On the Move, 6/9: Edwards to lead music department at Baltimore School for the Arts

Mellasenah Indira Edwards has been selected to lead the music department of the Baltimore School for the Arts. She will begin in the position at the beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year, replacing Chris Ford, who was named director of the school. Edwards, who is a BSA graduate, is curriculum and program assistant of its Office of School and Community Partnerships and leads the BSA Orchestra. She holds a doctorate in musical arts in violin performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Before coming back to Baltimore in 2009, Edwards was chair of the music department at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, where she also taught violin.

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Accounting

Erika Pecora has been hired by Gross, Mendelsohn & Associates, of Baltimore, as an account executive in its technology solutions group. Pecora, who has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Towson University, previously was an investment operations representative for Martin\Wight & Co., an investment and insurance agency affiliated with Mass Mutual Financial Group.

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Awards

James Knapp recently received the 2011 Compton Crook Award from the Baltimore Science Fiction Society for his novel “State of Decay,” which was published Feb. 2. The award is presented for the best first novel of the year in science fiction, fantasy, or horror. The book was also a finalist for the Philip K. Dick Award.

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Engineering

RMF Engineering, a Baltimore-based engineering firm, has added two mechanical engineers: Paul Orzewicz is now senior project manager. He rejoined RMF after 10 years of related experience in the Baltimore marketplace. Richard Heim is now project engineer. He spent the past six years in the Baltimore marketplace, where he served as a mechanical design engineer for six years and achieved LEED Gold status.

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Grants

The Maryland affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure recently awarded $39,591 to the Center for a Healthy Maryland Inc., an affiliate of the Maryland State Medical Society, or MedChi. The center’s mission is to advance the practice of medicine, enhance the quality of medical care, and promote the health of Maryland residents. Its programs focus on quality improvement and education.

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Information Technology

Jason Parry has been hired as practice manager of communication and collaboration of Force 3, which is headquartered in Crofton. Parry will manage network engineers and drive the sales and delivery of communication and collaboration consulting services. He is certified by Cisco as a voice professional, network associate and design associate. Parry has worked for SafeNet, ACC Telecom and Carroll County General Hospital.