LA PLATA, Md. — The Board of Education of Charles County selected Bridgette Patterson on September 24, 2025, to fill its District 4 vacancy, filling a role left open by the August resignation of former member Linda Warren. Patterson, a White Plains resident, will serve through December 2026 after a swearing-in ceremony at the board’s October 27 work session, led by Clerk of the Circuit Court Lisa E. Yates. The decision followed public interviews on September 17 with two qualified candidates, a process required under Maryland’s Education Article to ensure transparency in selecting representatives for the district’s 28,162 students.
Board Chairperson Yonelle Moore Lee, who presided over the interviews, highlighted Patterson’s qualifications in a statement released the same day. “The Board was fortunate to interview two highly qualified candidates, each bringing unique experiences, perspectives and a shared passion for education. After careful consideration, we selected Ms. Patterson for her extensive experience serving military families, her strong background in budget and finance, and her years of work in family and community engagement. Her passion for advocacy and early childhood education is truly admirable, and we are eager to benefit from her perspective. My colleagues and I look forward to working with Ms. Patterson as we continue to prioritize the needs of Charles County’s children,” Moore Lee said.
Patterson, 43, brings more than 20 years of professional experience in business development, fiscal management, program operations and community advocacy. As business manager for the Fisher House at Joint Base Andrews, she oversees daily operations for community resources supporting military families, including equitable housing access and crisis support services. She collaborates with military leaders, clinicians and stakeholders to maintain safe environments, while handling fiscal responsibilities such as vendor partnerships and multi-million-dollar budgets. Currently, she is involved in the fiscal year 2026 budget approval cycle for the facility, which has served over 6,000 families since opening in 1994.
A military spouse and accredited financial counselor through the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education, Patterson previously worked as a financial counselor with Magellan Federal in Washington, D.C. Her career also includes leading community programs with Blue Star Families, where she recruited volunteers, expanded children’s literacy initiatives and forged partnerships with schools and local organizations to boost educational opportunities. Locally, she served on the Charles County Public Schools School Naming Committee for the upcoming Margaret J. Thornton Elementary School, set to open in White Plains for the 2025-2026 school year with capacity for 778 students. The 94,000-square-foot facility, costing $45.4 million, honors Margaret Jamieson Thornton, a longtime Charles County educator who advocated for kindergarten programs in the district.
Patterson holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Women’s Entrepreneurship Certificate from Cornell University. She also earned certifications in Youth Mental Health First Aid through Charles County Public Schools and foundational and relational skills in emotional intelligence via Dr. Daniel Goleman’s program. Residing in District 4, she has three children enrolled in the school system, with a fourth on the prekindergarten waitlist, giving her direct insight into family needs amid growing enrollment pressures from new housing developments in areas like St. Charles Parkway.
In her response to the selection, Patterson emphasized collaboration and equity. “I am honored to serve the families of District 4 and contribute to the ongoing success of the school system. I look forward to collaborating with the Board, Superintendent of Schools Maria Navarro and community stakeholders. I am committed to helping advance policies and practices that empower students, support staff and engage families across Charles County,” she said.
The vacancy arose when Warren relocated outside District 4, prompting the board to launch applications on August 13 with a deadline initially set for August 27 but extended to September 2 to broaden participation. Three candidates initially applied, but one withdrew, leaving Patterson and Denise Joseph for the September 17 interviews at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building in La Plata. The sessions, held at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., were livestreamed on the district’s website and later posted to its YouTube channel, addressing topics like the board member’s role, education gaps, fiscal planning, policy implementation and the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the state’s overhaul of early childhood and public education funding.
Eligibility for the position required candidates to be at least 21, registered voters and residents of Charles County for three years, with preference for three years in District 4, which spans parts of Waldorf and White Plains. Selected applicants also underwent residency verification and a Criminal Justice Information Services background check. Board members cannot be employed by the district or under the superintendent’s direction, a rule Patterson meets as her role is with a separate federal facility.
Patterson joins a board that reelected Moore Lee as chair and Nicole Kreamer as vice chair in January 2025, following their unanimous selections for one-year terms. Other members include those elected in November 2024, such as at-large representative Letonya Smalls, Ed.D., sworn in December 2024 for a term through 2028. The student member for 2025-2026 is Munachi Obinali, a La Plata High School junior selected in June. This lineup positions the board to tackle priorities like the Blueprint’s concentration of poverty grants, which allocate funds based on high-needs schools, and prekindergarten expansions amid waitlists that affect families like Patterson’s.
The selection process mirrors past efforts, such as the District 1 interviews in October 2024, underscoring the board’s commitment to public input. With enrollment projected to rise alongside housing booms in southern Charles County, Patterson’s fiscal expertise could prove vital in budgeting for facilities and staff support. Her advocacy for early childhood aligns with district initiatives, including literacy programs she helped expand through Blue Star Families, which target military-connected students—a demographic prominent near Joint Base Andrews.
District 4 families, representing diverse communities from Waldorf’s commercial hubs to White Plains’ residential growth, stand to gain from Patterson’s focus on safe, challenging environments. During her interview, she stressed preparing students for real-world demands, a philosophy rooted in her work fostering resilience among military families. As the October 27 session approaches, the board anticipates full participation in shaping policies for the 2025-2026 year, from mental health resources to equitable resource allocation.
