By Mackenzie Burn
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has appointed a former JPMorgan Chase & Co. executive as the new deputy mayor for Equity, Health and Human Services.
Faith Leach will collaborate with the philanthropic community and support a portfolio of city agencies, Scott said, stressing that these agencies are on the forefront of quality-of-life issues within Baltimore City, including parks and recreation, library services, and the city’s COVID-19 public health response. Leach also will work closely with the more vulnerable populations in Baltimore, such as children, family services, and neighborhoods experiencing homelessness and home displacement.
Scott said Leach will assume her position in mid-April, completing the deputy mayors’ team in the Scott administration. Besides Leach, the administration also has Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Sunny Schnitzer and Deputy Mayor for Community and Economic Development Ted Carter.
“I am thrilled to welcome experienced leader and committed public servant Faith Leach to Baltimore as my Deputy Mayor for Equity, Health, and Human services,” Scott said.
“Faith is genuinely committed to building better systems and removing barriers for residents and neighborhoods that have historically been forgotten,” he explained. “Her dedication to racial and economic equity makes her the perfect addition to my executive team as we build a new way forward for Baltimore.”
Leach worked as Chief of Staff at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Foundation. Her position included responsibilities for the foundation’s commitment to invest $2 billion over five years. The invested money helped towards developing inclusive economic growth in vulnerable communities all over the world, officials said.
Leach played a large role in the firm’s $200 million commitment to be more involved in the economic and public health challenges that arose during the pandemic. She also was passionate about racial inequalities and was instrumental in the development of JPMorgan’s $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity.
Before her job at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Leach served as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity under DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.