Secretary Jake Day Announces New Division of Homeless Solutions, Leadership Promotions and Hires at Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
In alignment with the agency’s priorities to Provide Shelter for All and Connect All Marylanders
NEW CARROLLTON, MD (January 11, 2024) – Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day today announced three promotions within the department, the creation of a new Division of Homeless Solutions and welcomed a new leader to the department’s finance team. These changes come as part of the agency’s continued efforts to enhance its effectiveness, thought leadership, and equity work.
Danielle Meister has been appointed as the Assistant Secretary of the new Division of Homeless Solutions, which is responsible for overseeing department and interagency strategy, policy, and initiatives to prevent and end homelessness.
Ronnie Hammond has been appointed as the Director of the Office of Statewide Broadband, and is responsible for developing and implementing department strategy to close the digital divide and ensure equitable access to high-speed internet for all Marylanders.
Ken Fick was hired as the Director of the Division of Finance and Administration, which oversees the financial management and central support services in the Department, providing financial, analytical, internal review and reporting, as well as preparing and managing operating and capital budgets and accounting for the Department’s expenditures and revenues for budgetary and grant accounting, among other responsibilities.
And Stuart Campbell has been appointed as the Special Advisor for Economic Mobility, and will explore innovative ways for the Department of Housing and Community Development and the State of Maryland to be a national leader in addressing poverty.
“These leadership promotions, hires, and the creation of our agency’s newest division will build on our existing work to create more equitable communities across our state, from closing the digital divide to solving homelessness,” said Secretary Jake Day. “Each of these four talented individuals will play a vital role in the future of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.”
Danielle Meister, Assistant Secretary of Homeless Solutions
Danielle Meister is the Assistant Secretary for Homeless Solutions, overseeing department and interagency strategy, policy, and initiatives to prevent and end homelessness. Prior to this role, Meister served as the Director of the Office of Community Services Programs and Senior Policy Officer for Homeless Initiatives at DHCD, overseeing $550 million in annual and pandemic relief funding for community-based programs focused on preventing and ending homelessness, reducing poverty, and creating economic mobility for low-income households. This work included coordinating the Maryland Interagency Council on Homelessness, a collaborative of state and local government agencies, nonprofits, and Continuums of Care working together to advance policy and funding solutions to end homelessness in Maryland. Additionally, Meister led the formation of the new Maryland Balance of State Continuum of Care, which was established in 2020 and has since expanded to include 9 rural and suburban counties, over a third of the state.
Prior to joining DHCD, Meister was the Deputy Director of Homeless Services for Baltimore City, securing over $14 million in new annual federal and state funding to support local programs, launching the City’s first Youth Action Board, implementing a new Medicaid 1115 Waiver project to create new permanent supportive housing for 200 families, and successfully led a community-wide campaign to reduce veteran homelessness by over 30% in 3 years. Prior to working in government, Meister oversaw direct services to people experiencing homelessness as a family shelter director, case manager, and street outreach worker.
Meister holds a Masters in Public Affairs from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts from Gonzaga University, and was recognized as one of the Top 100 Maryland Women by the Daily Record. Danielle resides in Baltimore City with her husband Andrew and two wonderful kids.
Ronnie Hammond, Director of Statewide Broadband
Ronnie Hammond is the Director of Statewide Broadband, overseeing department strategy to close the digital divide and ensure equitable access to high-speed internet for all Marylanders. Prior to this role, Hammond served as Deputy Director of the Office of Statewide Broadband.
With a decade-long career spanning both the private and public sectors, Hammond has been a driving force in human resources initiatives. In 2019, he transitioned to the Office of Rural Broadband as a Program Manager, working to ensure that all Maryland residents receive access to reliable high-speed internet. His prior role as a Special Business Partner within the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development showcased his versatility in collaborating on human resources, community development, and broadband initiatives.
In his role as Deputy Director of the Office of Statewide Broadband, Hammond played a pivotal role in facilitating over $300 million in grants to address broadband gaps and close the digital divide. His leadership aided in implementing Digital Equity initiatives at a broad scale, resulting in more than 100,000 households gaining access to affordability measures, devices, or skills training.
Hammond earned his Bachelor’s degree from Frostburg State University and went on to attain his Masters of Science from Towson University. As a longtime resident of Prince George’s County, Ronnie has established deep roots in the community.
Ken Fick, Director of the Division of Finance and Administration
Ken Fick has over 25 years of experience in finance and accounting where he has provided innovative solutions designed to improve compliance, forecasting, budgeting, planning and decision making to companies that generate from $3 million to over $50 billion in revenue. He has advised clients in various industries on matters such as technical accounting, corporate finance, corporate performance improvement, financial planning, and analysis, budgeting, financial forecasting and modeling, among many other matters.
Prior to joining DHCD, Fick served in key leadership positions at both private and public companies including as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis for a large specialty consulting firm, as Director in MorganFranklin’s Strategy & Transformation Services practice, the Chief Financial Officer of a digital marketing agency, a Managing Director of a mortgage banking consulting firm, the Senior Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for a billion-dollar marketing services enterprise and a Director in FTI Consulting’s Forensic and Litigation Consulting Practice.
Fick has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from State University of New York at Buffalo and an MBA from the College of William and Mary. He is a licensed CPA within the state of Virginia and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) by the AICPA. Fick resides in Annapolis with his wife Madonna and his two daughters.
Stuart Campbell, Special Advisor for Economic Mobility
Stuart Campbell is the Special Advisor for Economic Mobility. Neighborhood Revitalization, and will explore innovative ways for the Department and the State to be a national leader in addressing poverty.
Immediately prior to his current position, Campbell was the Deputy Director of DHCD’s Division of Neighborhood Revitalization, which invests approximately $100 million annually in state and federal funds in the revitalization priorities of Maryland’s older communities to create great places to live and work and to help individuals, families, and small businesses access economic stability and prosperity.
Campbell also previously served as DHCD’s Director of Community Services Programs, responsible for the administration of approximately $25 million annually in federal and state funds across a dozen different programs and initiatives supporting the work of nonprofits and local governments in addressing homelessness, poverty, foreclosure prevention, financial education, and pre-purchase counseling for first-time homebuyers. During COVID, the federal and state funds administered by Campbell’s team grew to nearly $500 million.
Campbell has over 30 years of experience working in the social and economic justice arena, including as a lobbyist on low-income issues in Washington, DC for 13 years, as the executive director of two nonprofits, as well as serving on the boards of several local and national organizations.