Executive Team

James R. Walker,
MHA, FACHE, President and CEO

Mr. Walker has been the Chief Executive Officer of BWMC since 1992. He obtained his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Hospital Administration both from Georgia State University. Mr. Walker started with BWMC as Assistant Director in 1969. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served on State and National Committees for ACHE. Mr. Walker is a member of the Executive Committee of the Maryland Hospital Association and also serves as Chair of the Maryland Health Education Institute. He is also active in civic affairs.

Karen Olscamp,
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Ms. Olscamp received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester and her Master of Health Services Administration from George Washington University. She completed her residency program at BWMC and assumed the position of Assistant to Administration. Ms. Olscamp was promoted in 1988 to Vice President, Operations and has served in her current position as Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since 1997. She serves on many boards and is a diplomat of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of the Maryland Association of Healthcare Executives.

Alfred Pietsch, CPA,
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Pietsch received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Towson State University and joined BWMC in 1988 as a Budget and Cost Manager. Mr. Pietsch was promoted to Assistant Director of Finance in 1992 and named Director of Finance in 1997. He has held his current position as Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 2000. Mr. Pietsch is the Treasurer of Baltimore Washington Emergency Physicians, Arundel Physicians Associates and Baltimore Washington Health Enterprises. He is an advanced member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountaints.

Lawrence Linder, MD,
FACEP, Sr. Vice President, Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Linder received his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Franklin and Marshall College and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. His residency was in Emergency Medicine at the Medical Center of Delaware. After starting with the emergency physician group at BWMC in 1991, Dr. Linder, became Vice Chair of the Emergency Department in 1993 and Chair in 1999. He has held his current position of Sr. Vice President and Chief Medical Officer since 2004. Dr. Linder also serves as Director of the Emergency Department and is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.

Mary Jozwik,
Vice President, Quality and Patient Safety

Ms. Jozwik received her Master of Health Services Administration degree from George Washington University, after earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Maryland. She joined BWMC in 2005 in her current position, Vice President, Quality and Patient Safety. Ms. Jozwik is also the past president-elect of the Parole Rotary Club of Annapolis.

Kathleen McCollum,
Vice President

Ms. McCollum joined BWMC in 2001 as Vice President and Executive Director of the Tate Cancer Center. She received her bachelor’s degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and her Master of Health Science degree in Health Finance Business Management at Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. Ms. McCollum has served on the Medical Assistance advisory Board for Blue Cross Blue Shield, Maryland, the Denit Cancer Center Board of Directors at Montgomery General Hospital and as a committee member of the National Cancer Institute for Animal Care and Use.

Colleen Roach,
Vice President/Chief Nurse Executive

Ms. Roach began her career at BWMC in 1985 as Director of Nursing. In 1992, she was named Vice President/Chief Nurse Executive. She received her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Georgetown University School of Nursing and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. Ms. Roach is also a board member of the YWCA of Anne Arundel County.

Beth Peters,
Vice President for Development

Ms. Peters has served as Vice President for Development and Executive Director of the Baltimore Washington Medical Center Foundation since 1999. Before starting with BWMC, she served as Director of Development and Public Relations at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital from 1997-1999. Ms. Peters earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Maryland and a Master of Business Administration at Loyola College of Maryland. Ms. Peters is also on the Board of Visitors at the University of  Maryland School of Nursing, an Education Committee member on the Ft. Meade Alliance, Human Resources Committee member of the YWCA in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County and a member of the BWI Business Partnership. She has also served on the Maryland Health Care Foundation Board of Directors.

Sue Ward,
Vice President

Before starting her career at BWMC in 1989, Ms. Ward was a Medical Social Worker for the Anne Arundel County Department of Health and was Assistant Vice President at Saint Joseph Hospital from 1982 to 1989. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from James Madison University and earned a Master in Health Services Administration from George Washington University. Ms. Ward serves on the Board of Directors for Baltimore Washington Emergency Physicians, Inc., and the Baltimore Washington PET Center, LLC. She is also a member of the Maryland Association of Healthcare Executives and an Associate with the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Jose Zeruto,
Vice President