The Executive Committee officers and members are listed below and may be contacted by the membership with questions and concerns.
President | Vice Presidents | Secretary | Treasurer
| Grievance Officer | Member-At-Large
| Past President
President
Tito Baca, Health Sciences (TPSS), president@mcaaup.org
| Brief Bio: Dr. AJ (“Tito”) Baca has been an instructor in the Health Sciences at Montgomery College at the Takoma Park / Silver Spring Campus for over 23 years. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of New Mexico in Education (Major Physical Education), a Master’s Degree from The University of Maryland – College Park in Psychology of Sport in Kinesiology, and a Doctorate Degree in Higher Education Graduate Leadership Studies.At Montgomery College, Dr. Baca has taught courses Community Health, First Aid / CPR, Exercise Science, Medical Terminology, Women’s Health, and History of Sport. He has also served the college as a Campus Faculty Council Chair, Academic Assembly Chair, President’s Cabinet member, Athletic Director, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, and Middle States Self-Study team member. In addition, he has served on numerous committees around the college.Dr. Baca has been a member of the MC AAUP Executive Committee since 2016 in the position of Secretary. He also has contributed as a member of our Negotiating Team for 5 years. Most recently, in 2021 he led an effort to attain a $20,000 grant from AAUP National to help our Chapter create a new Strategic Plan that will update, revise, and guide all that we do to support full-time faculty at MC.As President of the MC AAUP Chapter, “Tito” will work closely with the Past-President, Harry Zarin, and the Executive Committee to continue to work on behalf of all FT faculty at the college. This will include participation on several leadership committees with senior administrative leaders here at MC and various informal collaborations as needed. He also hopes to build and maintain relationships with other community colleges in Maryland who hope to organize respective labor groups across the state. |
 AJ (“Tito”) Baca, AAUP President |
Vice President, Germantown
Denise Dewhurst, Psychology (G)
| Brief Bio: Denise Dewhurst received her B.A. from Newton College, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology, from Boston College. She began teaching as an adjunct at Montgomery College in 1982 and joined the full time faculty in 1992. Currently she is the coordinator of Psychology at the Germantown Campus where she previously served as department chair of Social Sciences and Education for 14 years. She is also Co-coordinator of the Smithsonian Faculty Fellows Program, and a member of the Germantown BIT. In addition to her teaching, she is a licensed psychologist, and serves on the board of the Association of Professional Psychologists, Montgomery-PG County and on the Executive Board of Children’s Home Society, one of the largest adoption and family service agencies in the U.S. A fan of all sports New England (can you guess she’s a native?), she and her husband have three grown children, and love to travel. |
 Denise Dewhurst, AAUP Vice-President (G) |
Vice President, Rockville
Melissa Lizmi, Media Arts and Technologies (R)
| Brief Bio: Professor Lizmi has taught at Montgomery College since 2000 focusing on database and web programming courses. Her current interests include mobile application development, promoting women in computing professions and ensuring computer literacy and programming skills among today’s children.Ms. Lizmi has a Bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and Master’s degree from San Diego State University. In the Spring of 2009, Professor Lizmi was honored to receive Montgomery College’s Outstanding Faculty Award. Prior to arriving at Montgomery College, Melissa worked as a policy analyst and computer programmer for the United State Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service and Fairfax County Public Schools. |
 Melissa Lizmi, AAUP Vice-President (R) |
Vice President, Takoma Park/Silver Spring
Karl Smith, Humanities: History and Political Science (TP/SS)
| Brief Bio: Karl Smith came to Montgomery College in 2004. He teaches numerous courses in political science and history, including American history, Latin American history, American government, political ideology, comparative politics and international relations. In his time at MC he has been co-chair for the Dept. of Social Sciences, an instructor in the Renaissance Scholars Program, a Smithsonian Faculty Fellow, a Global Humanities Fellow, a UN Sustainable Development Goal Fellow and has participated in study abroad trips to El Salvador, Ethiopia, Cuba, Peru and China. Karl received the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2015. |
 Karl Smith, AAUP Vice President (TP/SS) |
Secretary
Carrie Fitzgerald, Astronomy (R)
| Brief Bio: Carrie Fitzgerald has taught astronomy and physics at MC since 2009. She also serves as the director of The Montgomery College Astronomical Observatory located on the Rockville campus. Her educational background includes a BS in physics from Stetson University, an MS in observational astronomy and PhD in nuclear astrophysics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.She is an enthusiastic educator of all things astronomy, and as a NASA Solar System Ambassador, Carrie gives public lectures, workshops, and observing opportunities throughout the DMV. More information about Carrie can be found here. |
 Carrie Fitzgerald, AAUP Secretary (R) |
Treasurer
Kush Jenkins, Business and Economics Department (R)
 Kush Jenkins, MCAAUP Treasurer |
Grievance Officer
Tim Kirkner, Counseling (R)
| Brief Bio: Tim has been employed as a professor/counselor since 1993. He earned a BA and MS from McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College). He has served in leadership positions for several professonal associations, including Two Year Colleges Commission Chair for the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and President of the Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association (MACCA). Tim continues to be active in these organization as MACCA Maryland Member-at-Large and member of the Research Committee for NACADA. Tim is an avid runner with 21 marathons and 3 ultras to his credit. |
 Tim Kirkner, AAUP Grievance Officer |
Member-At-Large, Germantown
Kay Ahmad, ELAP, Linguistics & Communication Studies
 Kay Ahmad, AAUP Member-At-Large (G) |
Member-At-Large, Takoma Park/Silver Spring
Rupa Das, Economics
| Brief Bio: Satarupa (Rupa) Das obtained her Masters in Economics from the prestigious Delhi School of Economics in Delhi, India. She has a Ph.D. in Economics from Indiana University, Bloomington. She has taught various courses of Economics including courses at graduate and undergraduate level. Her teaching experience includes teaching at various institutions such as Indiana University Bloomington, Western Carolina University, Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) and Strayer UniversityIn addition to being a dedicated teacher, she is also the TP/SS chapter advisor of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the advisor of Economics Club of TP/SS Campus. She won the Faculty Outstanding Service Award in 2014 and the NISOD Award of Excellence in 2015. She has received the 2011 Smithsonian Faculty Fellowship from Paul Peck Humanities Institute. Dr. Das also is a Liaison for East Coast Colleges Social Science Association (ECCSSA). |
 Rupa Das, AAUP Member at Large (T) |
Past-President
Harry Zarin, Counseling (G),
| Brief Bio: Harry Zarin has been working as a professor/counselor at the Germantown campus of Montgomery College since 1993. He is a general counselor with a specialty in working with students with disabilities. Harry has been involved in Chapter activities and served in various leadership roles since 1999. During his tenure at Montgomery College he has served as the Chapter’s President, Past President, Chief Negotiator, and Governance Liaison. In addition, he has been on many committees during his almost 30-year tenure at Montgomery College, including the Advising Steering Group, the Faculty Council, the Germantown Behavioral Intervention Team, the Banner Coordinating Committee, the Academic Assembly, and many more.Harry received his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and his Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from West Virginia University. He completed a postgraduate Orientation to Deafness Program at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Prior to coming to Montgomery College, Harry worked for a private rehabilitation company as a counselor, for a short time in the Financial Aid Office at American University, for 10 years at Gallaudet University as a job placement counselor and Associate Director of Financial Aid, and as a Job Placement Counselor for a sheltered workshop in Baltimore.Harry enjoys spending time in the weight room trying to help himself look younger than his actual age, long rides on his motorcycle, and babysitting his granddaughter. His wife, Starr, retired after working for 29 years as an interpreter for the deaf in the Montgomery County Public School System. |
 Harry Zarin, AAUP Past President |
The Executive Committee officers and members are listed below and may be contacted by the membership with questions and concerns.
President | Vice Presidents | Secretary | Treasurer
| Grievance Officer | Member-At-Large
| Past President
President
Tito Baca, Health Sciences (TPSS), president@mcaaup.org
| Brief Bio: Dr. AJ (“Tito”) Baca has been an instructor in the Health Sciences at Montgomery College at the Takoma Park / Silver Spring Campus for over 23 years. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of New Mexico in Education (Major Physical Education), a Master’s Degree from The University of Maryland – College Park in Psychology of Sport in Kinesiology, and a Doctorate Degree in Higher Education Graduate Leadership Studies.At Montgomery College, Dr. Baca has taught courses Community Health, First Aid / CPR, Exercise Science, Medical Terminology, Women’s Health, and History of Sport. He has also served the college as a Campus Faculty Council Chair, Academic Assembly Chair, President’s Cabinet member, Athletic Director, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, and Middle States Self-Study team member. In addition, he has served on numerous committees around the college.Dr. Baca has been a member of the MC AAUP Executive Committee since 2016 in the position of Secretary. He also has contributed as a member of our Negotiating Team for 5 years. Most recently, in 2021 he led an effort to attain a $20,000 grant from AAUP National to help our Chapter create a new Strategic Plan that will update, revise, and guide all that we do to support full-time faculty at MC.As President of the MC AAUP Chapter, “Tito” will work closely with the Past-President, Harry Zarin, and the Executive Committee to continue to work on behalf of all FT faculty at the college. This will include participation on several leadership committees with senior administrative leaders here at MC and various informal collaborations as needed. He also hopes to build and maintain relationships with other community colleges in Maryland who hope to organize respective labor groups across the state. |
AJ (“Tito”) Baca, AAUP President |
Vice President, Germantown
Denise Dewhurst, Psychology (G)
| Brief Bio: Denise Dewhurst received her B.A. from Newton College, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology, from Boston College. She began teaching as an adjunct at Montgomery College in 1982 and joined the full time faculty in 1992. Currently she is the coordinator of Psychology at the Germantown Campus where she previously served as department chair of Social Sciences and Education for 14 years. She is also Co-coordinator of the Smithsonian Faculty Fellows Program, and a member of the Germantown BIT. In addition to her teaching, she is a licensed psychologist, and serves on the board of the Association of Professional Psychologists, Montgomery-PG County and on the Executive Board of Children’s Home Society, one of the largest adoption and family service agencies in the U.S. A fan of all sports New England (can you guess she’s a native?), she and her husband have three grown children, and love to travel. |
Denise Dewhurst, AAUP Vice-President (G) |
Vice President, Rockville
Melissa Lizmi, Media Arts and Technologies (R)
| Brief Bio: Professor Lizmi has taught at Montgomery College since 2000 focusing on database and web programming courses. Her current interests include mobile application development, promoting women in computing professions and ensuring computer literacy and programming skills among today’s children.Ms. Lizmi has a Bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and Master’s degree from San Diego State University. In the Spring of 2009, Professor Lizmi was honored to receive Montgomery College’s Outstanding Faculty Award. Prior to arriving at Montgomery College, Melissa worked as a policy analyst and computer programmer for the United State Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service and Fairfax County Public Schools. |
Melissa Lizmi, AAUP Vice-President (R) |
Vice President, Takoma Park/Silver Spring
Karl Smith, Humanities: History and Political Science (TP/SS)
| Brief Bio: Karl Smith came to Montgomery College in 2004. He teaches numerous courses in political science and history, including American history, Latin American history, American government, political ideology, comparative politics and international relations. In his time at MC he has been co-chair for the Dept. of Social Sciences, an instructor in the Renaissance Scholars Program, a Smithsonian Faculty Fellow, a Global Humanities Fellow, a UN Sustainable Development Goal Fellow and has participated in study abroad trips to El Salvador, Ethiopia, Cuba, Peru and China. Karl received the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2015. |
Karl Smith, AAUP Vice President (TP/SS) |
Secretary
Carrie Fitzgerald, Astronomy (R)
| Brief Bio: Carrie Fitzgerald has taught astronomy and physics at MC since 2009. She also serves as the director of The Montgomery College Astronomical Observatory located on the Rockville campus. Her educational background includes a BS in physics from Stetson University, an MS in observational astronomy and PhD in nuclear astrophysics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.She is an enthusiastic educator of all things astronomy, and as a NASA Solar System Ambassador, Carrie gives public lectures, workshops, and observing opportunities throughout the DMV. More information about Carrie can be found here. |
Carrie Fitzgerald, AAUP Secretary (R) |
Treasurer
Kush Jenkins, Business and Economics Department (R)
|
Kush Jenkins, MCAAUP Treasurer |
Grievance Officer
Tim Kirkner, Counseling (R)
| Brief Bio: Tim has been employed as a professor/counselor since 1993. He earned a BA and MS from McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College). He has served in leadership positions for several professonal associations, including Two Year Colleges Commission Chair for the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and President of the Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association (MACCA). Tim continues to be active in these organization as MACCA Maryland Member-at-Large and member of the Research Committee for NACADA. Tim is an avid runner with 21 marathons and 3 ultras to his credit. |
Tim Kirkner, AAUP Grievance Officer |
Member-At-Large, Germantown
Kay Ahmad, ELAP, Linguistics & Communication Studies
|
Kay Ahmad, AAUP Member-At-Large (G) |
Member-At-Large, Takoma Park/Silver Spring
Rupa Das, Economics
| Brief Bio: Satarupa (Rupa) Das obtained her Masters in Economics from the prestigious Delhi School of Economics in Delhi, India. She has a Ph.D. in Economics from Indiana University, Bloomington. She has taught various courses of Economics including courses at graduate and undergraduate level. Her teaching experience includes teaching at various institutions such as Indiana University Bloomington, Western Carolina University, Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) and Strayer UniversityIn addition to being a dedicated teacher, she is also the TP/SS chapter advisor of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the advisor of Economics Club of TP/SS Campus. She won the Faculty Outstanding Service Award in 2014 and the NISOD Award of Excellence in 2015. She has received the 2011 Smithsonian Faculty Fellowship from Paul Peck Humanities Institute. Dr. Das also is a Liaison for East Coast Colleges Social Science Association (ECCSSA). |
Rupa Das, AAUP Member at Large (T) |
Past-President
Harry Zarin, Counseling (G),
| Brief Bio: Harry Zarin has been working as a professor/counselor at the Germantown campus of Montgomery College since 1993. He is a general counselor with a specialty in working with students with disabilities. Harry has been involved in Chapter activities and served in various leadership roles since 1999. During his tenure at Montgomery College he has served as the Chapter’s President, Past President, Chief Negotiator, and Governance Liaison. In addition, he has been on many committees during his almost 30-year tenure at Montgomery College, including the Advising Steering Group, the Faculty Council, the Germantown Behavioral Intervention Team, the Banner Coordinating Committee, the Academic Assembly, and many more.Harry received his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and his Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from West Virginia University. He completed a postgraduate Orientation to Deafness Program at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Prior to coming to Montgomery College, Harry worked for a private rehabilitation company as a counselor, for a short time in the Financial Aid Office at American University, for 10 years at Gallaudet University as a job placement counselor and Associate Director of Financial Aid, and as a Job Placement Counselor for a sheltered workshop in Baltimore.Harry enjoys spending time in the weight room trying to help himself look younger than his actual age, long rides on his motorcycle, and babysitting his granddaughter. His wife, Starr, retired after working for 29 years as an interpreter for the deaf in the Montgomery County Public School System. |
Harry Zarin, AAUP Past President |