BALTIMORE, MD. (Wednesday, August 10, 2022) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced the appointment of Andrew Coy to the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners. A former educator and technology integration specialist with Baltimore City Public Schools and Senior Advisor on President Obama’s Tech and Innovation Team in the White House, Mr. Coy brings a wealth of experience bridging the nonprofit, government, and technology sectors together to pave the way forward for the next generation of scientists, innovators, and makers.

"I want to extend a warm welcome to Andrew Coy as the newest member of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "He brings a breadth of experience to this role, and I’m positive he will leverage this knowledge to put our young people in the best position possible to achieve their dreams and achieve their full potential."

Mr. Coy launched the Digital Harbor Foundation Tech Center in 2013 and the Center of Excellence for Innovation in Technology Education in 2014. In 2015 he was asked to serve as a Senior Advisor on President Obama’s Tech and Innovation Team in the White House, Office of Science and Technology Policy where he served through the end of the Obama Administration.

In 2018, Andrew returned to his role as Executive Director of the Digital Harbor Foundation, where he leads the organization’s efforts to bridge the digital divide through impact opportunities locally and across the country. In this capacity he oversees a $12.4 million operating budget.

Mr. Coy’s appointment fills a need in the composition of the Board of School Commissioners as mandated by the Maryland Code. The code requires that "at least four of the voting members shall possess a high level of knowledge and expertise concerning the successful administration of a large business, non-profit, or governmental entity and shall have served in a high level management position within such an entity".

"As a parent, community member, and nonprofit executive, I know that schools sit at the very heart of our community and our neighborhoods," said Andrew Coy. "I believe that our students are not only the future but the present, and I am committed to serving in a way that unlocks their potential and creates pathways to opportunities now."

Coy will fill the seat currently occupied by Commissioner Michelle Bondima, whose term expired in June 2021.

In September, Mayor Scott will open a new selection process to fill remaining vacancies. The Scott Administration will be looking for individuals with experience in business and/or nonprofit management to continue to meet the mandated composition requirements.

The School Board is responsible for raising the level of academic achievement of the more than 80,000 students enrolled in Baltimore City Public Schools, and for improving the management and administration of the city’s public school system. It is composed of 10 commissioners, nine adults who serve three-year terms and one student who serves a one-year term. In 2022, an additional two elected commissioners will join the board, making for a 12-member body. The Mayor appoints commissioners from candidate pools recommended by a community panel, the final step in a larger application process led by the Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success.