A well-rounded body of work as an agent for change best describe a career nurtured in service and leadership. Family League’s 5th President & CEO, Demaune Millard was raised in Baltimore grounded in his mother’s words “the rent you owe living in this world is to lend your hand to others in need.”

The phrase summarizes a career spanning across tenures in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Upon completing his first year of college, Demaune was selected as a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation intern for U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-7). This opportunity was the first instance exposing him to the importance of the legislative process on Capitol Hill. Subsequently, he also interned with D.C. lobbying giant Cassidy & Associates and was eventually hired on staff as a researcher covering U.S. Senate and House committees while drafting briefs for the firm’s partners and associates.

Always intrigued with the mystique and history of the United States Senate, Demaune interned for Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and was employed full time following college. Like many Mikulski junior staffers, he started in the mailroom before earning his way onto her legislative team; handling issues such as labor, trade, small business, telecommunications, commerce, and transportation.

Following four years of service in the Senate, Demaune left Capitol Hill for Maryland State Government. As a legislative officer for the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), he worked directly with the state legislature to adopt the administration’s $502 million public transportation initiative. MDOT is also where he staffed the workgroup charged with the reauthorization of the state’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) program resulting in legislation that increased participation goals from 14 to 25 percent. Upon completing his stint at MDOT, Demaune received a promotional assignment to the office of Gov. Paris N. Glendening (D-MD) as a special assistant where he organized environmental advocates to restore $10 million in budget cuts initially made by the General Assembly.

Prior to coming to Baltimore’s City Hall, Demaune worked for the American Public Transportation Association where he organized advocacy activities in support of the D.C. based trade association’s policy goals in conjunction with its marketing research campaign. In this role, he was responsible for coordinating with partners from across the country through the National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates, as well as the Center for Transportation Excellence in developing awareness on critical issues facing public transportation nationwide at the state and local level. These efforts among many contributed to Congress reauthorizing the federal surface transportation law TEA-21.

As the first African American woman sworn-in to be Mayor for the city of Baltimore, Sheila Dixon appointed Demaune as Director of Government Relations, where he was the city’s primary point of contact with federal, state, and local lawmakers. The former mayor eventually elevated him to Chief of Staff, expanding his responsibilities to manage the Mayor’s Office, including government relations, communications, constituent services, budget planning and development for improved municipal interagency coordination.

Today, Demaune leads Maryland’s largest local management board, Family League of Baltimore. As an adaptable vision cultivator, he fosters stakeholder consensus with the ability to optimally leverage team member skill and talent. He successfully shepherd a community-centric strategic plan, Transformation 2024 during COVID-19.

All of these attributes he credits a mother’s refrain of service and leadership.