Mattie (Cannon) Stanford hails from St. Louis, Missouri where she attended Soldan High School. While at Soldan she was a member of Girl Scouts of America, the Chandell social club, the concert choir and the girls track team.  She was also, Homecoming queen.

Mattie attended Lincoln University From 1964-1968 where she majored in Health and Physical Education.  While attending Lincoln, Mattie was a member of the Concert Choir, the University Choir, the Dorm Council, a cheerleader, a senior class officer, Miss R.O.T.C., a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and she was selected for Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.

Mattie completed her course work at the University of Missouri in St. Louis and worked at Vashon High School as a Youth Job Placement counselor. In 1972 she married John Stanford whose job moved the couple to the Washington D.C. area where she worked as a job placement counselor in continuing education at The Washington Technical Institute.   In 1977 Mattie’s husband continued to climb the corporate ladder and the Stanfords were transferred to Danbury, Connecticut. While in Danbury, Mattie implemented a program for Continuing Education and on -the job -training for youth who had dropped out of school.  She presented this program to the Director Manpower of the Human Development Corporation of Danbury and the program was accepted and funded.

Mattie directed the program for two years until the family moved to Hartford, Connecticut.   While living in Hartford, Connecticut Mattie taught at Fox Middle School for four years.

Mattie returned to the Washington area in 1983. Upon returning to the area Mattie taught at the Good Shepard School for Girls in Baltimore County.  In 1985, Mattie went to work for the Maryland Aviation Administration as the Manager of Training. She was responsible the development of 400 employees at Baltimore Washington International Airport and Martin State Airport. Mattie held that position for ten years before taking an early retirement to start her own business.

 Mattie is President and owner of Harvest Manor Inc, a Senior Assistant Living business in Columbia, Maryland.

Mattie is active in her church where she works with the marriage ministry and teaches a class for wives who have been married more than five years.