The Maryland Equity and Inclusion Leadership Program | About | Program Staff
Program Staff
Self-Paced Program: Maryland Commission on Civil Rights
Candace Gray
Candice Gray is a dedicated educator and community advocate with over 12 years of experience working with Boys and Girls Clubs, where she has fostered the growth and development of countless young individuals. Her passion for service and education has shaped her career, culminating in her current role as the Director of Education & Outreach with The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights.
In this capacity, Candice is committed to promoting awareness and understanding of civil rights issues across the state of Maryland. She works tirelessly to engage communities, develop educational programs, and facilitate outreach initiatives that empower individuals to advocate for their rights and navigate the complexities of civil rights in today’s society.
Candice’s enthusiasm for her work is evident in her approach to education and outreach. She believes in the transformative power of knowledge and strives to create inclusive environments where every voice is heard and valued. Her dedication to serving others continues to inspire those around her, making a significant impact in her community and beyond.
With a strong foundation in youth development and a passion for social justice, Candice exemplifies the spirit of advocacy and leadership. Through her efforts, she is helping to build a more equitable Maryland for all residents.
Live Program: Schaefer Center for Public Policy, The University of Baltimore
Kelechi Ekpagu, Ph.D.
Dr. Kelechi Uzochukwu-Ekpagu is an associate professor, at the School of Public and International Affairs, College of Public Affairs, University of Baltimore. Dr. Ekpagu earned her Ph.D. in Public Policy at Georgia Tech and Georgia State University (joint program), her M.P.A. in Management and Finance at Georgia State University, and her B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina A&T State University. She is also a Fulbright Specialist.
Dr. Ekpagu has extensive experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. At the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, she worked on community and economic development strategies for assisting low- and moderate-income people and communities. As a program manager for the State of Georgia, she managed the program’s $17.1 million in federal funding to improve bicycle and pedestrian accommodations for school-aged children across the state and thereby enhance health outcomes, as well. As a management consultant for the CDC, GSA and other federal agencies, she provided technical assistance, organizational assessments, and program evaluations.
Additionally, having worked in the nonprofit world and currently running an international nonprofit, which she started with friends in 2010, Selfless4Africa, she sorely understands the administrative, financial, and political challenges that public and nonprofit organizations can experience, as well as their strategies toward progress. Her work experience enhances her real-world toolkit and allow for real-life examples and rich discussions in her classrooms. Moreover, they fortify her ability to help organizations manage their various needs. Yet and still, her work as a public servant continues, because she believes that with knowledge comes obligation.
Professor Ekpagu’s public service activities extend into her research projects, as they are related to social equity, community engagement, community development, urban planning, and employee health and satisfaction. Her overall research agenda focuses on improving local governance and enhancing the quality of life for distressed populations, both domestically and abroad, and she has presented her work at various conferences in North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.
She enjoys teaching statistics, research methods, community development, and public policy and management.
Lorenda Naylor, Ph.D.
Dr. Naylor is an associate professor in the School of Public and International Affairs and the program director for the undergraduate degree in Politics, Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) program. She trains public servants to make a difference in their communities, cities, and country.
Dr. Naylor is on the U.S. Fulbright Scholar Specialist roster and is an international scholar. She has traveled to six continents and over 20 countries. She is a social equity researcher and utilizes a multi- disciplinary framework in her research and teaching. Her research focuses on ensuring democratic values equality, justice, and representation are reflected in public policy outcomes. She has written on the following subjects: affirmative action, diversity, education, health, LGBT, and pedagogy.
Dr. Naylor has distinguished herself as one of the top ten scholars in public administration pedagogy. She has over 30 publications and delivered over 65 presentations. Her work has been published in Public Integrity, Review of Public Personnel Administration, Journal of Public Affairs Education, Journal of Health and Human Services, Journal of Maternal Child Health, Clinical Therapeutics, Journal on Leadership and Development, and the Journal on Comparative Asian Development.
She earned her PhD in public administration from American University, Washington, DC, Masters of Public Health degree from the University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas City, KS, and Master of Public Administration from Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.