Women’s leadership is thriving in Baltimore: Check out these Power Moves

Happy Women’s History Month, Baltimore! In this edition of Power Moves, you’ll see a bunch of announcements about local women boasting leadership and other professional accomplishments.

Check that out below. To start, here are a few other moves from Baltimore companies and entities:

EcoMap’s new tool for SXSW attendees

EcoMap Technologies created an unofficial South by Southwest (SXSW) navigator to help festival-goers find key events using the company’s AI-based EcoBot.

Try the chatbot for yourself

EcoMap CEO Sherrod Davis is also appearing at SXSW to discuss AI’s role in supporting entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Baltimore’s EDA Tech Hubs bid moves forward

UpSurge Baltimore, part of the regional Economic Development Administration (EDA) Tech Hubs consortium, announced that the overall group submitted its Phase 2 application for the program ahead of a Feb. 29 deadline. Despite awaiting funding, the consortium has already been implementing plans since March 1.

Wave Engine lands a unique flight

The Canton-based North American Wave Engine Corporation achieved a milestone by demonstrating the full flight capability of an unmanned aerial vehicle that uses a jet engine with no moving parts. Watch the video of the demo here:

Women on the move

• Lakeisha Maddrey-Lashley has been appointed to the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission by Gov. Wes Moore.
• Femly will launch a period care partnership with the University of South Florida in Tampa.
• Virginia Burger was named entrepreneur-in-residence for 2024 RealLIST Startup Blackbird Laboratories, where she’ll focus on building and scaling innovative biotechnology ventures.
• Robbin Lee has been appointed director of partnerships and mobilization at UpSurge Baltimore. Her work will revolve around fostering collaboration in the tech startup ecosystem.
• A new program called Scaling Deep was developed through a partnership between UpSurge Baltimore, Loam and Code City Strategies. It offers a seven-month, retreat-style program for women, non-binary, and gender-expansive founders in Baltimore’s tech community. Those interested must register by March 22.
• Olu Woods joined the Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District as its program coordinator.
• Applications are open for TEDCO’s latest Institute for Women Entrepreneur Excellence cohort. The submission window closes on March 25.

Culture

• After a hiatus since 2019, the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts and Mayor Brandon M. Scott unveiled that the Baltimore Book Festival will take place Sep. 27 to 29. This marks the 25th anniversary of the festival. Last year, leaders of a community revitalization group in Waverly stepped up to fill the void with the Waverly Book Festival.
• CFG Bank Arena launched The Fearless Club in collaboration with Fearless. The paid upgrade option includes food and beverage, plus VIP entry to the arena. Money from upgraded tickets funnels directly into the Fearless Impact Fund.
• Also, the arena’s namesake, one of Baltimore’s largest banks, has named Jack Dwyer as its new CEO.
• The National Aquarium, in collaboration with the Enoch Pratt Free Library, is reintroducing the Read to Reef book club for its spring season.
• Sherita Golden stepped down from her positions as vice president and chief diversity officer at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Medicine. According to Baltimore Fishbowl, she left this post after receiving criticism for an email she sent explaining the concept of privilege. She will remain a professor focusing on endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes while the medical school creates a search committee to find the next leader of its diversity and health equity office.

Other Power Moves

• The bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park has formed a partnership with Startup Grind Maryland. The collaboration aims to boost innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development in Maryland by providing founders with resources like workspaces, guidance and programming.
• Michael Spinosa, a tech executive known for his focus on security products and services, has announced his new position as a board member and membership chair for the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc.

Update: This article has been updated since its initial publication to include Sherita Golden stepping down from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine’s vice president and chief diversity officer positions. (3/6/2024, 9:40 a.m.)