Our Mission
To educate the public about the importance of the honeybee to agriculture and life in general, to promote the benefits of eating locally produced honey, and to provide current information necessary to manage a colony of honeybees on a continuing basis.
President
Regina Andrew
Meet Regina Andrew, the first woman to be elected President of the Central Maryland Beekeepers Association (CMBA) since its founding in 1973. Having previously served as CMBA’s Librarian, Regina assumed her new position as President on January 1, 2023. Regina is excited to bring her passion and enthusiasm for honey bees to this important role.
Regina started beekeeping upon her retirement as an attorney with the federal government. Since that time, she has enthusiastically participated in the beekeeper community. Not only has she been a member and board member of CMBA, she is also Second Vice President of the Maryland State Beekeepers Association, whose meetings she regularly attends. She also has been an attendee at the Eastern Apicultural Society Annual Conference.
However, her strongest connection with honey bees is attending to her hives on her small farm in Northern Baltimore County where she resides with her husband and two dogs.
Secretary
Nate Anderson
I’m a second year urban beekeeper in Blatimore, and am making it through my first winter with all 8 of my hives alive and healthy! I joined the CMBA’s board last year after taking the short course and coming out with a growing passion for the hobby.
Treasurer
Jean Hessenauer
Jean, a long-term career law librarian, has been engaged in backyard beekeeping for five years. She enjoys tending to her honey bees, horses, cats, and dog, and volunteers in her local community, participating in many varied agricultural venues and events.
Jean stepped-up to the treasurer position in January 2024 and has dedicated countless hours to keeping CMBA on financial track.
Chairwoman | Membership Committee
Cindy Landefeld
Cindy Landefeld is an enthusiastic beekeeper who lives in Baltimore County. She has a passion for apis mellifera and is a proud member of the Central Maryland Beekeepers Association (CMBA).
Nuc Yard Manager
Osmar Rivera
Osmar Rivera is a longtime honey bee lover and advocate for conservation. His deep respect for nature and strong desire to make a difference make him a staunch ally in the fight to save the bees, our most precious and prevalent pollinators.
Osmar’s deep love and respect for bee conservation began as a child in his hometown of San Luis de la Rena, El Salvador. Growing up he witnessed and interacted with the sweet buzzing wonders of nature. These childhood memories followed Osmar when he left to make his way to America and they stayed with him until he returned home to visit some 21 years later. When he found numerous honey bee populations in ruins due to ignorance and fear, Osmar went into action planting fruit trees, pines and flowers and setting up a small apiary on his father’s land. Soon he was taking calls to rescue bee swarms and transferring them to safety. The overall success of this first “bee-venture” led him to pursue official training and conservation opportunities here in Maryland.
Beekeeping and apiary management are part of Osmar’s life-time passion to make a lasting change on his environment. He also values education and wants to inspire others to learn and get involved with conservation efforts that include holistic beekeeping, organic pesticide-free gardening, bee safety, swarm identification and relocation or removal options. Osmar is proud to volunteer his time and talents to CMBA as a manager of CMBA’s nuc yard.