Diane Bell-McKoy said she doesn?t believe in negatives.
“I look for opportunities,” Bell-McKoy said.
She will have many chances to overcome negatives and benefit from opportunities with her recent appointment as president and chief executive officer of Associated Black Charities.
Bell-McKoy starts Nov. 20 and said she hopes to move the social services organization toward “wealth building” in the black community.
Associated Black Charities, which is a Maryland-based nonprofit founded in 1985, represents and responds to issues of importance to Maryland?s black community.
“We are excited about the energy, skills and experience Ms. Bell-McKoy will bring to Associated Black Charities,” said recently elected board chairman Harold Gordon.
“Ms. Bell-McKoy?s strong connection to our community will enable her to hit the ground running and very quickly make contributions to our legacy of success,” he added.
She earned a bachelor?s degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 1973 and a master?s in social work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work in 1975.
Bell-McKoy currently is a senior fellow with the Annie Casey Foundation, a private charitable group dedicated to helping disadvantaged children.
She has strong ties to the philanthropy community as well as government contacts. She was deputy chief of staff for former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke. She also served as his assistant to the mayor for human services, where she helped coordinate the mayors human and social services efforts.
From 1995 to 2005 she was president and chief executive of Empower Baltimore Management Corp., a firm with the aim of producing jobs and wealth growth in Baltimore.
In 2003, Bell-McKoy was named one of Maryland?s Top 100 Women by the Daily Record newspaper. In 1994, she was named Businessperson of the Year by the Baltimore Marketing Association.
And two political rivals in Tuesday?s general election ? Robert Ehrlich and Martin O?Malley ? issued a joint press release in 2003 naming Bell McKoy to the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners.
With her political, government and social group connections, Bell-McKoy prides herself on being able to “connect the dots” to help those in need.
“My work is my passion,” Bell-McCoy said.
Shirley Marcus, a friend and former director of Baltimore?s Social Services Department, called Bell-McKoy analytical.
“She is one for constantly seeking out new ideas to integrate them to her thought pattern before she makes a decision,” Marcus said.
