Meet the Team at
Harford’s Heart
Each member of our team brings experiences from a variety of personal and professional backgrounds, education and training. Collectively, we’ve acquired and developed skills and interests across a broad spectrum. We’ve invested in our families and homes, we’re involved in our community and we’re passionate about Keeping It Local. We know what it takes to operate a small business and we know the satisfaction that comes from staying connected to the people and businesses that stay connected to us.
Sandy Mislak-Kapinos, Publisher
Sandy utilizes her natural talents and flair, along with her business and corporate communication degrees from the University of Baltimore. She has been in the design and marketing industry for over 35 years, initially for other firms and for the last 28 years as the owner of Sonipak Design & Marketing, providing design, advertising and marketing services for regional and national businesses. She balances her agency work with the ever-evolving and welcoming demands of family life and supports her husband, Kevin, in the operations of Kapinos Builders, a home improvement company. In addition to volunteering in the community, Sandy serves on several boards and participates in coordinating fundraising events and assists in marketing for a number of local non-profit organizations. She’s a devoted friend and animal lover, passionate concert-goer, fascinated by medieval history and art, and an energetic decorator and cook. And when it’s time to unwind, you will find Sandy and her tribe somewhere on the bay enjoying family time on the boat.
Debbie Umbarger, Editor & Health Columnist, Staying Fit
Debbie has been a staff writer with HH since 2011 and has recently made the transition to the role of Editor. Her enthusiasm for helping others and a firm belief that excellence is achieved through commitment and effort are behind Debbie’s personal and professional life choices. The energy that she brought in her careers as a teacher at Homestead-Wakefield for over 24 years, personal trainer and group fitness instructor, field hockey coach, Certified Rock Steady Boxing Coach and Advisory Board Member for the non-profit, Rally Against Parkinson’s, is a testament to her passion for a healthy, active lifestyle. Her daughters and husband share her enthusiasm and readers are inspired by the recommendations and helpful tips in her regular columns – Reflection With an Artist, Staying Fit and Healthy Choices.
In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, golfing and traveling with her family.
Dave Archer, Distribution
Dave Archer is a lifelong Harford County resident who grew up in Abingdon before making Bel Air his home in 2014. He began his career at Horn & Horn in the Harford Mall before spending more than 30 years in a General Motors dealership parts departments. During that time, Dave worked his way up from delivery driver to parts consultant and eventually served as a parts manager for six years.
When he’s not working, Dave enjoys exploring classic and contemporary films, learning about U.S. and world history, and listening to heavy metal music—especially the legendary rock band KISS. He also enjoys attending live concerts and cheering on the Aberdeen IronBirds throughout the baseball season.
Rachel Bauer, Advertising Sales Associate
Rachel is a lifelong resident of Harford County and a proud graduate of Harford County Public Schools, Harford Community College and Southern New Hampshire University, where is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Marketing. With over 13 years of experience in graphic design, Rachel specializes in high-impact digital and print campaigns, conversion-driven websites, SEO strategy and vector illustration. In addition to her freelance work, where she creates custom portraits and branded materials, Rachel is also a small business owner, designing and producing handmade dog bandanas. Passionate about community and collaboration, she is a strong advocate for supporting local and small businesses whenever possible.
Melissa Munro Boyd, PsyD, ABPP, Psychologist and Author
Columnist, Family Time: Positive Mental Health Strategies for Children & Parents
Dr. Melissa Boyd is a board-certified Clinical Psychologist and has served active duty in the Army since 2008. She is a proud graduate of Hampton University, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology and La Salle University, where she achieved her Master’s and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.
In 2011, she deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, where she served as the Behavioral Health Officer-in-Charge. She currently serves as a clinical psychologist and behavioral health advisor for the Defense Center for Public Health in Aberdeen, MD. Her professional interests include mental health disparities, suicide prevention and awareness, and the use of literature and bibliotherapy in therapy.
Dr. Boyd is the author of a children’s book series called Skills for Kids. Her books are focused on emotional learning, wellness, social development, and healthy coping skills. Her books include B is for Breathe, Keeping it Cool, Better Together, Creating Calm, and Kindness is Cool. To learn more, visit: linktr.ee/boyd_books
Dr. Boyd is married to Bryan Boyd and has 3 children, ages 6, 8, and 10. She loves the Lord, enjoys running, reading and writing, and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Carol Deibel, History Columnist, Historical Harford
Carol Deibel served as the Director of Planning and Community Development for the Town of Bel Air for twenty-six years, developing the town’s first historic preservation program and overseeing development as the town grew from a small rural community to a major suburban center. This experience placed her in a unique position to document the history of this community. Ms. Deibel is co-editor of Marilynn M. Larew’s book, Bel Air: An Architectural and Cultural History 1782 – 1945; editor of the Historical Society of Harford County, Inc, bi-monthly newsletter; and author of several publications and articles for the Town of Bel Air, the Historical Society of Harford County and several local boards and commissions. She is currently working on an oral history project with the Harford County Historic Preservation Commission, collecting stories from Harford County residents about their lives and experiences in Twentieth-Century Harford County. She serves on the Board of the Bel Air Downtown Alliance and is the Vice President of the Historical Society of Harford County, Inc.
Cameron Emely, Staff Writer
Cameron Emely has lived in Harford County since 2004 and is an avid fiction writer. Cameron graduated from the John Carroll School and, four years later, St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in English. With experience in both short story and novel writing, Cameron is looking forward to pursuing a career as a fiction author, most experienced in the fantasy and broader speculative genres. Previously, he penned the short story series “The Gambler” in Harford’s Heart under the pen name Lawton von Emelen. He also authored, edited, and self-published a family history book on behalf of family relatives, detailing their heritage dating back to the Revolutionary War. When not writing, Cameron is visiting friends all over the state of Maryland, keeping up with the latest Marvel films or engaging in what’s new in the fantasy book industry.
Chip Emely, IT Services, Advertising Sales Associate & Distribution
The efficiency of our website and email accounts is due to technical support from Chip through his firm, The Emely Group. He and his wife Mandie, run the company, offering web solutions, Internet marketing and professional photography services to small businesses throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region, from their home office in Street. Their business shares their home with their two sons, Cameron and Max. Chip’s first-hand management experience, along with his considerable technical skills, enables him to find solutions that work best for other small business owners.
Greg Gerding, Advertising Sales Associate & Distribution
Greg has been a Harford County resident for over 33 years and has been married to Rhonda, a CPA, for 37 years. Greg boasts a lifelong career in printing that dates back 4 generations, starting in 1899 when his great-grandfather started a printing business in Fells Point. Greg is a passionate and talented woodworker! He inherited his love and talent from his other great-grandfather, who was a shipbuilder.
Greg loves to play golf, cook on his pellet grill, travel, explore old and new destinations and kicking back with a good cigar and a glass of bourbon.
Greg and Rhonda have two grown kids. Their oldest married his Clemson sweetheart and they recently blessed the Gerding family with their 1st granddaughter. Greg’s daughter is married to a 1st responder at the University of Maryland and they live downtown in Canton with their new puppy.
Sarah Hindle, Advertising Sales Associate
Sarah has been a lifelong Harford County resident. She grew up in the Aberdeen area, attended York College of Pennsylvania and returned home following graduation. After working at the Aberdeen Proving Ground for several years, Sarah made the decision to become a stay-at-home mom in order to devote more time to her children. Sarah volunteers with the PTA at her children’s schools and also through their 4-H program. Through her volunteerism, she has helped with many fundraisers and met many local business owners and small farmers.
Sarah is passionate about supporting local businesses and purchasing local food whenever possible. In 2020, she founded Three Trees Farm at her home in Aberdeen – a local small-scale hatchery offering chicks, hatching eggs, rabbits and soon, goats, all while providing her family with fresh farm-raised food. In their free time, Sarah, her husband Trey and their three children enjoy working with all of their animals and spending time outdoors.
Howie & Dawn Hundley, Columnists & Fishing Enthusiasts, Fishing Harford’s Waters
Howard Hundley has lived in Harford County since 1968 and has been fishing Harford’s streams since he was 3. His first catch, on an overcast morning in May, was a 4″ perch and he became hooked on the experience, connecting with nature and the thrill of the sport. He has completed courses in fly casting and fly tying and is an avid fly fisherman. Howie has fished nearly every inch of the many streams in the county and has written about his adventures for Maryland’s Fisherman’s Annual. Dawn has lived in Harford County for more than 30 years. She has learned to fish fairly well from Howie and enjoys tying flies. Like Howie, she is a talented chef and enjoys creating new ways to cook their catch on the rare occasion that they decide to keep it.
Gwenivere Kapinos, Social Media Manager & Advertising Sales Associate
Gwenivere is a recent graduate of Coastal Carolina University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. With a passion for creativity, branding and communication, Gwenivere enjoys combining marketing strategy with engaging visual content and customer experiences.
She currently serves as the Marketing and Sales Lead for Lazarus Entertainment Group, supporting group sales, event coordination and marketing initiatives for two of Myrtle Beach’s top entertainment attractions. Her role includes assisting with large group bookings and guest experiences, while also creating promotional content and graphics using Canva in a fast-paced entertainment environment.
Gwenivere is also the founder of Box Of Rain Jewelry, where she manages branding, social media, customer engagement and online sales for her custom jewelry line.
When she’s not creating engaging social media content for HH, Gwenivere enjoys designing jewelry, spending time with friends, getting out in nature, creating healthy recipes, baking, attending concerts and boating with her family.
Denise Sawyers, Advertising Sales Associate & Staff Writer
Denise grew up in the Churchville/Bel Air area and has been raising her family in Street with her husband, David. Her love for Harford County and her passion for supporting local businesses stem from growing up in the area. Over the years, she has built relationships with local business owners through past advertising and marketing roles. Along with volunteering at school, church, scouts, 4-H and sports activities for her three children, Patrick, Paul and Bridget, Denise has served on many boards to help with fundraising, marketing and coordinating events.
Denise is vested in her health and is committed to helping others reach their goals. From weight loss to increasing your natural energy, Denise is a wonderful ally and resource. (DeniseSawyers.Truvy.com)
She’s an avid DIYer who enjoys everything from crafts and decorating to cooking. Finding hacks to transform traditional comfort foods into healthier versions is a specialty. She has taken this passion to the next level and opened her own boutique, offering an eclectic mix of vintage and new home decor for every style and budget. Visit Homelands Market at 2900 Churchville Road in Churchville.
Amy Smith, Online Calendar Coordinator
The attention to detail required for the production of our calendar of events – both online and in the bimonthly magazine – is matched by resourcefulness in researching and screening the many entries that we receive from community groups, individuals and businesses. Fortunately, as our “Calendar Girl”, Amy brings a natural level of organization that she heightened in her years of administrative work at Towson University’s Advancement Division and Foundation Offices. Like many of our staff, Amy is a “transplant” who quickly became a fan of Harford County after moving here from Parkville. “You feel like you’re out in the country, but you’re close to everything, which makes it easy to Keep it Local!” In addition to volunteering at school for her three sons and being involved with their sports activities, Amy participates in many community events. She’s always interested in finding more events to include in our calendar, which is updated online every week.
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Founder Fran Johnson retired in 2020.
Congratulations Fran!
Fran founded Harford’s Heart Magazine in 2004. Her passion for connecting the community, coupled with the need for a local platform for businesses to share their information,n gave birth to what is now Maryland’s Magazine for Harford County!
And just as Harford County grew, Fran’s vision continued to grow with it. HH started as a 2-person start-up publication distributing 10,000 4x each year to today becoming a household staple with a staff of over 20, reaching a growing population of over 262,000 with 22-30,000 printed copies 6x each year and the only live, interactive companion digital edition! Be sure to visit our archives page and take a step back in time, flip through our past editions and enjoy all that is great about Harford County!
A little about Fran:
Fran’s political idealism in her teens translated into specifics of community service during the years that she raised her daughters, taking roles that ranged from Girl Scout leader, choir mom and PTA volunteer to local political office, all while sharing management of a family-owned design/manufacturing business. A native of Baltimore County, she had lived in Philadelphia’s Main Line and in London before relocating to Harford County, where she and her husband, Wayne renovated an 1890s shotgun house in Bel Air. Now enjoying retirement, Fran spends her time gardening, crafting, and visiting her children and grandchildren in San Francisco and NY. And of course, Fran remains committed to her community!