professional, has served as Consultant to Maryland State Department of Education. She has led corporate and international sales training for IBM, General Electric and Digital Equipment. Her experience in sales management and leading business development teams is extensive.

As a community advocate she has served as Chair of Howard County Maryland Board of Health, Regional coordinator of Children’s Friendship Project of Northern Ireland and President of her community associations. She is founding member and President of the Baltimore County Arts Guild.

Eric Buono is a multifaceted banking professional with a strong background in economics, commercial finance, and entrepreneurship. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Business Management from Washington College, where he conducted research on student loan default rates. Eric is also the co‑founder and Vice President of 9 Zones Baseball, where he holds patents and contributes to innovative training and player‑development solutions within the baseball industry. He launched his banking career at Northwest Bank through their Management Trainee Program, advancing into leadership roles including Assistant Branch Manager. Eric continued his career growth at Shore United Bank, serving as Branch Manager and later as a Business Banking Relationship Manager, where he focused on business development and the financial needs of commercial clients. Today, Eric serves as an AVP, Business Banking Officer at Harford Bank, where he is responsible for cultivating and strengthening commercial relationships, identifying growth opportunities, and delivering customized financial solutions that support local businesses and long‑term economic success. Outside of his banking career, Eric is dedicated to community involvement. He serves as Treasurer for the Baltimore County Arts Guild and sits on the Arbutus Arts Festival Committee, supporting initiatives that foster arts, culture, and community engagement throughout the region.

Barbara Cantrell has more than 20 years of commercial real estate valuation experience, including multi-family, office, retail, industrial, and special purpose properties. She is licensed as a Certified General Real Estate Appraiser in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. Barb also holds the MAI designation of the Appraisal Institute, and has served the organization on the chapter, regional, and national levels. Barb has called the Arbutus/Halethorpe area home for over 40 years.

Ellie Chetelat is a lifelong resident of the Arbutus area with strong connections to the landscape and natural spaces that make our region unique. As a landscape architect with years of experience restoring ecosystems throughout Maryland, she envisions creating a mosaic of heathy green spaces that enhance access to nature while connecting fragmented communities in Southwest Baltimore.

D. Paul Monteiro serves as Vice President for Government Relations and Community Affairs at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where he leads engagement and advocacy with local, state, and federal partners. His work centers on building strong relationships between the university and the surrounding communities—advancing initiatives that expand opportunity, strengthen neighborhoods, and foster civic collaboration. Prior to joining UMBC, Paul served as Maryland’s inaugural Secretary of the Department of Service and Civic Innovation and was nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Director of the Community Relations Service at the U.S. Department of Justice. He has also held senior leadership roles at Howard University and served in the Obama administration as Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, as well as National Director of AmeriCorps VISTA. Paul’s involvement with Southwest Visions reflects his commitment to connecting anchor institutions like UMBC with local leaders to advance community-driven revitalization, infrastructure improvements, and civic engagement across Southwest Baltimore County. His experience in government relations and community affairs aligns closely with the Foundation’s mission to build sustainable, collaborative solutions that benefit residents and strengthen the region.

Nick Stewart is a partner at Duane Morris LLP; He is in the Firm’s Corporate Practice Group. In 2021, he co-founded the community organization “We The People – Baltimore County” to advocate for equity in connection with Baltimore County’s master planning process. Nick is an advisory council member for Strong Future Maryland – a nonprofit designed to address systemic inequality and promote a sustainable, just and prosperous economic future for all Marylanders. He is also an executive committee member with the Lawyers' Campaign Against Hunger, which raises funds to combat food insecurity in Maryland. And he is a member of both the Maryland State Bar Association and the Maryland Chapter of the Association of Corporate Growth.

In addition, Nick has served in various capacities for several organizations in the region: the Greater Baltimore Committee, a member and later vice-chair of the Baltimore County Board of Education, and board member and executive committee member for the Baltimore County Workforce Development Board.