Associate Vice President, Human Resource Services at University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)

Marjorie L. Powell, JD, is the Associate Vice President for Human Resource Services for the University of Maryland (UM) in Baltimore, a state public university comprised of a medical center, professional and graduate schools, and research institutions.  As the chief human resource officer for the university, Ms. Powell leads the creation of programs and opportunities to sustain a high caliber workforce in support of the University’s instructional, research, and public service missions.  Ms. Powell is key to advancing the institution’s commitment to diversity and plays an integral role to ensure the success of UM’s highly interactive strategic planning process.  The strategic process at UM engages faculty, staff, students, partners, and communities to fulfill its goals as leaders in higher education, research, service, and community engagement.

Ms. Powell is a member of the University of Maryland’s Presidents Diversity Advisory Council and the UM Brand Steering Committee. She was also appointed by President Jay A. Perman as the UM leader for the Baltimore Integration Program’s Living Cities Initiative to represent the University of Maryland as the anchor institution for West Baltimore, focusing on urban renewal, workforce and economic development.  
Before joining the University of Maryland, Ms. Powell fulfilled the role of Director of Affirmative Action Programs in the Office for Institutional Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action at Georgetown University in Washington DC.  At Georgetown, Marjorie was responsible for University compliance with Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, Title IX and the Certified Business Enterprise Program, and also performed as University liaison for local government human rights agency such as DC Human Rights and Arlington Human Rights. Ms. Powell also served in a faculty capacity at Georgetown University, as an Instructor in the Masters Program for Human Resource Management in its School for Continuing Studies.

Prior to her work at Georgetown, Ms. Powell served for nine years as the Director for Equal Opportunity, Policy Development and Analysis at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. At Wayne, Ms. Powell directed federal and state contract compliance, the University’s Affirmative Action Plan and the Supplier Diversity Program, and served as Title IX and ADA compliance officer for the campus.  Marjorie was also responsible for staffing the policy sub-committee for the President’s Cabinet and major efforts included the coordination of workforce progression and succession planning for non-academic staff of the institution, and collective bargaining coordination, directing collective bargaining strategy for eleven contracts, ensuring optimal management of contractual obligations in the context of university operations.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Powell was Assistant Dean for Special Projects & Diversity – College of Social Science and later served as the Anti-Discrimination Judicial Board Coordinator and Freedom of Information Officer reporting to the President of Michigan State University. As senior policy advisor for issues related to civil rights, employment, Open Meetings Act and public records laws, Ms. Powell advised the President and the Board of Trustees with regard to policy impact. In addition, Marjorie was responsible for determinations with regard to information subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), issuing releases and denials in accordance with state law.   As assistant dean, Marjorie aligned college initiatives with the diversity plan, managed the College Board of Visitors activities for diversity recruitment, alumni giving and scholarships for minority students and faculty.  To this end, Ms. Powell created college level outreach programs facilitating the recruitment of undergraduate and graduate minority students and minority and women faculty.  She also developed and implemented faculty diversity initiatives in areas of curriculum development, recruitment, retention and workplace climate, cultivated relationships with donors to increase scholarships and endowments for the recruitment and retention of minority students and faculty, and planned and implemented special programming, seminars, workshops and symposia in the areas of curriculum development and multicultural education.

Ms. Powell earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology from Boston University, and her JD from The Ohio State University College of Law.  Professional certifications include Certified Affirmative Action Professional, American Association for Affirmative Action; Capitol Law School, Mediation and Conflict Resolution Certification; Center for Creative Leadership, Leadership Development Program Alumni.  
Ms. Powell is a member of and has served on the national and regional boards of several professional organizations such as:  the American Association for Affirmative Action (AAAA), the National Association for African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM),  the College and University Personnel Association (CUPA),  ORC Worldwide Workforce Opportunity Network (Global Diversity Council); Oxford Roundtable on Human Rights, Oxford, England; and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE Institutional). ?