One Team, One Mission: MMD’s 2025 Employee Luncheon
By Maj. Benjamin Hughes
BALTIMORE — The Maryland Military Department hosted its annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon on November 21, 2025, at the Patapsco Arena, where civilian employees were recognized for their dedication and support of the Maryland National Guard mission.
Senior leaders from the Maryland National Guard joined Maj. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, adjutant general for Maryland, to honor state employees whose day-to-day efforts support Soldiers, Airmen, and the department’s domestic and federal missions. The event highlighted the critical, often unseen work that enables the National Guard members to train, serve, and deploy around the globe.
“We’re not here just to applaud individuals, but we’re here to applaud the team for all that you’ve done and accomplished this year,” said Birckhead, who was the keynote speaker for the event. “If our Soldiers and Airmen are the tip of the spear, you all are the people who sharpen that spear.”
This year’s luncheon theme, “One Team, One Mission,” underscored the shared commitment between military and civilian personnel across the Maryland Military Department. Shereda Holifield, director of procurement and logistics, received the Adjutant General’s Award for Excellence, the department’s highest civilian honor.
Holifield led her six-person section and introduced department-wide procurement standards to improve contract monitoring and enhanced the annual inventory of accountable property. Fleet management improved vehicle utilization by 85% and corrected an error that removed more than 20 vehicles the agency no longer possessed to reduce fleet costs and modernize operations.
“The recognition is deeply appreciated, but I truly see it as a team award,” said Holifield. “It is a reflection of their hard work, their dedication, and it does validate our collective commitment to the department’s mission.”
Holifield called procurement and logistics the “backbone of any successful operation,” emphasizing the importance of keeping the mission moving forward.
The luncheon also included other incentive performance awards recognizing outstanding service, as well as acknowledgments of Maryland Military Department employees who retired over the past year. State Service Awards were presented to several long-serving employees, including Wanda Geisler and Valeria Mason, both of whom were honored for 35 years of service to the department.
“This past year was very busy due to the high operational tempo, and we faced many fiscal challenges, but the team was committed to getting the mission done,” said David Paolucci, MMD chief of staff. “The department’s achievements could not have been accomplished without the dedication and technical expertise of every staff member working together. The recognition of their hard work with monetary and time off awards is truly deserved.”
Birckhead coined Susan Yang Liu, who volunteered three full days of her personal time and used her own resources to create the artificial floral centerpieces displayed throughout the venue. Service Year Option interns from the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation assisted with setting up the space before the event.
“I am proud of the team that worked so hard to make the annual employee luncheon a great event,” said Timothy Mullen, MMD deputy chief of staff. “Our state employees made a significant positive impact on the mission, so it is extremely important to make sure they know their contributions are valued.” 