Maryland SILC Seeking Individuals with Disabilities to Apply to for Council Membership

The Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council is seeking individuals with disabilities to apply to be a member of the Council. This is a volunteer position.

Maryland SILC promotes the independent living philosophy which includes consumer control, peer support, self-help, self-determination, equal access, and individual and systems advocacy. These factors are essential to maximize the leadership, empowerment, independence, and productivity of individuals with disabilities, as well as to ensure the integration and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of society.

Individuals interested in applying for council membership can download our Membership Application Form to complete and submit along with a resume for consideration.

For questions and additional information, contact executivedirector@marylandsilc.org.

Maryland SILC Appoints Lorna-Mae Silcott as New Executive Director

The Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lorna-Mae Silcott as its new Executive Director. Lorna-Mae brings various personal and professional independent living philosophy experiences to this role.

She is an individual with a visual impairment who refuses to let anything stop her from achieving her goals. She is an enthusiastic individual who lives life to the fullest. She has been an educator and an advocate for over 20 years and was recently employed as a disability advocate for The Freedom Center which serves Frederick and Carroll County in Maryland. She was employed at the Freedom Center for over 5 years. As a disability advocate at the Freedom Center, she provided youth with pre-employment transition services, was on the housing case management team, received her benefits counseling certification, and was a valued part of the employment network. She also hosted a weekly show called “The Freedom Train” which educated, informed, and encouraged the community.

She served on the MSILC Executive Counsel as Vice-Chair and Secretary for 3 years. In these roles, she expanded her knowledge on promoting the independent living philosophy which includes consumer control, peer support, self-help, self-determination, equal access, and individual and systems advocacy. In her quest to learn more about Maryland’s SILC, she has attended conferences such as the SILC Congress, the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), and the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL).

She strongly believes in serving with excellence and is enthusiastic about letting others know they do not have to settle for less. She believes that her journey from seeing to becoming visually impaired has allowed her an opportunity to use every situation as a teachable moment to educate others about her capabilities, so they are not so focused on her disability. She uses her life story to encourage others and show that if she did it, they can too. Her motto is “I am built for this.” This means that whatever life brings, we are prepared and pre-packaged to manage it. She believes she has much to offer to those she meets, especially in the community, and takes every opportunity to help others achieve their goals.

Lorna-Mae is the proud mother of two incredible career-driven adults. They have both inspired and motivated her to aspire to be one of God’s best.

Lorna-Mae Silcott started in her new role on August 5, 2024.