Maryland Community Investment Corporation Names Managing Director, Expands Stakeholder Engagement Efforts

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Community Investment Corporation (MCIC) today announced the appointment of Krystle Okafor as Managing Director. In this role, Okafor will coordinate MCIC’s day-to-day operations, including the organization’s efforts to set a shared investment agenda with community leaders and other key cross-sector stakeholders in disinvested areas.

“Krystle brings a wealth of experience in equitable development,” said Michael Pokorny, CEO of MCIC. “Her leadership will be instrumental as we deepen our partnerships with communities across Maryland and ensure that local voices help shape our investment strategies.”

The Maryland Community Investment Corporation, which was established under House Bill 599 and signed into law by Governor Wes Moore, represents Maryland’s first state-sponsored Community Development Entity. As a quasi-governmental entity, the corporation is dedicated to building long-term financial capacity and sustained investment in low-income communities across Maryland through New Markets Tax Credits. 

“Krystle brings important ideas and diverse experiences to the Maryland Community Investment Corporation,” said Comptroller and Maryland Community Investment Corporation Board Chair Brooke E. Lierman. “She will work with state and national leaders to bring new resources to Maryland, including identifying opportunities in our historically marginalized communities, and ensure that MCIC is able to deliver investments aligned with our values of justice and equity to support economic growth and opportunity for all.”

Okafor joins MCIC with a strong background in housing policy and racial equity. She directed DHCD’s Just Communities initiative, an effort to channel resources into Maryland neighborhoods that historically bore the brunt of segregation, discrimination, and institutional racism. She previously worked at the grassroots level with Baltimore’s community land trust network, SHARE Baltimore, advancing neighborhood-driven development and housing affordability.

“I am honored to join MCIC at this pivotal moment,” said Krystle Okafor. “By centering community voices in investment decisions, we can ensure that resources flow to where they are needed most, fostering economic inclusion.”

MCIC’s expanded stakeholder engagement strategy will center on the development of community advisory boards, designed to foster greater collaboration among residents, local organizations, and community development finance leaders. These boards will provide a structured platform for communities to influence MCIC’s investment decisions and priorities, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to equitable economic growth. MCIC is currently seeking nominations for these statewide community advisory boards. Interested parties should email [email protected].

For more information about MCIC and its initiatives, visit dhcd.maryland.gov.