EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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Curtis Ritz is an innovative executive leader with a deep commitment to driving positive change through service to others. He brings a proven track record of leading organizational growth, securing sustainable funding, and cultivating strategic partnerships.

With experience as a Vice President of Operations, he has successfully managed extensive service delivery across large urban areas, including securing significant grant funding and expanding workforce development programs. His background also includes managing daily operations for a hospitality property as an Operations Manager, overseeing guest services, financial management, and human resources. Curtis is adept at blending hands-on leadership with strategic vision to deliver measurable results and foster community engagement.

URBAN CANOPY DIRECTOR

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Colin has been an integral part of The 6th Branch since November 2011, beginning as a volunteer and growing into a variety of leadership roles within the organization. He graduated from Stevenson University in 2012 with a degree in Public History.

Driven by a strong commitment to service, Colin completed two years with AmeriCorps, including work with the Clean Energy Service Corps in Austin, Texas, and as a VISTA with The 6th Branch, where he played a key role in establishing the Oliver Community Farm. While continuing his work with The 6th Branch, Colin furthered his education, earning a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Public and Nonprofit Management from the University of Baltimore in 2021.

Colin currently serves as the Urban Canopy Program Manager while also overseeing volunteer engagement across the organization. Known for his signature orange hat, he can often be found planting and caring for trees throughout our sites and neighborhoods.

Colin’s long-standing dedication reflects The 6th Branch’s core values of service, community engagement, and environmental stewardship.

COMMUNITY FARMING DIRECTOR

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After four years in Baltimore’s real estate title industry following her economics studies in Washington, DC, Grace discovered her passion for community-based work when she joined The 6th Branch in 2022. She began as a volunteer with the Urban Canopy program, where she quickly connected with the organization’s mission.

Grace went on to support the organization’s farm sites as an intern with the farming program, gaining hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture. She later transitioned into a full-time farming role, continuing to build her skills through on-the-ground learning and participation in Future Harvest’s Beginner Farming Training Program.

In her current role, Grace is excited to combine her interest in community engagement with sustainable agriculture and deepen her impact through The 6th Branch’s growing and greening efforts.

DIRECTOR OF EQUITY & ENGAGEMENT

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Saj is the Director of Equity and Engagement at The 6th Branch, where she leads community-centered efforts to expand healthy, affordable food access and strengthen relationships across East Baltimore. In this role, Saj manages the SHARE Food Program distribution site and works closely with residents, partners, and local organizations to build equitable, dignified, and community-driven food systems. Her work centers on access, trust, and long-term sustainability, ensuring families have consistent access to fresh, quality groceries and culturally meaningful food resources.

With over four years of experience in Baltimore’s urban farming community, Saj brings a wide-ranging skill set that includes animal husbandry, seed starting, soil health, pest management, produce washing and packing, value-added product development, farmers market implementation, marketing, financial management, grant writing, and community engagement.

Saj is deeply committed to community activism and relationship-building across Baltimore neighborhoods and is grateful to have a career that aligns with her personal values and aspirations. Through both her farming and food access work, she is dedicated to advancing food sovereignty, equity, and community-led solutions.

URBAN CANOPY COORDINATOR

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Sean O’Maille has worked professionally in Baltimore’s urban forestry field since 2021. In his role with The 6th Branch, he plans and implements tree planting projects and oversees establishment care to ensure long-term canopy success.

Sean is deeply passionate about the benefits trees provide to people, wildlife, and the broader ecosystem, and is especially interested in the relationship between nature and urban environments.

DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

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Holly Belkot brings more than 15 years of experience in philanthropy and strategic partnerships to The 6th Branch. She first joined as a volunteer, drawn in by the mission and the community-driven approach. After falling in love with the work on the community farm, she came on board part-time to help strengthen and expand the organization’s impact.

A seasoned philanthropy and social impact consultant, Holly has worked with major donors, foundations, companies, and nonprofits around the world to design values-aligned giving strategies and manage high-impact partnerships. At The 6th Branch, she brings that experience along with a genuine enthusiasm for getting her hands dirty. She freely admits she’s not a very good farmer yet, but she’s excited to learn from the team and neighbors who have been growing things far longer than she has.

Holly holds a Master’s in Communication for Development and Social Change and is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP). Outside of work, she is active in the Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle and loves sharing homemade meals with friends and settling in with a good book.

PROGRAM TECHNICIAN (MD CLIMATE CORPS SERVICE MEMBER)

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Having always been interested in the intersection between people and planet, Nora pursued a degree in Environmental Studies, a concentration in Environmental Advocacy, and a minor in Journalism at the University of Delaware.

After graduating, she spent time working for the National Park Service at Cape Cod National Seashore but always hoped to return to her environmental roots.
Nora decided to join the Maryland Climate Corps Service Year option in order to make a difference while gaining valuable on-the-job experience. She is excited to utilize her knowledge and passion to promote The 6th Branch’s mission during her time here.

PROGRAM TECHNICIAN (MD CLIMATE CORPS SERVICE MEMBER)

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Lannon is ever-passionate about social justice and the planet, which brought her to study Public Policy and Environmental Studies at St. Mary's College of Maryland and graduate in the spring of 2025. With a desire to drive positive change in local communities, Lannon became a part of the Chesapeake Bay Trust's Maryland Climate Corps Service Year Option program, choosing Baltimore, and specifically The 6th Branch, as her placement. 

Outside of The 6th Branch, Lannon works with Maryland Leadership Workshops, a nonprofit focused on youth leadership and empowerment. She believes that the children are the future, after all, and that protecting education and the environment are the keys to society's survival. Through her work with The 6th Branch in particular, Lannon hopes to learn from and uplift both land and people.

PROGRAM TECHNICIAN (MD CLIMATE CORPS SERVICE MEMBER)

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Mia graduated from Salisbury University with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Sociology, and now serves as a Maryland Climate Corps Service Year Option member through the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Department of Service and Civic Innovation! During her time at Salisbury, she served on the board of the Environmental Students Association, partnered with the EPA on an oral history project within an Environmental Justice community, and successfully wrote a green grant to fund sustainable to-go food service on campus.

Outside the classroom, Mia brings hands-on experience in farm operations from her time working at a produce farm in Harford County, as well as professional experience gained during a summer internship at Baltimore Gas and Electric.

With a passion for Environmental Justice and commitment to environmental stewardship, Mia is eager to expand her knowledge of farm operations in a unique urban setting, while working collaboratively with staff at The 6th Branch and fellow community members.