When people think about local government, they often think about departments, permits, or policies. I think about relationships.
Community association board members and HOA leaders are among the most important volunteers in any neighborhood. They help resolve conflicts, manage budgets, oversee infrastructure, and advocate for their communities, often with little recognition and limited support. Yet many told us they struggled to navigate county government or even know
where to start when they needed help.
where to start when they needed help.
Working alongside the Growth Action Network of Anne Arundel County (GAN), I helped transform those conversations into action by creating the Community Association Summit.
What began as a single half-day gathering has grown into an annual countywide event that brings together community association leaders, property managers, residents, county departments, and subject matter experts for a full day of practical learning, collaboration, and relationship-building. Over three years, the summit has evolved alongside the needs of our communities. Early sessions focused on governance, conflict resolution, and understanding county services. Later years expanded to financial planning, reserve studies, legislative updates, infrastructure management, advocacy, and hands-on field training, ensuring leaders left with practical tools they could immediately apply in their neighborhoods.
What makes me most proud isn't simply the attendance or the agenda. It's the trust that has been built.
What makes me most proud isn't simply the attendance or the agenda. It's the trust that has been built.
The summit reflects my belief that government works best when it is accessible, collaborative, and willing to listen. Rather than asking residents to navigate government on their own, we brought government to them, creating direct connections with the people and departments responsible for solving problems.
Following the inaugural summit, Growth Action Network Chair Matt Minahan described it as "a story of government working," recognizing the County's willingness to listen, partner, and respond to the needs of community leaders. He also noted that the only complaint from attendees was that the event was too short, reinforcing the demand for continued engagement and leading to the summit's growth in the years that followed.
Today, the Community Association Summit has supported hundreds of volunteer leaders across Anne Arundel County while strengthening partnerships between neighborhoods and local government. More importantly, it has demonstrated that when government invests in the people already investing in their communities, everyone benefits.
Today, the Community Association Summit has supported hundreds of volunteer leaders across Anne Arundel County while strengthening partnerships between neighborhoods and local government. More importantly, it has demonstrated that when government invests in the people already investing in their communities, everyone benefits.
