Donna Jones Baker to lead BFR Parade as grand marshall
Since joining the Urban League, Baker has worked with community members to develop League strategic plans, fine-tuned programs, and added an element of social entrepreneurship for the League so that revenue generating initiatives help fuel growth and development of much needed programs
Prior to serving with the Urban League, Baker was executive director of Associated Black Charities in Baltimore since 1989. Under her leadership, that fundraising and grant making organization grew from a $500,000 organization to a $26,000,000 organization. She led the organization in making grants totaling more than $60 million and increased its endowment to over a million dollars. Much of Associated Black Charities’ work was/is designed around “self determination” and to let individuals know they have the right and the responsibility to take control over issues that are confronting them.
Baker’s has a Bachelor’s degree in social work earned at Murray State University and a Master’s degree in business administration earned at the University of Baltimore. She has participated the Urban League’s African American Leadership Development Program, Leadership Cincinnati, the Greater Baltimore Committee’s Leadership Program, LEADERSHIP Maryland, and Harvard University’s Kennedy School Program for Senior Executives.
She serves as co-chairperson of Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory’s Complete Count Committee (an initiative for an accurate 2010 Census count) and of PULSE the Women’s Fund regional study on the status of women and girls in Greater Cincinnati; member of the Board of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce; Northern Kentucky’s Vision 2015 Executive Committee; and member, Cincinnati Chapter, Links Inc.. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta.
Baker and her husband, Gregory, enjoy playing scrabble and outdoor activities. They have three children.
The parade route starts at the Avondale Town Center and proceeds west on Forest Avenue to Wilson and Rockdale avenues.
