Gloria Aparicio Blackwell 

Bio

Gloria Aparicio Blackwell is Director of Local Government Relations in the University of Maryland President’s Office and is in charge of government relations for the Institute of Health Computing in North Bethesda. She previously served for more than 20 years as the Founding Director of UMD’s Office of Community Engagement, now the Center for Community Engagement under the Provost. With more than 28 years at UMD, Gloria has built a career centered on bridging campus, community, and government through collaborative, inclusive partnerships.

Gloria holds academic degrees in safety and fire science, industrial technology, human resources, and management. Her leadership and service have been recognized with numerous honors, including the 2025 The Daily Record Inaugural Maryland Hispanic Leaders Award, the University of Maryland President’s Medal, The Daily Record’s Maryland Top 100 Women award, the State of Maryland Census Champion designation, and the UMD Women of Influence Award.

Committed to civic engagement and volunteer leadership, Gloria serves on several boards, including the City of College Park–University Partnership, Pike District Partnership, the Montgomery College Board of Trustees, Nonprofit Prince George’s, and the University System of Maryland Women’s Forum, where she advances collaboration, equity, and opportunity across the region.