A former city schools teacher and current leader of a Baltimore youth technology education nonprofit has been named to fill a seat on the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, Mayor Brandon Scott announced Wednesday.
Andrew Coy, who has served in nonprofit, government, technology, and education positions — including currently as the executive director of the Digital Harbor Foundation — will fill the board seat of Commissioner Michelle Bondima, whose term expired in June.
A former teacher and Baltimore City Public Schools technology integration specialist, Coy launched the Digital Harbor Foundation Tech Center and the Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education, where creative technology programs are offered to Baltimore youth.
As the executive director of the Digital Harbor Foundation, Coy “leads the organization’s efforts to bridge the digital divide” locally and nationwide, according to a press release from the mayor’s office.
Coy also served in the Obama administration as a senior advisor in the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
“As a parent, community member, and nonprofit executive, I know that schools sit at the very heart of our community and our neighborhoods,” Coy said in a statement. “I believe that our students are not only the future but the present, and I am committed to serving in a way that unlocks their potential and creates pathways to opportunities now.”
According to the press release from the mayor’s office, the Maryland Code requires at least four voting members to possess a “high level of knowledge and expertise concerning the successful administration of a large business, non-profit, or governmental entity” and that they “have served in a high level management position within such an entity.” Coy’s appointment helps fill that requirement.
“I want to extend a warm welcome to Andrew Coy as the newest member of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners,” Scott said in a statement. “He brings a breadth of experience to this role, and I’m positive he will leverage this knowledge to put our young people in the best position possible to achieve their dreams and achieve their full potential.”
Next month, Scott will begin the process to fill other vacancies on the board, with a focus on individuals who have experience in business and/or nonprofit management.
The board will also add two additional elected commissioners, increasing the board’s size from 10 to 12 members.
