Rachel D. Graham is Vice President of Partnerships and Development at the Greater Baltimore Committee, where she leads relationship-building, stakeholder engagement, and partnership strategy in support of GBC’s mission to strengthen the Baltimore Region’s economic competitiveness and civic capacity. She brings deep experience in strategic communications, public relations, nonprofit leadership, and community engagement, with a career focused on aligning people, institutions, and resources around shared goals that help communities thrive.
Recognized by The Baltimore Sun as a 2024 Woman to Watch and an I95 Business 2024 Women of Influence honoree, Graham has built her career at the intersection of creativity, strategy, and public impact. She has advised or served in mayoral administrations in Philadelphia, Houston, New Orleans, and Baltimore, and has led communications and partnership efforts for arts, culture, community, and economic development organizations across the country. Her work reflects a consistent emphasis on data-informed strategy, culturally competent engagement, and clear, compelling storytelling.
Before joining GBC, Graham served as Operations Director for Baltimore’s Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts & Entertainment District, where she oversaw day-to-day operations, including administrative, finance, and communications functions. She previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts/Baltimore Festival of the Arts, Inc., leading a $5.2 million organization focused on supporting artists, producing cultural and community events, and advancing Baltimore’s creative economy.
Earlier, she served as Director of External Relations for the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, where she led community engagement and communications strategy, helped develop the museum’s five-year strategic plan, and supported fundraising efforts that raised more than $730,000 through annual galas. She also held senior communications and public information roles with Family League of Baltimore, where she helped guide strategic communications, public policy messaging, and crisis response, including the administration of millions in COVID-19 relief funds for childcare providers.
Graham’s earlier career includes leadership roles with economic development organizations in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Houston, as well as public relations work in Philadelphia. Across these roles, she has specialized in community and traditional economic development, integrated campaign development, strategic planning, qualitative and quantitative reporting, public policy communications, crisis communications, culturally competent engagement, and stakeholder relations.
She is currently pursuing an Executive MBA at Ducere Global Business School – University of East London. She also attended Tulane University School of Continuing Studies and Towson State University. Graham is active in civic and leadership organizations including the National Council of Negro Women’s Greater Baltimore Section, the National Coalition of 100 Black Women – Baltimore Metropolitan Chapter, and The Carats, Inc. Baltimore Chapter.