Tyler Barge
Tyler is originally from Georgia and received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies at Pace University in New York City. While at this institution, Tyler worked in the Office of Housing and Residential Life. Tyler recently taught classes such as Life Skills, Financial Literacy, College and Transition Prep at a therapeutic boarding school, where she created the curriculums from scratch.
Tyler is currently pursuing her masters at UMD in Library and Information Sciences. She is committed to creating a more equitable educational landscape for students. Being new to Baltimore, Tyler is in pursuit of the best oysters and mussels in town.
240-391-8716
tbarge@collegeboundfoundation.org
Tawanda Clark, M.B.A.
Tawanda Clark is a true Baltimorean who loves to eat Maryland Blue Crabs with family and friends. She has two brilliant sons who attended Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS). Tawanda understands in a very personal way the benefits of being a CollegeBound scholar; her eldest son was a CollegeBound Foundation scholarship recipient in 2017. Tawanda has a passion for the BCPSS students, believing they can soar and become successful college graduates with the proper guidance from someone who has “been there and done that.” Tawanda is a graduate of the BCPSS, and she has acquired an Associate of Arts in Business Management from The Community College of Baltimore County and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The University of Baltimore. Tawanda spent two years in the Baltimore City school system as a long‐term substitute teacher for various schools, while there she developed a love for teaching students phonics and reading comprehension. Tawanda believes that her experience with CollegeBound, her passion to see the Baltimore City students soar, and her life journey are the keys she needs to serve our scholars well.
443-863-8470
tclark@collegeboundfoundation.org
Joel Conde
Joel Conde, from Prince George’s County, Maryland, is a passionate community advocate with a Bachelors of Science in Nutrition from Morgan State University. As a first-generation college student, he understands the importance of education and community support. Now a resident of Baltimore City, he brings a decade of experience in the nonprofit and education spaces, having worked as both a teacher and recreation leader for the city, a facilitator for B’more Healthy Kids, and as a training specialist for Global Refuge. Joel also volunteers as a supplemental instructor and academic tutor for the Goucher Prison Education Partnership, supporting incarcerated students in their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. In his spare time, he enjoys playing pick-up basketball, as well as camping, biking, traveling, and spending time with his family.
301-213-5476
jconde@collegeboundfoundation.org
E’Tona Ford
E’Tona, a Baltimore native, earned a Bachelor of Science degree from The Pennsylvania State University. During her time at Penn State, she was a varsity student-athlete on the Women’s Gymnastics Team and followed in her mother’s footsteps, becoming a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. After graduating from college, E’Tona returned to Baltimore with a desire to be a beacon of light to others through acts of service. She pursued work in education, athletics, and research—teaching and empowering students with diverse learning abilities at Kennedy Krieger High School, inspiring and coaching gymnasts to build confidence and achieve maximum performance outcomes at several gymnastics clubs, and coordinating adult and pediatric research studies within the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Johns Hopkins. Prior to joining CollegeBound Foundation, E’Tona spent six years valuing the arts as a conduit to transformation and inspiration in the lives of students to improve achievement outcomes at Arts for Learning Maryland. In 2021, she was promoted to Director, After School Arts for Learning Academy (ASALA), where she took a people-centric approach to leadership and strove with a team of dedicated individuals to bridge the opportunity gap within the city of Baltimore through the organization’s free after-school program. Through mentorship and guidance from both leaders and peers at Arts for Learning Maryland, she developed an interest and passion for becoming a change agent for equity. E’Tona is proud to be joining an organization committed to advocacy by disrupting historically inequitable systems to connect future leaders with opportunities, and she is elated to help push the work forward!
443-884-4425
eford@collegeboundfoundation.org
Benjamin Gorski
Ben is a Maryland local, graduating from Edgewood High School with a diploma from the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. They are an alumnus of the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Sociology. Throughout their time in undergraduate, Ben found a passion for serving students in Baltimore City through an internship at Living Classrooms.
After graduating college, Ben started their career in educational programming at the UMB CURE Scholars program. During their four years at CURE, they served middle and high school students in Baltimore City, leading programs in STEM education, summer internships, and school choice. In addition to work, they continued their education at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, receiving a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Intercultural Leadership. Ben is excited to utilize the knowledge gained through this experience in their role as a College Access Program Specialist.
As a city resident, Ben looks forward to continuing to build community and grow roots in Baltimore. In their free time, Ben enjoys hiking, interior decorating, roller-skating, and spending time with loved ones.
443-228-8064
bgorski@collegeboundfoundation.org
Brandon Griffin
Brandon Griffin is a Baltimore native who attended Morgan State University (c/o 2018). While at Morgan State he was a part of the 2014 MEAC championship football team that earned a trip to the FCS playoffs. After getting his degree in business administration, his love for developing young adults led him to coach football at Mississippi State University for the 2019 season. After a season at Mississippi State Brandon held a position as the safeties coach and video coordinator at Gannon University. After a short stint with Gannon he went on to be a graduate assistant at Old Dominion University working with the defensive line. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Journalism from Morgan State University.
443-756-4244
bgriffin@collegeboundfoundation.org