Amanda Phillips de Lucas, Ph.D. is the Director for BNIA-JFI. Prior to this role, Amanda worked at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies as a Postdoctoral Fellow and the Foundations Relations Manager. In 2018, she received her Ph.D. in Science and Technology Studies from Virginia Tech. She also has degrees from Virginia Tech (MS), NYU Gallatin (MA), and Bennington College (BA). Her dissertation examined how activists and community groups in Baltimore used technical data to protest urban interstate construction in the late 1960s and 1970s. This research was published as a chapter in Justice and the Interstates: The Racist Truth about Urban Highways (Island Press, 2023), which she also co-edited.
Brandy Savarese, Associate Director of the National Transportation Center and the SMARTER Center, is a transportation advocate and research administrator. With a master’s degree in architectural history (University of Virginia, 2001), focusing on the evolution of the transportation landscape and the history of urban planning, she has developed a unique ability to “speak transportation.” Ms. Savarese joined Morgan State University after seven years at the University of Texas Center for Transportation Research where she learned research administration and began to leverage her background in book publishing and author coaching in translating engineering research into accessible language. Ms. Savarese is currently a member of the Transform Maryland Transportation (TMT) Executive Team, the TMT Baltimore Regional Transit Authority Working Group, the West Baltimore United Working Group, and the Baltimore Metropolitan Council’s Bikeable Baltimore Region Project Advisory Board.
Mansoureh Jeihani, PhD, is the director of the National Transportation Center at Morgan State University, where she also directs The SMARTER Center- a USDOT regional university transportation center. She has a multidisciplinary background in civil engineering/transportation systems, economics, and computer engineering. Dr. Jeihani has more than 17 years of experience in applied research in transportation planning and modeling, traveler behavior, intelligent transportation systems, connected and autonomous vehicles, traffic safety, artificial intelligence, and equity. Dr. Jeihani is the chair of Distracted Driving – Strategy 3 – Maryland Strategic Highway Safety Plan; the co-chair of the Maryland Connected and Automated Vehicles Technical Subgroup, a member of the Transportation Research Board–Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Computing Applications committee, the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC), Maryland Quality Initiative (MDQI) Innovations Subcommittee, Maryland Connected and Automated Vehicles Working Group, National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Panel, and the Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program (BTSCRP) Panel.
Matt Hugel is a Development Manager for Cross Street Partners, working on the Penn Station adaptive reuse and master redevelopment of Amtrak-owned land in Central Baltimore. Matt’s primary focus is working with community stakeholders to plan and secure capital funding for pedestrian, transit, and public realm improvements around the transit hub. His passions for the built environment lie at the intersection of urban design, transportation planning & complete streets, and private development. Matt is a Baltimore native who holds a master’s in real estate from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Prior to joining Cross Street Partners, Matt helped launch Brightline – the nation’s first private passenger rail system – which operates intercity trains and has developed more than two million square feet of transit-oriented development in Florida. In his free time, Matt volunteers for Rails to Trails’ Baltimore Greenway Trails Network Coalition and is eager to advance active transportation projects in the Baltimore region.
Erich Lange is the Transportation Development Officer at the West North Avenue Development Authority (WNADA), a state of Maryland economic development authority leading the equitable revitalization of West Baltimore. Erich brings a progressive transportation philosophy to this role to foster economically resilient, healthy and vibrant communities. Erich has experience leading transportation planning and community development initiatives for state, local, non-profit and philanthropic institutions in Colorado, Washington D.C., and now in Baltimore, Maryland. Erich has a Master’s in Urban & Regional Planning with a dual concentration in land use and urban design; and community, housing and economic development from Georgetown University.
Sarah Wallace Director of For My Kidz is a strategist, community advocate, and griot. As an eighth generation Baltimorean with over 20 years’ experience in community advocacy and organizational sustainability, she ensures that equity and access is in the forefront of her work. Sarah’s hobbies are reading and poetry when she is not with her family and friends.
Clyde Boatwright is President of the Fraternal Order of Police, and a sergeant police officer of the Baltimore City Schools Police Force with over 20 years of experience in law enforcement. He is a driving force in violence interruption for Baltimore City youth.
Ebony McClenney is a goal driven single mom who runs two businesses. After losing a son to gun violence, she founded the SON Organization to give a voice to mothers that have lost a son to senseless trauma. “Failure is not an option” is the mantra she lives by.
Tiffany Fox is a trained Firefighter and EMT with the Baltimore City Fire Department. Tiffany has a Bachelor of Social Work Degree and a passion to help people which struck her interest in becoming a firefighter. Tiffany volunteers her time teaching others how to use life saving procedures in critical times.
Jerel Wilson founded For My Kidz (FMK) in 2007 to positively impact Baltimore’s youth through mentoring and athletics training. Under his leadership, FMK has expanded into a Resource Center that serves youth and families with Housing, Workforce Development, Mentoring, Career Readiness, and Emergency Services. When Jerel is not growing his businesses he spends his time coaching basketball, consulting, and public speaking.
Rob Wells, Ph.D, is an associate professor and Abell Professor of Baltimore Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. He teaches basic reporting, data journalism and research seminars. Between 2016 and 2021, Wells taught at the School of Journalism and Strategic Media at the University of Arkansas. Before his academic career, Wells was the Washington bureau chief of Dow Jones Newswires and later Deputy Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal D.C. bureau. He previously reported for Bloomberg News and The Associated Press. Wells’s research interests involve examining the history of business journalism and its problems, such as its inability to serve the general public effectively. He is the author of The Insider: How the Kiplinger Newsletter Bridged Washington and Wall Street (University of Massachusetts Press, 2022) and The Enforcers: How Little Known Trade Reporters Exposed the Keating Five and Advanced Business Journalism (University of Illinois Press, 2019).
Shaun Chornobroff recently completed his first year in the master’s of journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. He moved to Maryland to further his education in journalism, which started at Rider University in New Jersey. At Rider, Shaun rose to executive editor of the school newspaper, earning state and regional accolades during his collegiate journalism career. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Baltimore Banner, Asbury Park Press, and New Jersey Advance Media, among other outlets.
Bridget Lang is entering her last semester at the University of Maryland, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science with an upper-level concentration in journalism. A Baltimore County native, Bridget got her first experience with reporting in Wells’ Urban Affairs class, reporting on small businesses in Baltimore. She is inspired by the community she has always been a part of and has made it a goal to use her skills in software development, data, and writing to tell stories in the best way possible. She has had articles published in the Baltimore Banner and Capital News Service.
Robert Stewart is a journalist studying multiplatform journalism at the University of Maryland. His professional background spans from writing for marketing teams to working in human resources. He’s done national security policy analysis as a research assistant at the RAND Corporation and a wide variety of translation work from Persian and German to English that has taken him from Central Asia to Eastern Europe. His educational background is in foreign languages and literature.
Tamirah Reaves works as a part-time contractor and loves technology and the impact it has on developing the world. She is a member of the Baltimore City Youth Data Hub’s Community Research and Action Committee. She is a native of Baltimore City.
Geri Lynn Peak is the Chief Insight Facilitator at Two Gems Consulting Services. She and her associates work to strengthen community-based, regional, national and international programs through evaluation, training, and technical support. She seeks to shine light into the dark corners of program practice to promote true understanding by: 1) asking critical questions with curiosity and compassion; 2) “listening” to what is learned through diverse approaches to gathering and mining data with openness and detachment; and 3) presenting that wisdom back to clients in accessible forms, trusting in them and helping them invoke their own wisdom and excellence to continually improve their efforts. Two Gems practices evaluation based on a process Geri developed called Strategic Insight Facilitation, which involves gathering wisdom using customized participatory data collection activities to learn what stakeholders know about program operations, practices, outcomes, challenges and benefits and using those insights to drive evaluation questions and design. Geri also owns a much neglected wearable arts business and performs dance, drumming and song on occasion as the community requires it.
Kerra Dukes (she/her/hers) benefited from many nonprofits in Baltimore while she was growing up. This shaped her and ensured she would never forgot where she came from and be that person she was blessed enough to have been. So, when she first learned about Baltimore’s Promise’s Community Advisory Board, she knew this was the right time to have a hand in shaping Baltimore’s youth. Kerra is a Baltimore native who graduated from Western High School. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and plans to get her Master’s degree in Public Health. Her career aspirations are to work in the public health field and healthcare advocacy. As one of eight children, she hopes to help cultivate a better a better Baltimore for her younger brothers.
Noell Lugay has been in education for over 15 years. She has held various positions starting as an elementary and middle school classroom teacher in Baltimore City. After becoming a teacher leader, Lugay pursued school leadership and was admitted into the Accelerate Institute’s inaugural Ryan Fellowship Cohort- a partnership with Northwestern University- Kellogg School of Management. After a year of structured training and an intense Principal incubator program in Brooklyn (Red Hook) New York, she took her skills and passion for public education to New Orleans, Louisiana to become the principal of a turn-around charter school. After several years, she returned to Baltimore overseeing Principal Support and Operations for over 155 public schools for 9 years. After serving in the Scott administration for 2 years, she has been tapped to serve as Interim Assistant Deputy Mayor of Equity, Health and Human Services. Noell is a proud mother, resident of Baltimore City, and HBCU alumnae.
Bridget Blount joined the Baltimore’s Promise team in 2018 and serves as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer. In this role, she provides strategic leadership, oversees organizational learning and impact, and drives collaboration with community partners. She is also responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the Baltimore City Youth Data Hub. Before joining Baltimore’s Promise, Bridget served as the Director of Data and Evaluation for the Family League of Baltimore. Bridget also served as Manager of Evaluation and Quality Improvement for New Pathways, an organization serving disconnected youth in Baltimore City, and as Youth Program Director at St. Francis Neighborhood Center.
Bridget is passionate about helping nonprofit organizations harness the power of data to strengthen their organizations, improve their services, and communicate their impact. Bridget currently serves as the President of the Baltimore Area Evaluators. She is also an Equity in Practice Fellow with Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy. Bridget attended the University of Maryland College Park as a University of Maryland Incentive Award Scholar, earning bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Kinesiology. She also holds a master’s degree in Applied Psychology from New York University. She is pursuing her doctoral degree in Public Policy at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Bridget lives in Baltimore, where she was born.
Dexter Locke is a Research Geographer with the USDA Forest Service’s Baltimore Field Station. He studies cities, trees, and the people who steward them. Before joining the Communities and Landscapes of the Urban Northeast Research Unit, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC). He is an Urban Ecologist with a doctorate from the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University, and an avid R programmer. Conducting applied research with urban natural resource managers is his passion. https://dexterlocke.com/
Ava is a Senior Scientist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and a Faculty Associate in the Department of Biostatistics in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She runs the Data Science for Environmental Health Program (daseh.org) and Genomic Data Science Community Network (gdscn.org), both of which help non-traditional learners explore the power of programming. She also researches the genetics of plants in cities, soil communities, and how people learn data science. https://www.avahoffman.com/
Nicole Bryant, a 33-year-old mother of three, embarked on a life-altering journey after the tragic loss of her nephew to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Motivated by this profound loss, she founded We Responders Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping communities with life-saving skills and fostering a culture of preparedness. Her determination only intensified in January 2024 when she experienced another devastating blow, losing her father to a similar overdose. Fuelled by grief, Nicole channeled her pain into action, vowing to prevent such tragedies from befalling others.
In just one year, Nicole’s tireless efforts have made a remarkable impact. Through We Responders Inc., she has trained over 3000 individuals in CPR, Stop the Bleed, and active shooter response techniques. Her mission is clear: to cultivate communities of responders who are empowered and ready to provide aid in times of crisis. Nicole’s unwavering commitment to her cause serves as an inspiration to all who encounter her story. In the face of unimaginable loss, she has transformed her grief into a beacon of hope, saving lives and empowering others to do the same. With We Responders Inc., Nicole continues to forge a path toward a safer, more prepared future for all.
Cindy Burch began her career at the National Study Center for Trauma & EMS in 2001 and, in July 2018, moved to the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, the Baltimore region metropolitan planning organization. There she supports the development and implementation of Local Strategic Highway Safety Plans in the region’s seven jurisdictions. At the NSC, she worked closely with the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office (MHSO) on data analyses and traffic records, facilitated the State Traffic Records Coordinating Committee, served as the data coordinator for the Maryland Strategic Highway Safety Plan, and answered data requests from state and local agencies as well as the public at large. She continues to work closely with the MHSO to support all local efforts in planning, data analysis, and evaluation.
Shayna Rose is a city planner and Toward Zero Manager for the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. Her work focuses on improving transportation safety throughout Baltimore, primarily by expanding access to multi-modal infrastructure. Shayna is responsible for winning Baltimore City DOT $10.95M in funding from the USDOT Safe Streets for All program to significantly ramp up safety and accessibility projects on the City’s most dangerous roads. Shayna has also worked to expand placemaking in Baltimore, revamping the placemaking application experience, guiding communities through the project process, and negotiating policy that reduces barriers to entry. Shayna is a resident of Baltimore City, and you can find her biking through City streets on a daily basis, all year round. She has a BS in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Master’s in Urban Planning from Georgetown University.
Dylan Newport is a Data Fellow with the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. The Ohio native earned his BS in Geography, with minors in Portuguese and Security & Intelligence, from The Ohio State University in 2022 and moved to Baltimore City shortly after. Previously Dylan has participated in a Virtual Student Federal Service Internship with the US State Department in Brasilia and a GIS internship with CBRE Spain. He works on various data analyses and visualizations concerning crashes, 311 DOT requests, safety citations, and towing using tools such as SQL, PowerBI, and ArcGIS Pro to help improve services and street designs for residents.
Kristin Mmari, Dr.PH, MA, is a Bloomberg Associate Professor of American Health in the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. With a degree in medical anthropology and a doctorate in international health, Dr. Mmari has focused on improving the health and well-being of adolescents. Currently, Dr. Mmari is the principal investigator of Project VITAL, a four-year study that brings together researchers and practitioners from a variety of different disciplines to examine the impact of restoring vacant lots on reducing adolescent health disparities in Baltimore City. Additionally, she sits on the Adolescent Health steering committee of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative at Johns Hopkins, which focuses on research, education, and practice to improve the health of young people in the United States. Internationally, she co-leads the Global Early Adolescent Study, which is one of the largest longitudinal studies on urban poor young adolescents, in which she is assessing the extent to which gender transformative interventions are effective in changing health outcomes among adolescents across different cultural locations, as well as the fidelity, quality, and scalability of the various interventions across sites.
Rebecca Skinner is a Senior Research Program Coordinator for the Center for Adolescent Health in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Rebecca has been with the Center for Adolescent Health for five years, primarily managing the data collection for several studies centered on adolescent health in Baltimore. She earned her MSPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education from Western Oregon University.
Dustin Fry is an epidemiologist at the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station. His research focus is on urban health issues, including greenspace access and other neighborhood-level exposures, with a particular focus on exploring innovative data sources for use in policy-relevant research.
Dr. Marina Jenkins is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Center for Adolescent Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her primary research interests are in adolescent health, social media use, and substance use, with a have special interest in health equity, reproductive justice, and incorporating anti-racist research methods in population health research. Her current work evaluates the impact of retail substance environments and community-engaged youth programming on vulnerable adolescent populations in Baltimore. Dr. Jenkins received her doctorate in Population Health Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison focused on maternal and child health epidemiology.
Aliza Sollins serves as a program officer at the Annie E. Casey Foundation within the Baltimore Civic Site unit. In this role, she partners with nonprofit organizations working to prevent and reduce young adult homelessness, keep residents in their homes, and increase housing affordability. Her Baltimore roots come from great-great grandparents who immigrated in the 1800s to Corned Beef Row and Lombard Street. She connects to neighbors as secretary of the Ednor Gardens Lakeside Civic Association and Northeast Community Organization. She is grateful to BNIA-JFI and all of the partners involved in Baltimore Data Day for using data and engaging community in a collaborative effort towards the City’s ongoing revitalization across many sectors.
Frankie Gamber, Ph.D., is the executive director of the Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC), one of the nation’s longest-serving education research-practice partnerships. At BERC, Frankie works to connect Baltimore City Public Schools and researchers at 11 colleges or universities in the area to work together on research questions that span early childhood education through college access. Prior to joining BERC, Frankie was the executive director of City Teaching Alliance Baltimore, principal of Bard High School Early College Baltimore, and Community Art Collaborative Coordinator at MICA. She has a bachelor’s degree in Afro-American Studies from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in history from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Frankie lives with her husband and three kids in Baltimore, where she is an avid transit rider.
Dr. Bess Rose is a statistician with the University of Maryland School of Social Work and the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center. Previously, she was a senior study director at Westat, a research and evaluation coordinator at the Maryland State Department of Education, a technical writing advisor at Goucher College, and taught writing at SUNY Buffalo. Dr. Rose’s current research interests include understanding the contributions of school and work environments to children’s and adults’ growth trajectories. She received her doctorate from the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, with support of an IES fellowship. In her dissertation she applied cross-classified multiple membership growth models to examine the impact of different types of school moves on academic achievement. Current research includes applying longitudinal data analysis methods to examine poverty as a predictor of wage trajectories.
Molly Abend is the Data Management Coordinator for the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center. Prior to joining the State of Maryland, Molly created data analysis and performance measurement tools to aid in program management for workforce development programs at the Baltimore City Department of Social Services and conducted performance management for the Baltimore City Fire Department and Department of General Services as a CitiStat Analyst in the Mayor’s Office. She also managed the Student Learning Objectives process for 5,000 teacher-level staff at Baltimore City Public Schools, worked on studies funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and taught at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Baltimore and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Goucher College.
Merissa MacDonald is a ISA Certified Arborist, land steward, organizer, and educator. She currently manages Partnerships & Community Engagement at Hyphae Design Lab – an environmental engineering and design firm based in Oakland, CA. After founding an Urban Forestry program in Philadelphia, her goal at Hyphae is to encourage community experts to harness collected data for their benefit with impactful implementation.
Ryan Little is the data editor at The Baltimore Banner, where he leads a team of data reporters and a visual investigator. His work analyzing large datasets and scraping the web has won multiple national awards and led to at least one Department of Justice investigation. Little is a dedicated mentor to aspiring data journalists and frequently speaks on the role of data in uncovering vital stories.
Nick Thieme creates rigorous data journalism with the goal of exposing and undoing systemic inequities by using the tools of statistics to discover reliable information about Baltimore. He grew up in the D.C. area, moving to Baltimore in the 2010s. After a time creating data journalism for Atlanta at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he’s excited to return home to use his work to make the city a more equitable place.
Greg Morton is a data reporter for the Baltimore Banner. He focuses on using data analysis and visualization to help simplify complex issues, give readers insight into the world around them, and expose inequality and exploitation. Prior to arriving at The Banner, Greg worked as an intern at ProPublica, NPR’s Planet Money, and The Washington Post, working on stories ranging from criminal justice to macroeconomics. Greg also worked as a fellow at the University of Maryland’s Howard Center for Investigative Journalism.
Ramsey Archibald is an award-winning data journalist originally from Birmingham, Alabama. He’s covered topics ranging from demographic and population numbers to rural hospital beds, education, income and more. He was part of a team at Al.com that won a Pulitzer Prize for a series on a small-town police force that preyed on residents to inflate revenue. He’s the proud father of a daughter and a dog, and loves sports, reading and cooking.
Cheryl Knott is the Assistant Director for BNIA-JFI. Since 2007, Cheryl has worked to ensure the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of the organization’s community indicators that describe the quality of life for Baltimore City communities. She coordinates with staff and external data-creating agencies to produce customized statistical and research reports and evaluations. Cheryl is a proponent of data democratization and has a strong interest in making data open and usable to the public, students, and other professionals. She currently serves as a Governor’s Appointee to the Maryland Council on Open Data.
Rosalind is a Data Fellow in the Mayor’s Office of Performance and Innovation. She attended Goucher College in Towson and graduated in 2020 with a degree in Computer Science. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rosalind worked as a contact tracer at the Baltimore City Health Department, where she became passionate about improving the lives of Baltimore citizens. In her capacity as a Data Fellow, she has worked on various projects, including identifying slowdowns in the city’s procurement process and analyzing an increase in 911 call wait times. She is currently leading the effort to update and improve Open Baltimore, the city’s open data site.
Terrence Jennings serves as the Utility Policy Manager for DPW/CSSD. Before coming to the DPW, Terrence served in the Mayor’s Office as the chair of the Property Disposition Committee that administers the Surplus Schools for the City of Baltimore; Vice-chair of the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee; Chair of the Business and Institutions Census Subcommittee; member of the Equity in City Government Committee; and member of the Space Utilization Committee. Terrence was the Real Estate Manager for the City of Baltimore’s Department of General Services which oversaw hundreds of city-owned properties. Terrence is a Baltimore native and holds a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Baltimore.
As the Tree Care Manager at Baltimore Tree Trust (BTT), Marcus Tuah oversees the maintenance of several thousand young trees throughout Baltimore City. Marcus is an ISA-certified arborist and holds an M.S. in Environmental Science. When he’s not roving Baltimore’s urban forest in a white Ford-F250, Marcus shares an office with Kajall Hylton, BTT’s GIS Coordinator. Kajall joined BTT with a B.S. in Environmental Science & Geography, and now manages BTT’s extensive (and, at times, unruly) geographic datasets.
Selenea grew up in Marriottsville and has lived in North Carolina and Maryland. She received her associate degree in Computer Aided Drafting and Design at Howard Community College in 2018. She then attended UMBC to study Geography and Environmental Systems where she would receive a Bachelor’s in 2021 and a Masters in 2023. Selenea was a part of the NOAA EPP/MSI CESSRST Scholar Fellowship where she would work with NOAA scientists and fellow federal government stakeholders. In addition, she interned with NCEI located in Asheville, North Carolina under the NOAA NERTO program in the summer of 2022. She comes to Baltimore City with a passion for helping residents stay safe and healthy, and live in a sustainable environment. She believes that data is more than points on a map or figure, but rather a story of the people who are included within the study area.
Jonathan Cleary was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and has lived here his entire life. As such he cares a great deal about the people in Baltimore, the city, and the Orioles. He discovered the natural sciences in high school and early college and has taken an interest in them ever since. Partway through college Jonathan was involved in a project involving a hydroponic system, which sparked his interest in that niche. Having graduated with a degree in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Baltimore, Jonathan now looks to continue working in the environmental field in one way or another.
Michelle Geiss serves as a Co-Founder and Network Director of Impact Hub Baltimore–a community workspace supporting hundreds of social entrepreneurs and small businesses annually. Impact Hub Baltimore and its larger community are building a local economy that advances equity, innovation, and civic wealth. Michelle draws on two decades of experience in program design and strategy for social innovation and social enterprise. She was raised outside of Philadelphia, educated in Maine, and trained across four continents, before coming to Baltimore in 2011 for an MPH at Hopkins School of Public Health. She sources inspiration and motivation from Baltimore’s committed grassroots leadership every day. Michelle believes that we must bravely and creatively step into creating a more just, joyful, and abundant world together.
Brennan is the Assistant Managing Director, Business & Neighborhood Development at Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC). Throughout his career, Brennan has produced exceptional design solutions for various developments across multiple firms. His leadership, work ethic, and creative approach to planning, design, and marketing translate into a comprehensive vision that benefits BDC’s clients, bringing a fresh perspective to BDC. Outside of his BDC work, Brennan volunteers his time with an array of varied non-profits, some based in education, digital equity, real estate, and social entrepreneurship. But no matter the organization, the goal is to build a better-connected and more sustainable community. He currently serves as Chair of the ULI Baltimore Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and Baltimore Chair of ICSC’s Next Generation Committee. Brennan holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia after completing an Interdisciplinary Design Program at the Nuova Accademia Di Belle Arti in Milan, Italy.
Charlotte Clark has a background in software engineering and expertise in product development and operations. In 2020, Charlotte transitioned from being an engineer, to working in a variety of roles in the startup ecosystem, including CTO, accelerator program manager and a contractor in an entrepreneurial support organization. Charlotte moved to Baltimore in March as an inaugural Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Fellow, working in partnership with Impact Hub and the BASE Network. As a Fellow, Charlotte is part of a new generation of Economic Development professionals and hopes to strengthen the ecosystem between Baltimore’s entrepreneurs and the organizations that support them.
Andy Cook is the founder and Executive Director of Made in Baltimore, a local brand initiative housed at the Baltimore Development Corporation. Cook founded MIB in 2015, while serving as an urban planner at the Baltimore City Department of Planning’s Office of Sustainability. He holds a Master in City Planning from MIT, and Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Cooper Union. Cook currently serves on the interim Board of Directors for Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts.
Hello! My name is Jazmine Green, and I am a rising Senior and Distinguished Honor Roll Student at the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. When I’m not in the classroom you can find me playing sports, reading books, watching telenovelas in Spanish, and spending time with my friends and family. I’m always eager to learn new things and explore different STEM fields and projects. My goal is to pursue a career in either Neuroscience or Environmental Science with involvement in Spanish to combine my interests in biology and the environment and passion for Hispanic culture.
Sela Powell (aka “Sunshine”) is a local youth entrepreneur. Sela is the CEO of Selalalike where she designs and crafts hand-made creations: mixed media art, costumes, custom jewelry, upcycled jewelry and art, doll clothes, and photography. Her favorite things to photograph are costumes and miniatures/dioramas. When Sela is not working and managing Selalalike, she serves as a youth leader, community event planner/coordinator, and youth advocate for Northeast Leaders in Baltimore City as well as Baltimore Workforce Development Board’s (BWDB) Youth Leader Internship Program (YLIP) as a youth as experts co- chair (June 2023 – July 2024). She started her business at only nine years old and has been creating and selling her mixed media art and creations ever since. To add to her already busy business career, Sela is a true artist in its truest sense and aspires to become a singer, actress, and songwriter — all while continuing to flourish in the art world by using her art to create album covers and an exclusive fashion line for her namesake and other artists. Sela is definitely on the move and is one to watch as she aspires to make her name and artistry known, while using this important platform connector to further her activism to change her community and the broader world through one art piece at a time for peace.
Nibria Roberts is a Youth Leader and community advocate currently serving as a data analyst of the Youth Data Hub / community research action committee. She is a 2020 Renaissance Academy graduate and a 2021 CCBC’s CNA/GNA program graduate. Nibria is passionate about improving youth workforce development in Baltimore City. She serves on Baltimore’s U.S. Department of Labor’s Youth Systems Building Academy team working on a youth workforce landscape study and youth engagement strategies within the workforce system. Nibria is also an entrepreneur and enjoys singing and painting.
Lawrence is an entrepreneur, youth leader and youth advocate for Baltimore promise. Is a multifaceted professional based in Baltimore, MD with a proven track record in warehouse operations, graphic design, and youth leadership. Lawrence is the founder and CEO of Endless Motion since June 2022, where he oversees product development and distribution, and skillfully manages customer relations. He also serves as an Environmental Services staff member at the University of Maryland and a Youth Leader with the Baltimore Workforce Development Board’s Youth Committee guiding strategies for the City’s youth workforce plan and to the operations of the Youth Committee. A Baltimore native, Lawrence graduated from Green Street Academy and has undergone rigorous workforce development training at the Center for Urban Families. Known for his resourcefulness, strong interpersonal skills, and ability to excel in multitasking environments, Lawrence is dedicated to continual personal and professional growth, seeking opportunities that allow him to contribute and advance in dynamic settings.
Appointed by Mayor Brandon M. Scott, Justin Williams serves as Deputy Mayor for Community and Economic Development, a role where he oversees the policies and operations of city agencies responsible for neighborhood development & revitalization, housing, planning, workforce development and tourism. His portfolio includes overseeing the Department of Housing and Community Development, Department of Planning, Live Baltimore, Visit Baltimore, Baltimore Convention Center, Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals, Baltimore Public Markets Corporation, Baltimore Development Corporation, Housing Authority of Baltimore City, Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, Mayor’s Office of Small, Minority and Women-Owned Business Development, and Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts.
Laurie Benner is the Associate Vice President of Housing and Community Development at the National Fair Housing Alliance. She is responsible for developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating innovative national programs designed to advance research, programs, and policies that provide equitable access to homeownership, housing, economic, and other opportunities. Her primary focus is to spearhead the Keys Unlock Dreams initiative – a 10-city program aimed at expanding affordable and fair housing options; increasing the homeownership rate and related benefits for people and communities of color; preventing an unbalanced recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic; and closing the racial wealth and homeownership gaps. Ms. Benner previously worked with the Maryland Association of Realtors and Healthy Neighborhoods Inc.
Claudia has a long history in community development in Maryland. She was the Director of Housing Counseling & Operations for Southeast Community Development Corporation and worked for Maryland DHCD in the Division of Neighborhood Revitalization. Claudia was the Deputy Director of the Maryland Center for Community Development, the precursor to CDN today. Claudia has a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University, and lives in Baltimore City.
Bob Pipik is President and CEO of Healthy Neighborhoods Inc since December 2022. Bob was previously Chief of Policy City of Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development, Director of Analytics and Mapping at the Baltimore City Department of Planning and Executive Director of Facilities for the Baltimore City Public School System. He played a central role in creating the DHCD Framework for Community Development and leading the Neighborhood Subcabinet. Bob also has successful private sector experience with the consultancy Urban Policy Development and private real estate development with the Aequo Fund. Bob has a Masters Degree in City Planning from MIT and lives in Baltimore City.
Toni Davis-Spivey is an Assistant Vice President and Community Mortgage Specialist with Truist Bank. She is a Residential Lending professional with extensive (35 yrs.) experience processing and originating loans, educating prospective buyers about credit and the home-buying process and advising homeowners of their options to avoid foreclosure. In her current position, her focus is to work with low to moderate income borrowers, educating them about the process to achieve and sustain affordable homeownership opportunities. She also mentors other Loan Officers within Truist on best practices for working with the first-time home buyer. Toni Davis–Spivey is a native of Baltimore. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Goucher College. She began her career in banking while attending Goucher College and transitioned to mortgage banking.