Keynote Speaker
Howard County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball

Small Business Speaker
InterImage Co-Founder & CEO Leslie Steele

Join us for an engaging discussion with Howard County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball as he shares his insights on the intersection of Howard County, the Intelligence Community, and the Department of Defense.

With a large concentration of defense contractors, NSA, and Fort Meade professionals in the region, this luncheon will explore how Howard County continues to serve as a critical hub for national security and innovation.

Location
Live! Casino & Hotel in Arundel Mills, MD

Keynote Speaker
Howard County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball

The Honorable Dr. Calvin Ball is a Maryland native and resident of Columbia for over 20 years. He and his wife Shani Ball, RN, B.S.N, are proud parents of two daughters who attend and graduated from Howard County Public Schools.

He made history in 2006 when he was elected as the youngest Council Chairperson in Howard County history. He made history again in 2018 by becoming the first African American to be elected as Howard County Executive.  

Re-elected in 2022, Dr. Ball remains dedicated to ensuring our communities are safe, strong, and accessible for all. Howard County continues to be a regional and national leader, as County Executive Ball continues to champion education, environmental conservation, the health and well-being of our residents, investments in public safety and fiscal responsibility.

Transformational vision builds the best communities, and his team has implemented innovative programs and policy solutions that are data-informed and people driven.

During his first term as Howard County Executive, he and his team have prioritized growing ready and successful students, fostering safe and engaged communities, creating a clean and sustainable environment, supporting thriving and healthy residents, building reliable and accessible infrastructure, promoting a strong and prosperous business climate, and leading an innovative and efficient government. County Executive Ball has led a robust and nationally recognized response to COVID-19 pandemic.  

County Executive Ball served as President of the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) for 2023-2024 term. Previously serving as 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, he serves on a six-member Executive Committee. This committee oversees its fiscal, personnel, and management concerns as well as advocating for the shared legislative agenda for all 24 jurisdictions across the state. In 2012, he founded the Diversity Caucus of MACo, the first statewide caucus for county elected officials of color. He also participated in the National Association of Counties and Gates Foundation “Economic Mobility Leadership Network” to explore the role counties can play to positively affect economic mobility. Ball is also the 2023 Chair of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC).

County Executive Ball holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion from Towson State University, Master of Arts in Legal and Ethical Studies from the University of Baltimore, where he was nominated for the Spirit of Excellence Award, and Doctor of Education from Morgan State University. Dr. Ball is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, and is a dedicated supporter of all historically Black Greek letter organizations which serve our community. He is also a lifetime member of the NAACP.

Small Business Speaker
InterImage Co-Founder & CEO Leslie Steele

Leslie Steele is co-founder and CEO of InterImage, Inc., an information technology services provider focused on application modernization and sustainment. With over 30 years of experience in IT, Ms. Steele has focused on program and financial management, mentoring and the impact of technology on business processes.

Under her executive leadership, InterImage has achieved growth, recognition and success. A Fed 100 awardee, Ms. Steele has served in an advisory capacity to both private and public sector institutions, including serving as Chair of the Industry Advisory Council and President of AFCEA Bethesda Chapter. Her work has included conducting Business Process Re-engineering efforts; leading systems analysis, requirements and user testing efforts for enterprise systems; managing large e-gov development efforts; and providing general management and strategic direction assistance to companies and federal government agencies.

Ms. Steele has a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and an MBA from Duke University.