Camera Thomas-Wilhite

Carmera Thomas-Wilhite is the Director of Urban Conservation Initiatives at The Conservation Fund. For about five years, Carmera was the Baltimore Program Manager at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a regional non-profit whose mission is to “Save the Bay'', focusing on oyster restoration in the Inner Harbor, engaging communities through advocacy and equitable environmental policy and reducing pollution in local waterways in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Carmera serves on several boards, including Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, Inc. and with other organizations dedicated to engaging in local community efforts to support healthy, thriving and sustainable communities. 

Dr. Sally J. Scott

Sally J. Scott, Ph.D., is Graduate Program Director of Community Leadership at University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she leads an interdisciplinary program that draws on the teaching and research strengths of UMBC, and helps students build collaborative leadership skills as well as strong connections to local nonprofit organizations. Previously, as a foundation program officer and a nonprofit executive director, Sally led collaborative initiatives to bolster neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing.  In the Baltimore area, Sally has worked with grassroots, multi-neighborhood, citywide and statewide organizations. She has graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University. 

Dr. Joby Taylor

Joby Taylor, Ph.D., directs the Shriver Peaceworker Program at UMBC and has spent 20 years leading community engaged learning programs in Baltimore. His scholarship, teaching, and community work spans many fields across the Humanities and Social Sciences.  During COVID he developed a “seminar in the park” series of safe face-to-face outdoor classes and a new community-based course in “Senses of Place.”  He lives in Baltimore City and takes every chance he gets to lead students, colleagues, and friends on outings around the city to explore its rich history, complex challenges, diverse people, and emerging social change movements.

Laurie Schwartz

Laurie Schwartz, President of the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, has dedicated her career to helping make Baltimore an even better place to live and work. In the early 1980s, Laurie helped the city and area businesses start Downtown Partnership. She then served as its first President for over fifteen years. Following a stint at City Hall with Mayor O’Malley, Laurie worked as an independent consultant for nine years. During this time, she helped Waterfront property owners, Waterfront area attractions, and the City of Baltimore start Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, Inc. In 2010, Laurie agreed to join the organization full-time as its Executive Director.