Board and Staff

Debra Tall is the Board Chair of the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center and currently serves as a part-time victim services provider for the Anne Arundel County Police Department. Debra assisted in the formation and worked with the departments’ Teen Court, up until the COVID-19 Pandemic, and works with the West Anne Arundel County Substance Abuse Prevention (WASP) Coalition focusing on preventing substance use among youth and young adults. She was the Program Director of the Juvenile/Victim Assistance Unit (JVAU) for the Anne Arundel County Police Department for 35 years. Prior to that, Ms. Tall worked three years as a research assistant for the Department of Juvenile Services. Debra graduated from Salisbury State College in May 1977 with a degree in Psychology and was a graduate of the first class of the Roper Victim Assistance Academy held at the University of Baltimore. Ms. Tall attended victim training on the national, state and local levels and has served as Instructor, Anne Arundel County Police Department Training Academy 1983-2013, Board Member, Maryland Victim Assistance Network (MD VAN); then Secretary and President of Maryland VAN. She serves and has served on several Boards (e.g., Stephanie Roper Committee and Foundation (Secretary), Md. Crime Victims’ Resource Center, Inc. (Secretary); GOCCP Board of Victim Services (through 2016); and WASP (West Anne Arundel County Substance Prevention)) and has written numerous grants to begin and sustain the Juvenile/Victim Assistance Unit. Debra has attended various victim service trainings and has worked with the state and federal legislatures regarding many victims and juvenile laws. Most notably, she worked five years on the passage of the Md. Constitutional Amendment for Victims’ Rights. Ms. Tall has testified before the state legislature and has spoken to numerous community groups about bills and laws. Debra received many awards throughout her years of service including the Maryland Champions for Victims of Crime Award, the Anne Arundel County Police Chief’s Award, the top award from the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorneys’ Office, and the Henry Gleim Award from the Governor’s Office Board of Victim Services (received twice over 10 years apart).

Roberta Roper is a veteran crime victim advocate who together with her husband, Vincent, founded the Stephanie Roper Committee and Foundation, Inc. in 1982 in tribute to their slain daughter, Stephanie. She was the Executive Director until November 2002, when the missions of this statewide, non-profit victim advocacy and service organization were merged into the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center, Inc. (MCVRC) Today the MCVRC continues the missions that have distinguished it as one of the nation’s most effective service providers and voices for crime victims and survivors. Roberta served as the Chair of the MCVRC Board of Directors and chaired the State Board of Victim Services. for many years Today she continues to volunteer for special events, serves as secretary of the MCVRC Board of Directors, and facilitates the support group for families of homicide victims.

William (“Bill”) Smith became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in 1987 and has worked in various financial management roles for the last 30+ years, primarily in contracting with the Department of Defense. Bill currently serves as Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for a DoD contractor in Maryland. Bill and his wife Maura are involved with their church and with other organizations in caring for those with special needs.

John D. B. Carr is a proud Prince George’s County resident. Growing up in Suitland, Maryland, John attended Bishop McNamara High School. After graduating from Bishop McNamara, John attended the University of Maryland at College Park, focusing his passion on service and protecting his community, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology & Criminal Justice. After graduating, John started his career at the Prince George’s County Office of the Sheriff as a deputy sheriff. While working, John continued his education by attending Norwich University, earning a Master’s degree in Public Administration.In his 20-year law enforcement career at the Office of the Sheriff, John has served Prince George’s County citizens through various units. John has stayed grounded in his community roots, fighting to end domestic violence as a deputy in the Domestic Violence Intervention Division and has led the apprehension of violent offenders as a commander in the Warrants & Fugitive Division. John’s (community first principles) have been the foundation that’s guided him to promote through the ranks to obtain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and Assistant Sheriff, commanding the Bureau of Field Operations.

In addition to his field-related experience, John has served as a certified instructor teaching the International Association of Chief of Police (IACP) leadership in police organizations program to other leaders throughout the state. John is affiliated with several professional associations, including the International Association of Chief of Police (IACP), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA).

Joyce Maria Conyers was born in Wilmington, NC and raised in SE Washington, DC. Joyce has worked for several government organizations including the Department of Navy, History and Heritage Command (NHHC), United States Marine Corps Historical Center, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. She has served in collateral positions including as Headquarters Marine Corps Equal Opportunity Chairperson, Summer School Work Program Manager, Government Paperwork Elimination Act Liaison, Victims for Violent Crimes Program Coordinator for Maryland Corsairs Sea Cadets Program and Chief for Naval Sea Cadets Liaison for NHHC. Joyce holds a Masters degree in organizational management and is also active in her church.

Gerard E. Evans has been one of Annapolis’ top lobbyists for the past twenty-five years. Over the years, he has represented a wide range of clients and interests before the Maryland General Assembly including the Baltimore Orioles, Constellation Energy, Verizon Communications, Glaxo, Medical Mutual, the Maryland Hospital Association, the State Medical Society, Penn National Gaming, the Fraternal Order of Police and Professional Fire Fighters, the Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos, and the Maryland Transportation Builders and Materials Association, as well as the Maryland Asphalt Association.

Mr. Evans began his career in 1976 working for Montgomery County Senate Delegation Chair Victor L. Crawford as his top aide. In 1977, he went to work for Senator Mike Miller for Prince George’s County. When Senator Miller became Chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in 1982, Evans became his top legislative assistant. During this time, he earned a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Maryland and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore. Later he served on the Law School Dean’s Advisory Board and the University of Maryland’s Board of Visitors.

His political life has included Chairman of the Prince George’s County Democratic Party and Deputy Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party.  He has held numerous executive level positions with campaigns ranging from Mondale/Ferraro to Clinton/Gore.  He also served as State Finance Director for Gore for President in 1988 and ran Joe Curran’s successful campaign for Attorney General in 1986.  He directed the National Democratic Party Presidential Convention site selection committee in 1992.

Mr. Evans has taught pro-bono at the University of Maryland, College Park in the School of Public Policy for the last two decades.  He also served as a Senior Scholar to the James McGregor Burns Academy of Leadership. Evans is active in a host of community and philanthropic causes including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Hope House Rehabilitation Center, and Next One Up where he serves as a member of the Board of Directors. He is married to Kathleen Evans, a Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commissioner.  They have five children, seven grandchildren, and live in Davidsonville, MD.

Robert Harvey has over 40 years of courtroom experience and previously served as the Deputy State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County.  He is a graduate of the University of Maryland Carey School of Law.

Marilyn C. Moses retired in 2020 from federal service after a 29-year career at the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ). NIJ is the research, evaluation, and development component of the US DOJ. She came to federal service, after 20 years in the private sector, and after emerging from a nationwide competition and selection as Presidential Management Fellow finalist. Ms. Moses spent her career at NIJ as a social science analyst with subject matter expertise in institutional corrections (prisons and jails), women offenders, children of incarcerated parents, correctional healthcare, probation and parole, inter alia. There, among many other accomplishments, she created the Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program which has been replicated nationally and has been in existence for three decades. She has authored over 40 professional publications in the field and has trained criminal justice professionals on a national level. During the last seven years with the US DOJ, she also was elected and served as the Union President for AFSCME Local 2830, representing OJP employees. Ms. Moses has also served as an external peer review panelist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Social Security Administration. Since her retirement, she was appointed by former Governor Larry Hogan to serve on the Citizens Review Board for Children (foster care case review). She also volunteers her time as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for CASA Prince George’s County (children in foster care), as a mediator for the Conflict Resolution Center for Montgomery County, and as a court monitor of the intimate partner violence docket in Montgomery County for Court Watch Montgomery. Ms. Moses received her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland University College (paralegal studies), her graduate degree from the University of Baltimore (criminal justice), and is currently pursuing a second master’s degree from the University of Baltimore in negotiation and conflict management. She currently resides in Prince George’s County.