Women to watch: A look at the ladies making change at Johns Hopkins University

By Victoria Mejicanos
AFRO Staff Writer
vmejicanos@afro.com

The AFRO recently took a look a Black women making change via their roles at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Keshia Pollack Porter and Maria Tildon are widely recognized scholars and experts in their respective fields of study. 

Pollack Porter is the 12th dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As an internationally recognized scholar, trusted leader and advocate for public health, she works to advance policy change to create safe and healthy environments.  

Tildon is a public policy and government affairs expert and serves as the vice president of Government, Community and Economic Partnerships for Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine, where she leads a team of nearly 40 people. 

Read below to get an understanding of the possibilities available to women looking to go into economic and public policy, government affairs and more.

AFRO: How do you make change in the Black community in your current role?

Dr. Keshia Pollack Porter: One way that I make change is by simply showing up and showing people what is possible; I know how difficult it is to imagine a world that one has not experienced.

I found myself as the “first” when I began my current tenure on August 1, 2025. [I was] the first Black dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health after an international search. I am also only the second woman of the 12 deans who have led the School since its founding in 1916. When I was appointed dean, some people who had worked at the School for decades shared their joy that the seemingly impossible had become real. I carry their hopes with me every day.

Prior to that, in 2022, I became the Bloomberg School’s first Black department chair. I chose to start my new role during Black History Month. I could think of no better time to start my journey as the “first” – a label that I wear proudly because time and time again, my firstness has paved the way for a second (the second Black department chair was appointed a year and a half later), and a third, and so on.

Maria Harris Tildon: In my current role, I have the honor and responsibility of shaping public policy through a lens of equity and fairness. My work spans healthcare, education, workforce development and capital deployment – all areas that directly influence access to opportunity and the quality of life for our communities.

This work is especially meaningful given the outsized economic and social impact of Johns Hopkins University in the City of Baltimore. I strive to ensure that our resources and influence create tangible, measurable opportunities, particularly for the Black community, where equitable access can transform lives and generations.

AFRO: What / who is your greatest inspiration to make change?

Dr. Keshia Pollack Porter: I am the proud daughter of a Jamaican mother and Dominican-born, St. Kitts-raised father who immigrated to the U.S. in pursuit of opportunities. They, along with my paternal grandmother, instilled in me a diligent work ethic, and the belief that I was made for a purpose and am here to fulfill a purpose—a tenet that leads me each day. Through them, I cultivated my passion for service and equity, and they are a main reason that today I am a health equity scholar.

In addition to these core values, I am also inspired by the community that I am from and now am privileged to lead. Today’s challenges are real, but I know that we will navigate these times together in steadfast commitment to our mission: developing evidence-based solutions to improve health and well-being for all. The health of the collective relies on the health of each individual and thus it is in our interest to understand and overcome disparities rather than turning away. We will continue to do this work and disseminate solutions to policymakers and decision-makers and community partners.

Maria Harris Tildon: My greatest inspiration is my mother.

Beginning at the age of 16, she raised three children while making a conscious decision that education would be the foundation of our future. I grew up watching her shoulder immense responsibility with strength and quiet determination. As a working mother, she not only graduated from high school, she went on to earn her associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and ultimately her Ph.D. All of this was accomplished while simultaneously working several jobs. What inspires me most is the perseverance, focus, and courage behind every step of her journey. She faced obstacles with resolve and always pushed forward, showing me that dedication and hard work can open doors even when the path seems impossible.

Because of her, I approach every challenge with intention. The work I do and the goals I pursue are shaped by the foundation she laid and the standard of excellence she modeled.

AFRO: What was the biggest challenge of your career thus far, and how did you overcome it?

Dr. Keshia Pollack Porter: As a leader in higher education and public health, the current challenges facing our sector and field are also the biggest challenges of my career – ones that I never imagined. Specifically, the value of higher education is under attack, the value of public health is being questioned, and absent a dramatic turnabout in federal policy, institutions like ours are facing reduced federal research funding, which raises questions about how we will secure support for our lifesaving work.

I am incredibly proud to be part of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health community. Together, we are finding ways to leverage our strengths to change and adapt while staying rooted in a strategic vision for our research enterprise. We are envisioning new ways to advance our mission while not compromising who we are.

I am moving forward by holding tightly to my core values, which include striving for equity, integrity, transparency, partnership, and collaboration. I am confident that if we think boldly, move strategically, and act with purpose and passion, we will continue to meet the challenges we face head on, and emerge from this difficult season stronger than before.

Maria Harris Tildon: One of my biggest challenges, which I addressed early on in my career, was remaining open to opportunities that didn’t align with the path I originally envisioned for myself. I began my career as a practicing lawyer, but ultimately pivoted into trade policy and later health care with a broader focus on government and community affairs at the federal, state and local levels. Each transition required me to take a leap of faith and trust that the skills I had developed were transferable. By staying open-minded and willing to grow beyond my original, more restrictive, professional plan I expanded both my impact and my leadership capacity.

AFRO: What is your advice to other women seeking to follow in your footsteps?

Dr. Keshia Pollack Porter: I must admit now is an arduous time to be a Black history maker—particularly as a Black woman leader in higher education, and a leading scholar on health equity. Despite the current challenges, I am keenly aware of my bigger purpose as a leader: I advise women to know your purpose, embrace your power, and continue to have hope.

Make no mistake–we are in a fight. This is not hyperbole. 

Opposite us are those who want to retain the status quo or even return us to a time when we had fewer rights than we do today. In this fight, we all have a role, and we all have power. You don’t need to be a CEO, elected official, or hold some other position of authority to influence change. I applaud all women who are speaking up and making their voices heard in the name of justice, inclusion, and equity—including our own incredibly diverse and accomplished female faculty members, staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, and alumni. And as we lean into our purpose, I remind women to hold on to the hope that the world you are working towards is possible.

Maria Harris Tildon: Never leave anything on the table. Every opportunity, no matter how small or intimidating it may seem, deserves your full attention. Take the time to reflect on every opportunity, and focus on the ones that challenge you, stretch the limits of what you believe is possible and always show up as the very best version of yourself.

True growth rarely happens within the comfort zone. The moments that shape your career and your impact often present themselves as risks, detours or opportunities you didn’t plan for. Be bold enough to step into those moments, even when they feel uncertain or unfamiliar. At the same time, cultivate the confidence to know that you belong in every room you enter and that your perspective, your voice and your leadership are needed and adding value to the ultimate solution or outcome.

Above all, remember that your journey will open doors for others and redefine what ispossible. Sharing your knowledge, experience and support creates a ripple effect and [helps] others see possibilities they might not have imagined. 

Embrace the challenge, trust yourself, invest in others and never underestimate the influence you can have when you step fully into your potential.

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