Baltimore— The Transition Board of Directors of the Baltimore Children & Youth Fund (BCYF) selected Alysia Lee as the fund’s first President. Lee will be tasked with the vital job of managing the daily functions of the nearly $12,000,000 annual fund, originally approved by Baltimore City voters in 2016.
“I am honored to serve my city in this new role as the President of the Baltimore Children & Youth Fund. My previous work in the education, nonprofit, and youth development sectors prepared me to lead the Fund in its next steps,” said Alysia Lee.
“Alysia is passionate about connecting youth and communities that are often overlooked to opportunities and resources,” said BCYF Board Chair, Dion Cartwright. “With experience in the nonprofit, education and government sectors, and years of experience leading grassroots community-centered programming, Alysia brings a great deal of passion to her work, both personally and professionally. This includes working closely with philanthropists, policymakers, youth, and adult leaders to elevate the field of youth development. She is deeply committed to serving and supporting our youth and those most impacted by systemic inequities and failed systems. The BCYF Board of Directors is truly inspired by her, and we are excited to have her leading BCYF through this important next chapter and beyond.”
A Baltimore native, Lee joins BCYF from the Maryland State Department of Education where she served as an education program supervisor for Fine Arts Education. In that role, Lee supported Maryland’s arts learning community by advancing arts-rich, lifelong learning in and through the arts for all Marylanders. She managed grants for the entire state and offered numerous technical assistance programs and workshops to organizations that needed them, to the extent that she has visited nearly 50 percent of all Maryland Public Schools. Her innovative work in addressing racial bias in the arts and arts education is currently being replicated by other states.
A talented force of nature, Lee is no stranger to program leadership and positive youth development with a keen focus on equity and anti-racist approaches to philanthropy and non-profit leadership. Her long list of accomplishments in this field include providing local school systems with over one thousand hours of technical assistance in anti-racism, culturally relevant pedagogy, and decolonization practices to support public school students throughout Maryland. Further accolades include leadership in the Anti-Racist Educators in the Arts Learning Lab, the first statewide professional academy for arts educators to elevate their pedagogical approach within a racial equity framework, and Supporting LGBTQ+ Students and Families through technical assistance for adult allies.
Her appointment comes at a time of great opportunity as the fund has now established itself as a permanent entity.
In the weeks to come Lee will meet with residents from all around Baltimore, and work with the permanent Board of Directors to retain talent for key Vice President positions.
“Thanks to the visionary work of the transition board and consultant teams, BCYF has a firm foundation to advance community-centric philanthropy that is rooted in racial equity. I am thrilled to join an organization that aligns with my core values and supports the vitality of Baltimore’s young people,” said Lee.