Lakey Boyd is the new president and CEO of the Columbia Association (CA). She’s also a neighbor. With more than two decades in community planning and revitalization, Boyd and her husband considered where they wanted to spend their daughter’s middle and high school years after more than 20 years of living in Atlanta, Georgia, and Birmingham, Alabama. They reached out to colleagues in the Baltimore-Washington region, and a business associate soon let her know about the open position at CA. After a national search, they offered her the position.

Columbia’s foundation story, as an intentionally diverse community, strongly appealed to them. 

CA makes many of those assets possible:  95 miles of pathways, lakes, a roller rink, an ice skating rink, 23 indoor and outdoor pools, three fitness centers, and a skate park, to name a few. An emphasis on art, access to entertainment, and the uniquely diverse community also influenced their decision. Ultimately, they bought a townhome in downtown Columbia. “We saw a community that had our shared values, where we felt welcomed and had unlimited public assets for our family,” Boyd said. As someone relatively new to Columbia with a fresh perspective, Boyd views what is offered through CA as “magical.” 

“Whether you are a member of CA or anyone enjoying what CA offers, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, that’s a gift to the community. That’s baked into who we are as an organization.”

As Columbia heads into its 55th year, Boyd and CA are among the organizations and residents asking, “What’s next?” Development is easy when starting with empty land, but now Columbia is facing redevelopment. So, what do you preserve from the past that made Columbia what it is while moving forward with the realities of today? For example, explains Boyd, environmental impacts, energy usage, and financial parameters.

“We’ve entered this next arc of change, and I’ve been through that arc in a lot of different communities,” Boyd said. “There are diverse perspectives, from the retired couple in the same home for 40 years to the young family in an apartment with children in the school system.” Yet, she sees a hesitation for people to recognize these differences in need and perspective, and she’s seen it elsewhere.

“My lived experience personally and professionally is that we have to work at getting on the same page. It takes vigilance to stay engaged with each other,” Boyd said.

Although CA is not a governmental organization, Boyd envisions opportunities to bring community members together for those conversations. Boyd herself has met with nearly 150 individuals and organizations. She sees the CA convening focus groups, leveraging advisory committees, and hosting public education sessions that can provide context for decision-making, developing surveys, and supporting discourse online. 

Those aren’t the only ways to make an impact. “People say they want things to change, and they want to make a difference. I challenge them to do that today,” Boyd said. 

“Represent your village by running for your village board or the CA Board. Plant flowers at the entry of your neighborhood. Speak to a group about the environment or wellness. Teach a class. Find your way to engage with our community.”