2026 Workforce Impact Awards Reception & 25th Anniversary Celebration
Join AAWDC in celebrating 25 extraordinary years of success in Anne Arundel County. The Workforce Impact Awards Reception recognizes the businesses and community partners shaping our local workforce. Enjoy an evening of great food, a special guest speaker, and meaningful networking—all in support of AAWDC’s mission.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, September 17th
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location:
Live! Hotel & Casino Maryland
7002 Arundel Mills Circle, #7777
Hanover, MD 21076
Sponsorship & Advertising Opportunities
AAWDC offers a range of sponsorship and advertising opportunities designed to provide meaningful visibility and engagement at every level. Each sponsorship tier includes event tickets, brand recognition, and program advertising, with expanded benefits at higher levels.
By sponsoring or advertising, your organization plays a direct role in advancing workforce development in Anne Arundel County.
Keynote Speaker
Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman
Brooke Lierman is the 34th Comptroller of the state of Maryland and the first woman to be independently elected to one of our state’s constitutional offices. After running a strong, policy-focused and grassroots-led two-year campaign, she was elected with over 60% of the vote in November 2022. She is an attorney by training, practicing as a civil rights and disability rights lawyer for many years, and prior to her election as Comptroller, she served for eight years as a member of the House of Delegates representing part of Baltimore City.
While in the House, she spent time in leadership roles on both the Appropriations Committee and the Environment and Transportation Committee and chaired the Joint Committee on Pensions. Brooke successfully passed landmark legislation on a range of issues from transit and broadband to criminal justice reform and public education.
As Comptroller, she is leading an agency of 1,200 dedicated Maryland public servants in 12 offices around the state. Together and under her leadership, the office is working to create a Maryland that is more equitable, more resilient, and more prosperous so that all Marylanders can reach their full potential.
Brooke grew up in Montgomery County and graduated from Dartmouth College. After participating in the AmeriCorpsVISTA program, working on several federal campaigns, and spending a year at the Center for American Progress, Brooke attended the University of Texas School of Law and then moved to Baltimore for a federal clerkship. Brooke lives in downtown Baltimore with her husband and two school-aged children who attend Baltimore City Public Schools. She is a lifelong Orioles fan.
Workforce Impact Award Nominees
Baltimore Studio of Hair Design
BCR Cyber
Best CDL Training
Chris Barber: Cheaper Than a Geek
Fox Auto Services
Health Tech Academy
Jill Porter: Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation
Kristen Pironis: Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County
Luminis Health
Officer Robert Horne: Annapolis Police Department
PEAKE Technology Partners
Service Coordination, Inc.
Southwest Airlines
Success in Style
University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Legacy Sponsor
Sponsoring the Workforce Impact Awards Reception is an investment in the future of Anne Arundel County.
Proceeds from this event support AAWDC’s Endowment Fund, held with the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County. The Endowment Fund is designed to provide long-term, sustainable funding for workforce development initiatives—ensuring that AAWDC can carry out its mission of building and maintaining a pipeline of skilled talent to meet business demand while preparing residents with the in-demand skills needed for family-sustaining employment. As federal funding declines and demand for workforce services grows, the Endowment Fund will help sustain AAWDC for the next 25 years and beyond.
Your support builds a permanent resource that will strengthen the local workforce for years to come.

