Former Fox 45 Baltimore reporter Joy Lepola-Stewart has been named the new director of Public Affairs for the Baltimore County Police Department. Lepola-Stewart is replacing Sgt. Vickie Warehime, who retired earlier this month. Her salary will be $115,000, according to a county spokesman. The police department said Lepola-Stewart comes to the department “with an extensive background in local journalism, and a long and honorable family history in the law enforcement profession.”

Lepola-Stewart, in photo, has received nine regional Emmy Awards, and in 2016 and 2017 she also was a regional Edward R. Murrow winner. In 2018, she won a regional Emmy Award for a series focused on the use of taxpayer dollars to install potentially faulty roadway equipment.

“After over 30 years of service to GKV, we are extending a huge congratulations to Becky VanDervort on her well-deserved retirement,” the agency recently tweeted. “We thank her and wish her all the best in her next chapter!” An accounting manager, VanDervort joined GKV in 1989.

The PR Council elected 2021 officers and new board members, including Baltimore agency founder and CEO Dave Imre. PRC Board Members, who serve three-year terms, represent diverse regions of the country, areas of expertise and agency sizes. The new officers and board members are:

• Chair: Heather Kernahan, CEO, North America, Hotwire (San Francisco)
• Vice Chair: Chris Foster, President, North America, BCW Global Group (Washington, DC)
• Treasurer: Mike Santoro, President, Walker Sands (Chicago)
• Secretary: Cheryl Gale, President, March Communications (Boston)
• Directors (six): Rebecca Honeyman, Managing Partner, SourceCode Communications (New York), Dave Imre, CEO, imre (Baltimore), Diana Littman, CEO US, MSL (New York), Ellen Ryan Mardiks, Global Chairman, Golin (Chicago), Josh Rosenberg, Co-Founder and CEO, Day One Agency (New York), and Trisch Smith, Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Edelman (New York)

Honeyman, Imre, Littman, Rosenberg, Ryan Mardiks and Smith join 11 Directors continuing their terms: J.J. Carter, COO, FleishmanHillard (San Francisco), Michelle Flowers Welch, Founder and CEO, Flowers Communications Group (Chicago), Teneshia Jackson Warner, Founder and CEO, EGAMI Group (New York), David Jarrard, President and CEO, Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock (Nashville), Michael Kempner, CEO, MWWPR (New York), Tom Lindell, Managing Director, Exponent PR (Minneapolis), and Philip Nardone, CEO, PAN Communications (Boston).

PR Council Member agencies – 110+ of the country’s premier global, mid-size, regional and specialty firms – operate in the most sophisticated public relations market in the world, set the standard for excellence, and share a common desire to build the world’s most successful agencies. For more information, see www.prcouncil.net

Chesapeake Search Partners, a professional search and consulting firm based in Towson, announced the addition of Cameron Shinaberry as Director, Sales Marketing and Operations Practice. Shinaberry, who will also join the firm’s Executive Leadership Team, will be responsible for overseeing and growing CSP’s Sales, Marketing and Operations Practice.

“I am thrilled to announce the addition of Cameron Shinaberry to our team at Chesapeake Search Partners. As Director for our SMO practice, Cameron will play a pivotal role in the operational growth of our firm,” said Johnny Black, founding member and partner.

Photo: Fox 45 Baltimore