Baltimore native rose from youth program participant to congressional chief of staff
(BALTIMORE – July 23, 2026) – Ray Conaway’s career is a compelling example of what becomes possible when Baltimore invests in its young people—and those young people return prepared to lead.
Conaway, chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, will receive a Joe Manns Black Wall Street Award during the Black Wall Street Summit on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, located at 1315 Division Street in West Baltimore.
Presented by BMORENews.com and its partners, the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards celebrate entrepreneurs, professionals and community servants who support Black businesses, create opportunities and strengthen their communities.
A native of Baltimore City, Conaway has built a career centered on public service, community engagement and expanding opportunities for young people and families.
His professional journey is particularly meaningful because it reflects the long-term power of youth development.
As a high school student, Conaway participated in Community Law in Action, an organization dedicated to helping young people become advocates, leaders and agents of change. Years later, he returned to the organization through the Baltimore cohort of Public Allies during its 2016–17 program year.
His leadership and commitment ultimately led to his appointment as interim executive director of Community Law in Action—the same program that had once helped shape him as a young man.
That progression—from participant to organizational leader—demonstrates more than individual advancement. It illustrates what can happen when community institutions identify talent, cultivate leadership and give Baltimore’s youth meaningful opportunities to grow.
Conaway now serves at one of the highest levels of congressional leadership as chief of staff to Congressman Mfume, who represents Maryland’s 7th Congressional District.
In this role, Conaway helps direct the congressman’s legislative and district operations. He works closely with congressional staff, community leaders, government officials and organizational partners to advance policies affecting Baltimore City, Baltimore County and surrounding communities.
Before becoming chief of staff, Conaway served as Mfume’s district director, overseeing operations throughout the congressman’s district offices and helping constituents navigate the federal government.
His responsibilities place him at the intersection of policy and people—where legislation, constituent services, neighborhood concerns and government resources meet.
Conaway earned a Bachelor of Science in Government from Bowie State University, one of Maryland’s historically Black colleges and universities. He later earned a Master of Science in Public Administration and Policy from McDaniel College.
His education prepared him for public leadership, but his foundation was established in Baltimore: through community, mentorship, service and firsthand knowledge of the city he continues to represent.
Conaway’s career also carries an important lesson for the next generation. Leadership does not always begin with a title. Sometimes it begins when a young person enters a community program, encounters people who recognize his potential and decides to return that investment through a lifetime of service.
From Community Law in Action to the United States Congress, Ray Conaway has remained connected to the people and institutions that shaped him.
That commitment to responsible leadership, public service and community advancement embodies the spirit of the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards.
