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Sydnee Distance 

Sydnee Distance, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, CCMA, is a Manager of Strategy and Policy at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), where she leads department-wide procurement transformation initiatives across the Facilities division. In her role, she designs and implements strategic procurement programs, supports internal contract oversight teams, and leads the development of procurement  and contract management education and training efforts.

Sydnee brings more than a decade of diverse procurement experience across federal, state, local, and private industry sectors. Sydnee has served as a Grant Manager, Budget Analyst, Contract Specialist, Contract Manager, Procurement Officer, Procurement Lead/Assistant Manager and more. She holds a Master of Science in Acquisition and Contract Management from the Florida Institute of Technology, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Capitol Technology University, and a certificate in Advanced Microsoft Office from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Northcentral University and a certificate in Negotiation from Harvard Business School. A graduate of NCMA’s Contract Management Leadership Development Program (CMLDP) and NIGP’s Leader’s Edge Program, Sydnee was honored as DC NIGP’s Distinguished Contract Specialist in 2022. She is a certified John Maxwell Speaker, Trainer, and Coach and serves nationally on the NIGP Talent Council, in addition to being an active instructor and course facilitator for NIGP.

An active and engaged MPPA member since 2019 (during her time at Maryland Department of Health), Sydnee currently serves on the Education Committee, as the Communications Chair, and the social media and webmaster. Sydnee has supported chapter initiatives ranging from professional development workshops to supporting chapter events. Sydnee considers herself a lifelong learner and her primary goal is to continue learning, growing, and teaching in this field. 

If elected to the MPPA Board of Directors, her goal is to help expand the association’s educational footprint, increase member engagement, and support the growth of new and emerging procurement leaders. Sydnee believes in purposeful service, and she’s committed to helping MPPA continue to grow as a premier resource for procurement professionals across the state.

Janile A. Scott

Janile A. Scott, CPPB is an Acquisition Planning and Contract Compliance Specialist at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). In this role, Janile performs acquisition planning, demand forecasting, and contract management functions in compliance with WMATAs procurement policies and procedures.

 

Prior to employment with WMATA, Janile began her procurement career in the State of Maryland where she held the Procurement Administrator I position at the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), a Procurement Administrator II (Senior) position at the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), and Procurement Administrator V (Senior) at the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA).

 

With over 20 years of procurement experience, Janile is also an active member of the Maryland Public Purchasing Association (MPPA, Inc). Her membership began in 2012 and in 2016 to present, she held the Social Committee Chair position where she coordinates member volunteering opportunities that include the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Susan G. Komen Promise Ride, MD Food Bank activities,  virtual food drives, Paint for a Cause Fundraiser, Food To Farm Bank: Fruits Farm, Inc. in Freeland Maryland, Clothing Drives: Suited to Succeed, Sharp Dressed Man, and Children In Need, and the St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore: Empty Bowls Fundraiser, and Bowl Painting at the Pottery Cove. She has also hosted many social events to engage all members in networking. Janile was the 2017 recipient of the Harry H. Bain Distinguished Service Award for her dedication to the community and MPPA members and in 2021 elected Vice President.

 

If elected as a Director on the MPPA Board, Janile’s goal is to further encourage members to participate and be more engaged in the association. We together are what makes MPPA the association that continues to enhance our procurement skills to prepare us for the next level.

 

Procurement with Integrity

Mennah Gargard

I currently serve as the Deputy Director for the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration’s (MVA) Office of Procurement and Contract Management Division, where I provide strategic oversight, guidance, and leadership in state procurement operations.

 

I was born in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa, and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Moving between two different education systems taught me early on the value of perseverance and hard work. After graduating high school in 2000, I attended The Pennsylvania State University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain and Information Systems with a minor in International Business. I later earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a master’s in healthcare administration from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC). I am still dreaming to work in the healthcare field one day or have a business of my own if you are wondering why a healthcare master. Lol. 

 

During my studies, I was fortunate to study abroad in Rouen, France, where I completed an international business program that expanded my global perspective and fueled my passion for public procurement and logistics.

After college, I joined MV Transportation as a Manager-in-Training, where I was selected to relocate to Maryland to support the company’s first contract with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), from 2007 to 2010. I later worked within the MetroAccess Division of WMATA from 2011 to 2016, where I gained my first in-depth experience in procurement and contract management.

 

It was in 2016 when I started as a procurement officer I, with The Maryland Department of Transportation, State Highway Administration (SHA), Engineering Resources Division (ERD) at this time, I met my mentor, Marsha Turnipseed, who introduced me to state procurement and the Maryland Public Purchasing Association (MPPA). Since then, I have served in several professional and organization roles, from procurement officer II, Lead, Contract Management and including Membership Co-Chair and currently Membership Chair. Through these roles, I have worked to strengthen membership engagement, promote professional development, and expand training/outreach in different arena.

 

Within my professional career, my progression is both remarkable and consistent. Without yet holding a CPPB or CPPO certification, I have earned promotions every two to three years based solely on her performance, dedication, and leadership ability. My career reflects continuous growth, driven by integrity, results, and a passion for service. I currently hold the CMPO and won the MPPA Buyer of the Year in 2024, selected by my Deputy Director, my supervisor and my co-worker at SHA, at the Office of Procurement and Contract Management based on my credential and hard-work and continuous assistant towards my team. I am pursuing my CPPO certification, but fear of certificates because I over think everything. lol. I am also a member of NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement.

 

With encouragement and guidance from MPPA leaders like Marsha, Michelle, Donna, Brandi, Danny, Andrea, Ruth and currently Tony, who pushed me even further, thanks to all of you, I have gained a worth of knowledge and networking partnership for life.  My dedication, enthusiasm, and collaborative spirit quickly became evident, leading continuous learning in my current role as Membership Chair, and trying to mentor the new membership volunteers with my very busy and all hands-on role at the MVA. Nevertheless, I helped strengthen MPPA’s network, foster engagement, and build a supportive community for procurement professionals.

 

Known for my analytical thinking and calm leadership style, professionally, I served as a Section Chief in the Office of Procurement and Contract Management (OPCM) from 2023 to 2024 – Procurement Support and Services Division (PSSD). I was widely respected for my leadership, creativity, and commitment to excellence. Known for my“ can-do” attitude, I consistently went above and beyond — whether training new team members in EPICS and etc., attending GOSBA outreach events, assisting with internal training, or developing innovative procurement tools once I was committed to a project.  I gave it my all. At SHA, I have led numerous initiatives to improve operational efficiency including developing an Electronic Invoice Approval and Management Tool that streamlined internal workflows, where I collaborated with IT engineers, developers, and agency teams to streamline processes and enhance efficiency. I take pride in approaching every task with integrity, creativity, and a strong sense of purpose. Although I am naturally reserved, those who know me understand that I am approachable, collaborative, and dependable. I believe in quiet strength leading by example, fostering teamwork, and creating space for others to succeed.

 

Outside of work, I am a devoted wife, mother of two children, and stepmother to my bonus kids. Balancing my career and family life has taught me patience, resilience, and perspective — qualities that also guide my leadership.  Also, living with my mom and mother-in-law will teach you patient. Try it. Lol. My faith remains at the heart of everything I do. I believe in putting God first, working hard, and never giving up. I am passionate about advancing the procurement profession, supporting my peers, and helping shape the next generation of leaders within MPPA.

 

As Director, I hope to continue building on the strong foundation set by those before me — driving growth, innovation, and collaboration across our organization.“ People often ask how I keep moving forward,” I say. “It’s simple, I put God first, I work hard, and I never give up. I do what others won’t because that’s where growth begins.” With my proven leadership, deep commitment to public procurement, and passion for people, I am the ideal choice to serve as the next Director of the Maryland Public Purchasing Association.

 

Thanks again for the opportunity. 

David Renfro



I graduated from American University in Washington, DC. I began my career with the State in March 2019 at the State Highway Administration’s Office of Material Technology as a Procurement Analyst. After that, I served as a Procurement Officer with the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement for over two years. Currently, I hold the position of Assistant Director of Procurement with the Department of Juvenile Services, where I have been for the past year and a half. In this role, I oversee procurement contracts related to IT, janitorial/maintenance services, and health/personal services.

Before my time with the State, I spent over 25 years in the private sector performing procurement duties. This includes five years at Safeway, where I started as a buyer and eventually became a Category Analyst for the Eastern Division. Additionally, I worked with Central Wholesalers (now Lowe’s Pro) for 15 years, managing procurement responsibilities for the East Coast.

I have also held positions with the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the D.C. Government. I have been a member of the Maryland Public Procurement Association (MPPA) since 2019. In the past, I served on the MPPA Virtual Outreach Committee, chaired by Marlo Johnson.