LGBTQIA+ Commission

Current Vacancies (Updated February 21, 2026)

• Human Rights Commission Representative
• HopeWorks Representative
• PFLAG Representative 
• College/Trade Student Representative (term concludes 6/30/26)
• Up to 4 additional LGBTQIA+ Community Representatives (per the LGBTQIA+ Commission Rules of Procedure, the Commission consists of a minimum of 15 members and a maximum of 21 members)

Upcoming Vacancies (applications open)

• High School Student Representative (term runs from 7/1/26 to 6/30/27)
• College/Trade Student Representative (term runs from 7/1/26 to 6/30/27) 

• LaKeisha McClendon (she/her), Office of Human Rights and Equity Administrator
• Liv Alanis Myers (they/elle), Executive Secretary

The LGBTQIA+ Commission will meet on the 2nd Thursday bi-monthly at 6:30 p.m. at 9830 Patuxent Woods Dr., Columbia, MD 21046 during the months of January, March, May, July, September, and November.

• February 28, 2026 (Annual Retreat) 
• March 12, 2026
• May 7, 2026
• July 9, 2026 
• September 10, 2026 
• November 12, 2026

Rules of Procedure

June 22, 2022
Howard County Executive Ball Proposes County’s First Permanent LGBTQIA+ Commission to Advance Equity and Inclusion.

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At a press conference held on June 22, 2022, Executive Ball unveiled the plan for a permanent LGBTQIA+ Commission, which will require the approval of the Howard County Council. The new Commission would follow the work of an LGBTQ+ Workgroup launched in 2019 by County Executive Ball that provided recommendations on best practices and improvements to support the LGBTQ+ community. “We will always support and affirm our LGBTQ+ community and need to take action in the face of increased attacks on gay and transgender equality across the country,” said Ball. “Howard County can be a beacon and a model on how to uplift all our residents, and how to be inclusive and welcoming to everyone.”

Building off the work and recommendations already made by the LGBTQ+ Workgroup, the commission will be made up of at least 13 members of the gay and transgender communities and/or are representatives of regional LGBTQ+ organizations. The commission will also submit an annual report to the County Council and County Executive. Legislation for the commission is expected to be filed in July.

The commission will have the following responsibilities:

• Support efforts to organize, educate, and mobilize the LGBTQIA+ community through coalition building and coordination with allied individuals, groups, and organizations;
• Identify best practices to affirm members of the gay and transgender community;
• Recommend initiatives to support LGBTQIA+ families and children; and
• Advise the County on policy and programs that impact our gay and transgender community, and on how to improve outcomes for underserved and at-risk members of the LGBTQIA+ population.
• Support, plan, and execute events, like PRIDE, to celebrate and affirm the community.

OHRE Administrator Yolanda F. Sonnier served as the emcee of the press conference. There were inspiring remarks from Howard County Executive Calvin Ball; the Honorable Byron E. McFarlane, Register of Wills; Bob Ford, a Member of Howard County's Human Rights Commission; a former member of the LGBTQ+ Workgroup; Jumel Howard, Chapter President of the PFLAG Columbia-Howard County, MD and a former member of the LGBTQ+ Workgroup; and community member Becki Weiss Vivrette.

• Maya Carey, HopeWorks of Howard County
• Max Crownover, PFLAG Columbia-Howard
• Debb Dunn, Chase Brexton
• Robert Fontaine, Community Member
• Robert Ford, Human Rights Commission
• Dr. Juls Gilliam, Community Member
• Jumel Howard, PFLAG Columbia-Howard County
• Andrew Kanicki, Community Member
• Akbi Khan, Community Member
• Vanita Leatherwood, HopeWorks of Howard County
• Faye M. Liberatore, Community Member

• Yolanda F. Sonnier, OHRE Administrator
• Claudia M. Allen, OHRE Outreach Supervisor
• Kimberly Pruim, Director of Constituent Services and Community Partnerships