Introducing Baltimore’s New Executive Director

Meet Nakeia Jones!

For over 10 years, Nakeia has worked in the public and private sectors in roles including education, marketing, event coordination, and business development. Her core focus has been to make entrepreneurship opportunities and financial literacy attainable for Baltimore’s youth.

Nakeia started her career at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, where she interned as an Events and Promotions Assistant. While working at the zoo, she became a Certified Tourism Ambassador for the City of Baltimore. She then moved into a position as Marketing Coordinator for Red Zone Adventures, a family entertainment company based in Timonium, Maryland. She later transitioned into public education serving as an educator for Baltimore City Public Schools. In 2012, she became a Certified Entrepreneurship Instructor through the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), sending six students to the National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge. She has had the pleasure of teaching NFTE in Baltimore classrooms and Biz Camps held at the University of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University and Babson College. In March 2016, Nakeia was honored as a NFTE Global Enterprising Educator.

In September 2016, Nakeia left the classroom to expand her passion for guiding students into entrepreneurship by joining the NFTE Baltimore/Washington Team as a Lead Program Associate. She doubled the size of NFTE’s impact in Baltimore, implemented a pilot program for CTE Non-Business completers and has increased the industry and cultural diversity of volunteers. Nakeia became the Regional Director for NFTE Baltimore & Washington Metro Regions in June 2020.

Nakeia launched Its Blackademic! Trivia, an entertainment company geared to providing trivia-based events that celebrate the greatness and diversity of Black History & Culture in 2019. Her clients include but are not limited to PayPal, The National Urban League, Ernst & Young, Mikey’s Miracle Foundation and Metro Baltimore National Pan-Hellenic Council.

She received her M.Ed. in Secondary Education from Grand Canyon University and attended Morgan State University and Baltimore International College, now Stratford University. She also holds a Maryland Professional Teaching Certification in Business Education. Nakeia enjoys playing tennis, travel, and entertaining in her spare time.