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Press Release – July 27th, 2026 – Tessa Charlery Appointed Executive Director of MAX
Dear MAX Community Members,
Assistant Vice President, Megan Masters has announced that Tessa Charlery has accepted the position of Executive Director for Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX), effective July 27, 2026. Tessa brings nearly two decades of experience within MAX and the University of Maryland’s Division of IT, most recently serving in the functional role of Director of Finance for MAX. In that capacity, she has been a strategic partner to senior leadership, providing executive-level oversight across business development, technical, and administrative functions for MAX’s multimillion regional research and education network.
Tessa has a proven record of advancing MAX’s financial sustainability, strengthening partnerships with federal agencies and R1 universities, and aligning operational priorities with long-term strategic goals. She is also a seasoned team leader, with extensive experience managing and developing professional staff, fostering open communication, and building strong cross-functional relationships.
In the Executive Director role, Tessa will put forth her historical, industry knowledge and mission-driven mindset to guide MAX’s strategic direction, support our engineering and operations teams, and continue to deepen MAX’s engagement with the University of Maryland campus, UMD’s Division of IT, external partners, and MAX Participants. Tessa’s vast institutional knowledge, collaborative leadership style, and data-informed decision making will serve the MAX community exceptionally well. Tessa has worked with MAX at the University of Maryland since 2005 and graduated from University of Maryland University College with a Master of Science in Management (MSM) with a concentration in Finance.
The MAX team is elated to welcome Tessa into her new role!
