Attorney Heather Mitchell first learned about Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) in 2005 as a young associate at Venale, LLP. Twenty years later, she is a seasoned BCP Board member and passionate advocate for BCP’s work with Baltimore City Public Schools to improve Baltimore’s public education and communities served by BCP’s neighborhood charter schools.
How did you learn about BCP?
I was introduced to BCP when a partner at my firm, who is friends with BCP founder Dr. Muriel Berkeley, asked me if I would like to help out a great organization by providing pro bono legal services for contract negotiations with BCP’s first charter school. Once I heard about BCP’s mission and met Muriel and [then] BCP Executive Director Allison Perkins Cohen, I was hooked. That same year, BCP Board Co-Chair and founding Chair George Hess asked me to join the Board of Directors.
What does it mean to you to serve on the BCP Board?
It’s important work. Baltimore City Schools face a lot of challenges and need a lot of support to address a series of issues. BCP addresses a lot of those and makes schools better. If you’re making schools better then you’re improving the lives of children.
What I particularly like about BCP schools is that we take the schools that we are given. We don’t cherry pick our students. We take neighborhood schools and work on improving those schools with better processes. I love that every kid who lives within the zone of one of our schools gets to go to our school and get all the benefits of that.
We don’t shy away from schools just because they are poor-performing schools. These are schools we seek out because we want to make a difference for the schools that need it the most.
How does your BCP service differ from other volunteer activities?
Serving on the BCP board is the longest volunteer service I’ve had. I have served on the Board for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Baltimore County and was board president. I also had a three-year term on the Maryland Humanities Council board. I am currently on the board for TurnAround, an organization that supports victims of sexual violence and human trafficking.
What differs for BCP is the length of my involvement and commitment. I have so much historical knowledge of BCP. I have had relationships with some of the people for decades now. It’s very personal for me. BCP is like family. I’ve served on the board for nearly 20 years. I’ve watched BCP grow from its early days to what I believe to be the most successful charter school entity in the city.
We’ve done such a good job recruiting board members and have a really impressive group of board members all dedicated to the same mission. It’s been wonderful to watch.
About Heather Mitchell
Partner, Venable, LLP, with Venable since 2002
Seasoned litigator with extensive experience representing businesses in complex commercial litigation, including contract disputes, trust and estate litigation, education law, internal corporate investigations, and matters arising under the federal securities laws
B.A., History, Political Science, James Madison University
J.D., University of Virginia School of Law
