Our Leadership
2026-2028
Under the leadership of founder Karlys Kline, the original members of the Women's Giving Circle of Frederick County had the vision and drive to inspire the creation of a new paradigm of support for women facing challenges in our community.
The Circle is governed by its board. Board members serve two-year terms with a maximum of two consecutive terms. Terms run July 1 - June 30.
CHAIR
Heidi Horine joined the Women’s Giving Circle in 2009 and now serves as Chair. In that role, she is responsible for managing sponsorships in addition to other executive duties.
Heidi was raised in Frederick County and returned after college. Her career since has been in the special events industry, specifically event production, tenting and party rentals. Heidi is the National Sales Director for US Event Structures.
Heidi currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Manufacturers and Tent Renters National Association (MATRA). Previous community leadership includes many years as a volunteer and then Chair of the An Evening on the Riviera fundraiser, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for local Frederick charities.
Heidi earned her B.S. at West Virginia Wesleyan College and completed the Event Management Program through George Washington University. She and her husband Scott enjoy traveling, entertaining and spending time with their two sweet golden retrievers.
VICE-CHAIR
Alexa Bedwell joined the Giving Circle in 2010 and currently serves as Vice-Chair. She was born in Frederick and graduated from Gov. Thomas Johnson High. She attended UMBC, earning her BS in computer science and MS in information systems. While at UMBC she also met her wonderful husband Ted and they were married in 1999. She began her career in software product development for a consulting firm and then a dot com startup. In 2003 she left the tech world and took over Charles Studio, her family's photography studio in Frederick.
Alexa and her husband have two college aged children and is looking for opportunities to connect with the community and make a positive impact on Frederick. She is a member of Key City Rotary and enjoys running, yoga, art and spending time with friends and family.
TREASURER
Renee Ausherman is the former CFO for Ausherman Development Corporation where she was employed for 13 years. She holds a BS degree in Accounting from Lebanon Valley College in Annville PA. She began her work experience at Deloitte and Touché where she worked for 3 years and obtained her CPA license. In 2017, after over 25 years of a successful finance and management career, Renee retired from her CFO responsibilities.
She remains dedicated to her husband, 3 children, and 2 stepchildren and their families, enjoying social time and travel with them. Renee has been a trustee for the Ausherman Family Foundation since 2011. She currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee, Cochairs the General Grants Committee, and Chairs both the Focus Grants Committee and the Finance Committee. She finds great pleasure in working with Frederick County nonprofits to support the needs of our local community and retirement has given her more time to do so.
SECRETARY
Harriet Langlois joined the Circle in 2010 and currently serves as Secretary of the Giving Circle. Harriet previously served as Chair of the Circle Communications Committee. A graduate of the University of Washington, Harriet holds degrees in Botany, Forest Ecology and Computer Science. For over 30 years, she worked in the satellite communications field as a software engineer/project manager, retiring as Assistant Vice President from Hughes Network Systems in 2012.
Harriet is on the Board of Directors of the Frederick Steeplechasers Running Club where she volunteers in a number of roles, She oversees club races and serves as race director of the Frederick Women's Distance Festival 5K, which has raised over $295,000 for the Circle since 2010. Harriet shares a love of travel, running, cycling, hiking, and volunteering with her husband.
MEMBERSHIP
Teresa Conto joined the Giving Circle in 2019 and currently serves on the WGC Board as the chair of the Membership Committee.
GRANTS
Emilie Routzahn joined the Women's Giving Circle in 2023, initially serving as Vice Chair of the Grants Committee and is now a member of the Board as the Chair of the Grants Committee. In this role, she works alongside fellow committee members to thoughtfully evaluate grant applications and steward member contributions to support organizations that empower women and strengthen the Frederick County community.
Currently, Emilie is a stay-at-home mom to her one-year-old son while working part-time as a Sales Associate and running content creator with Charm City Run. Through her passion for running, she enjoys inspiring others to pursue an active lifestyle and connecting with the local running community.
A Frederick County resident, Emilie is passionate about giving back through volunteer leadership and believes in the power of collective philanthropy to create lasting change.
Outside of volunteering, she enjoys training for marathons, exploring the outdoors with her family, and staying active in Frederick County's running community
PROGRAM
Alyssa Kaszmetskie joined the Giving Circle in 2019 and currently serves on the Board as Chair of the Program Committee. She is Chief of Staff to the President & CEO of Asbury Communities, Inc., with nearly 20 years of experience in senior living.
Originally from Pennsylvania, Alyssa has lived in the Washington, D.C. metro area for about two decades. Since moving to Frederick in 2018, she has supported the community by volunteering with the Frederick Symphony Orchestra and the Literacy Council of Frederick County. She is also a member of The Frederick Art Club.
Alyssa holds a master’s degree in the Management of Aging Services from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a bachelor’s degree from Millersville University.
OUTREACH
Carole Heine joined the Circle in 2010 and currently serves on the Circle leadership team as the Community Outreach Coordinator. In this role, Carole liaises with community groups that would like to interact with the membership and/or support the Circle through fundraising activities. Carole is originally from Upstate NY and found her way to Frederick as a Hood College student. She returned to Frederick in 2000 with her husband and four children and could not imagine raising a family anywhere else. Her previous work experience includes sales, contract negotiations, non-profit board leadership including Director of Tour de Frederick and Director of Business Development at OneClick.chat. Carole is currently Director of Customer Success at Yakabod, a leader in secure software development. Her free time includes cycling, hiking, traveling to visit family and lending a helping hand in the community.
AT LARGE
Karen Yoho joined the Women's Giving Circle in 2021 and currently serves as an At-Large member of the WGC Board.
Karen was born in Reno, Nevada, but has spent most of her life in Maryland. She and her husband, Joe, moved to Frederick County in 1981 to begin raising the first of their three children. Those children are now grown and have children of their own. Joe and Karen are the proud grandparents of four grandchildren. While they all live in Maryland, only one is in Frederick County.
Karen earned her B.S. in Early Childhood Education at University of Maryland, College Park. She has a master's degree in educational leadership from Hood College. Karen is a retired educator, having taught elementary grades for 25 years with FCPS. When she retired in 2018, she ran for a seat on the Frederick County Board of Education and was elected that November. Karen will be finishing her second term on November 30. She will then officially retire, which will allow her to pursue other interests and opportunities in the Frederick community.
OUR FOUNDER
Karlys Kline founded the Circle in 2006 and currently serves in an honorary capacity on the leadership team. She is a community leader, known for her service and philanthropic activities. She moved to Frederick in 1990. Her earlier career had been successful in New York & Philadelphia with the Jones New York Company. She switched careers completely as Vice President of a large building manufacturing company. By 2009 she retired and dedicated all of her time to helping improve the lives of women and their children in Frederick County. This was accomplished mainly by creating the Women’s Giving Circle in 2006. Karlys has participated on the board or committees of over 42 local nonprofits. Her passion is to ‘connect the dots’ with no agenda or reward. Her only goal is to make the community a better place. A few of her current boards include Frederick Health, Homewood, Frederick Arts Council, and Sheriff’s Advisory Council. Her husband, Tom Lynch, encourages her to “spread goodness & joy”. The pair says that they “vacation in Frederick” because they both love their lives and this community. Karlys is grateful every day for the full-time opportunity to spend her days giving back wherever she is needed.
