Ric Gordon
Ric Gordon was born Brandon Ricardo Gordon in Prince George’s County on September 19, 1982, and attended Prince George’s County Public Schools. Gordon graduated from Morris College in 2004 obtaining his bachelor’s degree in political science and pre-law, a minor in psychology and a master’s degree in public administration. Gordon has served in various organizations throughout his time in Greenbelt. He was the founder and former chair of Greenbelt Voices Rising, former vice chair of the city’s Park and Recreation Advisory Board and former vice president of GATe TV. During Gordon’s first two years on council, he worked with multiple organizations by holding voter registration and community rallies, organizing food basket/clothes giveaways and collecting holiday and school supplies for Greenbelt students. He started the Greenbelt Pride Festival in 2022 and added the Pride Parade in 2023.
Gordon was the first Greenbelt councilmember and first African American to serve as State Chair of the Young Municipal Leaders under the Maryland Municipal League. Gordon currently serves as an at-large executive board member with Prince George’s County Municipal Association where he was appointed to serve on the county tax differential taskforce.
Gordon has been honored for his community work in Greenbelt with citations and special letters by Delegate Alonzo Washington, Governor Wes Moore and Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman.
Gordon is a published author of three books of poetry, is an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and Prince Hall Freemason of Warren Lodge #8. Gordon resides in the Franklin Park community in Greenbelt West. He and his wife Carla, whom he met and married in Greenbelt, have four grown children and six grandchildren. Gordon is currently employed at The U.S. Department of Transportation under the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration as a government contractor. He will be completing a certification from the University of Maryland Public Policy Academy of Excellence in Local Governance the fall of 2023.
Matthew Inzeo
My name is Matthew Inzeo and I am running for Greenbelt City Council. Greenbelt has taught me citizenship. The values of our community serve me in all aspects of my life.
The spirit of community is the hallmark of Greenbelt. I learned to swim at the Greenbelt Aquatic and Fitness Center, and, later, had responsibility for others as a lifeguard. Greenbelt’s Little League taught me teamwork and sportsmanship as a child and I taught those values as a coach.
I graduated from Prince George’s Community College with a degree in general studies and certification in criminal justice. I joined the Prince George’s County Police Department and have had multiple sessions of further training on the job. Commitment to service compelled me to become a police officer.
Throughout my career I have walked a beat, working directly with the community. I have had the honor of receiving two lifesaving awards, one for saving a toddler from drowning and a second for aiding an elderly victim of gun violence.
Participation in the city has been a part of my life since my youth. In high school, I served on the Youth Advisory Committee and helped with the planning and youth input of the then-new city skate park.
I have served on the Public Safety Advisory Committee. As a police officer, I am grateful to have helped put up the mile safety markers around Buddy Attick Park. Thanks to these markers, victims can better notify where they are so police can get to them quicker.
While I was on the Public Safety Committee, we partnered with the Rite Aid Foundation and KidCents Safe Kids Medication Disposal Program in installing a drug drop box, now located in front of the Greenbelt Police Station at 550 Crescent Road. This box is used to conveniently and safely dispose of unwanted, unused and expired prescription medication.
I continue to serve on the city’s Advisory Planning Board and am a member of the Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt Democratic Club.
As a child, I could not imagine the impact Greenbelt would have on my life. Today my wife and I can imagine no better place to raise our children. Conceived as a part of FDR’s New Deal, Greenbelt lives up to the promises of its founding. When I was a boy, my parents brought our family here to take part in those promises.
I am running because I believe in Greenbelt.
Jenni Pompi
Jenni Pompi has been living in Prince George’s County for more than 25 years, and she and her family have been living in Old Greenbelt since 2018. They decided to move here after outgrowing their previous home because they were already involved in Greenbelt Little League and the local camps and knew this was a community they wanted to be a part of.
Pompi has two children who both attend Prince George’s County Public Schools – Oscar is a junior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School and Miles is a freshman in the pre-IB program at Parkdale. She has been married to her husband, Nelson, for more than 18 years. The family has two pets – a sweet dog, Rocket and a mean cat. Clementine.
Pompi attended the University of Maryland where she earned degrees in journalism and women’s studies. In her professional life, she spent many years working as a fundraiser at progressive nonprofit organizations, including Maryland NARAL, the D.C. Rape Crisis Center and a union advocacy organization. She also worked as a community journalist covering several cities in northern Prince George’s County, including Bowie, Riverdale Park, University Park and Hyattsville. As a journalist, Pompi had a passion for covering municipal government and grew to know and respect city leaders and the work they do, and as such is an engaged citizen who attends as many local meetings and events as she can. Presently, Pompi works as a magazine editor at a nonprofit membership association located in Annapolis.
Pompi believes in intentional community building and loves making personal connections, which is why she and her whole family are deeply involved in Greenbelt. She is vice president of the ERHS PTSA, and holds membership in Greenbelt’s Advisory Committee on Education, the Greenbelt Library, the planning committee for Greenbelt PRIDE in 2023, is a reporter for the Greenbelt News Review, a parishioner at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in College Park and a board member of the Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt Democratic Club.
Pompi’s husband is an assistant leader for both Greenbelt’s local BSA Troop and BSA Venture Crew, of which their children are members.
In her free time, Pompi loves to read books of all genres, play board games with her family, spend time with friends and neighbors and enjoy time outdoors on her back patio.
Rodney Roberts
Rodney M. Roberts, 65, is a life-long Greenbelter. He attended Prince George’s County schools and was active in sports with the Greenbelt Boys and Girls Club. Roberts is sole proprietor of a small business that specializes in on-site repairs of various types of equipment and vehicles.
In 32 years, Roberts has never missed a council meeting.
Roberts volunteers his professional skills to groups such as Greenbelt Intergenerational Volunteer Exchange (GIVES) and individuals in need. Roberts successfully fought efforts to demolish two single-family homes in Greenbelt, using his own funds and labor to do repairs on one.
Roberts proposed and worked through to implementation a community policing program that included the city’s first bicycle patrols.
Roberts was a leader in the citizen movement that resulted in the city’s acquisition of 184 acres of woodland, part of the original Green Belt.
Roberts testifies on behalf of the city before federal, state and county officials concerning development, transportation, recreational, environmental and fiscal issues. He represented the city on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Transportation Planning Board for 28 years.
Roberts found legal representation to help the city fight the maglev train.
Roberts recently knocked on hundreds of doors to collect petition signatures for the city manager residence issue.
In 2022, Roberts filed a NEPA suit against the U.S. Treasury Department to fight the proposed industrial development of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Because of his suit, Treasury has had to abandon plans to dump 120,000 gallons of polluted wastewater daily into Beaverdam Creek.
Moses Sekatawa
Now a citizen of the United States, I was born and raised in Uganda. As a young boy, I witnessed several traumatic events during the Idi Amin regime. My parents told me: “It doesn’t matter how the government treats us, we will still dream our dreams.” Those painful moments served to build the resilient person that I finally became.
I graduated from Makerere University as a high school teacher in 1989. I’ve served as a pastor since 1990. My travel history includes several countries in Africa and Europe. My pastoral work in Uganda involved providing counsel and support to prisoners, ex-convicts and their families. I encouraged the church and civic groups to address the needs of high-risk communities in the war-ravaged parts of Uganda.
I am a married man, father of four children and grandfather of five. I speak several languages fluently including English, Luganda, Swahili, Lusoga, Runyakitara and Lingala. Right now, I am learning Spanish. I am studying at Regent University for a bachelor’s degree in law. After graduation, I plan to use my skills and experience to advocate for the rights of the disadvantaged people.
I hold a view that everyone is valuable, regardless of background, race, gender, age, beliefs, level of education or what society says about them. Human value is neither determined by one’s achievements, or failures, nor by the opinions of society. This is well explained in our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” I believe everyone has rights, and a purpose. The Declaration of Independence further states that “to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their powers from the consent of the governed.” So, I intend to cooperate with the government to ensure these natural rights continue to be protected.
I envisage a safer Greenbelt, free of crime, where the disadvantaged are motivated and the well-to-dos don’t have to feel sorry for their success. I am also passionate about the protection of our environment.
James Whipple
I am James Whipple. I am a new generation for a new deal. I am running for city council.
I was born in the Walter Reed Medical Center on March 8, 1993 to a father who devoted his life to the army and an immigrant Filipino mother who worked around the clock for her children. The household was poor; we were barely able to keep up with bills and it seemed like an emergency was just around the corner waiting to drain any savings we could scrounge up.
Growing up in a low-income household I had no delusions about going to college. I knew it was important, but I also knew that we could not afford it. But, with great effort, I was able to not only be accepted to University of Maryland, College Park in their engineering program; I was offered a full scholarship through the Incentive Awards Program (IAP). I graduated from UMCP in 2015 with a B.S. in mechanical engineering, and a minor in international engineering.
While I was in college, the IAP enabled their scholars to become more connected to their communities through volunteer efforts. After the first year I volunteered to be on a committee to organize, plan and track these outreach efforts, with particular interest in assisting smaller organizations.
After college I worked as an engineer for a small engineering contractor that mostly does work for the U.S. Postal Service. I gained a reputation for being an honest and earnest worker, willing to do whatever it took to get the job done right while being fully transparent. In 2021, I joined the NIST Center for Neutron Research where I work as an electronics engineer supporting the research reactor that services most of our nation’s neutron research. I also volunteer some of my time with the Incentive Awards Program and the NIST mentoring program.
I purchased a house in GHI in 2022, settling down permanently here with my wife. I successfully ran for the GHI Board of Directors in the same year I moved in. I’ve worked to find consensus on difficult problems that face our housing cooperative, and I’ve championed the effort for alternative revenue streams for GHI. I am still on the board of directors for GHI, and intend to fulfill my commitment to GHI if elected to city council.
William Orleans
When first permitted to run for council, or from council, as it may be, Bill’s biography was published in the October 20, 2011 issue of the News Review. It’s archived, and can be read, new and improved at billorleans.com. It is a recitation of a few stories relevant to the construct of his character. He often has thought that many will have read the first clause of the first sentence, agreed with it and read no further.
When he returned to Greenbelt in 2004, it was not to win friends and influence council, it was from necessity, not choice. Life’s potential was lost to him in NYC, where he had lived for 35 years, and indeed, his life, itself, was in question. Unemployable for more than a year, ethically, morally and financially in debt, drinking heavily, he returned to live, what he had reason to believe would be relatively a short span of time, in his late mother’s GHI home in the dead of night, and, not unpacking his car, drank himself to sleep. The next afternoon, after unpacking, he drove into the VA in D.C., was admitted for a procedure previously received in the New York VA. The next day he was informed by a company of doctors that he could not live unless he stopped drinking.
Hoping to resolve as much of his collective debts as would be possible, he was persuaded, drove back to Greenbelt and the next day fulfilled every good boy’s obligation, got a library card and a change of registration form.
That first week back, or the next, he went to his first Greenbelt City Council meeting. A Queen and her Consort, no less pompous and basely political than their big city counterparts, or than the Senator Snorts of Congress and no one was there to watch them cavort. Thus began Bill’s last act, monitoring Greenbelt Council, and done so mostly alone and made all the more difficult because he was engaging in this sober.
Emmett V. Jordan
Emmett V. Jordan, the incumbent mayor, has been a Greenbelt resident for 23 years. He relocated to the area to work with the University of Maryland in 1998. Attracted by the city’s convenient location and abundant recreational amenities, he moved to the Greenbriar Condominiums.
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he studied liberal arts and music at Morehouse College and at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in urban administration. He furthered his education with additional graduate coursework in public administration at Seton Hall University. Jordan participated in the UM Legacy Leadership Institute on Municipal Government in 2008 and completed an Academy for Excellence in Local Governance Fellowship in 2011. He frequently attends workshops and conferences to stay well-informed about issues impacting Greenbelt.
Jordan holds the distinction of being the first African American elected to council in 2009.
Currently, Jordan serves on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Maryland Municipal League. He is past president of the Prince George’s County Municipal Association. He works hard to maintain productive relationships with representatives from surrounding municipal, county, state and federal governments. These external relationships provide a platform to advocate for the best interests of Greenbelt.
Jordan’s career spans more than three decades of experience in planning and implementing capacity building programs for organizations. Since 2005, he has worked as an independent contractor, providing professional services focused on marketing, communications, strategic planning and fund development. He has worked with a variety of nonprofit organizations, including the Smithsonian Institution, University of Maryland at College Park, Plainfield Neighborhood Health Center and the United Negro College Fund.
Before 2009, Jordan served as a member of the city’s Advisory Planning Board, where he led an initiative to develop a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for Greenbelt. He has been a board member for the Greenbriar Condominiums Association, Phase I and served as the chair for the Greenbelt Community Foundation Board. Additionally, he co-chaired the Urban Roundtable, an auxiliary organization affiliated with the Greater Washington Urban League.
An energetic and active person, Jordan enjoys attending concerts, art exhibits and cultural programs. His favorite pastimes include spending time outdoors around Greenbelt, playing tennis, bicycling and playing the guitar.
Kristen Weaver
Kristen Weaver was born in Greeley, Colorado. She earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and psychology (2004) and a master’s in education (2006) from the University of Denver. She became a certified teacher in 2005. Weaver taught science and mathematics in Denver Public Schools from 2005-2007. After reconnecting with her now-husband, A.J. Stephens, a friend from childhood, she moved to the D.C. area to teach middle school science in Montgomery County Public Schools from 2007-2013. In 2013 she became an outreach specialist at Goddard Space Flight Center, currently with Science Systems and Applications, Inc.
In 2015, Weaver and A.J. moved to the Greenbelt Station neighborhood for proximity to both her work and the Metro. She was also drawn to Greenbelt’s history and cooperative ethos. Weaver soon began attending city council meetings to learn more about plans for the walking path to the Metro station. Events such as the Labor Day parade brought back fond memories of July Fourth festivities in her hometown, where neighborhood gatherings were frequent. After years of living in apartments and barely knowing neighbors by sight, Weaver was excited to find in Greenbelt the sense of community she had known growing up.
Since moving to Greenbelt Station, Weaver has been involved in the homeowner’s association, currently serving as chair of the Activities Committee, as well as taking a leadership role in the Greenbelt Neighborhood Composting group at Springhill Lake Recreation Center. She served on the Park and Recreation Advisory Board from 2018 until her election to council in 2021, and continues to serve as council liaison to PRAB. She also serves as liaison to the Greenbelt Advisory Committee for Environmental Sustainability, which meshes well with her interest in environmental causes, such as supporting the Better Bag ordinance and promoting electric vehicles and infrastructure, stormwater management and other climate resilience issues as part of the city’s planning processes.
As a member of Greenbelt City Council, Weaver is proud to have participated in the distribution of the federal American Rescue Plan Act funding through a variety of projects that support individual Greenbelters, businesses and nonprofits and catching up on infrastructure improvements delayed by the pandemic. Personally, she feels she has been able to contribute to making online meetings more effective and facilitating resident participation during hybrid sessions. If re-elected, she hopes to continue to be part of bringing neighborhoods together and building a stronger sense of community for all city residents.
Danielle McKinney
Danielle McKinney is passionate about serving the community, building connections and inspiring collective action.
McKinney learned the importance of embracing other cultures, education and using her unique strengths in service to the community through volunteering, participating in arts and leadership organizations and recreation activities starting at an early age. She carried these interests and values with her when she moved to Prince George’s County in 1999 to complete her master’s degree in educational leadership and policy at the University of Maryland. While at UMD, she created the America Reads-America Counts afterschool tutoring program at Springhill Lake Elementary School.
Following graduate school, McKinney continued to work for educational equity in leadership roles, training educators, community organizations and leaders. For the past 12 years, McKinney has worked for Marriott International, currently serving as senior director of learning and development where she designs and facilitates training programs on service, leadership and hotel operations. When looking for a home in 2018, McKinney and her husband felt that Greenbelt aligned with their values and interests. She joined the Greenbelt Station Homeowner’s Association Grounds Committee. In 2021, she was elected to the HOA Board, serving as treasurer. In 2022, she established the Greenbelt Station Greenspace Collective working with the city and the Neighborhood Design Center to create a master plan bringing residents together to better utilize the green space in the community.
McKinney is passionate about building a healthy lifestyle and inspiring others to do the same. She is a member of the Greenbelt Community Garden Club and enjoys connecting with other Greenbelters while taking classes at the Greenbelt Aquatic & Fitness Center. For the last six years, McKinney has also served as a volunteer leader for a national nonprofit which offers monthly outdoor recreation activities such as biking, kayaking, hiking and camping in Greenbelt and other local parks.
Born in Rochester, N.Y., McKinney holds a B.A. in government with a minor in Black studies from Claremont McKenna College in southern California. She is an alumna of Teach For America’s 1997 corps, where she taught fifth grade and created an arts, science and recreation after-school program in the Long Beach Unified School District.
McKinney looks forward to joining Greenbelt residents on their journey forward.
Silke Pope
Silke Pope served on the Public Safety Advisory Committee for nine years until election to council in 2009. During her tenure leading PSAC, the city saw improvements in safety including installation of security cameras at the Spellman Overpass and emergency call boxes on Metro Drive and in Franklin Park. Pope is council liaison to both PSAC and the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee and she continues to be a strong supporter of public safety and quality of life initiatives.
Pope has served on state and national committees including the National League of Cities (NLC) Public Safety and Crime Prevention Steering Committee and the NLC Small Cities Council which she chaired in 2016. She was also on the board of the Prince George’s County Municipal Association in 2022.
Pope earned a fellowship from the University of Maryland’s Academy for Excellence in Local Governance. This provided her with a thorough understanding of the functions of local municipalities and a strong understanding of governmental policy and ethics. Additionally, Pope completed workshops at the University of Maryland’s Academy for Excellence on Leadership and Human Cognition, Economic Development and Leadership and Negotiation, Government and Civility.
Pope has experience in international business relations and banking where her bilingual ability, attention to detail and organizational skills were critical. She has been employed by Prince George’s County Schools for 23 years, first at Greenbelt Middle School and currently at Springhill Lake Elementary. She most recently has taught an after-school Achieve Tutoring Program that teaches social, emotional and physical wellness.
Before proudly earning U.S. citizenship in 2006, Pope became involved in several community groups in Greenbelt. A member of St. Hugh of Grenoble Church since 2000, she has been involved in numerous fundraising efforts, the most notable being the annual Oktoberfest where she is best known for her authentic German dishes. She served on the Belle Point Homeowners’ Association from 2006 to 2019 and joined the Charlestowne Village Condominium Association in 2019. She is also a member of the American Legion, Post 136 Ladies Auxiliary.
Pope has lived in Greenbelt for 25 years. She came to Greenbelt with her family from Germany after her husband, Joseph, retired from the United States Army. She originally lived in Franklin Park and currently resides in Belle Point. When not attending council meetings and events, Silke walks her shelter dogs, Chip and Bambi, exercises and spends time with her six grandchildren.