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BALTIMORE HOMECOMING PROMOTES ROBBIN LEE TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Organization announces Latisha Coates-Young as Assistant Director, names new board members
BALTIMORE – Baltimore Homecoming, a nonprofit organization that seeks to engage Baltimore alumni and spark new partnerships, investments and collaborations in the city, announced today the promotion of Robbin Lee from deputy director to executive director and the addition of Latisha Coates-Young as assistant director. Lee and Coates-Young will lead the organization into a new phase of expansion, focusing on the annual event, the Baltimore Conversations speaker series and the “Campaign for Baltimore Heroes,” an ambitious effort to raise $1 million for local nonprofits and to connect alumni whose expertise and influence can advance the missions of our city's dedicated nonprofits.
“Robbin has been with us since our founding, has built our alumni network from the ground up, and brings tremendous energy and creativity to the job,” said Nate Loewentheil, Baltimore Homecoming’s co-founder and president of the board of directors. “We are thrilled to welcome Robbin to this new role and look forward to working with her to advance the mission of Baltimore Homecoming.”
Over the past three years with Homecoming, Lee helped launch and coordinate the annual event, established and built relationships with alumni, area nonprofits and businesses, and spearheaded new initiatives to accomplish the organization’s mission. Prior to joining Baltimore Homecoming, she produced hundreds of events for nonprofits in both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and served as events director for The Emporiyum, a popular food event voted best in the region in 2014 and 2015. She currently serves on the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Alumni Association Board of Directors and also dedicates her time to volunteering for countless organizations including, Chinatown Collective, the Baltimore Chapter of NAAAP (National Association of Asian American Professionals), The Legacy Builders and Thread.
“We are proud of the growth of Baltimore Homecoming over the past three years—having run two successful events, connected alumni back to Baltimore, rolled out a successful series of Baltimore Conversations and helped raise money for some of the fabulous local nonprofits,” said JM Schapiro, Baltimore Homecoming co- founder. “I have known Robbin for over a decade, and she has been an integral part of the organization’s success. I know she will help take Baltimore Homecoming to the next level.”
Coates-Young joins Baltimore Homecoming with a background in project management and educational instruction in Baltimore City, most recently serving as manager of programs and system quality for the National Summer Learning Association. She has self-published two books co-authored with her husband including the children’s book Frankie the Boy Wonder. Coates-Young attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and received a bachelor’s degree from Lancaster Bible College and a Master of Business Administration from University of Maryland University College.
Lee and Coates-Young will focus their immediate efforts on the “Campaign for Baltimore’s Heroes,” an endeavor to raise $1 million for nonprofit partners, past Baltimore Homecoming Heroes and the Baltimore Community Foundation’s Evolving Community Needs Fund. The campaign was created to meaningfully invest in Baltimore’s people and institutions as they face challenging circumstances amid the pandemic.
Outgoing executive director Dan Schochor, who is stepping down to focus on his consultancy business, will continue to remain involved with the organization in that capacity.
Baltimore Homecoming also announced the addition of four new members to its board of directors, a group of nonprofit and business leaders each uniquely qualified to help Baltimore Homecoming realize its mission. The new members are Rachel Bendit, Baltimore alumni, Michael Chesser, chairman emeritus of Great Plains Energy and member of the Education and Neighborhoods Committee of the Baltimore Community Foundation, Michael Fader, vice president at MileOne Holdings and Brittany Young, 2018 Homecoming Hero and founder and chief executive officer of B-360.
Baltimore Homecoming was established to build a network of accomplished Baltimoreans from across the U.S. and connect them with the leaders and doers building a brighter future for the city. Since launching in 2017 and hosting its first event in 2018, the organization has been successful in helping to bring family foundations to Baltimore, facilitating alumni investment in local startup companies and driving substantial contributions to nonprofit organizations across the city. Baltimore Homecoming made the difficult decision to cancel its 2020 event and is planning to announce its Fall 2021 date in early 2021.
To learn more about Baltimore Homecoming’s work visit baltimorehomecoming.com. To learn more about The Campaign for Baltimore’s Heroes visit giving.baltimorehomecoming.com.
About Baltimore Homecoming, Inc. Baltimore Homecoming, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization designed to gather Baltimore’s most accomplished natives and alumni from around the U.S. and the world to spark new partnerships, investments and collaborations; make connections to the city’s next generation of innovators, artists, activists and community leaders; and to reawaken and deepen our personal ties to the city. Founded by Nate Loewentheil and JM Schapiro, who serve respectively as President & Chair of the Board and Board Treasurer, Baltimore Homecoming engages the professional community through its Board of Directors which includes Loewentheil, Schapiro, Rachel Bendit, Michael Chesser, chairman emeritus of Great Plains Energy, Brandon Etheridge, general counsel for the Baltimore Ravens, Michael Fader, vice president of MileOne Holdings, Ganesha Martin, consultant, Sophia Silbergeld, director of strategic partnerships at Adeo Adocacy and Brittany Young, founder and CEO of B-360. More information is available at www.baltimorehomecoming.com.
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