Not only are national, state and city elections upon us, but so is the election for the Seton Hill Association board!
Tuesday October 8th is the Seton Hill Association Annual General Meeting with Board Elections for 2024 – 2025.
Advance nominations for board members closed on September 17th. The slate of nominees was read at the September 24th board meeting, and sent out via email notice to membership, and posted on the website, 2 weeks prior to the election as per the by-laws.
Additional Board nominations by members in good standing may be made from the floor at the annual meeting prior to voting. We are currently short a candidate for a general position, so if you’re eligible please consider running.
Here is the slate:
President
Julia Roche: I moved to Baltimore in 2017 and to Seton Hill in 2022. We currently rent, but have fallen in love with the neighborhood so much that we actually purchased a house here that we are looking forward to restoring and moving into! One of the things that attracted me to this neighborhood is the close-knit community and strong neighborhood association. This past year, I have served as a General Board Member. During this time, I co-planned the flea market we held in July and wrote our application for the Park and Play grant that has enabled us to continue our weekly free yoga and host a slate of free events this fall. I’ve also supported other ongoing initiatives, including our monthly neighborhood clean ups.
My goals for the Association are that it:
- Is a positive environment, helps neighbors to get to know each other, and fosters a feeling of community
- Serves as a forum for neighbors to voice concerns and collaboratively come up with solutions
- Continues to spearhead projects and activities that improve the quality of life of all Seton Hill residents
- Provides a variety of ways for neighbors to get involved, ranging from serving on the Board, to participating in a committee, to supporting the occasional event, or simply attending and enjoying our activities as a participant!
- Welcomes new members from within the expanded neighborhood boundaries
I hope to cultivate a welcoming, participatory environment for all SHA members. I also hope to uplift the Board members such that they can contribute their diverse skills and interests to achieving our mission. We are stronger as a collective than as any one person!
Vice President
Samir Chandra: Samir is running for Vice-President of the Seton Hill Association (SHA) for 2024-2025. He is the current Secretary in SHA, and is leading the crow prevention efforts this year. With a service background including stints in Americorps, he has served in community organizations like the 20s and 30s Mount Vernon Urbanites Meetup Group (Vice-President) and founded the 20s and 30s Capitol Hill (Seattle) Urbanites Meetup group. He looks forward to connecting neighbors for a stronger Seton Hill community.
Treasurer
Caleb Bowers: My name is Caleb Bowers and I have been a resident of Seton Hill since February 2023. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all my neighbors and sharing in the task of working to make this neighborhood one of the best in the city. I accept the nomination for treasurer and look forward to the opportunity to serve, should I receive the required vote count. In my professional career, I have worked as a banker, a grants administrator, and now as a data analyst with the city. I believe I have a unique skill set that can support treasury work while also collaborating with the community to explore grant opportunities and to expand our fundraising efforts. In addition, I hope to explore new and innovative ways to manage the Association’s funds.
In my free time, I enjoy cooking and smoking meats. If anyone is ever interested in smoking ribs or brisket, let me know. I’ve also been known to play disc golf and hike parts of the Appalachian Trail.
Secretary
Sunny Wiggins: I am excited to accept the nomination for Secretary and general board member of the Seton Hill Association. As a new homeowner in my grandmother’s house, I feel deeply connected to this community and eager to contribute. I aim to strengthen ties with local nonprofits, enhance marketing and branding efforts, and engage donors, community members, and city officials. I strive to help build support from a more diverse group of neighbors and partners to keep Seton Hill inclusive and thriving.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve.
General Board Member
Dean Ratcliffe-Lynes: Has produced Emmy Award-winning television programs, television specials, and documentaries for national distribution and videos for grassroots and non-profit organizations that tell compelling stories of their work. Her mission is to educate, encourage, enlighten, and empower, providing a voice for the unheard and a forum for the unseen. Topics addressed range from health to education to social justice. Stories are told in a way that intends to impact and move people to action.
Her work has been recognized with awards for “Martin Luther King, Jr.: The March to Freedom” hosted by Julian Bond, for the Hearst Broadcast group, “The Bottom Line”, a weekly talk show hosted by Kweisi Mfume, and “A Celebration of Life: Rising Above Breast Cancer” a one-hour documentary hosted by legendary jazz artist Nancy Wilson that American Public Television nationally distributed to 133 public television stations nationwide.
She was named a Fellow in the Johns Hopkins/MICA Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund “Bold Voices” program in 2016 and has a documentary in production about four Baltimore women who were formerly incarcerated. Women Make Movies is the film’s fiscal sponsor. She was also named a Fellow in the inaugural class of the Still I Rise Film Fund in 2021.
For the last four years, she has been producing videos for the 400 Years of African American History Commission, a federally appointed Commission created to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the landing of the first kidnapped Africans in the English Colonies in 1619.
She currently serves as President of the Board for Baltimore Outreach Services, a 501c3 organization that provides safe shelter for homeless women and children.
Stephen Brown: Brown moved to Baltimore 5 years ago, and moved to Seton Hill 3 years ago. Despite growing up in the Baltimore area, he had not heard of Seton Hill, but was attracted to its charm, history, and community. He believes that Seton Hill’s location, amenities, and community make it one of the most underrated neighborhoods in the city. He is committed to fostering Seton Hill’s development and is looking forward to helping to make it one of the most livable, desirable neighborhoods in the city.
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Membership Renewal Schedule
SHA membership application renewals for 2024-25 started September 1st and continue until the election. Please renew in time to be able to vote.
New members are encouraged to join now to receive all the benefits of a full year of membership.
Absentee Ballot Schedule
Requests for absentee ballots start 1 October and are due by 7 October, the day before the election. Email SHAboard@setonhill.org
To be eligible to vote you must have been a member last year who attended at least one business meeting, and have paid the 2024-25 year dues. For an absentee vote, membership must be renewed by 6 October at 5:00 pm. If voting in person, you can pay prior to the election.