7 couples that power Baltimore tech

It’s Valentine’s Day, so we’re taking some time to spotlight the love in Baltimore’s startup community.

Here’s a look at some of the tech scene’s power couples:

Michael and Gretchen LeGrand

The husband-and-wife team are cofounders of Code in the Schools, the nonprofit that gets kids programming. Gretchen is Executive Director, while Mike is leading a team of students working on Bad Batch Alert as part of the Health Department’s TECHealth cohort. He’s also the UI lead at Sparkypants, which is getting ready to debut a new game.

Delali and Dr. Letitia Dzirasa

Delali founded dev firm Fearless, which has been growing with work on community-oriented government projects. After working as a pediatrician and as a medical director with the Baltimore Medical System, Letitia joined Fearless last year as Health Innovation Officer and is leading the company’s TecHealth project. They were sure to send over a photo with their new baby, Jaden.

Margaret Roth and John Falzon

It would be difficult to find a more innovative couple. Roth is a cofounder of data startup Yet Analytics. Falzon is a manufacturing engineer at Under Armour. The Johns Hopkins grads stayed in Baltimore after graduating, and they’re helping to shape its future.

Todd Marks and Nikki McGowan

Entrepreneurship is among the common ingredients for this husband-and-wife duo. Marks founded Locust Point-based agency Mindgrub, while McGowan ran a food truck and cooking classes for youth. Last year, they joined forces with Mindgrub Cafe.

Rachel Davis and Wes Etheredge

They work together at data firm Meta Studios, and they’re also here for the community. Both are involved in organizing Code for Baltimore, of which Etheredge is captain. Davis is on the team that’s bringing DevOpsDays to town and organizes the Baltimore chapter of Ladies That UX.

Shawn and Steph Grimes

Both grew up in Highlandtown and Dundalk, and their friendship dates to middle school. They became a couple in their late 20s. Now, they’re two of the leaders teaching youth tech skills at the Digital Harbor Foundation, where Shawn is Executive Director and Steph is Director of Education. “People sometimes have the misconception that because we spend all of our time together that we share the same mind but that’s just not true. Steph likes Pepsi, I like Coke,” Shawn jokes.

Belinda and Terry Kilby

The husband-and-wife team have a shared love for robots and flight. So it makes sense that founded a drone company, Elevated Element, that was among the early pioneers in the space. Fittingly, they also have their own drone video for Valentine’s Day, shot in 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4vJw2lodMg