By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Tisha Edwards, former Maryland secretary of appointments, now serves as president and CEO of the Maryland Bankers Association (MBA).
The MBA, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Maryland banks, welcomed Edwards as president and CEO in April. Mollie Byron, previously the administration’s intergovernmental affairs and senior advisor, officially replaced Edwards as secretary of appointments on April 4.
In an interview with the AFRO, Edwards spoke about the values that drive her work.
“I have been committed to and working in communities all of my professional career,” said Edwards, 54. “I was born in the South and came to Maryland to get my master’s degree and my law degree. While I was here in Baltimore, I just found so many opportunities to contribute to the community.”
Edwards earned a bachelor’s from Georgia State University’s School of Social Work in 1998, a master’s from the University of Maryland School of Social Work in 2000 and a juris doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in 2001.
Born and raised in Meridian, Miss., Edwards believes public service and the fight for equity and justice are deeply rooted in her upbringing.
“I come from a family of women who believe deeply in education and felt like we all have a responsibility to make the community better,” said Edwards.
Since 1998, she has held numerous roles championing families, supporting children and promoting education.
From 2019 to 2021, Edwards served under then-Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young as director of the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success. She also worked as a transition executive and chief of staff during Catherine E. Pugh’s first year as mayor.
Edwards reflected on her time working under Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D).
“I have enjoyed working for Gov. Moore,” said Edwards. “We have a long professional relationship and we’ve done a lot of great things together.”
Edwards led Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s gubernatorial campaign as chief of staff, served in his cabinet and chaired the Task Force on the Modernization of the State Personnel Management System. From 2017 to 2019, she also served as president of BridgeEdU, an education company founded by Moore.
“Since day one, Tisha Edwards has been the force behind our efforts to build an administration that moves with excellence and reflects the communities we represent,” said Moore in a statement. “The magnitude of her contributions to Maryland cannot be overstated.”
According to the Moore-Miller administration, under Edwards’ leadership, 3,371 individuals were appointed to Maryland’s boards and commissions–50.5 percent of whom are women, 50 percent of whom are people of color, and 29 percent of whom are women of color.
Edwards said her transition to the MBA was inspired by the work needed to strengthen the state’s banking industry.
“The governor has committed to increasing Maryland’s competitiveness, and the banking community is an important part of that puzzle,” said Edwards. “I felt like it was a great time to represent an industry that’s important to the future of Maryland.”
Edwards highlighted how essential banks can be to Maryland’s communities.
“It’s where you go to get your home loans,” said Edwards. “It’s where you go to get access to capital as a small business owner. It’s where you save money for your children to go to college.”
Her goals for the MBA include strengthening ties with banks of all sizes, representing the interests of the banking industry in Annapolis, promoting women of color in leadership and boosting community engagement.
As she enters this new chapter, Edwards remains committed to her longstanding work in equity and public service, focused on improving the lives of all Marylanders.