C. Obi Onyewu, MD, Commission Chair
Dr. Onyewu is a fellowship-trained and double board-certified pain medicine specialist. After receiving his medical degree from Temple University, School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Dr. Onyewu completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He followed that with a pain medicine fellowship at the Mid-Atlantic Pain Institute in Delaware. Dr. Onyewu was appointed to the Commission to represent the interest of licensed physicians from Maryland.
Philip Cogan, RPhMr. Cogan is a past president of the Maryland Pharmacists Association and is the pharmacy representative on the Commission. He has an extensive career of service at the national, state and county levels. He was Chief of Clinical Pharmacy Services for the Maryland Medicaid Program and a member of the Governor’s Medical Marijuana Model Program Work Group as well as assistant director for the Governor’s Executive Advisory Board. His federal career began as a U.S. Public Health Service officer assigned to the U.S. FDA. Subsequently, he served as: a DEA special agent; head of the DEA Regulatory Investigations Program; the director of Investigative Systems Division at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and as deputy director of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program in the White House Drug Policy Office. Mr. Cogan is a volunteer member of the Maryland Board of Pharmacy Emergency Preparedness Taskforce, Maryland and Howard County Medical Reserve Corps and treasurer of the Howard County Community Emergency Resiliency Network.
Konrad Dawson, MD
Dr. Dawson has a private medical practice in the metropolitan Washington, DC area that provides plastic and reconstructive surgery. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He earned his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn. The college is one of the nation’s oldest and largest historically black academic health science centers dedicated to educating physicians, dentists, researchers, and health policy experts. Dr. Dawson was appointed to the Commission to represent the interest of licensed physicians from Maryland.
Megan Dingus, MSN
Ms. Dingus is a nurse practitioner specializing in hospice and palliative medicine. As the nurse practitioner, she manages the day-to-day activities of her palliative care team across multiple business units. She regularly advises patients and families on prevention, promotion, and health maintenance issues as they relate to symptom management and end-of-life care. She is a member of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Ms. Dingus was appointed to the Commission as the hospice care practitioner who was nominated by a state-wide trade association.
Elizabeth Q. Hines, MD
Dr. Hines is a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics that specializes in pediatric emergency medicine. She earned her medical degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and completed her residency training at Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine. She completed fellowships at Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine in pediatric emergency medicine and New York University, School of Medicine in medical toxicology. Dr. Hines is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatric emergency medicine and pediatrics. Dr. Hines was appointed to the Commission to represent the interest of health/addiction specialist from Maryland.
Charles P. LoDico, MS, PhD
Dr. LoDico is a senior chemist/toxicologist for the Department of Health and Human Services. He received his Master’s in Pharmacology/Toxicology from Long Island University, School of Pharmacy. Dr. LoDico has been widely published in peer-reviewed journals and was nominated by the University of Maryland Medical Center. His appointment fills a position for a scientist with experience in the science of cannabis and nominated by a state research institution on the Commission.
Mark Martin, PhD, MHA
Dr. Martin currently serves as the Deputy Director for the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities for the Maryland Department of Health. He has a passion for improving patient-centered care, health equity, and for strengthening the continuum of care in communities through public and private partnerships. Dr. Martin has more than 25 years of professional experience with public health, hospital operations, financial services, community and faith-based organizations. He also serves as the Equity Branch Section Chief for the Maryland Department of Health COVID-19 Recovery Program where he leads a team of experts tasked with providing guidance, thought leadership and innovation relating to health equity to the entire COVID-19 Recovery Program. Some of Dr. Martin’s past career accomplishments include working to develop and lead a health system’s multi-million-dollar comprehensive community benefit program to ensure IRS compliance, as well as working to improve health care provider community outreach efforts to minority and vulnerable communities.
Tereance Moore, PMP, SHRM-CP
Mr. Moore is the owner of Tereance Moore Consulting, LLC, where he uses his knowledge and experience in global finance, project management, human resources, and organizational leadership to provide start-up, sustainability, and growth consultations to businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. He is co-founder and center director of the nonprofit Mediation First, Inc, which provides conflict resolution and restorative services to the community, courts, schools, prisons, and businesses. Prior to starting his business, he spent 20 years in financial services implementing globally scaled initiatives and technology to support client servicing, fraud, risk, and credit operations. Mr. Moore advocates for access to essential human services, restorative practices to resolve conflict, neighborhood organizing, and the arts through volunteerism and board service locally and nationally.
Gina Scarinzi
Ms. Scarinzi is a nurse practitioner who has worked in many fields throughout her career. She has worked in primary care, geriatrics, care of veterans, palliative and hospice care and teaching at the University of Maryland, School of Nursing (UMSON). While at the UMSON she also was lead provider and manager of the Open Gates Health Care Center. Under her leadership, Open Gates Health Care Center became the first all-nurse managed center to be accepted on the provider panel of an HMO. Ms. Scarinzi is member of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland and the American Nurses Association. Her most recent position was providing home-based palliative care. She recently retired after a career of 45 years as a registered nurse and 35 years as a Nurse Practitioner.
Saundra O. Washington
Ms. Washington is co-founder and executive director of an organization that provides social services to Maryland residents. As the executive director, she oversees the organization’s programs which include human services, health services, transportation, and economic development. Her knowledge of organizational development allowed her to develop the Regional Alzheimer's office in southern Maryland more than 24 years ago. Ms. Washington has received a number of gubernatorial appointments including the Judicial Nominating Committee. She has been recognized for her achievements that include: Charles County Sheriff's Award; Charles County Commission for Women Trailblazer Award; the Salome Howard Award and an award for serving on the Charles County Commissioners' Nonprofits Grants Advisory Panel. Ms. Washington fills the position as health/addiction specialist from Maryland.
Scott Welsh
Mr. Welsh is the owner of an agricultural facility that maintains 160,000 square feet of greenhouse space and 100,000 square feet of outdoor growing areas. He manages the day-to-day operations and works closely with local growers and farmers to produce cuttings, seedlings, and finished products for resale throughout the state. Welsh fills the position of an individual with experience in horticulture/agriculture and recommended by the Department of Agriculture on the Commission.
