Dunbar’s Legacy of Excellence Continues as Dr. Linda Marie Weaver Appointed Maryland Military Department Assistant Secretary for Administration

(BALTIMORE – July 11, 2026) — Every now and then, someone reaches a milestone that reminds us what Baltimore’s public schools—and particularly Paul Laurence Dunbar High School—have produced for generations.

Dr. Linda Marie Weaver’s recent appointment as Assistant Secretary for Administration for the Maryland Military Department is one of those moments.

Effective May 6, 2026, Dr. Weaver was appointed to the senior leadership position, where she will help oversee administrative operations while supporting the Maryland Military Department’s mission alongside Major General Janeen L. Birkhead, Adjutant General of the Maryland National Guard, and the department’s executive leadership.

In announcing the appointment, Major General Birkhead wrote:

“Please join the Maryland Military Department in congratulating Dr. Linda Weaver on her appointment as the Assistant Secretary for Administration. Dr. Weaver brings extensive experience and leadership to this role and will support the Department’s continued commitment to excellence in service to the State of Maryland, the Maryland National Guard, and our community partners. We look forward to Dr. Weaver’s continued leadership and contributions in this new role and wish her great success as she assumes these responsibilities.”

The appointment represents the latest chapter in a distinguished career spanning higher education, public service, finance, auditing, ministry, and community leadership.

Before assuming her new role, Dr. Weaver served as Chief Financial Officer for the Maryland Military Department. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions in higher education, including Associate Director of Finance and Budget, Deputy Director of Business Affairs, Controller, Acting Comptroller, and Business Consultant. She also served as Supervising Senior Auditor with the respected minority-owned CPA firm Abrams, Foster, Nole & Williams.

Her commitment to service extends well beyond government. Over the years, she has volunteered with Mercy High School’s Mothers Club, the Forest Park Senior Center, Union Memorial Hospital as an on-call chaplain, the National Association of Black Accountants’ Baltimore Chapter, and alongside the late Dr. Jay Carrington Chunn with the National Center for Health Behavioral Change.

Dr. Weaver’s educational accomplishments are equally impressive. She earned degrees in Religious Studies and Business from Notre Dame of Maryland University, a Master of Theology from St. Mary’s Seminary and University Ecumenical Institute, completed studies through New Shiloh Baptist Church’s Biblical and Theological Institute, and earned a doctorate in transformational leadership. Her academic journey reflects a lifelong commitment to leadership, faith, scholarship, and service.

Yet for many Baltimoreans, Dr. Weaver’s story begins long before the boardrooms and executive offices.

It begins at Dunbar.

A Dunbar Sister Celebrated

Among those celebrating Dr. Weaver’s appointment is Democratic nominee for Baltimore City Sheriff Sabrina Tapp-Harper, who attended Dunbar around the same time and has known Weaver since childhood.

“I am personally so proud of Dr. Weaver,” Harper said. “She is a childhood friend who has exhibited excellence in all that she does. Beyond all of that, she is my friend.

“With us both graduating from the illustrious Dunbar High School, we have a strong appreciation for excellence, service, and integrity. Dr. Weaver represents all of those values well, and I absolutely, unequivocally wish her the very best in this new role.”

Harper also witnessed Weaver’s dedication firsthand during her successful campaign for Baltimore City Sheriff, where Weaver was among those supporting her efforts.

A Teacher’s Pride

Perhaps no one understands Dr. Weaver’s journey better than Dr. Estella Ingram-Levy, the longtime biology teacher at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School who later served on Weaver’s dissertation committee.

Reflecting on her former student, Ingram-Levy said:

“I’m so proud of Linda. She will always be one of my favorite students. She represents a generation of Dunbar students who embraced excellence.

“I know because I challenged them to do the work they needed to succeed, and they accepted those challenges and persevered beyond their own expectations.

“There’s nothing wrong with the children in Baltimore City Public Schools. Every single one of them can learn. They simply need the nurturing environment that brings out their absolute best.”

Her words serve as a reminder that behind every successful leader are educators who demanded excellence and students who were willing to meet that standard.

The Year of the Dunbar Poet

Dr. Weaver’s appointment also comes during a remarkable year for graduates of the historic Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.

Earlier this year, fellow Dunbar alumna Sabrina Tapp-Harper won the Democratic nomination for Baltimore City Sheriff, positioning herself to become the city’s next sheriff. Around the same time, fellow Dunbar graduate Julian E. Jones Jr. won the Democratic nomination for Baltimore County Executive, placing him on the verge of becoming the first African American elected to lead Maryland’s third-largest jurisdiction.

Now, with Dr. Weaver’s appointment as Assistant Secretary for Administration of the Maryland Military Department, three Dunbar “Poets” have reached significant milestones in public leadership during 2026.

The timing is more than coincidence.

It reflects the enduring influence of a school that has spent generations producing leaders in government, education, business, finance, law enforcement, the military, ministry, and civic life.

For those who know Dunbar, these accomplishments simply continue a tradition of excellence.

A Baltimore Story

Dr. Linda Marie Weaver’s appointment is more than an individual achievement.

It reflects the enduring legacy of Baltimore’s public schools, the leadership cultivated at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, and the power of education, discipline, faith, and public service.

Combined with the recent victories of fellow Dunbar alumni Sabrina Tapp-Harper and Julian E. Jones Jr., Dr. Weaver’s appointment underscores what generations of Baltimoreans have long understood: Dunbar continues to produce leaders who shape Maryland’s future.

As she begins this new chapter serving the State of Maryland, Dr. Weaver carries with her decades of professional excellence, a lifetime of community engagement, and the pride of a city that continues to produce leaders whose impact extends far beyond Baltimore.

Publisher’s Note: A Friend Who Helped Open the Door to New York

There are friends, and then there are friends who help change the trajectory of your work.

Dr. Linda Marie Weaver is one of those people for me.

About 14 years ago, while Linda was living in New York City, I shared with her my vision of expanding the Black Wall Street movement into Harlem. We had already presented a program at the United Nations, but I wanted to establish a permanent presence in one of the most historic Black communities in America.

Without hesitation, Linda graciously stepped in.

She helped us secure a venue, welcomed the vision, and played an important role in making our first Black Wall Street event in Harlem a reality.

I’ll never forget that.

For those of us who build organizations, we know expansion isn’t simply about having ideas. It’s about having people who believe in those ideas enough to help bring them to life. Linda was one of those people.

I will always be grateful for her friendship, her generosity, and her willingness to help us plant a flag in New York City. That event became another milestone in the continuing growth of the Black Wall Street movement, and Linda’s support will forever be part of that story.

Sometimes the greatest measure of a friend isn’t what they say—it’s how they show up when you need them.

Dr. Linda Marie Weaver has always shown up.