History of the Organization
The Prince George’s Elected Municipal Women (P.G.E.M.W.) association was founded in 1984.
P.G.E.M.W. was the brainchild of then Berwyn Heights Town Council Member Regina Justis McNeill who was surprised that no organized group existed in the County to specifically provide education and guidance to newly elected municipal women. Thus, she decided to explore ways to establish an organization that could provide such advice and assistance on municipal policymaking and political processes in an ongoing and timely manner.
With the help of former Laurel Mayor Dani Duniho, Hyattsville City Council President Mary Prangley, and Greenbelt City Council Member Toni Bram, Councilmember McNeill put together a small group of municipal officials concerned with providing encouragement and support to appointed and elected municipal women. On February 19, 1984, the first official meeting of the Prince George’s Elected Municipal Women was held, with six members attending.
Ms. McNeill chaired the meetings until 1985, when Ms. Bram volunteered to serve as the organization’s president, and Ms. Prangley was asked to serve as secretary-treasurer, an office she continued to hold until October 1995. Pat Glaser, a Cheverly Town Council Member and an attorney, volunteered to write bylaws for the organization. The bylaws established an official purpose and guidelines for meetings, members, and officers.
Since those beginnings, P.G.E.M.W. has continued to grow in membership, reputation, and influence. The bylaws have been revised in 1997, 2001, 2002, and 2005. Membership is now open to all elected or appointed officials in Prince George’s County. A regular member is any presently elected or appointed Prince George’s County municipal official. The associate member category includes any present or former elected or appointed official from Prince George’s County. The association also awards a small number of honorary life memberships to former elected or appointed municipal officials.
P.G.E.M.W. has grown to be a highly respected networking and professional organization. Virtually all of Prince George’s County’s city and town residents have benefited from P.G.E.M.W.-generated policies, ordinances, funding strategies, and ideas.