Brigadier General Warner I. Sumpter, USA, Ret. Elected President of the Maryland State Board of Education
Jean C. Halle Elected Vice President
BALTIMORE – The Maryland State Board of Education unanimously elected Brigadier General Warner I. Sumpter, USA, Ret. as president and Jean Halle as vice president for 2019-2020.
General Sumpter has served professionally and as a volunteer for over 50 years in federal, state, county, and community positions. He is a graduate of the University of Baltimore, the University of Louisville-Southern Police Institute, and earned a Master’s Degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College of the National Defense University.
General Sumpter began his military career serving in the United States Marine Corps and culminated his time with the Marine Corps serving in the former Republic of Vietnam. For 23 years, he served with the Maryland Army National Guard in various capacities before retiring as the Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 2013. General Sumpter has also served as Chief of Police and Assistant Secretary for Law Enforcement and Security Operations at the Maryland Department of General Services, Assistant Adjutant General and Commanding General of the Maryland Army National Guard, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Center at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, and has over 20 years of experience with the Maryland State Police.
General Sumpter has long been an advocate for public education and is a former member of the Somerset County Board of Education, serving as Chairman of the Board for multiple terms. He has also supported and provided leadership to the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, serving on the Board of Directors as president and secretary.
Vice President Jean C. Halle brings over 30 years of experience in executive positions in education, business, and professional services to inform her work with the State Board of Education.
Ms. Halle attended Loyola College where she earned a degree in accounting before beginning her career with Deloitte where she worked in auditing and business consulting. Ms. Halle subsequently worked at The Baltimore Sun and Times Mirror in a variety of positions, including Chief Financial Officer for The Baltimore Sun. In addition, she served as the President of the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association for two terms.
Following 20 years in media, Ms. Halle transitioned into education as the CEO of Calvert Education Services (Calvert), a not-for-profit organization which supports students and teachers in various school settings and children from a diverse array of socioeconomic backgrounds. During her tenure, Calvert grew to serve 20,000 students and made significant strides in the development of curriculum and community partnerships. After leaving Calvert, Ms. Halle served as the Chief Operating Officer for Curiosityville, a digital early learning company. She currently works as an independent consultant.
Ms. Halle is currently Vice President and Treasurer for the Women’s Education Alliance and serves on the board of American Public Education Inc. and the Board of Trustees of Catholic Distance University. She is also a former member of the Loyola School of Education Advisory Board and Stevenson University Advisory Board.