WNADA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant
- Executive Assistant / Button
Job Titles:
- President of Coppin State University
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Executive Director / Button
Chad currently serves as the Executive Director of the West North Avenue Development Authority. The Authority is a new Maryland independent economic development agency that coordinates State and City planning and development activities for efficiency and effectiveness; conducts statistical research and analysis; markets real estate development opportunities; partners with neighborhood associations on designing community plans; and provides grants and loans to "fund" and "initiate" housing, economic, and transportation development activities in Baltimore City without displacing legacy residents. In this position, Chad statutorily reports to both the Governor and Maryland General Assembly Finance and Budget Committees with informational debriefings to the Baltimore City Council.
Job Titles:
- Director, Baltimore City Planning
Job Titles:
- President & CEO, Baltimore Development Corporation
- President and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation
Colin Tarbert is the president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), which serves as the economic development agency for Baltimore City. It is responsible for growing the city by retaining and attracting businesses, expanding job opportunities for city residents, and increasing investment in city neighborhoods. Prior to his BDC appointment, Tarbert served in various leadership roles for nearly a decade at the Mayor's Office of Baltimore City during three administrations, including the roles of Deputy Chief of Strategic Alliances and Deputy Mayor for Economic and Neighborhood Development. In addition, Tarbert is active on numerous civic and non-profit boards, including chair of the Baltimore Hotel Corporation, chair of the Baltimore Public Markets Corporation, and a member of the boards of the Neighborhood Impact Investment Fund and East Baltimore Development Inc. In 2013, Tarbert was named as a 40 under 40 honoree by the Baltimore Business Journal. Previous to the role of president & CEO and his tenure in the Mayor's Office, Tarbert was a senior economic development officer for BDC. Tarbert graduated with a B.S. in Architecture, summa cum laude, from the University of Maryland, where he subsequently earned his Master of Architecture degree. A native of the Baltimore area, Tarbert lives in Baltimore City with his wife, Bonnie and their daughter.
Job Titles:
- Interim Director of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation
- Interim Director, Department of Transportation
Corren Johnson is the Interim Director of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. In this capacity, she is responsible for leading the agency's mission to maintain and improve the transportation infrastructure providing a safe, reliable, accessible, and efficient system for all users. She joined the agency in September 2021 as the Chief Engineer/Deputy Director for Complete Streets. In this role she led the Traffic, ADA, Right of Way, and Transportation Engineering and Construction Divisions, with the focus to elevate the priority and safety of pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. Prior to this position, she has held a long tenure with over 17 years at the Maryland State Highway Administration that encompassed diverse leadership roles. Most recently before joining the City, she was the first Black female District Engineer for Maryland, overseeing construction, traffic and highway design, roadway maintenance and operations, utilities, permitting, as well as snow removal for Anne Arundel and Southern Maryland counties. She and her 400+ staff were dedicated to the safety and mobility of customers traveling on nearly 2,900 lane miles and 400 bridges. Her other capacities with Maryland include Chief of Traffic Operations, Chief of Construction Support, and Access Permits Area Engineer for Montgomery County. Corren values workforce development, building partnerships, and delivering great customer service. Corren earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and her Master's degree in Project Management from the University of Maryland University College. She currently serves as a Director-at-Large for the WTS Baltimore Chapter and for the past 4 years served as Co-Chair for the MdQI Transportation Operations Subcommittee. She is a graduate of MDOT SHA's Advanced Leadership Program, the National Leadership Institute, and the AASHTO Management Institute. She lives in Baltimore with her husband and daughter, and enjoys creating works of art, serving in church ministry, mentoring, and coaching soccer at Patterson Park.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, MD Economic Development Corporation
Job Titles:
- Secretary of Housing & Community Development, Office of Secretary
Job Titles:
- Baltimore City Council, District 7
A Baltimore native raised in public housing, James has served and contributed to the well-being of his community since the age of 13. James was disheartened by the appalling conditions of his high school, Carver Vo-Tech. He advocated with fellow student government association members to elicit support from the mayor and governor to renovate the school's facilities. He recognizes that indifference about the poor conditions of dilapidated schools can hinder quality teaching and learning that students deserve. Committed to strong communities, James taught civic engagement for the YMCA's Youth Development Programs and mentored students while an undergraduate at Towson University. On campus, he was an active student leader, serving in leadership roles such as SGA vice president and a member and segment chair of the Maryland Higher Education Student Advisory Council. In these roles, James advocated for resources for first-generation college students, in particular, students from Baltimore City Public Schools. As a fellow at City Hall, he assisted the Cleaner Greener Baltimore team in implementing single-stream recycling and helping to change the workflows for the Adopt-A-Lot program in Baltimore. An unwavering commitment to public service led James to seek service opportunities in local and federal government. In 2010, he served as a legislative aide and interim chief of staff to former state Sen. Verna Jones-Rodwell. In 2012, he joined Baltimore City Public Schools as a CEO graduate fellow, performing classroom size research and aiding in the principal selection process. In 2015, James worked for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform supporting investigations in securities and communications industries. James holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law; Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Management from the University of Baltimore; and Dual Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Communication Studies from Towson University. James has supported and introduced legislation to combat illegal dumping, prioritize affordable housing, and highlight the urgency for criminal justice reform. Additionally, his office organizes community cleanups, food distribution events, education and employment resource fairs, and many other community engagement events. James and his wife, Orlett, are raising their son in the Ashburton neighborhood of Northwest Baltimore.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, Druid Heights Community Development Corporation
Job Titles:
- Deputy Mayor for Community & Economic Development
Job Titles:
- Secretary, Maryland Department of Commerce
Job Titles:
- Maryland State Delegate ( District 40 ) Button
Job Titles:
- Minister
- Community Advisor
Job Titles:
- Secretary of Transportation - Department of Transportation