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Baltimore Outreach Services Staff
Karen Adkins, Executive Director
Karen Adkins is the founding Executive Director of Baltimore Outreach Services. She holds a Master’s and Doctorate in Social Work, and has more than twenty years of experience in clinical practice and teaching. Her expertise provides the resources needed to develop comprehensive programming for shelter residents and training for shelter staff in working with clients with complex problems.
Donna L. Rich, Director of Development & Community Partnerships
Donna is a non-profit professional with more than 20 years of experience in management, administration and fundraising for non-profits and government agencies. Donna has a Bachelor’s in corporate communications and a Master’s in non-profit management. Her responsibilities include developing partnerships with individuals, businesses, non-profits, and government agencies to support BOS’s programs to provide housing, education, and jobs to homeless and impoverished women and children.
Chef Connie Crabtree, Culinary Arts
Connie Crabtree developed the curriculum and serves as the instructor for the culinary arts program. Chef Crabtree’s thirty years of management in restaurants and catering businesses, as well as her experience as a culinary arts instructor, has given her the tools she needs to design a course that guarantees students’ success in commercial kitchens.
Children's Program Staff
Two certified teachers staff our after-school program. Laura King LCPC, our children’s therapist from Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, provides counseling to children and their families as they deal with the stress of being homeless. Patty Orniston, CPNP (certified pediatric nurse practitioner), from Mercy Medical Center's Children Health Outreach Program, visits the children on site, consults about health issues and refers them to medical providers.
Shelter Director
Carla Richardson served as the lead shelter manager prior to becoming the Shelter Director. Ms. Richardson has valuable insight and experience working with residents of the emergency shelter.
Page Croyder, Case Manager
Page Croyder is an attorney who began her legal career working on behalf of the poor as a legal services paralegal in rural Virginia. After a four-year stint in the Coast Guard, she spent 21 years with the Baltmore city prosecutor's office. Page and her 11-year-old son live in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore. Page conducts in-depth needs assessment of clients upon entry into the emergency shelter. She then refers clients for mental health and substance abuse treatment, GED classes, job training and housing.
Shelter Staff
The shelter staff is comprised of three full-time and three part-time shelter managers. A full-time cook and part-time housekeeper complete the shelter staff. Most of our direct line staff members were residents of our homeless shelter. Three of our employees are enrolled in local colleges and one is pursuing her GED. All of our full-time shelter staff have an employee benefits package that includes health insurance and a pension plan.