Jayson T. Williams, CEO of Mayson-Dixon Companies, leads a group specializing in community development and public affairs. Transitioning from public service to entrepreneurship, he’s known for roles with national and regional economic development leaders like the U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and County Executive Rushern Baker.  Williams, understanding the importance of community involvement, serves on nonprofit boards like LifeBrigde Health Hospitals, the National Aquarium and Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. He has built Mayson-Dixon from a company started in a spare bedroom to one of the premier minority-owned community development firms in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Prior to becoming a small business owner, Jayson had a distinguished career in public service working for the late Maryland State Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. Mike Miller, former U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, and former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, to name a few. Jayson was inspired to become an entrepreneur after his appointment by then-County Executive Baker to serve as the Vice President for Strategic Alliances for the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation.  There, he was a part of the leadership team spearheading transformative community investment, small & minority business growth, the branding campaign for Prince George’s County, and playing a key role in enabling the development of the $1.2 billion MGM National Harbor.

Since its inception, Mayson-Dixon Companies has become one of Bloomberg/Goldman-Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alumni, has thrice won the “Bridging the Gap” Achievement Award from the Greater Baltimore Committee for the firm’s work in diversity and inclusion, and was voted as one of Baltimore Business Journal’s Healthiest Employers for their investment in holistic employee health.  

An alum of St. Mary's College of Maryland, Jayson has been named one of the Daily Record’s Very Important Professionals (VIP) Successful By 40 award recipients, 40 under 40 by the Baltimore Business Journal, LGBTQ 40 under 40 by Business Enterprise Magazine, LGBT Minority Business of the Year by the Maryland Minority Contractors Association, received the Trailblazer Award from the Reginald F. Lewis African American Heritage Museum and was awarded the Chairman’s Award, a unique honor, by the Asian-American Economic Development Corporation for his work in the Asian American business community.  

Passionate about his non-profit work Jayson currently sits on the board of directors of LifeBridge Health’s Levindale Hospital, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, the National Aquarium and the American Red Cross of Central Maryland. In 2021, he was appointed by Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. to the Affordable Housing Workgroup focused on ensuring safe, accessible, and quality housing is available to everyone in the County. Since 2021 Jayson has been a member of the Harkins Builders, Inc. Corporate Board of Directors.

Before starting his businesses, for over a decade, Jayson was an adjunct professor in the “Semester in Washington” program at the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management, from which he also graduated in 2002. Many of his former students have gone on to distinguished careers in public service and business.

Matt Newcomer is the co-founder, with Jayson Williams, of The Mayson-Dixon Companies. An expert in financial planning and analysis, Matt utilizes his number-crunching skills for the company’s real estate ventures to analyze properties and organizational skills to help keep all the trains running on time within a growing and evolving organization.

Prior to MD Strategic Consulting, Matt spent 10 years in corporate banking with Wells Fargo Bank and Bank of America, building his critical thinking; credit underwriting; risk analysis; and financial analysis, modeling, and projection skills. Some of Matt’s former clients include major nonprofit institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University Maryland, Goucher College, the National Aquarium, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Anne Arundel Medical Center, United Way Worldwide, and New Psalmist Baptist Church.

Matt is a proud graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a minor in Spanish Language and Culture. He also graduated cum laude with a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Baltimore and is a 2018 graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.

Active in the community, Matt currently serves on the Finance Committee for the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) and as the Treasurer for the Charles Village Community Benefits District in Baltimore City.

Vernita Humphreys is the Director of Finance and the Executive Assistant to the President & CEO. With over 35 years of payroll experience, she is responsible for and is the foundation of MD Strategic Consulting’s accounting, budgeting, and financial management.

Prior to joining MD Strategic Consulting, Vernita spent nine years taking care of Maryland’s finest at the Maryland State Police Department. She dedicated her public service to fleet management for the entire State of Maryland. This included title & registration, vehicle maintenance & reporting, operational efficiency, and budget management.

Vernita’s payroll background has given her a common-sense approach to financial management, in addition to being well poised to lead the financial functions of a growing small business. As Payroll Supervisor for General Elevator Company, Inc. and Payroll Clerk for Cherry Hill Construction, she compiled and processed payroll information for over 900 employees, including auditing information; identifying and resolving discrepancies; compliance; determining payroll liabilities, and overseeing federal and state income and social security tax information, 401k transfer, wage assignments and garnishments.

After only two days of retirement from the State of Maryland, Vernita accepted the call to join Mayson-Dixon Companies. She currently resides in Baltimore County, Maryland and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Dan Newcomer joins the MD Strategic team after semi-retiring from his 42-year career in the automotive industry, where he worked for new car dealerships in Maryland and Pennsylvania in their fixed operations departments. Dan has had many roles and titles over the years such as Parts Manager, Parts Director, Service Manager, Service Director, Parts and Service Director, Regional Manager of Fixed Operations, and National Advisor for the 10-person National Advisory Board for Kia Motors of America and brings a great wealth of experience to his new role as Director of Special Projects.

Dan studied and played football at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA. He enjoys many indoor and outdoor sports and has a passion for playing golf and spending as much time as he can with his wife, Nancy, their children, and RJ, their grandson.

With over a quarter of a century in the media and public communications industry, Cassandra Vaughn continues to push the envelope and dominates her role as a highly respected strategic media and public affairs executive.

Dubbed the “Media Maven” by Essence Magazine (2019) Cassandra has produced both television and radio and is known in the community as both a master strategist and industry producer. Throughout her career she has focused on diversity and equality in the media and corporate world.

She has worked with companies such as NBC, TV One, Radio One, and BET where she left a major footprint in the industry. Throughout her career she has had the opportunity to work with various nonprofits, corporations, and media groups including her work as Assistant Public Affairs Manager for WBAL-TV in Baltimore.

Cassandra is the daughter of the late prominent Baltimore City pastor, the late Dr. Alfred C. D. Vaughn, and godchild of civil rights leader Dr. Ralph Abernathy Sr. a close friend and mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. “It is great to be a celebrity, but it is a gift to be a servant,” a motto that was instilled by her parents that she has used as a standard of living.

A Baltimore City native, proud graduate of HBCU Coppin State University and the NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Milestone Circle program, she is deeply invested in ensuring local communities and the businesses they support thrive. She has also served as a mentor for the National Association of Minorities in Communication.

Her entrepreneurial spirit and connections to communities locally and nationally will advance Mayson-Dixon’s mission to improve communities in partnership with their clients, stakeholder partners and impact investors.

Fernando Parada is the new Head of Construction Operations at Mayson Dixon, where he assumes a pivotal role in overseeing all construction projects, ensuring their successful completion, and leading a team of construction managers. With over 15 years of experience in the building industry, Fernando's true passion lies in construction and building.

Before joining Mayson Dixon, Fernando owned and operated a commercial and residential construction company. In this capacity, he played a key role in expanding the business from a modest home contractor to a comprehensive commercial contractor. His leadership necessitated overseeing multiple large crews and self-performing various commercial projects. His ability to effectively complete a diverse array of projects, including site preparation for expanded warehouse space and comprehensive renovations of multi-unit housing developments, showcases his exceptional skills and expertise in the construction industry. These achievements highlight his adeptness at coordinating complex projects, creative problem-solving, and meticulous attention to detail.

Fernando's motivation for pursuing a Master's degree in architecture at Morgan StateUniversity stems from his desire to expand his design knowledge and develop the skills necessary to design and build his own projects in the future. By gaining a deeper understanding of architectural principles and design concepts, Fernando aims to enhance his expertise in construction and, ultimately, design and build his own projects. His commitment to continuous learning and growth exemplifies his dedication to the construction and design field.

Dynamic and energetic, Atieh Badr-Taleh holds a Bachelor ofEnvironmental Engineering and a Master of Engineering Management/SystemsEngineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Well-traveled, Atieh,have had the privilege of contributing to numerous historical projects overseas. With a strong foundation in both thetechnical aspects of environmental engineering and the strategic management ofengineering systems, Atieh is an expert in navigating diverse challenges withinthe field.

Atieh’s passion for sustainable design and  commitment to creating a greener and moresustainable future is why Mayson Dixon added her to the team.

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Cori Davis earned her Bachelor of Science in ArchitecturalEngineering and a Waste Management degree from North Carolina A&T StateUniversity in December 2023. Returning to her hometown of Baltimore, Cori iscommitted to driving positive change. As a member of the Mayson-Dixon team, sheaims to bring valuable insights into community-based projects through hertechnical expertise in architecture and engineering.

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Darius graduated from Morgan State University in May of 2021, with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. He spent over three years as a Bricklayer Apprentice at Edward Wight’s Mason. Additionally, he interned at Legacy Contractors focusing on construction management and helped keep projects delivered on time. Darius is currently a member of the Construction Management Association of America, in which he hopes to assist on future projects that are targeted towards developing the Baltimore community.

Recent graduate of Morgan State University, Shinaya Todd joined Mayson Dixon October 2023. As a Civil Engineer major Shinaya constantly breaks the glass ceiling graduating Cum Laude May 2023. Shinaya’s research work is noted with the works of Dr. Mehdi Shokouhian which involved testing the strength of reinforced concrete using recycled steel fibers from tires. As a strong community advocate, Shinaya is leaving her footprint in the Baltimore community with her sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho. 

Recent graduate from West Virginia University majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Isabelle joined the Mayson Dixon team as Project Engineer, October 2023. Isabelle successfully completed her supply chain internship at GE Aerospace, optimizing information flow, and improving project delivery punctuality. Her effective communication and leadership skills were evident as an Undergraduate Research Ambassador at WVU. Proficient in CAD design and data analysis, Isabelle has contributed to projects like designing a mobile solar panel system, ASME Baja and ASME HPVC. Fluent in Tagalog, Isabelle brings multicultural perspective and is ready to leverage her skills and passion for engineering.

Eli graduated from Century High School then went to North American Trade School where he completed his Electrical Apprenticeship. He spent four plus years in the electrical trade, both commercial and residential applications. Since joining us a year ago Eli has completed multiple trainings and certifications which include Procore, Erosion Sediment Control, OSHA 30, Scaffold Awareness, & Fire Safety Fundamentals.

Joining the team in early January 2024, Jack Murray is currently interning at Mayson Dixon. While completing his final semester at Salisbury University, Jack is receiving a hands on experience at Mayson Dixon, where he has had the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world solutions, bridging the gap between academic concepts and business realities. In May, Jack will receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Salisbury University’s Perdue School of Business.  

During his time at Mayson Dixon, Jack has worked on multiple projects ranging from consulting to real estate development. Jack has been able to acquire outstanding community engagement through projects such as the Baltimore Black Sox Memorial Project and the Blue Line Corridor Civic Plaza in Prince George’s County. He has also worked with clients such as Matrix Design Group, LiUNA!, and the Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas to provide invaluable research on a wide range of topics.  

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