A career of public service in the arts, economic development and tourism drives my passion for promoting people, places and brands.

My government experience – which included positions at local, state and federal levels – began at the Baltimore Office of Promotion & Tourism. Fifteen year later, I returned as Chief Operating Officer to merge three agencies into the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts. To increase access to the arts, I helped open doors to free admission at museums and cultural sites.

Serving as U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski’s state director, I learned the importance of constituent service helping residents from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore as we worked to bridge the ‘digital divide.’

Twenty years separated my two stints with the State. Under Governor Schaefer, I headed the Office of Volunteerism where I was one of the architects of Volunteer Maryland, which continues to serve Marylanders today. During the O’Malley administration, I joined the Department of Business & Economic Development (now Commerce) and was appointed Assistant Secretary and Chief Marketing Officer.

Harnessing these collective experiences in destination and business marketing, we moved to Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 2012 and launched Choptank to help governments, businesses and non-profit organizations build brand awareness and celebrate their success stories.

Creating stories and memorable moments in local communities has always been a part of my PR and marketing career.

It began at the Baltimore Office of Promotion & Tourism, where I accompanied top journalists on tours of a then-young Inner Harbor, a worldwide model for urban redevelopment. In the 90s and early 2000s, I worked with two gaming operators to introduce casinos in Rust Belt communities in a dozen states. And, I helped Singapore market the small island nation to U.S. travelers and corporate executives.

Shifting to health care, I then represented a start-up that pioneered retail-based health clinics in cities across the United States. That work continues today for Baltimore-based TBC where I remain of counsel and lead the national account team for MinuteClinic and CVS Health’s community initiatives to curb opioid misuse.

Of course, I’ve handled my share of client crises too. First SARS and now COVID. Midnight calls for fires, security breaches and on-property incidents. Managing media relations during executive turnovers and helping clients navigate municipal government hearings and testimony.

It’s valuable experience that I can bring to Choptank clients to help promote their brand and maintain strong relationships within the communities they serve.

Saundra Jones

Inspired by the light, colors and shapes of nature, people and architecture – I’ve been a student of the arts since I was old enough to scribble on our living room wall. I was always observant of my surroundings and how I’d capture color and light with a pencil or brush. Growing up in Baltimore and nurtured by an artistic mother and teachers (my 94 year-old mom still paints her beautiful watercolors today!), I was drawn to a career in the arts from the time I could walk.

I didn’t have to look far to find a college to support my career aspirations. With the prestigious Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) only five miles from my home, design was my destiny.

Forging friendships and collaborations that guide me today, I earned my degree in fine art and ventured into the world of graphic design. Sharpening my skills in print production, I expanded my portfolio to include digital, environmental and web design.

Each project sparked my curiosity to listen and learn. To embrace new media. And discover new places. For 25+ years I’ve honed my craft. Today, I’m inspired to make the connection between good design and effective communication.

For 10 years, I’ve partnered with Choptank to help make this link for destinations, higher education and business.

Jill Jasuta

I was eight years old when I picked up a pencil to create a neighborhood newsletter. With careful block printing and painstakingly created drawings, News of the Block lasted only a few issues. But it sparked my passion for using words and images to share stories.

With a communications/journalism degree under my belt, writing was the mainstay of my work at first, but design and photography were always part of the story. At a small newspaper, I wrote stories, took photos, and designed the paper. Later at a communications firm specializing in higher education, I worked closely with top designers and photographers to plan visual approaches and photo shoots. Soon I was diving deeper into the visual side of communications.

Today I am mostly self-taught in both design and photography, and I am always pushing myself to learn more and take on new challenges. I draw on all three disciplines when creating digital and print projects that help clients enlighten, inspire, and move their audiences to action.

In much of my work, I’m trying to capture a sense of place, whether I’m creating a brochure for a destination or capturing an environmental portrait of someone in their element. I also explore Maryland’s Eastern Shore with camera in hand and eyes open for intriguing landscapes and waterscapes. See my portfolio.

Art is in my genes. Both parents were pursuing studio art degrees in my earliest years, and I grew up surrounded by the sights and smells of oil paint, charcoal and chemicals used to create jewelry and process photos. After they separated, my mom worked as an ad agency designer and my dad moved to Soho’s art enclave. Varying experiences with each parent fostered my passion for the arts and respect for the role graphic design plays in our daily lives.

At the Maryland Institute College of Arts (MICA), I studied art history. Working with curators and artists, I helped plan an international exhibition and wrote essays for the installation and companion history course.

This experience introduced me to the world of arts administration. For a decade, I worked at colleges, galleries, arts organizations and museums. My responsibilities ranged from writing grants and managing contracts to organizing public arts projects, galas and exhibitions.

Taking a new career direction in the 90s, I turned to my graphic arts skills while studying code and web design. As the internet became an integral part of our world, I was an early pioneer in the field. Since then, I’ve been creating print and web design, developing branding and helping to implement marketing plans for clients.