Governor O'Malley Names Director of Intergovernmental Affairs; Chief Legal Counsel
BALTIMORE, MD (April 28, 2008) – Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the appointment of Israel “Izzy” C. Patoka as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Governor’s Office and the appointment of Elizabeth Harris as Chief Legal Counsel.
“I am proud to appoint Mr. Patoka as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for our One Maryland,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “Izzy is a trusted advisor who has played an invaluable role in the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, helping communities throughout our State. Izzy’s experience, planning expertise, and good nature will help us continue to improve the quality of life for families throughout Maryland.”
“I am looking forward to working on behalf of the O’Malley-Brown Administration with each of Maryland’s 157 incorporated cities and towns, the 23 counties and the leadership organizations that work with these jurisdictions,” said Izzy Patoka. “I am confident that we can continue to strengthen cooperation and coordination among the various governmental entities and communities.”
Mr. Patoka currently serves as Executive Director for the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. In that capacity, he coordinates community and volunteer activities statewide and advises the Governor on policies to enhance and improve community programs. He also oversees the work of the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism, Volunteer Maryland and community affairs services within the Executive Branch of Maryland government. Mr. Patoka also serves as liaison to the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In addition, Mr. Patoka coordinates outreach to ethnic communities across Maryland. He serves as a representative on the state’s Emergency Operations Center and is a member of the Governor’s Joint Executive Council for Emergency Preparedness.
Prior to his role as Executive Director for the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, Mr. Patoka served as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods for the city of Baltimore. During his tenure as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods, the Office was nationally recognized as the 2005 recipient of the National Association of Counties’ (NACO) Multicultural Diversity Award for extraordinary outreach to ethnic communities. This prestigious award is cosponsored by the Women Officials in NACo (WON), the National Association of Black County Officials (NABCO), and the National Association of Hispanic County Officials (NAHCO).
Mr. Patoka worked as Deputy Director for the Baltimore County Department of Planning, and Division Manager of Capital Improvement Programming with the Baltimore City Department of Planning as the Division Manager of Capital Improvement Programming. He is nationally certified as a planner by the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Mr. Patoka is a graduate of Towson University where he received both his Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Arts degree in Geography & Environmental Planning. Mr. Patoka serves on numerous boards and committees. He also serves as a Faculty Advisor to Morgan State University, Institute of Architecture and Planning, Graduate City and Regional Planning Program. He was a member of Governor O’Malley’s Transition Team. Mr. Patoka is Past President of the Dickeyville Community Association and past Treasurer for the Pen Lucy Community Association. In 2002, he was presented the distinction of Fellow with the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance by the University of Maryland's Institute for Governmental Service, the Local Government Insurance Trust, the Maryland Association of Counties and the Maryland Municipal League.
Governor O’Malley also announced the appointment of Elizabeth F. Harris to Chief Legal Counsel for the Office of the Governor. Ms. Harris has served as Acting Chief Legal Counsel since September 2007, and served as Deputy Legal Counsel since January 2007. In her current role, Ms. Harris advises the Governor and Governor’s Office staff on all legal matters. Ms. Harris serves as liaison to the judiciary and to the Office of the Attorney General.
“I am proud to name Elizabeth Harris as Chief Legal Counsel to the Governor’s Office,” said Governor O’Malley. “Elizabeth has played a vital role in advising me and Governor’s office staff, and I look forward to her continued counsel on important matters affecting the people of our State.”
Prior to becoming Deputy Legal Counsel, Harris was Assistant Solicitor and Chief Solicitor for Baltimore City. From 1999 to 2004, Harris was a civil litigator at Hogan & Hartson where she practiced civil litigation in a broad spectrum of subject areas, including administrative law, intellectual property, consumer protection, antitrust law, labor and employment, government investigations, and corporate law. Prior to that, Harris served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Irma S. Raker on the Court of Appeals of Maryland from 1998 to 1999.
Harris received her Bachelor’s degree in 1995 from the University of Richmond, and received her Juris Doctorate in 1998 from the University of Maryland School of Law. While in law school, she earned several awards and honors including, the Sam Allen Memorial Prize for leadership and scholarship, the John S. Strahorn, Jr. Memorial Prize for Evidence, the Judge Simon E. Sobeloff Prize for Constitutional Law and the Corpus Juris Secundum Awards for Criminal Law and Torts. Harris also graduated Order of the Coif. She was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1998.
Harris is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association. She was also an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland School of Law where she taught Legal Theory and Practice, Torts II in the Spring of 2000.
