Liz Koontz To Lead UMB's UniverCity District Partnership
Liz Koontz To Lead UMB’s UniverCity District Partnership
UDP to Drive University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Vibrancy Initiative
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Baltimore | April 13, 2026
Elizabeth (Liz) Koontz has been named the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) director of UniverCity District Partnership (UDP). She is charged with bringing the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Vibrancy Initiative to fruition. The Vibrancy Initiative envisions strong collaborations with a wide array of key institutions to enhance the cultural and economic vitality of UMB’s campus and the surrounding area, and to implement community engagement initiatives, including business roundtables, stakeholder workshops, and collaboration with local organizations.
“We’re delighted that Liz is leading the UniverCity District Partnership,” says Jim Hughes, UMB’s Senior VP for Economic Development. “Liz is excellent at promoting Baltimore, building teams, and getting things done.”
Liz Koontz
Koontz previously served as assistant deputy mayor for community and economic development for the City of Baltimore, where she led cross-agency initiatives and collaborative efforts such as DowntownRISE. Koontz steps into her new role just as UMB is moving forward with a key element of the Vibrancy Initiative – the transformational West Lexington Corridor Project.
“People won’t just walk through UMB to go to the Orioles game. They will live, they will work, they will stay, they will contribute to the businesses,” UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, told the Maryland Board of Public Works at its March 18 meeting, adding, “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
The Board’s approval is the final green light for the $263 million West Lexington Corridor Project, which will add 1,300 beds of market rate housing, 25,000 square feet of retail, indoor and outdoor gathering venues, and recreation facilities on sites now occupied by surface level parking on the north end of the UMB campus.
“Baltimore is home, and I care deeply about its future. I’m honored to lead the UniverCity District Partnership and build on the work already strengthening our Downtown,” Koontz says. “This is an opportunity to connect the energy of the University of Maryland, Baltimore with the creativity and resilience of the surrounding neighborhoods.”
Prior to serving as assistant deputy mayor, Koontz was Director of External Relations at the Baltimore Metropolitan Council and held multiple leadership roles at Live Baltimore, including Program Director, where she helped launch Baltimore’s Birthday Bash and advanced resident recruitment and retention efforts.
In her role as director of UDP, Koontz will put that experience to use, creating an energized and interconnected urban district that enhances the University’s appeal to students, faculty, businesses, and the broader community.
“Together,” she says, “we can create a district where people feel welcome, connected, and proud to invest in Baltimore’s future.”
For more information contact Alex Likowski at alikowski@umaryland.edu.
About the University of Maryland, Baltimore
Founded in 1807, the University of Maryland, Baltimore is the state’s only public health, law, and human services university. UMB advances health, justice, and social impact through innovative education, pioneering research, and compassionate care. The University enrolls nearly 7,000 students in six nationally ranked professional schools — dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and social work — and the interdisciplinary Graduate School.
