About Kiesha
A Maryland native, Keisha Allen has lived in Baltimore for the last 20 years and has been an active member in the South Baltimore community.
Growing up just outside the city, her Mom, a cosmetologist and Dad, a truck driver, taught Keisha and her two older sisters and younger brother the value of hard work and the importance of standing up for what is right. That’s why, while attending High School in Pasadena, Maryland, she fought with students to help calm racial tension as a leader of the Black Student Union. Now, working in healthcare administration field at a large regional health system, Keisha helps patients get the health care they need.
Keisha has always been a leader. Shortly after moving to South Baltimore, Keisha was sitting on her stoop watching the Westport Neighborhood Association’s community block party get underway. She was spotted by a woman named Bonnie who approached her and asked if she could run the Bake Sale table because they were short of help. She said, yes. What she thought would be just a few hours of community service has continued nonstop for the past 10 years. She became active within the organization and has served in numerous leadership roles including as President since January 2011.
Keisha serves as Chairperson of the Board for the Westport Community Economic Development Corporation (Harbor West Collaborative) where she is working to increase housing opportunities, launch a community land trust, work with community leaders in Lakeland, Mount Winans and Saint Paul to develop a regional community center in Mount Winans and to revitalize our communities and improve our quality of life.
She has worked to improve public safety and improve the relationship with the police department and our community by serving for 3 years on Civilian Review Board.
As member of the Baltimore Local Development Council for six consecutive terms, Keisha has worked to make sure that money from the Horseshoe Casino Community Impact Funds was utilized the way it was intended to. She currently serves on the boards of South Baltimore Gateway Partnership and is one of founding members of the South Baltimore 7 (SB7) Coalition.