What was your first job, and what did it teach you about yourself?

My first job was as a grocery bagger at the commissary on Fort Carson Army Base. It taught me the importance of caring about the quality of my work, no matter how big or small the task. I learned early that how you show up—with focus, pride, and care—can make a meaningful difference for others.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Nona Carroll serves as the Chief of Talent Ecosystem at Baltimore’s Promise. Her greatest hope for humanity is that every young person—especially those from historically excluded communities—has the opportunity to thrive, lead, and dream beyond their circumstances. She is motivated daily by her personal motto: Be who you needed when you were younger.

Nona brings nearly 15 years of nonprofit leadership experience advancing educational equity, workforce development, and systems change. She served as Deputy Director & Chief Program Officer of the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education, leading statewide strategy, fundraising, and execution of initiatives impacting thousands of students annually. In that role, she introduced a data-driven evaluation framework to strengthen program impact and cultivated cross-sector partnerships. She also served as Interim CEO, guiding the leadership transition by strengthening board governance and advancing organizational growth and sustainability.

As a Diversity & Inclusion Consultant at T. Rowe Price, Nona supported the design and implementation of initiatives to advance inclusive talent development, delivered organizational training on cultural competence and equity-centered leadership, and helped embed DEI practices into the company’s long-term strategy.

Nona’s leadership extends into civic and community engagement. She serves as board secretary and chair of the Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for Maryland Nonprofits; is a member of the Pillar 3 Advisory Committee for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future; and is a Life Member of Leadership Maryland. Most recently, she joined the board of the Pearl Foundation, where she helps guide philanthropic strategy focused on education, economic empowerment and workforce development.

Recognized as a bold, visionary, and grounded leader, Nona was named one of the Baltimore Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” in 2025. She holds an MBA from Webster University and a BS in Business Administration from Colorado State University.