Director – Ryan Powers

Our family moved to Howard County in 2018. While I was focused on owning enough land to have some chickens and a big garden, my wife more practically was excited about the house and the great schools. From the start, and now especially as the children grow older, I was amazed at all the great opportunities Howard County offers to families– top schools, libraries with Makerspaces, community centers, entertainment, and dining. I also think once you discover the multiple parks, playgrounds programs, and camps Recreation and Parks provides to its residents you are hooked.

I had some entry-level civic engagement experience attempting to address speeding on my road, but was driven to take a more proactive approach towards improving our community when I heard about budget problems HCPSS was experiencing in 2024. Since then, I’ve found my own voice testifying to the Board of Education, County Council, and County Executive, Howard County Delegation, etc on what I hope are shared concerns for most community members. I’ve learned a lot just by listening to other residents, and my testimony is better for it.

I first found out about the Howard County Citizens Association while looking into the history of Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances in our community and reading the HCCA’s strong stance on ensuring enough infrastructure (schools, roads, etc) for all residents, both current and future. Here was a group of people driven by civic engagement and improving the lives of their fellow residents. I wanted to be a part and am honored to be asked.

When I go to other parts of the County for various public meetings or just to have fun, I am still amazed at the thoughtful planning in place and of the countless people who contributed to this vision of Howard County– beautiful and healthy places to live, great schools, and public facilities where residents can get together and share their lives. I know I’ll continue to discover new things about the County for years to come.

I like mostly what my kids like– scouting, sports, and Legos. But in some spare time, I also enjoy playing basketball and the guitar poorly. In a past life, I was an immunology researcher doing basic influenza investigations, so every time I deep dive into a county report, I still get to scratch some of that curiosity itch. It will take being interested in our fellow neighbors, engaging
in civil conversation, and some luck stumbling into new county proposals and projects to create a vision for Howard County where everybody can flourish. I’m looking forward to learning more about the concerns and lives of Howard County residents and using this opportunity to represent them for the HCCA.