Maryland’s Most Inspiring Stories

The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.

Amanda DeSanto

I’ve loved skincare since childhood—my Puerto Rican mom had me on a routine before most kids even knew what moisturizer was. After working in fashion, makeup, and retail management, I eventually followed the pull to esthetician school. I originally thought I’d go into medical aesthetics, but my own skin journey changed everything. Read more>>

David Pearman

My farming journey started as a slow burn in 2013, in the form of my first garden in my parents backyard, before I had any idea that I would go on to become a real farmer years later. Read more>>

Inna Zusman

I was first drawn to psychology at the age of 14 after reading Viktor Frankl. His ideas about meaning and resilience stayed with me and shaped how I see people to this day. I went on to study psychology at one of the top universities in Moscow and began my career working as a children’s psychologist in schools and outpatient settings. Read more>>

Denascia Salley

My journey truly begins with my faith. I was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of my life at an early age. As the eldest of three siblings, I grew up understanding the importance of leadership, character, and integrity. Those principles, along with a life grounded in the Word of God, have guided every area of my life and purpose. Read more>>

Courtney Jones

When I think about my story, I feel fortunate to have known from a young age that I wanted to be a clinician. That clarity has allowed me to feel like I’m living my life’s purpose every day through this work. Read more>>

Amy Van Orden

My professional background started in sales, where I spent the majority of my career developing strong communication skills, building relationships, and learning how to understand and respond to people’s needs. While that work taught me a great deal, a few years ago I transitioned into the nonprofit sector when I took a position as a grant administrator. Read more>>

Leanne Listman

My story began on the edge of Baltimore City, where I grew up surrounded by domestic violence, homelessness, and the everyday reality of economic hardship. I watched women stay with partners who hurt them because they literally could not afford to leave. I watched mothers give up their own basic needs—sometimes even period products—just to feed their families. Read more>>

Kimberly Walker & Talecia Izlar

Our story really started in 2018 when Talecia and I met as coworkers. From the beginning, we connected because we shared a similar work ethic and a deep passion for the field of mental health. We also shared a lot of conversations about what therapy looked like in our communities and how it could evolve. Read more>>

Rochelle Campbell

Sometimes, purpose finds you in the middle of pain. My journey to creating Toiletry and Company, Inc. began during one of the most difficult seasons of my life. At the time, I was experiencing workplace bullying. It was a very challenging period emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. During that time I took a break from work. Read more>>

Phil Dudley

I’ve always considered myself a self-taught builder in every sense of the word — construction, sales, operations, technology, and solving real-world problems. Early on I realized that nothing meaningful is handed to you, so I became someone who figures things out, adapts quickly, and builds solutions when they don’t exist. My career has crossed several industries including construction, real estate, management, and sales. Read more>>

Tiarra Abu-Bakr

I was raised in Southeast Washington, DC, in a neighborhood shaped by both deep community and the realities of poverty. As a child, I was exposed to ongoing complex trauma that created an internal tension between what I felt I was meant for and what my environment sometimes suggested was possible. Read more>>

Cort Meinelschmidt

We opened up Meinelschmidt Distillery in March 2021. The goal was to bring life back to Downtown Hagerstown, and to be a part of its revitalization. We envisioned a destination where locals would be proud to bring their guests, and a tourist stop that out of state visitors would remember every time they made their way back. Read more>>

Benita Sey

I started my Fashion Styling journey through my very own closet. As I was in undergrad, I begun to develop my individuality. I started to express myself through my clothing. On this journey of self discovery, I received a lot of feedback and compliments from members of my community in regard to my sense of style. Read more>>

Anthony ‘Tony’ Doran

My name is Dr. Anthony “Tony” Doran, and I’m a clinical neuropsychologist and the founder of NeuroPro Concussion Clinic. My career has focused on understanding how the brain responds to injury and how people recover after concussion, trauma, and other neurological challenges. My early exposure to traumatic brain injury came during my years working in military medicine and training environments. Read more>>

Drew Freyder

In 2018, my wife and I felt the Lord’s urge to step out of our current career. It was a step of obedience without any further instructions beyond it. As a single-income home, you can imagine the magnitude of the decision. Nonetheless, we both knew it was God’s next step for us and we stepped out in trust. Read more>>

Abdul T. Sesay

How I started was by writing in school. I would write stories, but at that time, in rhyme form. Later, I got into music production, where I produced the music for my songs. Then I got into producing for other people and started putting out projects. Read more>>

May Nash

I have always been philanthropic at heart. Since high school, I have volunteered with local nonprofits and have always felt a deep passion for giving back to my community. For more than 15 years, I worked as an educator. Even while teaching, I continued to stay connected to nonprofit work by volunteering with local organizations during my summers. Read more>>

Alex Kulick

I’m a Maryland girl, born and raised. Growing up in the woods of Davidsonville for most of my life, I considered it the best of both worlds. I frequently visited our amazing neighboring cities for concerts and museums, but I was also in the backyard riding ATVs or exploring. Read more>>

Mike Kelbaugh

I started playing in the Hagerstown Area Church Softball league when I was 27 years old. I became President of the league when I was 31 and have held that position for the last 35 years. At the beginning we played at different complexes throughout Washington County, Maryland. For the last 23 years we have played at the Hagerstown Fairground Softball complex. Read more>>

Julie Baron

My path really began in middle school, sitting in a counselor’s office as a struggling kid myself. I was dealing with anxiety and depression at a time when therapy wasn’t as common, and I was fortunate to have thoughtful, caring professionals who really showed up for me. Looking back, those early experiences shaped me in ways I didn’t fully understand at the time. Read more>>

Alyssa Lozano

My journey into real estate really started from a gap I saw while working in cybersecurity at the NSA. Many of my colleagues were in the intelligence and military community, and because of TDYs, deployments, and PCS moves, they often had to leave their properties behind. The challenge wasn’t just finding someone to “watch” the property. Read more>>

Dan Darrikhuma

My family immigrated to the United States in 1964 when I was eleven months old. We settled in Takoma Park, Maryland where and attended Sligo Elementary School and Takoma Academy. I served in the US Army in the early 80’s as an infantryman, paratrooper, and in the mechanized infantry for four years. Read more>>

Katelyn Verley

⸻ It was my senior year of high school, just a few months before graduation, when teachers started asking the question everyone expects: What are your plans after school? Most students already knew what college they were going to—even some of them had decided as early as freshman year. That wasn’t my case. What people did know me for was my hair. Read more>>

Bessie Stroman

I started my journey in skincare by creating handcrafted products before I was even a licensed esthetician. I was really interested in ingredients and how they interacted with the skin, and that curiosity is what pulled me deeper into this field. As I became a licensed esthetician and began working with clients, I moved into corrective skincare and focused on helping people with specific concerns. Read more>>

David Alt

My path to leadership at The Light House began decades ago, shaped by the stories my father told me of his time in the Peace Corps in the 1970s. Read more>>

Jerson Cobena

I grew up in Glen Burnie, Maryland, but my roots are in Callao, Peru, where opportunities are limited and hard work is a necessity. That background shaped my mindset early and taught me that if I wanted more out of life, I would have to build it myself. Construction has always been part of my life. Read more>>

Germantown Historical Society

The Germantown Historical Society was formed in January 1990. By the spring of 1991 the organization had By-Laws, was incorporated in the State of Maryland, had been accepted by the IRS as a non-profit, and had a bank account – but very little money. The founding members were Susan Soderberg, Elaine Huey, Marcia Geoghan, Audrey Thews and Dana Witt. Read more>>

Derrick Johnson

I’m a U.S. Air Force veteran and the founder of TDM Mold Inspection & Testing Services and the TDM Mold Assistance Foundation. My journey into this industry wasn’t something I initially planned—it came from seeing firsthand how environmental conditions inside homes can directly impact people’s health, finances, and overall quality of life. Read more>>

Rebecca Timko

I started shadowing and learning from health care providers that do exactly what Clarity Brain and Body Clinic does now, when I was 16 years old. I was immediately captivated by my mentor’s ability to connect with their patients and see incredible results on difficult cases other providers failed to help. Read more>>

chris mauger

I was born in PA and earned a business degree. I spent 10 years working as a manager of various home centers and a rental car company. In 2000, I returned to school to earn a master’s degree, and in September 2004, I moved to Lucknow, India, with my wife and three young children. Read more>>

Dr. Jaliel Thompson

My name is Jaliel Thompson—also known as Brother, Minister, Pastor, or Apostle. I overcame significant challenges, broke generational cycles, and proved that success is possible despite adversity. I’ve struggled with control, substance abuse, identity issues, and more, which have shaped my journey. Difficult experiences affected my confidence and relationships, but through mentorship, I rediscovered my purpose and now help others overcome life’s difficulties. Read more>>

Louis Roberts, M.Ed.

While supporting my good friend, Gloria A. Kitchen, and her literacy initiative through Children’s Island, I tuned in to hear many authors share their children’s books. As I listened to these authors, I had the idea to try writing a children’s book of my own. It was called “Let’s Meet Witty the Itty Bitty Kitty” and it was received very well. Read more>>

Nadege Baptiste

Despite being a dual licensed family and psychiatric nurse practitioner with extensive experience working with the substance use disorder population, my iconic insight on this matter stems from dealing with my own mental health issues.What led me to become a mental health specialist was my own battle with depression and suicidal thoughts. In the midst of that darkness, I was drawn closer to God. Read more>>

Todd Minor

Our son, Matthew Emmanuel Minor (Matt), for whom our foundation is named, was a very loving & compassionate child. He was a big hugger. Matthew had a very charismatic & loving personality and had a wonderful smile that would light up the room. Matthew was active in martial arts, football, and basketball. Read more>>