Kurt Sommer
Title: Executive Director, West Baltimore Renaissance Foundation
Organization: LifeBridge Health
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Kurt is the Executive Director of the West Baltimore Renaissance Foundation (WBRF) which is a nonprofit organization linked to LifeBridge Health, a five hospital health system serving the Greater Baltimore area. The WBRF is managing and awarding funding made possible through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission to support community needs such as workforce development, mentoring, food access and population health. The WBRF is also building a community resource center, expected to open in 2023, that will be home to a range of nonprofit organizations to provide resources for the community. Prior to his current role, Kurt was the Director of the Baltimore Integration Partnership (BIP), a collaborative partnership of anchor institutions, funders, nonprofits and public organizations focused on establishing economic inclusion as the business culture of norm in the Baltimore region. The BIP was part of the national Living Cities Integration Initiative and is credited with advancing significant workforce, community investment, policy, and system change outcomes. Kurt has also held positions in public policy, community development and research with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Baltimore Housing, and the Brookings Institution. Kurt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Washington College and a Master of Community Planning degree from the University of Maryland College Park. He is a Baltimore native and is married with one child.