ABOUT US
Founding & Evolution
Bridges was founded in 1993 as a four-week summer enrichment program on the campus of The St. Paul’s Schools in Baltimore County, MD. It initially served 18 elementary school students from a Title I School in northeast Baltimore City. Students were supported by a paid seasonal staff and a handful of high school-aged volunteers from St. Paul’s. Bridges has expanded significantly since that time.
The four Bridges program locations – Bridges at The St. Paul’s Schools, Bridges at Gilman School, Bridges at The Bryn Mawr School, and Bridges at McDonogh School – currently work year-round with 530 Baltimore City youth ages 9-23 and engage 388 independent school student volunteers per year. The Bridges program model has evolved to support students for 13 years, beginning after third grade on through college and into the start of students’ careers.
How We Operate
Bridges Baltimore is an independent 501c3 committed to sustaining and growing Bridges’ impact in Baltimore. It supports existing program locations, identifies and helps to launch new program locations, enhances the program model, raises funds for all of Bridges’ programs and activities, identifies candidates for staff openings, provides technical assistance to program locations, recruits students for program locations, and manages marketing and communications functions.
Bridges at The St. Paul’s Schools (est. 1993), Bridges at Gilman School (est. 2014), Bridges at The Bryn Mawr School (est. 2022), and Bridges at McDonogh School (est. 2024) operate as programs of their respective school communities. Each of the schools are responsible for operations pertaining to their program locations, including facilities, technology, volunteer recruitment, and more. Each school also makes an annual financial investment in Bridges Baltimore.
The Need & Our Approach
Bridges works to address two needs in the Baltimore metro-area: (1) investing in the full success of the Baltimore City youth who participate in Bridges and (2) building a more inclusive and equitable society.
Investing in the Success of Baltimore City Youth from Title I Elementary Schools
The Need: Baltimore’s history of institutionalized segregation and racially discriminatory practices has created multiple obstacles to long-term academic achievement and career pathways with financial security for students in neighborhoods surrounding Baltimore’s Title I schools. Stepping stones to careers with financial security, such as a college degree, are rare: historically, 85%+ of students in Baltimore’s public schools do not attain a degree by age 24. Additionally, studies show that the median income for all Baltimore youth six years post-high school, including those who have graduated from college, falls below the livable wage threshold of $32,947 in Baltimore City.
Our Approach: Bridges partners with students ages 9 to 23 and their families. The 13-year partnership with each participant is designed to help students find consistent academic and personal success from elementary through high school, graduate from high school and college, and find fulfilling career paths that lead to financial security for them and their families.
Building a More Inclusive and Equitable Society
The Need: The Baltimore metro area remains geographically segregated along lines of race and socioeconomics, creating a barrier to relationship building, and limiting understanding and progress on long-standing issues of unequal access and opportunity in the City.
Our Approach: Bridges’ program model creates a space for independent school students of all backgrounds to build caring relationships with Baltimore City School students, attend training sessions to learn about issues of unequal access and opportunity in Baltimore, and be part of building a more inclusive and equitable society.
Expanding our Impact
Over the last 10 years, Bridges has:
- Expanded from one to four program locations: Bridges at The St. Paul’s Schools (est. 1993), Bridges at Gilman School (est. 2014), Bridges at The Bryn Mawr School (est. 2022), and Bridges at McDonogh School (est. 2024)
- Grown into a 13-year long program serving 485 City youth
- Expanded independent school volunteer participation to about 380+ annually
- Grown its budget to $3.9 million and increased staff capacity to focus on program quality, organizational sustainability, and impact expansion
Looking ahead, Bridges will:
- Grow to eight program locations, serving 1,400 Baltimore City youth ages 9–23 and 800 independent school volunteers annually
- Continue to enhance and strengthen its 13-year program system for Baltimore City youth
- Deepen independent school volunteer training and education around issues of access and opportunity in Baltimore
- Invest in operations and infrastructure to ensure that growth and program quality go hand-in-hand
People
Bridges Baltimore Board of Trustees
Ellen Bernard, Community Volunteer
Flynn Burch, Under Armour – Director of Global Philanthropy
Mia Contreras, Brown Advisory – Director of Human Resources
Doug Greenstein, T. Rowe Price Associates – Head of Institutional Business Development
Holly Griffin, Corporate Office Properties Trust (retired) – Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Dr. Gayle Jordan-Randolph, M.Ed., M.D. DFAPA, Community Mental Health Expert
Carim Khouzami, Exelon – Executive Vice President of Transmission & Development
Josh Levinson, Charm City Run – Owner (Chair)
Paul F. McBride, Black & Decker (retired) – Corporate Officer
Mark Neumann, 510 Ventures, LLC (Immediate Past Chair)
Rob Paymer, Bridges Baltimore – Executive Director (Staff)
Phil Pine, Capital Educators – Program Director
Roger Schulman, Fund for Educational Excellence – President & CEO
Rob Sharps, T. Rowe Price Associates – Chair & Chief Executive Officer
Shane Smith, Constellation – Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Brooke Story, Becton, Dickinson & Company – Leader, Integration & Separation Management Office
Clark Wight, The St. Paul’s Schools – President
Bridges Baltimore Staff
Carl Behm
Natalie Cesario
Sarah Gleason Ross
Anita Hilson
Jenna Kotarides
Jonathan Lindsay
Kelsey McLaurin
Hannah O'Malley
Rob Paymer
Jillian Pinkard
Bridges at The St. Paul’s Schools Staff
Victoria Brown
Ysem Brown
Tasayeh Nickens
Barrett Ozga
Bridges at Gilman School Staff
Ta'Niya Bogier
Calvin Dotson III
Ghani Raines
Bridges at The Bryn Mawr School Staff
Julia Dimaio
Sheridan Harris
Joshua Moore
Bridges at McDonogh School Staff
George Hutchins
AJ Hundertmark
Supporters & Partners
Bridges is supported by more than 250 individuals, foundations, and corporations whose generosity helps sustain our $3.9 million annual operating budget. We are also strengthened by partners who contribute in-kind resources, expertise, and volunteer support that enhance our programs and help Bridges operate efficiently. Together, these partnerships create meaningful opportunities to invest in Baltimore’s youth and expand access to the educational and career opportunities that help students thrive.
To learn more, visit https://bridgesbaltimore.org/supporters-partners/page.