Governor's appointees strengthen TU's ties to the community

By Megan Bradshaw on October 2, 2017

Lawrence F. Kreis, Jr. '91 and Van Brooks '12 were recently appointed to community leadership positions by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.

Kreis, a business administration alumnus, was appointed to a Harford County Circuit Court judgeship in late September. He had been the deputy counsel of the Contract Litigation Unite and the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Before joining the state OAG, he spent 14 years as an attorney with Stark and Keenan P.A. Kreis now fills a vacancy left by the retirement of Judge William O. Carr.

Brooks, who was partially paralyzed during a high school football game and became the founder of the Baltimore-based Safe Alternative Foundation for Education (S.A.F.E.) youth education program, has been selected to lead the governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism.

According to LinkedIn, the governor praised Brooks at his announcement, saying, “Van has already changed Maryland communities for the better with his meaningful leadership and tireless dedication to our youth in Baltimore City. His unique perspective will provide a strong foundation for our administration's ongoing efforts to improve our communities through service and volunteerism.”

Brooks will now serve as director of an office with an annual budget of $4.2 million in AmeriCorps grants for programs such as his, which address critical community needs as it relates to economic opportunity, education, public safety and health.

Nearly 80 percent of TU graduates live and work in Maryland, contributing to the local economy and community after receiving their diplomas. 

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel's priorities for Towson University: TU Matters to Maryland.