Lakey Boyd brings a high energy approach to building and transforming community. With more than 20 years of experience in community economic development and urban planning, Lakey’s background spans private, public and non-profit work. In addition to her work with large organizations, she founded and managed two firms. As a consultant, she worked on more than 90 projects in more than 50 cities in 12 states. She led community and neighborhood plans and strategies, spearheaded economic development initiatives, piloted and grew programs and assessed market dynamics around redevelopment. Lakey has also served with nonprofits to operationalize strategies, engage stakeholders and restructure operations to deliver on their
priorities.

When she was recruited into local government to focus on strategy and innovation, Lakey was charged with creating new, equitable and modern systems. She served as a project manager for large-scale initiatives, public-private partnerships and special projects, all of which were focused
on the future and transformative community change.

Lakey’s personal background has driven her to level the playing field for ALL people. She uses that lens when working alongside community members aspiring to change outcomes for their families, friends and neighbors. Valuing and integrating diverse perspectives has always strengthened and enhanced her work, particularly around change management.

Lakey has been selected to speak at national events and has served as a volunteer expert and advisor for AIA, APA, IEDC and ULI panels, as well as Knight Foundation Community Team visits across the country. Lakey previously served as a national trainer for Urban Land Institute’s UrbanPlan program, delivering training for approximately 300 senior-level volunteers in nine states.

Lakey holds professional certifications from American Institute of Certified Planners and International Economic Development Council. She is also a certified Scrum Master, Scrum Product Owner, and Lean Change Agent. Lakey earned her Masters of City Planning from Georgia Tech, with a dual specialization in both Economic Development and Land Development. She obtained a graduate certificate in Real Estate from Georgia State University’s
MBA program and received her Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies from Georgia State University.

Lakey purposefully chose her family’s relocation to Columbia based on the shared values of this community’s past, present and future. 

Mary Ann Scully is the Dean of the Joseph A. Sellinger, S.J. , School of Business and Management at Loyola University of Maryland.

She is a successful entrepreneur and “intrapreneur” who started, scaled and sold a financial service company that had achieved regional brand recognition and impact. She has successfully led both large and small organizations working with local, national and international client

She was the  co-founder of Howard Bank. She was the  Chief Executive Officer of Howard Bank/ Bancorp and Chairperson of its board of directors until its merger with FNB of Pennsylvania in 2022.

A lifelong banker with more than 40 years of varied executive experiences in the Maryland marketplace, Mary Ann led teams responsible for  both  Howard Bank’s organic growth and repeated strategic acquisitions that  created  the Greater Baltimore region’s  largest locally headquartered banking company and Maryland’s third largest locally headquartered bank with more than $2 billion in assets.

Prior to  Howard, Mary Ann was employed by Allfirst Bank. She served in a number of senior positions including, Executive Vice President for Regional Banking, Executive Vice President for Community Banking, Senior Vice President for Strategic Planning, Senior Vice President for Mergers and Acquisitions, and Senior Vice President of International Banking.

Mary Ann is a trustee of the Enoch Pratt Library, Mount St Joseph College high school and served until 2022 s as Vice Chair of the Greater Baltimore Committee.  She is also a trustee for the Community Foundation of Howard County Real Estate board, and the Inner Arbor Trust. She is a past president of the board of Catholic Charities,  past chair of The Community Foundation of Howard County and past chair of the Maryland Bankers Association ,  as well as a  past  board member of the Baltimore Federal Reserve and  served as a Community Advisory board member for the FDIC. She also was a member of the Maryland Economic Development and Business Climate Commission. She is a 2007 graduate of Leadership Maryland. 

Mary Ann has been recognized publicly for her achievements in business and for her works in the community.  She was given a lifetime achievement award as the CEO of the year  by the Baltimore Business Journal in 2022.  In 2021, she was ranked as #14 in the Daily Record Power 100 listing .In 2022, Mary Ann was inducted into the Business Hall of Fame by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce , and in  2020, Mary Ann was inducted into the Business and Civic Hall of fame by the Baltimore Sun, while and in 2018, she  received the Industrialist of the Year award from the Baltimore Museum of Industry. She was named one of the Top 25 Women to Watch in Banking by American Banker newspaper in 2016 and 2017. 

She received her MBA from Loyola and  her BA from Seton Hill University. She is a Loyola University Alumni laureate  and a Seton Hill University Distinguished Alumna.

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah is the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS). She previously served in the Obama White House as Policy Director for First Lady Michelle Obama, leading the signature Let Girls Learn initiative, and at the State Department as Senior Advisor under Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. At the State Department, Krish coordinated development and implementation of multiple programs including those concerning refugees and migration, engagement with religious communities, the legal dimensions of U.S. foreign policy, and regional issues relating to Africa and the Middle East. Before joining the White House, Krish practiced law at Jenner & Block in Washington, DC, clerked for Chief Judge Michael Boudin on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and taught at Georgetown University as an adjunct. She holds a B.S. in Molecular Biology and an M.A. in Political Science from Yale College, a J.D. from Yale Law School, and an M.Phil in International Relations from Oxford University (Marshall Scholarship). Krish has been recognized as one of The Daily Record’s Top 50 Influential Marylanders, Top 100 Women, and Most Admired CEOs, as well as a Woman to Watch by the Baltimore Sun.

Kristin is a certified yoga and meditation teacher and owner of Bluebird Yoga and Wellness, a company that provides customizable, accessible, and trauma-informed wellness solutions to businesses and organizations. She facilitates mindfulness training to help businesses cultivate mindful leaders, build healthy and high performing teams, and foster a culture of trust and empathy. Kristin is passionate about helping businesses to support the mental, emotional, and physical health and wellbeing of their employees through Bluebird’s wellness offerings of yoga, massage, acupuncture, self-care workshops, retreats, and more. 

Erin has spent most of her 25-year career dedicated to developing leaders who create inspiring work environments that enable people to be fulfilled while also achieving extraordinary business results.

Erin Moran was Union Square Hospitality Group’s Chief Culture Officer for 7 years and in that capacity, she was responsible for overseeing and enhancing all aspects of the employee experience to yield stronger business performance.  Based in New York City, USHG created Shake Shack, operates 27 restaurants, runs a multifaceted catering and events business, has earned 28 James Beard Awards, 22 New York Times Stars, 4 Michelin Stars and is best known for its culture of “Enlightened Hospitality.”

USHG’s Founder and CEO Danny Meyer, author of the NYT best-seller, Setting the Table and recognized as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People, hired Erin following a year-long collaboration between USHG and the global research and consulting firm, Great Place to Work.   Erin spent nearly a decade with Great Place to Work, where she studied leading workplace cultures, helped produce the “Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For” list and advised clients on how to improve workplace culture

Erin is currently the inaugural Executive Director of the Dr. Nancy Grasmick Leadership Institute, anchored at Towson University, an organization dedicated to positively impacting the region and beyond through results-producing and ethical leadership development.  Developed by leaders, for leaders, the institute offers a values-driven and robust portfolio of offerings for individuals and organizations that create transformational outcomes for leaders at any level in their careers and across all industries.

Erin has a series of awards to her credit, including being named one of the Top 50 Women Innovators in the Restaurant Industry (2019), a two-time honoree through the National Restaurant Association Power List of Culture Champions (2017 and 2019) and Women’s Foodservice Forum Top Women in Metro New York Foodservice & Hospitality (2018).

Erin is the proud mom of two children, Riley and Eleanore.  She is also a Baltimore native, holds a B.S. from St. Joseph’s University and an M.B.A. from the Thunderbird School of International Management and has lived and worked in 5 different countries. 

Christian B. Aaron is a faith driven millennial native of Birmingham, Alabama and graduate of Howard University where she received a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. She is a registered nurse and graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary where she obtained a Master’s of Divinity. Daily combines both nursing and ministry, by creating platforms through holistic wellness.

Christian is the owner of RISE Enterprises LLC, Certified Life and Health Coach, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Host, and author of two daily devotional books entitled, “Rise and Shine” and “Single is not a Sin.” She has also extended her ministry beyond the borders of the United States while journeying to Capetown, South Africa and El Salvador on mission trips. She is a 2019 Black Alumni Influencer, 2019 Howard University Move-maker, and featured on WYCB Radio. Christian considers her faith and family as her foundation and is honored to be the only girl of six boys.

Christian is the proud founder of two scholarships- SHINE for seniors in her hometown and RISE for entrepreneurs. She became a licensed minister at Mount Moriah Baptist Church where she serves as the Youth Minister. She is the proud wife to Mr. Matt Aaron and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Christian is a fearless nurse, motivator, author, entrepreneur, life coach and preacher of the Gospel and has been called to transform the lives of all through the power of God.

Samantha has provided communications support to corporations, nonprofits and entrepreneurs since 2006. As a public relations professional, Samantha understands the value of media placements, as they help companies increase trust with their audience and attract new clients, supporters, and investors. She has secured placements on a variety of television, radio, digital and print outlets. Previously, she served as a senior producer at a local radio station in Baltimore, MD. Through these experiences, Samantha has developed specific insight on how media professionals decide what they will cover, and helps others to be prepared for their time in the spotlight.  

Samantha is an experienced public speaker, with experience presenting to youth, college students and professionals. She has presented at the Smithsonian National Affiliations Conference, the National Black Public Relations Conference and the Association of African American Museums Conference. Samantha has a B.A. in Corporate Communications and a M.S. in Nonprofit Management and is passionate about using her communications knowledge to transform executives and entrepreneurs into visibility magnets.

Dr. Gina Merritt is an award-winning, experienced real estate developer specializing in community development. She has been involved in over 8,000 units of housing in various stages of development, managing the entitlement process, structuring and securing the required financing, managing the design, and the overall construction process.

Dr. Merritt has expertise in managing large development projects with complicated financing and ownership structures. She has also underwritten over $4.0 billion in real estate transactions. Her real estate development expertise includes mixed-use development, apartments, condominiums, single-family homes, and public-private real estate transactions. NREUV’s recent real estate advisory engagements include consulting for the University of Virginia on its Affordable Housing Initiative and consulting for the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority on their Sustainability Study. NREUV is also managing over $300M in development for its own account.

Project Community Capital®(PCC), an award-winning economic empowerment platform, was founded by Dr. Merritt in 2008 and redesigned in 2021 to include the Collective Impact Model. PCC is an innovative platform that bridges the social capital required to connect residents and businesses of underestimated communities with employment and economic opportunities. PCC works with developers, contractors, and public agencies to place individuals in construction and permanent employment. PCC also hosts Heighten the Hustle™, an entrepreneurship accelerator that helps stand-up businesses that operate informally within a neighborhood we serve with our real estate projects.

Dr. Merritt earned a BBA from Howard University, MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia, and a Doctorate in Social Innovation at the University of Southern California. Dr. Merritt’s recent industry recognitions include the Stevie Award for Changemaker of the Year-Race, Baltimore Business Journal’s Leaders in Diversity Award 2022, Enterprising Women of the Year Award 2022, and the Social Innovation Summit Award-Economic Empowerment 2022. She resides in Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband and daughter.

Jade Rose is a Facility Security Officer (FSO)/Certified Special Security Officer (CSSO) for Peterson Technologies, supporting the federal government in data analytics and software development. Jade began her professional career in patient care first as a geriatric nursing assistant, then later became certified as an emergency medical technician (EMT).

A veteran of the United States Navy, Jade served as a Master-At-Arms, specializing in law enforcement and antiterrorism. After her son, Henry, was born in 2018, she decided to pursue a different path to leverage both her critical thinking skills and prior military experience. In her spare time, Jade serves the community as an EMT, plays rugby, reads, and plays outdoors with Henry.

Ava-joye Burnett is an award-winning journalist who joined the WJZ news team in January 2016. She is a general assignment reporter.

In 2021, Ava-joye won an Emmy for outstanding breaking or spot news while covering a deadly gas explosion in Baltimore. During hours of extensive coverage, her numerous live shots took viewers inside people’s homes and revealed the impact of the powerful explosion.

Prior to joining WJZ, Ava-joye worked at WRIC-TV in Richmond, Va. as a reporter and anchor. Ava-joye started her reporting career in Hagerstown, Md. She’s also worked at WUSA-TV in the nation’s capital behind the scenes, as well as at CTV-News in Prince George’s County, Md.

Ava-joye was born in Jamaica. When she moved to the United States, she lived in Montgomery County, Maryland. She attended Seneca Valley High School, then graduated from American University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. . In May of 2021, she completed her Masters of Studies in Law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

Ava-joye is a Board of Governor’s member of the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Ava-joye is also a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta, Sorority Incorporated and the National Association of Black Journalists.